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?...