Greetings all. The wife and I will be visiting Oxford for a few days next month, staying at the Old Bank hotel. I've done a bit of research of the area, and reviewed some of the older threads in this forum. From what I can tell, looks like the Turf Tavern, Victoria Arms and the Teardrop pub are the best bets for good food and drink, as well as cask beer. I don't know how likely this is, but I'd love to be able to find some place carrying Old Peculiar on cask as well. Any chance of that? Otherwise, would love to hear any additional recommendations. Really just looking for places that have a nice variety of local beer, preferably on cask. It would be a bonus if the pub offers good beer battered fish and chips (the wife insists that her fish be beer battered). Thanks for any help that can be provided.
Oxford is my home town so feel like I should be able to give you some decent advice! To start with the best bet for finding Old Peculiar would be the 2 Wetherspoon pubs, they're The Four Candles and The Swan and Castle. I can't think of anywhere else that carries it regularly. The Turf Tavern is worth a visit but it's very touristy, worth it for a pint or 2 though, usually have a good selection. Foods OK, usual pub grub fare. Teardrop is a cracking little bar in the Covered Market, greats beers. It's very small though and does not do food. I've never had fish and chips in Oxford, usually save that for when we visit the seaside. That being said I have heard very good things about the beer battered fish and chips at The Head of the River and The Bear, both of these are Fullers pubs so you'll get a decent pint. Definitely visit The Bear either way, it's a beautiful pub. The Head of the River is more food focused but it's a nice spot for lunch or dinner, if the weather is good, it's nice to sit outside by the river. The Victoria arms is a great pub and the pies they do there are awesome! These are my favourite pubs in Oxford, that I've not mentioned above, will give you something to look at. You'll find a good cask selection in all of these. The Royal Blenheim The Grapes (Always has Harvey's Best on) Lamb & Flag The Chequers The Star The White Horse The Kings Arms The Jericho Tavern Rose & Crown (A little out of the center but well worth the walk, you can have a pint of sausages!) The Castle (Hook Norton pub) Oranges & Lemons The Rickety Press Hope you have a great visit!
Just to be a nitpick: Theakston Old Peculier is spelled just like that (Peculier is the Norman French spelling) - not Peculiar as in modern English. You may read the story behind this on the brewery website.
If you fancy a longish walk then cross Port Meadow to The Perch or further along the river to The Trout.
Thanks guys. This is very helpful. Thanks also for the correction concerning Old Peculier. Haven't seen a bottle in ages, so that particular spelling wasn't something I recalled. Much obliged.
John, you may already know this but Old Peculier is available in the US but in cans. I discussed this beer in a past NBW thread: https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-weekend-180.675594/#post-7899909 Hopefully you will be successful in finding this beer on cask at an Oxford pub. Below is an extract from my NBW post with some emphasis in bold this time: "I would be willing to bet BIG BUCKS that this beer is absolutely sublime on cask. To paraphrase Donkey: “Do you have a tissue or something? I'm making a mess. Just the thought of Old Peculier on cask makes me start slobbering.” Cheers!
Thanks Jack. Yes I know... however, I'd love to try it on cask. Not sure how likely that's going to be, but I do plan to check out the two pubs recommended by @Dethark.
You and me both brother! I am slobbering all over again just thinking about. Luckily I have a box of tissues sitting right next to me at the moment! Please report back if your efforts are successful here (with a photo?). Cheers!
I just had my first successful post of a picture on BA, so I think I know how to do it now. So if I'm able to find it, I'll definitely post a picture.
Samuel Smith's have a pub in central Oxford. It's called The Three Goats Head. Their cask beer is rather indifferent but they normally stock a wide range of their bottled beers.
Thanks. I noticed that during my perusal of the pub scene in Oxford. I'm a fan of Samuel Smith beer, so that's a possibility. However, given all the other options in town, I'm just not sure if we'll have time for it.
@Dethark @vinicole Finishing our second day on Oxford. Having a great time. Many thanks for your recommendations! So far, have visited the Bear and Grapes. Here at Grapes right now in fact, where it's cask Monday. All cask beer is £3.50 for an imperial pint. My wife is loving her Monkey 47 G&T, and I'm more than happy with the beer selection here. Yesterday we had chips, beers, and G&T at the Bear, while watching the Wimbledon final. Another great recommendation! Many thanks! Only dud so far was the Swan and Castle. Alas, no Old Peculier on cask there, and it turned out to be a shitty draft lager wonderland place (Carling, Stella, 1664, Corona, bud, bud light). Even the gin selection sucked (according to my gin loving wife). Once I found out they didn't have Old Peculier on cask, we pivoted and got the hell out of there. So glad, because imho opinion, Grapes is superior in every way. Almost forgot... my wife mentioned the Swan and Castle had a TGIF vibe and atmosphere. She's not wrong. Best of all however, tomorrow is another day. Thinking Teardrop and Victoria Arms at this point, but we'll seen.
Finished our stay in Oxfird with visits to the Covered Market and the Teardrop outpost, and then dinner with beer at Victoria Arms (liked the Butcombe Golden ale there). Both enjoyable, though my favorites of the trip were The Bear and the Grapes Pub. Many thanks for the recommendations!
John, Did you see any Timothy Taylor Landlord on cask at any of the pubs you visited? Below is an extract from my Bucket List thread: "Timothy Taylor Landlord I am a fan of cask ales and on a couple of occasions I have had Timothy Taylor Landlord (once on cask and once bottled) but that was a very looong time ago. On my bucket list is a visit to the UK to drink Timothy Taylor Landlord in a cozy British pub." Cheers!
Unfortunately no. The cask Gale's HSB was about as exciting as anything I saw. Grapes pub had Harvey's special bitter, but that wasn't anything particularly sublime either. Decent beer for sure, but not anything mind blowing.
Landlord is now quite common in pubs. Since the pandemic it seems to have gained greater distribution. I think a couple of the major pub chains must have added it to their lists. Taylor’s understand (I think) that their reputation is based on quality, so hopefully they will not be induced to compromise for the sake of greater sales. Landlord has a reputation not just for flavour, but also for being expensive and difficult to look after (I don't actually know how true this is). The pub chains may well be trying to change those things.
I really quite enjoy Gale’s HSB. I fondly remember drinking a couple sitting outside at the Head of the River while watching punts drift by on the Isis. I’m glad that Fullers have kept that brand alive.
