Pope's Yard Pop-up Bar (28/05/16)

Watford’s only microbrewery Pope’s Yard opened its doors for a few days for locals to sample its range of cask and bottled beers.

The brewery’s located in a unit at 477-479 Whippendell Road (the ‘Whippendell Group’ building) and would have been pretty easy to miss if signs hadn’t been helpfully placed outside.

The sign outside 477-479 Whippendell Road.

Four beers were on tap (see below), our favourite being Quarter Master, a bitter pale brew that – sneaking in at 4.4% – just about qualifies as a session ale.

Of the bottles, Club Hammer was out favourite – a chocolatey stout that wasn’t too heavy and didn’t cloy like similar stouts can.

Of a more – ahem – acquired taste was Bruitish, a gruit ale. Gruit is a combination of herbs that was widely used in beer making prior to the inclusion of hops. Let’s just say the sour taste was one for the connoisseur or historian!