Thursday 18 October 2012

[PUB REVIEW] - Gunmakers, Clerkenwell


A staunch supporter of London beer.

The Gunmakers is a small pub tucked down a side street not far from Farringdon station. On the bar there is five hand pumps (one for a scrumpy) as well as five beers on keg. The line-up tends to centre around London based breweries; Hackney Brewery, By the Horns, Meantime, Redemption, Windsor and Eton, all make regular appearances on the pumps. Whilst some beer geeks may cry that four ales isn't enough, the Gunmakers represents different thought process in their beer selection: rather than offer a huge range, the smaller range means that the beers that are chosen are done so with much more thought and attention to detail than other pubs. Never will you go to the Gunmakers and find yourself without a nice broad representation of excellent beers, even with the apparent size handicap (a difficult skill). This is further highlighted by the kegged beers, since rather than seeing the same old rubbish you'll find in every pub in London, you'll be offered a choice of two Meantime beers, Guinness, Staropramen and Budvar. It truly is refreshing to be in a pub where serving quality beer comes before pleasing mass-marketed lager swillers. 

The pub itself is split into three areas, the front area acting as a pub, the middle more like a dining room, and the back room has a relaxed conservatory feel. There's also a room upstairs for those seeking more space. Throughout the pub there is comfy seating flanked by beautiful traditional pub mirrors; the light wood interior compensates for the lack of windows well, and actually the pub's tone and ambience is well thought out, and one of its strongest visual features. The food available is another draw for those unsatisfied by London's finest beers under one roof - an extensive and exciting range of modern pub food - much of which is locally sourced and all of which is top quality.

When considering the food and the beer in tandem, the Gunmakers smacks of a pub that is run with the intention to show off what London has to offer. The condition of the beer is utterly flawless and certainly cements the pub as a bastion for locally sourced beers in the capital.



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