January 27, 2010
Wow! is all I can say to the beer selection in this place. There’s 6 real ales in good condition and a real cider on tap when I was there on a Tuesday - at £2.50 a pint, they’re pretty cheap by local standards. But it’s the bottled beer selection that really draws the eye - The fridges along the back of the bar, and out into the pub itself (no helping yourself...!) apparently have 250 bottles at present (a third are UK, mainly bottled condition, with the rest being from all around the world). The friendly Irish landlord says he plans to expand up to 400 bottles in the near future - he seemed open to suggestions of future beers too. The refurbished pub itself is currently rather shiny and new and Ikea-ish for my taste, and needs a bit of time to moulder in - but it was certainly drawing in a mixed crowd of old and young, male and female. The big sports screen on one side was an annoyance, but at least it was muted, and the music was pitched right to add atmosphere without preventing conversation. It’s certainly a very welcome addition to the Buckinghamshire (and the UK!) beer scene, and I’d strongly recommend it - I’ll certainly be back.