London: Traditional Ales

Modern American / international style ales get much of the love in Britain these days, but there are still traditional ales to be found. Greater London is a spread out city, it would help if you suggest areas where you will stay or are likely to visit. JDW pubs often offer you value for money, and may have some interesting guest ales on. A few fairly centrally located pubs that may be of interest to you are: City: Crosse Keys (JDW) in 9 Gracechurch Street, The Hydrant (Fuller’s) in 1 Monument Street, Ye Olde Watling (Nicholson’s) in 29 Watling Street. There are also several good pubs in or around Fleet Street, some of them might be closed weekends. You'll find decent pubs (nearly) everywhere, but if you walk into a random pub and see that they have no handpumps, you should turn around and find another pub.

 

Timothy Taylor's own pubs seem all to be in the North of England, but there will be several pubs in Greater London with Timothy Taylor's as guest ales - which ones will vary at lot.

Batham's own pubs seem all to be in the Black Country (Midlands), but again: you might be lucky and find their ales as guest ales in London. Would not bet on that though - they seem to have a very limited distribution.

 

And don't miss this pub, The Holy Tavern (formerly The Jerusalem Tavern) : The Holy Tavern

 

The Shakespeare, an easy-to-find pub just across the street from Victoria Station, had Timothy Taylor's Landlord on cask (and in perfect nick) the last time I visited. The busy Wetherspoons within Victoria Station is also worth a visit, and might have some interesting ticks for you.

 

Between covid and parenting I've not been out in London that much in the last few years but my picks for a visitor who wants to drink traditional British beers in fairly traditional British pubs would be:
The Seven Stars in Carey Street for Adnams beers.
The Star in Belgravia or the Dove in Hammersmith for Fullers beers.
The Royal Oak in Borough is a classic - Harveys beers, probably including their mild. You could reasonably use it as the start of a pub crawl too - the Market Porter is also in the area, plus the George (very average beer but very historic setting) and the Rake (modern international-style craft stuff)
The Harp in Chandos Place is great, but probably go at a quieter time if you can, it gets packed.
The Pride of Spitalfields in Whitechapel is a bit of a traditional East End boozer.
The Bree Louise on Holborn - again, fairly average beer (Sam Smiths) but with amazing old gin palace decor.

CAMRA's Good Beer Guide (or the app) is useful for finding decent pubs - cask ale quality in London can be hit and miss, particularly in hot weather, but the GBG sets a pretty good quality bar.

 

I believe you mean The PRINCESS Louise on Holborn (which indeed is a Samuel Smith's pub) - The Bree Louise was a good tickers' pub at Euston (not Samuel Smith's), but went out of business years ago.

 

Good catch, thanks!

 

Let us know how you get on!

 

They had Old Peculiar on cask the last time I was in there. It wasn't bad either.

 

You'll probably add the Southampton Arms to your list after reading this article.

 

Dude!!!! How the hell did you manage not to drink this stuff for 12 years. In my opinion this is one of the best beers to ever come out of the UK from any brewer bar none. It's amazing stuff and the recipe changes slightly every year and depending on how long you mature it, it can taste sublime. This really is one of those beers you need to try before you die, nothing tastes as good.

 

I second the recommendations for the Harp and the Royal Oak, having paid them a visit for the first time in a while on Saturday. I would also suggest the Kings Arms in Roupell Street, near Waterloo station.

 

What beer was it?? The picture got removed.