The Hanging Bat

Leans "modern" pub but has that classic vibe while still being vibrant and fun. Staff are young and friendly. Beer selection leans craft and food leans modern gastropub. Spacious with some great music playing. Great stop for a pint and even a proper meal.

Stop on a short tour with cgarvieuk. Wow! This place is world class. Really great atmosphere, friendly vibe, amazing tap list. Too much to take in on one visit, everything was just top notch. Fodd was good, service was great, just a wonderful feeling all around. It can get crowded.

Loved the venue. Nice, typical bar layout on main floor, but a sweet lower level with stone walls, live edge wood tables and some leather chairs and sofas. Find your own private space downstairs. Great beer list, heavy on stouts, but also had IPA, Gose, Barleywine and even an apple pale ale. Awesome tshirts.

Nice beer bar on Lothian Road, behind the Castle in Edinburgh. Interesting selection of craft beers on tap representing a wide variety of styles. Visited on a Monday night for a couple of beers and a sandwich. Not as busy as some of the pubs and bars I visited in the area (pretty surprising really). I tend to ask for beer recommendations from servers when traveling abroad and the two people who helped me were very friendly. My pulled pork sandwich was tasty. After dining at one of the elevated two-seat tables in front, I moved down to one of the comfy leather sofas on the lower level. Great spot in Edinburgh to grab a beer and even some pub grub.

Sat at bar mid afternoon. Great service from knowledgeable bartender. Fabulous and diverse tap list and exceptional bottle/can offerings to drink or take away. One block walk south of BrewDog and a most worthy drinking pub. Did not eat.

 

 

Let me start by saying that I think this place is great. I was in a party of beer geeks, beer haters, and cocktail/wine people and they really enjoyed it. It was also on my shortlist of places to visit in Edinburgh and I was not disappointed. Not a large place by any means, but well appointed. A small bar area, and upper table area (think loft) and a seating area below the loft. Six cask offerings and they recently had a tap takeover from Amundsen, so there were some excellent leftovers to try. There were 20 total beer lines and they also had an extensive bottle listing (Cantillion, FW, Cascade, Drie); however, I didn't check the prices. Service was friendly and attentive. I also had a beer from their tiny in-house system (a wood-aged barleywine) and it was delicious! Food was good, well-priced and satisfying. The coolest thing about the place was the Mens room. Urinals and sinks were made from repurposed half barrels. If you are in Edinburgh, this is a must stop.

 

I was looking for a place near my hotel that was offering some real ale and possibly made their own beers. This place met both criteria so the wife and walked over the Hanging Bat. Rather modern looking inside. Bright and open with a couple of seats facing the street at a raised bar.

I believe there are two levels: the upstairs bar area and a basement down below. WE didn't make it down there but a quick glance from upstairs made it out to look like a lounge room set up with some board games and comfortable seating (I could be wrong). We sat up at the window facing high top. Ordered two real ales, both pale ales, and enjoyed the people walking home from work in the early afternoon.

I saw the brew set-up and being a brewer, I was curious. Very small 10 gallon set-up with one guy doing the brewing. He was in the midst of brewing a gruit with some interesting ingredients. The beers were good and fairly priced. Nice spot to stop for an afternoon quickie.

 

 

 

 

The Hanging Bat is a beer bar in busy downtown Edinborough. There are several steps to get to the working level of this average sized, and not too deep bar. At this level there are several tables, and across from the bar several more steps to a higher level. As in many of the U.K. establishments there is no table service. One peruses the menu and orders food and/or drinks from the bartender. Here one orders beer by number, as in "Cask 4". They have an interesting selection of beer, and the food is pretty good. Oh, and they make beer, too. Two of the beers on tap are theirs. The brewers are apparently interns from the local brewing school. Cool idea.