Farmer's Boy (Veralum Brewery)

The Farmer's Boy is one of several pubs in St. Albans that has changed management sometime in the last few months or so, and the new landlord seems pretty keen. The dividing wall and fireplace that used to give the pub a two-bar feel, as alluded to by another reviewer, were taken out some time ago and consequently the pub has a much brighter, more spacious feel to it than it did a couple of years ago. The pub can get very busy during live music nights, and it attracts a wide cross-section of clientele. Of the five handpumps, two seem to be dedicated to Farmer's Joy and Clipper IPA. These beers are badged as Verulam Brewery, but the Verulam Brewery, although still located at the rear of the premises, is now called Alehouse and is operated by a different brewer (who was until recently the landlord at the Lower Red Lion and who now runs the Mermaid, a few minutes walk away across town). Alehouse beers often feature at the pub as well, but the rest of the cask beer range tends to be a bit more mainstream. In my experience the beer quality is normally good, and a small number of Belgian beers and other continental beers are stocked. The pub can be useful for people desiring a late drink, as it sometimes opens late at weekends. I quite like the Farmer's Boy, even though I don't get in there quite as often as I probably should. It is very conveniently located for access to the City train station, the town centre and also only a few minutes walk away from the excellent pubs of the Sopwell Lane area. Worth a visit of you are passing.