Hereford – Beer in Hand

The next pub on our evening meander around Hereford was the Good Beer Guide listed Beer in Hand. It’s got the atmosphere and ambience of a micropub and it has won numerous CAMRA awards over the years.

There were real ales available as well (although apparently the number of these has been reduced from previous years), with this being the keg and cans list. I like nicely presented boards which make things simple for me to understand rather than some rickety board that I can hardly read perched precariously behind the bar. The beer list was well curated with a range of beer styles to choose from, as well as an up-to-date can list by using printed versions of it. The service at the bar was friendly and timely, all suitably relaxed.

Bottles, cans, real ciders and all rather exciting. I liked the inviting atmosphere of the pub and the atmosphere felt comfortable, informal and safe. They don’t sell food, but they are proud of not just their beer and cider but also their craft spirits.

I went for the Dream House from Left Handed Giant brewery from Bristol. I like this brewery, I’ve been to their brewpub in Bristol and they make some particularly decadent stouts. This beer was a NEIPA, with a decent fruity and hoppy flavour.

Julian, who is a natural sporting sceptic (despite my attempts to get him to play football), was convinced to play Jenga. Just wait, I think he might move onto bar billiards before you know it.

Then, for reasons unknown, Jonathan brought over some Russian dolls. What was also evident was that there was an element of community about the venue with that micropub tendency to have plenty of events going on even though the opening hours might be a little limited compared to traditional pubs. There’s a debate about that in the latest CAMRA magazine, but I won’t go down that rabbit hole at the moment.

Anyway, sport aside, I very much liked this pub and am pleased that it’s listed in the Good Beer Guide. The choice of beers is impressive, the pub was clean, the service was friendly and they had a number of different pub games. The on-line reviews are positive and I’d merrily recommend a visit here.