My favourite pub in Bristol. One of the very few with a genuinely exciting selection of beers. We walk half way across the city to go for a pint here.

Visited here 27th December 2011, one of the few pubs that seemed to be bothered to open. Large open space on entering, range of beers was Butcombe (not sure which other than Gold) and with a Bristol Beer Factory Acer when we went there. The bottled beer selection looked very good. Comfortable pub, bit quiet when we were there, but friendly barman and as already mentioned v.close to Zerodegrees which was closed on the 26th & 27th December 2011.

Ladnewton’s review summarises this pub well. The award winning Smiles interior was ripped out to create a larger drinking area, but the replacement is pleasant enough. The Butcombe beers are drinkable, the bottled selection arguably the best in the city and you might get lucky with an unusual guest ale. Also just down the street from the Bristol branch of Zero Degrees. Pretty good all round.

Butcombe tied pub now occupying the site of the original Smiles brewery tap which closed in 2007. Full Butcombe range stocked plus two changing guest ales. In addition over thirty imported bottles are kept. Food available - an imaginative varied menu contains locally-sourced dishes.