An Ode To The Pub, Our First Love

The occasion of Valentine’s Day this Sunday has got us thinking about... the pub. Oh, how we miss it.

This is our ode to the pub, and a peek inside our photography archives.

All shot by our Marketing Manager, Cal Holland, these photos are our fond trip down memory lane, and reminder of better times to come.

We’ll hear from beer writers and friends to help us evoke the cosy, warm atmosphere that goes hand in hand with any pub trip. A sense of belonging which, sadly, many of us have missed sorely over the past year. But we will be back at the bar, and we’ll see you there.

The Dutch have a word for this sense of cosy belonging… ‘Gezellig’ is often used to describe a social, relaxed situation. Time spent with loved ones, catching up with an old friend, or just the general togetherness that gives people a warm feeling.

It’s hard to pinpoint what it is about the pub that gives us that fuzzy feeling. Although, now we think about it, perhaps it is the beer… Yet, to sum up the many facets of what makes pubs so special – the fuzzy atmosphere, the sharing of community space, the stained rings of countless pints on the bar – we might just have to call gezellig on this one.

The Sutton Arms, Clerkenwell

The Lewes Arms, Lewes

Mauritz Borg, The Kernel Taproom General Manager

“I’ll miss that feeling of braving the cold, making the effort to come from South to East London to my favourite pubs to see old friends.

The warmth of stepping inside and seeing other regulars, acknowledgement from the bar staff and that great feeling of walking towards friends you haven’t seen in a while and then that clink of glasses, saying cheers and the first sip of an anticipated pint, probably of something brown and malty.”

The Pembury Tavern, Hackney

The Cock Tavern, Hackney

The Southampton Arms, Hampstead

Matt Curtis, Beer Writer

Hampstead Heath has the power to transport you away from London’s bustle. Though visible from the top of Parliament hill, the skyscraper-packed horizon disappears on entering Kenwood, which is at it’s best in autumn, when yellow-to-red leaves crunch underfoot, and the crisp air snaps at your cheeks.

After exploring for a few hours, you’ll be thirsty, and when in Hampstead you’ve some fine pubs to pick from when it’s time to rest weary legs. If you’ve the stamina, you could climb Highgate Hill and nestle at The Flask. For those with a fierce appetite the Bull and Last has a menu to satisfy even the hungriest of bellies. My pick will almost always be The Southampton Arms. I promise that after settling by the fire with a pint of Best and a slice of pork pie the size of your fist, you’ll not want to leave.”

The Prince George, Hackney

Whitelock’s Ale House, Leeds

Pete Brown, Beer Writer and Author

“The pub has its way of being perfect at any time of year. But as the nights draw in, one of my favourite things to do is finish work some time between three and four and take the dog for a walk in the last hour of daylight. 

On the way back, I like to sneak into my local and have a couple of pints while doing some reading for whatever my next project is. Sitting there as dusk falls, scribbling in the margins of a book with my pencil, pint and a packet of crisps on the table, tired and happy dog curled up on the seat beside me.”

The Kings Arms, Bethnal Green

The Alpaca, Islington

Mark Dredge, Beer Writer and Author – on what he’ll miss most about the pub over Lockdown.

“The beer, obviously, and mostly the freshly pulled pints of cask ale. There’s a wonderful comfort in that kind of beer, especially in a cosy, warm pub. The warmth is the other thing I’ll miss. And it’s not the physical heat, it’s the sounds of other peoples’ conversations, the different laughs, the orders called over the bar, the clink of glasses, and the way that ‘one more beer’ is way more fun in the pub than at home.”

If like us, you’re desperately in need of a pint after reading this, click here to visit the webstore and use the code “LOVEPUBS10” for 10% off all 5L Mini-Kegs & Mini-Casks.