Bar of the Month February: Beerd

In January, I decided to start writing a monthly feature on some of the best beer bars in the UK. I started with one of my favourite places; the Holborn Whippet and decided to ask around for suggestions from this month. So, after a couple of  suggestions on Twitter, I've chosen Bristol's Beerd.

Beerd is part of a growing scene of decent beer focused bars in Bristol. It's owned by Bath Ales, so naturally the selection features a number of their beers. On keg, you'll find Bath favourites such as Dark Side stout alongside other great craft and European beers. Expect Belgian and German offerings such as Palm and Flensburger.

On cask, there's Bath's own S.P.A (Special Pale Ale) alongside a healthy fridge full of bottles featuring amongst others Thornbridge, The Kernel, Flying Dog, Brooklyn and Goose Island.

A real plus point for Beerd is that all the whole draft selection is offered in one third, half, two thirds and pint glasses. So, if you want to get stuck into a couple of pints of your favourite brew you can, but equally if you want to work your way along the bar and still be able to walk out through the door at the end of it, that's also an option!

The funky interior at Beerd

Aside from the excellent beer range, Beerd has another piece of bait to lure you in with - its fine selection of pizzas. There's plenty of choice for both meat eaters and vegetarians alike and at the end of the day, great beer and pizza is always going to be a winning combination!

Not being in the Bristol area myself, I haven't yet checked out Beerd but I will make sure I do next time I'm in the area. Are you Bristol based and if so, what do you think of Beerd's selection and their food offerings?

I've left it a bit late in the month to do this piece, so I'll be picking a bar of the month for March pretty soon. Why not leave your suggestions as a comment below. Or tweet them to me: @thehoptimist1.

Beerd is at 157-159 St Michaels Hill, Cotham, Bristol, BS2 8DB. It opens from 10am - 11pm daily. 

Bar of the Month January: The Holborn Whippet

The Holborn Whippet is a relatively new bar, having only existed on Sicilian Avenue near Holborn tube station since mid 2012. I'd been wanting to visit the Whippet for while, having heard good things about the selection of cask and keg beers and I've got to say, it doesn't disappoint.

The selection is constantly rotating and consists of up to eighteen cask and keg beers and a couple of decent ciders too. I opted for a London Fields Shoreditch Triangle IPA, before going dark and having a Kernel Export Porter and a Magic Rock Dark Arts stout. 

When I popped in, their selection included Harbour, Moor and many other great breweries alongside those mentioned above. It also featured a number of other interesting brews such as Camden Town's Rye Mild and Magic Rock's collaboration with Brodies, a mango pale ale called The Great Alphonso.

Slightly blurry Iphone pic of the bar!

The bar has a stripped back and beautifully retro feel. You could almost believe that it has been there forever. In an area with lots of pretty ordinary bars, The Holborn Whippet stands out for the breadth of its selection and its knowledgeable staff. 

It clearly attracts people that care about their beer. As I waited at the bar, I heard the staff field a number of questions about the brewing processes used for particular beers and the hops contained within them. 

London has become a top place for craft beer. Alongside The Rake, the three Craft Beer Co Venues, the Brewdog Bars and many others, the Whippet is becoming a real go to bar for good beer. It is also my first bar of the month. 

Whilst some of our craft beer bars in places like London are thriving, a lot of traditional pubs are going to the wall. I thought it would be a nice idea to pick a bar of the month throughout this year on the blog. I want you guys to send me your ideas. Please either comment on this post or contact me on Twitter (@thehoptimist1) and use the hashtag '#barofthemonth.'

So that it's not too London-centric, it would be great to have suggestions from all over the UK - what's the best bar in Leeds or Bristol or Edinburgh? What makes a particular bar great? Is it the beer selection alone? The general atmosphere? The friendly and knowledgeable staff? Please get in contact with suggestions for my February bar of the month.

We have great beer bars throughout the UK, so lets celebrate them. It would also be nice for me to know of a few great bars in places I'm not so familiar with, in case I'm ever in your neck of the woods! The Holborn Whippet has kicked things of nicely, where next?...