Zerodegrees Restaurant & Microbrewery

 

This place became a favorite of mine during the few months I spent living in Reading.

In terms of atmosphere, it's a rather modern-looking brewpub attached to a fancier dining room. Lots of impractical furniture, but nothing so obtrusive as to be a nuisance. Could use a larger establishment, this place is packed on the weekends.

The house ales are quite good. Most of them are aping American styles, which might be a disappointment to anyone looking for English style "real ales," but as an American missing American beer, this was an answered prayer. The food, based on what I've tried - and I've tried just about everything, is exceptional. Great pizza, mussels, pasta, salads and sides. Wide selection of food, ale and spirits.

The only complaint I could possibly level at this establishment is their pricing, which is a bit higher than I'd typically expect to pay at a place like this. Otherwise, this place is worth checking out if you're in the area. However, if all you're looking for is beer, you might want to check out some of Reading's other more drinking oriented bars. If you're looking for a good meal, this is your place.

I was suprised to see this place on beerfly and it isn't my sort of place, but I shall be objective and not subjective in my comments and scores.

The drinking area is large and very plain, wooden floor and lots of windows, the rest of the joint is stainless steel. Great tubes of silver metal or ducts if you like, hang from the ceiling as heaters and a kind of modern art form.

It is for the younger set, bright, airy and ultra modern in all aspects. No old men in raincoats and flat caps in here, luckily I had left mine at the hotel.

My beers were good and the staff smiled as they poured the stuff out. All beers were brewed on site.

There was a leaving party for a young lady on my visit (Feb 2007) and the plates of Pizza and other food being brought to her guests looked fine and gave off an interesting aroma.

I felt a little out of place, but the beers and eye candy were both life giving.

This is a sister to the Zerodegrees restaurants in Bristol and Blackheath, London. This one opened around April 2007.

The bar has two entrances. Go through the front and you will find yourself in the restaurant section. If you just want a beer walk through and you will find the bar in the rear with a wine-bar style lounge.

All the beer is brewed on the premises, the range consisting of
- Pilsner
- Pale Ale
- Black Lager
- Wheat Neer
- Seasonal Beer

The Pilsner and Pale Ales are good representatives of their styles, and the wheat beer makes a good attempt at a weissbier. The Black Lager is quite unusual with a good roast flavour too it, yet still quite light on the tongue.

The Seasonal Beer was a Mango beer - far far to sweet for my taste.

You will not see any handpumps here, yet all the beer is real ale. They simply choose to dispense it in a different way to what might be expected.

Food is pretty nice too. The pizzas are baked in a wood powered oven and very tasty with some imaginative toppings.

Decor is quite modern and spartan. Comfortable enough as a restaurant, not so good for relaxing back.