Holmes & Watson Ltd.

Stop in here recently when I was visiting my sister in Troy. Friendly British Pub style atmosphere. We were there around 7 or 8pm and the place seemed quiet. We grabbed a table in the bar area. The service was prompt and attentive. They had a decent draft selection. Some domestic and imported Macros, as well as some craft brews. Apparently they have a beer club that you can join (however I am not sure on the details). I had a Rogue John's Locker Stock Black Brutal and a Sierra Nevada ESB. My sister had the ESB and a Wachusett Summer Ale. I was dissapointed when I ordered the Seafood cowder, they replaced it with Manhatan style clam cowder, blasphemy. The food came out quickly, we both had sandwiches. I had the "thanksgiving" style sandwich and she had the steak and cheese. The only problem was that they could not pick the mushrooms out of her sandwich for they were pre-mixed with peppers and onions. The sandwiches were reasonably priced around $6-$9, the entrees looked to be a bit more $15+. When all was said and done, it was a good meal at a decent price, with good beer, how can you go wrong. I will definately go back when i'm in the area.

Been there, drunk that, seen what needed to be seen for the most part and was looking for something new. The King of Daves put me onto this place, said they had a good selection, and he'd know if it were so. We'll see, we'll see. I'm pretty good navigating Albany but I'm not too good with Troy (you'll recall that scariness with Randy in the inadvertent 'hood down by the river that time). Easy enough as it turns out. See, once you drift into the "this way, that way, this way, that way" grid, you can't help but get pulled into a series of right turns that'll lead you right there...

English pubby. An old "L" shaped wood bar seats 10 on the inside wall, with a wood bar back, tiered booze to both sides of a center glass front cupboard holding glassware, and more below presuming to be the home of the bottled beers. Dark wood panel walls decorated with brewery mirrors & signage, slat wood floors, and an ancient pressed tin ceiling, warped and bowed. Multi bulb drop chandeliers over the bar and seating; 3 tables forward the bar along the large windows, and a 5 stool bar counter on the front window, doors between them in the corner. Decent room, a single mounted TV in the far corner.

Ordered a bite and went to have a look around some. A rear sunken dining room holds a dozen small patterned red tableclothed tables, brick and paneled wood, lamp lighting, old Troy pictures, a fireplace, Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson prints, and a great display case with old bottles from long defunct Troy breweries. Upstairs, another dining room, a dozen and a half tables, the walls decorated with framed RPI prints (Bathroomfly: more old pressed tin ceiling, the walls done up in a tartan plaid wallpaper. I've always imagined Randy's imaginary apartment to look just like this).

Back at the bar, foodings. The menu items are named after people and places in Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I had the Missing Three Quarter; a roast beer sandwich and cheddar sandwich on garlic rye. Killer. Service was attentive and playful.

24 taps in a row on the bar, 3 or 4 of them were empty. ½ of them American micros (Sierra Nevada Porter, Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold & Pale Ale, Sackets Harbor War of 1812 Ale, Blue Point Pale Ale, Rogue JLS Youngs Special Bitter, Lagunitas Pilsner, Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat, Abita Turbo Dog, Redhook Copperhook, Yuengling), the other ½ a mix of blah imports (Harp, Guinness, Bass, Smithwicks, Newcastle, Boddingtons), a cider (Strongbow), a retro (Schaefer), and a soda (Saranac Root Beer). I started with the Sierra Nevada Porter and wound down with a Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold, both beers were fresh and tasty.

They've also got about 60 bottles, including macros, maltos, ciders and N/A's, the list broken out by style (Why Duvel is under the header "Malt Liquor" I cannot say). About 2 dozen of them are English/Irish/Scottish, with the remainder being a handful of Germans (including these Doppels 3; Ayinger Celebrator, Paulaner Salvator & Spaten Optimator), a smattering of Belgians (Duvel, Lindemans) and micros (Harpoon, Ommegang, Dixie, Sam Adams), various beers of the world, and too many macros. They do a beer "world tour", you get a card tracking your beers (it's kept in the tour card file box), and you get a shirt upon completion, you've got a year to get it done. I'm not sure if I've got this right, but I think they're laying claim to having invented the beer tour.

Anyway, good beer, good food, nice all around find.

This is a great downtown Troy beer stop if your in the area. You may have to drive in circles on one way streets to find a close place to park, but it's worth it.
The interior has a comfortable " Old English " feel with a sturdy wood bar and ornate back bar on your right as you enter the big corner set door. Nicely appointed tables are set in the adjoining room.
The 24+ tap selections are usually very impressive, with rotating selections from Rogue, Davidson Bros., Victory, Lake Placid, Sierra, Stone, Anchor, Southern Tier, Flying Dog, Ithica, etc. represent the US and the usual and not so usual suspects from Europe; Weihenstephan Lager, Speckled Hen, Boddingtons, Stella, Newcastle, Belhaven, O'Haras, Wexfords Irish Cream ( an interesting thing to see) Spaten etc. Macro's are in the minority here.
Bottle selection is limited to macros for the most part but I think you can get a Lindemans Frambois or St. Peters Cream Stout if you like.
Food, tho Ive only had lunch, was good to very good and I reccomend the Clam Chowder and the Blanched Soldier ( Turkey and gravy on toasted bread - a serious munch - ask for extra napkins!).
Ive never been there at night but I hear it can get rockin on a Friday night.
If you find yourself in Troy, there is always a good pint to be found here.

Holmes & Watson has been one of our irregular lunchtime haunts for years. Everything on the menu is named after a character or place in the Sherlock Home's series. And everything is tasty and a good size. As to beer: I can't tell you how many times I've started their beer tour - you only have a year to complete it and we just don't go often enough. Decent range of micro's & imports on tap and a huge list of bottled beers. Parking at lunchtime is a pain but that's the norm for downtown Troy - you can usually find something within a block or two. Give it a try, you'll get good food, good beer and semi-decent service.

This is a beautiful little place with gorgeous dark era interior and everything on the menu being themed around the famed doyle books. They claim to have a world beer tour and the selection of beers on tap and bottle would have been decent save for the fact that i asked for about three of four beers before i found one that they actually had in stock, perhaps i hit them on a bad night. The food was decent for the price, but the service was really a bit slow for the few number of people in the bar that night. The setting is beautiful but the food is average and the service and selection that is actually available ok. Still a beautiful bar to catch a pint.

Have been to the Holmes and Watson a number of times in the past. Heck it is only about 5 minutes down the road! It is a pretty decent place, have a great selection of brews! Have at least 15 on tap and over 200 bottle choices. Some of it is that macro crap but most is of the micro or imports types, I am sure they can keep everyone happy! The website that is listed seems to be a bit out of date, as the beers that they have listed are not the exact choices you will get. Over all though it is a great place to go and down a few. Also they have good bar food as well as full dinners (also not listed on the website). Over all it is a good place to go and try a few different types of beer and have a good meal. See ya at Homes and Watson’s!