Tuesday 4 June 2013

[PUB REVIEW] - Holborn Whippet, Holborn


Beer(s) from the brick.

The Holborn Whippet is a pub brought to you by the same guys that set up the much-admired Euston Tap. Located along Sicilian Avenue, the Holborn Whippet brings a fine selection of craft beers to an area of town that has previously largely neglected such a luxury. Offering 12 beers on keg and 6 in cask (although dispensed with a pump), the Whippet is a pub where you will not be subjected to mediocre and mass marketed beers. Instead, you will be afforded the opportunity to sample great beers from British craft giants; Thornbridge, Dark Star, Camden Town, Magic Rock, as well as being introduced to fledgling craft breweries. Being right on the pulse of British Craft brewing is a great quality for a pub to have, and the Whippet is a perfect place to discover new breweries, and sample excellent seasonal brews too. With over 1000 breweries now open in the UK, seeking out new favourites can be a tricky task. But the Whippet, like other craft pubs, can be very useful as a barometer for new breweries, as the beers available are always interesting and demand consideration. The range is always balanced and you won't find boring session ales simply for the sake of it. For the range and quality on offer, the Whippet is exceptionally well priced, catering to guzzlers and sippers equally.

The Whippet itself isn't out of place along Sicilian Avenue, which is its own grandiose corner of London. The pub has adopted a slick minimalist interior, with relaxed, almost continental style seating, which contrasts nicely with the elaborate exterior and windows. The real centrepiece of the pub is the bar: All of the beer taps come straight from a red brick chimney that dominates the room, with a copper trough acting as an attractive drip tray. Chalk boards up high on the chimney neatly display all the beers; tasting notes, prices et al, which is a great touch. There is also burgers available that are big and tasty, and provide more than adequate ammunition for your visit to the Whippet to be a long one with plenty of beer.

The brown pub tiles, red bricks, and even the name - all point suggestively to a traditional Victorian pub. However the Holborn is definitely a pub for the modern ale drinker, and one that excels at providing new and great ales time after time.