Last week, as the weather turned decidedly chilly, I once again took it upon myself to venture out for an explore. My chosen destination saw me back in the fair county of Yorkshire, investigating a place that has, over recent years, built a reputation as a 'beer city' and a destination that has something for everyone, no matter what kind of beer connoisseur they may be. If the title of this entry hasn't already given it away, I speak, of course, of the city of Leeds, which has long been on my radar for an expedition. It was finally time to tick it off of my ever growing list.
Leeds is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by population) in England, after London and Birmingham.
The city was a small manorial borough in the 13th century and a market town in the 16th century. It expanded by becoming a major production centre, including of carbonated water where it was invented in the 1760s, and trading centre (mainly with wool) for the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a major mill town during the Industrial Revolution. It was also known for its flax industry, iron foundries, engineering and printing, as well as shopping, with several surviving Victorian era arcades, such as Kirkgate Market. City status was awarded in 1893, a populous urban centre formed in the following century which absorbed surrounding villages and overtook the nearby York population.
It is located about halfway between London and Edinburgh and has multiple motorway links; the M1, M62 and A1(M). The city's railway station is, alongside Manchester Piccadilly, the busiest of its kind in Northern England. It is the county's largest settlement with a population of 516,298, while the larger City of Leeds district had a population of 812,000 (2021 estimate). The city is part of a built-up area, with 1.7 million it is the fourth-largest built-up area by population the United Kingdom.
The district has multiple parished and unparished areas. The city and towns (including Morley, Pudsey, Horsforth, Rothwell and Farsley) around the city form a cross-district (Calderdale, City of Bradford, City of Wakefield and Kirklees) continuous built-up area that the metropolitan county is based on.
The name derives from the old Brythonic word Ladenses meaning "people of the fast-flowing river", in reference to the River Aire that flows through the city. This name originally referred to the forested area covering most of the Brythonic kingdom of Elmet, which existed during the 5th century into the early 7th century.
Bede states in the fourteenth chapter of his Ecclesiastical History, in a discussion of an altar surviving from a church erected by Edwin of Northumbria, that it is located in ...regione quae vocatur Loidis (Latin, "the region which is called Loidis"). An inhabitant of Leeds is locally known as a Loiner, a word of uncertain origin. The term Leodensian is also used, from the city's Latin name.
The name has also been explained as a derivative of Welsh lloed, meaning simply "a place".
Leeds developed as a market town in the Middle Ages as part of the local agricultural economy.
Before the Industrial Revolution, it became a co-ordination centre for the manufacture of woollen cloth, and white broadcloth was traded at its White Cloth Hall.
Leeds handled one sixth of England's export trade in 1770. Growth, initially in textiles, was accelerated by the creation of the Aire and Calder Navigation in 1699 (with major additional works in the 18th century) and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in 1816. In the late Georgian era, William Lupton was one of a number of central Leeds landowners, some of whom, like him, were also textile manufacturers. At the time of his death in 1828, Lupton occupied the enclosed fields of the manor of Leeds, his estate including a mill, reservoir, substantial house and outbuildings.
Mechanical engineering, initially to supply tools and machinery for the textile sector, rapidly became a diverse industry.
The railway network constructed around Leeds, starting with the Leeds and Selby Railway in 1834, provided improved communications with national markets and, significantly for its development, an east–west connection with Manchester and the ports of Liverpool and Hull giving improved access to international markets. Alongside technological advances and industrial expansion, Leeds retained an interest in trading in agricultural commodities, with the Corn Exchange opening in 1864.
Marshall's Mill was one of the first of many factories constructed in Leeds from around 1790 when the most significant were woollen finishing and flax mills. Manufacturing diversified by 1914 to printing, engineering, chemicals and clothing manufacture. Decline in manufacturing during the 1930s was temporarily reversed by a switch to producing military uniforms and munitions during the Second World War. However, by the 1970s, the clothing industry was in irreversible decline, facing cheap foreign competition. The contemporary economy has been shaped by Leeds City Council's vision of building a '24-hour European city' and 'capital of the north'. The city has developed from the decay of the post-industrial era to become a telephone banking centre, connected to the electronic infrastructure of the modern global economy. There has been growth in the corporate and legal sectors, and increased local affluence has led to an expanding retail sector, including the luxury goods market.
In 1801, 42% of the population of Leeds lived outside the township, in the wider borough. Cholera outbreaks in 1832 and 1849 caused the authorities to address the problems of drainage, sanitation, and water supply. Water was pumped from the River Wharfe, but by 1860 it was too heavily polluted to be usable. Following the Leeds Waterworks Act of 1867 three reservoirs were built at Lindley Wood, Swinsty, and Fewston in the Washburn Valley north of Leeds.
Residential growth occurred in Holbeck and Hunslet from 1801 to 1851, but, as these townships became industrialised new areas were favoured for middle class housing. Land south of the river was developed primarily for industry and secondarily for back-to-back workers' dwellings. The Leeds Improvement Act 1866 sought to improve the quality of working class housing by restricting the number of homes that could be built in a single terrace.
Holbeck and Leeds formed a continuous built-up area by 1858, with Hunslet nearly meeting them. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, population growth in Hunslet, Armley, and Wortley outstripped that of Leeds. When pollution became a problem, the wealthier residents left the industrial conurbation to live in Headingley, Potternewton and Chapel Allerton which led to a 50% increase in the population of Headingley and Burley from 1851 to 1861. The middle-class flight from the industrial areas led to development beyond the borough at Roundhay and Adel. The introduction of the electric tramway led to intensification of development in Headingley and Potternewton and expansion outside the borough into Roundhay.
Two private gas supply companies were taken over by the corporation in 1870, and the municipal supply provided street lighting and cheaper gas to homes. From the early 1880s, the Yorkshire House-to-House Electricity Company supplied electricity to Leeds until it was purchased by Leeds Corporation and became a municipal supply.
Slum clearance and rebuilding began in Leeds during the interwar period when over 18,000 houses were built by the council on 24 estates in Cross Gates, Middleton, Gipton, Belle Isle and Halton Moor. The slums of Quarry Hill were replaced by the innovative Quarry Hill flats, which were demolished in 1975. Another 36,000 houses were built by private sector builders, creating suburbs in Gledhow, Moortown, Alwoodley, Roundhay, Colton, Whitkirk, Oakwood, Weetwood, and Adel. After 1949 a further 30,000 sub-standard houses were demolished by the council and replaced by 151 medium-rise and high-rise blocks of council flats in estates at Seacroft, Armley Heights, Tinshill, and Brackenwood.
Being so well served by transport links made it relatively simple for me to make my way to Leeds so, after a two hour train journey, I arrived in the city at around 11.15 am on what was a cold, but not altogether unpleasant Thursday, eager to throw myself into the drinking delights of this fine northern city. I had a route planned, I'd done my research and I'd arrived in plenty of time. It was time to get stuck in. Luckily, my first stop was mere yards from the main station entrance. Negotiating roadworks and a taxi rank, I crossed to the opposite side of New Station Street, where the first pub of the day was handily located. My day in Leeds would properly begin at the Good Beer Guide 2022 listed Scarbrough Hotel.
Located in an area that was formerly known as Castle Hill, the pub sits on the site of a medieval manor house which had a deep moat that looped around between the River Aire and nearby Boar Lane. The building was lavishly rebuilt in 1765 by Richard Wilson and then became a hotel owned by Henry Scarbrough (from whom it takes its name, not the seaside town, hence the spelling) in 1823. The present pub is a surviving extension from this structure. The Scarbrough Hotel is operated under the Nicholson's branding and has retained many original features. Inside, the main entrance leads directly to the bar. Seating areas are located at either side, consisting largely of both low and high tables and chairs, all in scrubbed wood. The gents toilets are located to the left of the bar, with the ladies and accessible toilets to the right. The tiled frontage of the exterior is married up with bare wood and brass inside. The bar is long and, amongst its many delights, features 9 handpulls. 8 of these were available for my perusal on the day. The choice was varied: Tetley Bitter doubled up (this is one of the few venues in Leeds that still has this on cask), Timothy Taylor Landlord, Adnams Mosaic, St, Austell Tribute, the house Nicholson's Pale Ale, Titanic Plum Porter and Oakham Citra. There are much worse ways to start the day than with Citra, so my decision was made almost instantly. I took my beer to a high table in a snug-like area to the right hand side of the bar, which was quieter. The early lunchtime rush was starting to kick in as I arrived and, in general, I would find most of the pubs to be busier than expected, given it was Thursday afternoon. My choice of Citra proved to be a good one as it was in excellent condition, reaffirming that the pub's listing in the GBG is more than justified. It wasn't long until it was time to venture on.
Leaving the Scarbrough, I turned left and then left again onto Mill Hill, passed some pubs that weren't yet open but to which I would return later, and emerged on the junction with Boar Lane. On the corner, in a large, and rather imposing, Victorian building is the Griffin.
This surprisingly large, Greene King-operated pub occupies the ground floor of the former Griffin Hotel, which was built in 1872 as a railway hotel for wealthy travellers. The decor is very much reminiscent of a classic London pub and the interior is considerably more expansive than it appears from outside. The entrance leads into the main space which features low, wooden tables in the centre, booths in the windows and pillars throughout that feature drinking shelves. To the rear of this section is another, more open, seating area with banquette seating along the rear wall. A further section beyond this is styled like a London underground station and acts as a large restaurant and function space. The interior is broken up by the aforementioned pillars, which create the illusion of several smaller drinking areas. This pub was busy too and, after negotiating a cluster of people at the bar, I was able to investigate the beer selection. 6 handpulls are on the bar here, and 5 of these were in use, offering a choice from amongst the Greene King stable, The options were Greene King IPA, a house beer called Griffin, Greene King Yardbird, Hardy's & Hanson's Rocking Rudolph and Lilley's Mulled Cider. Avoiding the festive beer, until later on at least, I instead went for Yardbird, which I generally find is one of the better beers that Greene King put out. I retreated to the banquette seating, underneath a large mirror and within view of one of the various TVs distributed throughout the place. The Yardbird was decent enough, delicately hoppy and with a clean finish, so I was pleased with my decision here too. It was ticking on towards midday now, which meant that the vast majority of the other pubs on the day's itinerary would be opening very shortly. My day had started relatively strongly and I was excited to see how the coming hours were going to progress.
My third stop of the day was something a little bit different but definitely somewhere I wasn't going to pass up the chance to visit. It also happens to be virtually opposite the Griffin so it made sense for my day to continue there. I crossed over Boar Lane as the clock chimed 12 and arrived at Tapped Leeds.
The sister pub to Tapped at Sheffield station, this is another venue in the impressive portfolio of the Pivovar group and is essentially a more modern variation on a theme. This is both a bar and a microbrewery, with brewing vessels at the back of the room as you enter. The interior is open plan, with a mixture of retro and modern design features. Large windows at the front can be opened out directly onto the street in warmer weather, which also accommodates a small, outdoor drinking space. The bar runs directly down the right hand side of the room and, as well as an impressive keg beer selection, also features 8 cask beers, served through wall-mounted pumps on the back bar. Once I'd taken a moment to marvel at how cool the place is aesthetically, I located the cask beer list. The beers up for selection were J.W. Lees Dark Ale, Titanic Plum Porter, Oakham JHB, Anarchy Blonde Star, Black Iris Endless Summer, Bristol Beer Factory Live Forever, Roosters Variation on a Theme and Anarchy Flat Out IPA. I was immediately drawn to the two offerings from Newcastle's Anarchy but, as time only permitted one, I swung for the Flat Out IPA (4.5%). Taking this to a table opposite the bar, where I could snap some photos of the brewing vessels, I was finally able to fully take the place in. It's no surprise that Tapped is Good Beer Guide 2022. The beer was superb. Flat Out IPA is a hazy session IPA, brewed with Vermont yeast. Notes of orange and lime give way to a hoppy, earthy finish. This is a great beer and a great place to drink it. I particularly enjoyed the pun-tastic food names on the menu. Livin' la Fajita Loca anyone?
The next stop on my list was a must-visit and an absolute, bonafide Leeds institution. Leaving Tapped, I again turned left and continued down Boar Lane for a couple of minutes, until I reached Briggate, one of the central shopping streets in the city centre. A short walk down here led me to a sign on the wall between two shops that pointed me to my next destination. A small alleyway leads into a narrow courtyard, on one side of which is the Good Beer Guide 2022 listed Whitelocks Ale House.
Dating from 1715, Whitelocks occupies land on what was a medieval burgage plot, now known as Turk's Head Yard, which it shares with the pub of the same name. John Betjeman once described this place as the 'beating heart of Leeds', which is entirely justified, especially inside. The interior is largely unchanged from 1895 and is made up of mirrors, polished metal and woodwork, stained glass, iron pillars and faience tiling. Assorted old posters and bric-a-brac are displayed throughout. The raised bar is front and centre and runs virtually the whole length of the room. The pub itself is rather narrow and Grade II* listed, with seating along the wall and a small, restaurant-style space at one end reserved for dining. The outside yard provides additional tables for outside drinking. Testament to the pub's reputation and popularity, when I arrived, a mere 20 minutes after opening, it was quite literally standing room only. Every table was full and there were quite a few people making do with whatever space they'd been able to fashion for themselves at and around the bar. Speaking of the bar, it is taken up by 11 handpulls. 9 of these were available when I arrived and I was eventually able to determine their contents. Five Points Railway Porter and Five Points XPA were both doubled up, with the remaining pumps offering a choice of Thornbridge Astryd, North Open Space, Northern Monk Centennial Star, Kirkstall XXX Mild and Timothy Taylor Landlord. Being in Leeds, I went local and chose the Open Space from North Brewing Co. Open Space (4.6%) is a West Coast pale ale, dry hopped with Simcoe and Chinook. This provides it with aromas of grapefruit, lemon and floral bouquets and pine flavours, leading to a spiky finish. I managed to find a spot to lean and imbibe. This place is fantastic and I am very glad that I was able to visit. The reputation and regard in which this place is held is thoroughly deserved.
As difficult as it was to leave Whitelocks, there was much exploring to be done. Returning to Briggate, I crossed it and made my way down Kirkgate. After a couple of minutes of walking, I took a left onto Harper Street, where my next location sits on the right. Next up: the Crowd of Favours.
Taking up most of the street, this many-windowed pub is operated by Camerons as part of their agreement with Leeds Brewery, whose beers feature heavily here and throughout the city. Inside, the lighting is subtle and the decor is extensively woody, with heavy use of reclaimed furniture. The central bar is surrounded by uneven floorboards and there are murals and prints across the walls. To the right of the bar is an area of traditional wooden seating. A snug area is located to the left, featuring comfy furniture whilst a downstairs level contains a function area with sofas and fairy lights, whilst also providing toilet access. I entered the Crowd of Favours and was immediately greeted by a very friendly cocker spaniel, who it turns out is the pub dog (always a winner!). Making my way to the bar, I was pleased to see 8 handpulls, half of which were given over to Leeds Brewery beers, with the others supplying guests. The Leeds offerings were Pale, Midnight Bell, Best and Christmas Porter, whilst the remaining hand pumps featured Mobberley Bunji, Camerons Strongarm and two ciders from Lilley's, specifically Apple & Blackcurrant and Rhubarb. I was certainly feeling in a festive mood so it seemed logical to give the Leeds Christmas Porter (4.2%) a try. This is an easy-drinking porter, with subtle hints of plums and spices. It's tasty enough but I did expect a bit more festive punch. I chose the right hand seating area to enjoy the beer, during which time the dog, whose name I learned was Ruby, came over for more of a fuss. A Christmas beer in a nice warm pub with a lovely dog? What's not to love!
I would retrace my steps a little now. Heading out of the Crowd of Favours, I turned left and headed back down Harper Street to the junction with Kirkgate, where I had already spotted the next destination whilst on my way to the previous pub. Situated on the corner, is the Good Beer Guide 2022 listed Duck & Drake.
This two-roomed Victorian corner pub has retained many of its original features, including some of the floorboards, which are still going strong after two hundred years of trade. The front room features a small stage, where live music is held most nights of the week, whilst the back room includes a mural of various rock and blues musicians, and is decorated with music memorabilia. The decor in general, is minimal with bare wood and scrubbed wood furniture. The central bar serves both rooms and sits in between the two. There is also a well-kept beer garden to the rear. The original features even extend to the gents toilets, which features traditional porcelain units. The aforementioned bar includes a whopping 15 handpulls, with beers handily listed on a board behind the bar. One of these had just run out on my visit but this still gave me a choice of beer from amongst the following 14 options: Timothy Taylor Landlord, Theakston's Old Peculier, Bridgehouse Blonde, Daleside Bitter, Roosters Yankee, Taylor's Golden Best, Yorkshire Heart Ghost Porter, Roosters YPA, Bridgehouse Cherry Choc, Bridgehouse Mary Jane, Stancill Barnsley Bitter, Saltaire South Island Pale, Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA and Ossett All Cask, No Brakes. Despite being understandably overwhelmed, I eventually managed to settle on a choice, in the shape of Ossett's All Cask, No Brakes (5.5%), and made my way to a small table adjacent to the bar, where I could bathe in both the traditional feel of the pub and the soundtrack of classic rock that accompanies it. All Cask, No Brakes isn't a beer that I was initially familiar with but I'm glad I took the leap of faith. Billed as an Antipodean Pale Ale, this is a cask version of a keg lager that was originally brewed by Green Duck brewery. Pilsner and Vienna malts combine with Motueka hops and lime zest to give lime, lemon and floral aromas. It's a cracking beer, and goes down surprisingly quickly given the ABV. Whilst making my obligatory notes, I was noticed by two older gents nearby who happened to be fellow CAMRA members and took the time to say hello, ask where I was visiting from and what I did with the notes I took. They also pointed me in the direction of the Kirkstall Brewery tap if I had the time to visit whilst I was in town. I didn't have the time on this occasion but I suspect there will be a return visit to these parts in the future. In all the years writing this blog, I think I've only had that kind of interaction a handful of times and it often catches me off guard, but it was nice to have a little bit of a chat about a shared interest.
The Duck & Drake had, thus far, been one of the standout locations and it pained me to have to leave. Needs must, however. Heading back out onto Kirkgate, I again turned left and continued onwards. A bit further down the road, in the shadow of Leeds Minster, is the next place I would turn my attention to: the Lamb & Flag.
This Grade II listed pub was originally known as the Thirteen Bells in the nineteenth century, its name derived after the bells of the nearby Leeds Minster (then known as Leeds Parish Church). After a long period of closure, it was tastefully restored by Leeds Brewery and the name was changed to its current moniker. The pub is laid out over two floors, with exposed brickwork, timber and large windows and an upstairs balcony with seating, overlooking a covered courtyard which is heated in winter. The main bar is on the ground floor, immediately opposite the entrance and there is a second bar upstairs, which is often used for functions. The pub was busy when I entered, both with drinkers and with large Christmas bookings. It was easy enough to get served though and I was soon faced with 8 hand pumps. Again the choice here included several Leeds Brewery beers, namely Christmas Porter, Pale, Midnight Bell, Best and Yorkshire Gold but Camerons Road Crew, Northern Monk Eternal and Thornbridge Galaxia were also available. I decided to go down the dark beer route again and went for the delicious Midnight Bell (4.8%). This is a premium dark mild with a full bodied and complex character from Willamette hops. Whilst mild is by no means my favourite style of beer, when they're as good as this, I'm happy to be converted. I found myself standing again here, a little way from the bar, with a drinking shelf as support. This proved to be an optimum spot to watch plates of amazing looking and fantastic smelling food being ferried to hungry diners.
After a brief food break myself, it was on to the next one. Taking an immediate right out of the Lamb & Flag, I walked parallel with the Minster churchyard for a few feet before turning left again. Directly in front of me, on the other side of the Minster itself is the Palace.
Formerly the Palace Hotel, at which time it was a Melbourne Brewery house, the building dates from 1741. Now operated by Oak Tree, a branch of Mitchells and Butlers, this is another pub which is deceptively large inside. A long, central bar links two drinking areas at either end of the building with traditional scrubbed wood furnishings and booth seating throughout. There are a number of TVs throughout that show sport and there is also a heated courtyard area decorated with fairy lights. 11 handpulls occupy the bar here, although just 4 were in use when I arrived. A neighbouring bank of 5 had pump clips on and attached tags saying 'Coming Soon', clearly suggesting the available beer range increases at weekends, which is always good. The 4 that were on offer at the time were Leeds Pale, Tetley Cask Bitter, Big Smoke Solaris and Wychwood Hobgoblin. I was surprised to see Surrey-based Big Smoke being represented so far north so it made sense to go for the Solaris (3.8%). This is an easy-drinking session pale with flavours of citrus, a light malt sweetness and a balanced, bitter grapefruit finish. It definitely wasn't a beer I expected to find and it turned out to be very enjoyable. The Palace was busy and bustling with locals when I was in and was very welcoming. It was certainly something of a wild card when I was selecting pubs for the trip and it's always a pleasant surprise when selections like that end up paying off. One local who may or may not have been in attendance is Michael Hill, a local actor, singer, poet and entertainer who died in the pub in 1948 and whose shade has allegedly been seen lurking around the place from time to time, by both customers and staff. It's certainly somewhere that is quite easy to want to come back to.
More retracing of the route would be required now. Leaving the Palace, I made my way back along Kirkgate and Briggate, eventually emerging back on New Station Street, not far from where my day had begun. I was nowhere near ready to head home yet though. Instead, to The Brewery Tap.
This is a moderately sized pub on the main approach to the train station. Set over two levels, the ground floor has a light and airy main bar area with lots of comfortable seating. Upstairs is a function room with an additional bar and a small roof terrace with additional seating. The large windows downstairs look out over the street and the overall decoration is bright and colourful with lots of murals, posters and quirky design evident. The bar is well stocked too, with 8 handpulls. This is another Camerons operated venue and Leeds Brewery beers again feature prominently, alongside various guests. On the day of my visit, the available Leeds beers were Christmas Porter, Pale, Yorkshire Gold and Best, alongside Rudgate Chocolate Stout, Fell Brewery Azacca, Camerons Road Crew and Rudgate Ruby Mild. Fell Brewery was a new name to me so I instantly decided to investigate further with their Azacca (4%). This turned out to be a delicious, single-hopped session pale ale with big hop notes and tropical flavours. Fell Brewery are, perhaps not surprisingly, based in Cumbria, specifically at Grange-over-Sands. Based on this, I'll be seeking their beers out more in future!
Another redirect now. Turning left out of the Brewery Tap, I made my way back up New Station Street and rejoined Boar Lane. On the adjacent corner to the Griffin from earlier, is The Bankers Cat.
Located in a building that was formerly a bank, The Bankers Cat is operated by Thornbridge Brewery which, given my experiences with their pubs in the past, is always a good sign. It's even more promising when the pub is Good Beer Guide listed, as this one is (as of 2022). The front door leads directly to a central, horseshoe-shaped bar which has seating on all sides, including booths with mirrors to the left. A stained glass window dominates part of the right hand wall and there are quirky cat portraits throughout. Additional seating can be found downstairs in the old bank vault, which still has the original vault door in situ. Large chandeliers provide lighting in the main bar. For all intents and purposes, the pub reminds me of a smaller version of The Market Cat, it's York sister pub, even down to the layout and the decor. I already knew I was going to be in for a treat in terms of beer choice. Of the 8 handpulls, 7 were in use with the majority given over to beers from Thornbridge's extensive catalogue. Thornbridge Roisin, Brother Rabbit, Astryd and Jaipur were joined on the bar by Titanic Plum Porter, Saltaire DDH Citra and Black Iris Bajan Breakfast. There was no way on Earth that I wasn't going to have a Thornbridge beer in a Thornbridge pub and Roisin was a beer that I'd never encountered so the stars aligned and I dived in. Roisin (4%) is an Irish red ale. That means it's malty but with an almost caramel-like sweetness. It's a definite yes from me!
The Bankers Cat sits on the corner of Boar Lane and Mill Hill and so is very conveniently located for my next stop, which happened to be on Mill Hill itself. Having walked past it earlier in the day, I was now able to enter Head of Steam.
Confusingly, Leeds has three Head of Steam venues, of which two are in the city centre, with the third a bit further out in Headingley. The Mill Hill venue is the oldest of the trio, the closest to the train station and the only one to currently feature in the Good Beer Guide (2022). Opening in 2014, before which it was known as Spencer's, the pub occupies a three storey stone and brick building with a curved frontage. Inside, the island bar is octagonal and sits central to the downstairs room, underneath a chandelier made from empty beer bottles. Although the layout is basically one room, it does have different areas, including a few tables close to the bar, an alcove which is often used for live music, a rear raised area and an upstairs balcony area. The pub has a strong emphasis on cask and Belgian beers, which is evidenced by the 9 handpulls that take up some of the bar space. On the day that I popped in, one of these was occupied by Lilley's Pineapple cider with the rest give over to various beers, respectively Timothy Taylor Landlord, Camerons Strongarm, Northern Monk Little Faith, Camerons Road Crew, Brew York X-Panda, Fell Tinderbox, Northern Monk Festive Star and Ilkley Laka. It definitely felt like a good time for another festive beer so I settled for Northern Monk's Festive Star (5.2%) and retired to a table by the window to enjoy it. And enjoy it I did! Festive Star is a vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate porter with sweetness in the flavour, a gentle spice in the aroma and a nice, warming kick in the mouthfeel. It's like being smacked in the face by Christmas but with less blood and flying Monopoly boards.
Drinking a Northern Monk beer set me up nicely for the next stop of my Leeds beer tour. Leaving Head of Steam and turning right, I headed under the nearby railway bridge and crossed over the River Aire, until I got to Water Lane, where I turned right. Following this road took me into the Holbeck area of the city, an area which was once for its mills. Turning onto Marshall Street, I followed this to an area known as Marshalls Mill where the Northern Monk Refectory looms over the river.
The Refectory occupies a building that was once a flax mill. The Northern Monk brewery is located on the ground floor with the Refectory itself on the floor above. The decor is best described as 'modern industrial' with exposed brickwork and metal pipes, as well as modern art adorning the walls. Outside of the building, to the front, there are benches for seating and a cycle rack. Seating in the Refectory is largely high tables and chairs but there is an area of sofas and lower seating on one side. The bar occupies the corner of the room with an extensive beer list on a blackboard above. There is a significant amount of keg beer here, across 15 lines and a wide variety of styles and there are also two handpulls dispensing cask, usually a mixture of Northern Monk and guests. As tempted as I was by the sheer array of keg beers, I'd promised myself that I would stick to cask on this particular trip and so had a decision to make between BBNo. 11 Citra and Northern Monk/Independent North/Jack King The Ceremony. The description of the latter instantly hooked me. The Ceremony is billed as a spiced Cascadian dark ale which, quite frankly, sounded both baffling and intriguing. I had to give it a go. The beer is part of Northern Monk's Patrons Project range and was brewed to celebrate the release of The Ceremony, a new film by local filmmaker Jack King. The flavour profile has combined Middle Eastern and winter ale flavours for something very different. It's 5.4% and uses a black IPA base combined with cinnamon, nutmeg, green cardamom and black pepper, and hopped with Centennial, Simcoe, Mosaic and Sabro. It's equal parts spicy, sweet, coconutty and peppery. My brain struggled to define it but I do know that I enjoyed it!
I found myself pleasingly ahead of time which meant I could afford myself a more leisurely stroll to the final two pubs, the first of which I'd already been past on my way to Northern Monk. Making my way back to Water Lane and turning left, I headed to the final Leeds Brewery/Camerons pub of the day, in the shape of the Midnight Bell.
Located in the heart of a regenerated urban area, the Midnight Bell is a brick-built pub that caters to local office workers, as well as those visiting or popping in for a drink or some food. Inside, the pub is cosy with dimmed lighting, comfy seating and fairy lights as well as exposed beams and brickwork. To the rear is an outside courtyard which, in warmer weather, is served via a hatch from the bar. The bar itself occupies a corner and faces into a large, central room where the majority of the seating is situated. And on this bar, there are 7 handpulls. Once again, most of these carry Leeds beers, on this occasion Midnight Bell, Best, Pale and Christmas Porter were present but there were also guest beers in the form of Ilkley Blonde, Camerons Lifeboat and Roosters Buckeye. The Lifeboat immediately called to me and so I took the plunge and was rewarded with a very nice pale ale, packed full of delicate floral aromas and hop notes. The beer is part of a range that the Hartlepool-based brewery have brewed to raise money for the local RNLI with 5p from every pint going to the charity, so not only is it delicious but it's for an excellent cause!
I had one final pub to visit before I made my way home and it just so happened to be very very close to the train station. In fact, it's actually underneath it! Retracing my steps back over the river and towards the station, I made my way to Granary Wharf and a road called Dark Neville Street where my final stop is located. Last but certainly not least, the Good Beer Guide 2022 listed The Hop.
Situated beneath the arches of platform 17 of Leeds Station, The Hop is operated by Ossett Brewery. The central bar is surrounded by comfortable seating with bare brick walls decorated with murals and pictures of rock bands. Another seating area above is reached by staircases at either end of the room, and hosts regular live music. Due to the pub's location, the beer cellar is actually at ground level and can be seen through windows in the drinking area. The ambience is very much neon signs and dim lighting, which creates a comfortable feeling and completely detracts from the trains that run overhead. The long bar, which is behind the entrance, boasts 10 handpulls, 8 of which were in use during my short stop there. The beers are primarily from Ossett with White Rat, Silver King, Yorkshire Blonde, Voodoo, Excelsius and Butterley all being present on the day, alongside Wilde Child Rik van Nutter, Fireside Cellar Hero and Pulp Rhubarb & Strawberry Cider. It was another Ossett beer for me this time. I decided on Silver King (4.3%) as the beer that would round off my day out. For those not in the know, Silver King is an American pale ale with Cascade hops for a crisp, refreshing and dry beer with citrus aromas and a balanced bitterness. It was over far too quickly. All that was left was for me to leave The Hop and walk up a nearby ramp that eventually took me to platform 17, from where my train back to Nottingham would soon depart.
It had been a very good day. I'd managed to complete my route without any need to rush or miss pubs out. The results speak for themselves. Leeds thoroughly deserves acclaim for it's excellent beer scene. Each pub I visited was different but each made me welcome and made me feel positive that, in an era of such uncertainty and economic upheaval, it's not all doom and gloom. Some pubs will fight on and, given how busy each and every one was, come out of this in a good position, possibly even stronger. There were, of course, standouts amongst the crowd. Whitelocks Ale House and the Duck & Drake have both earned a place in my heart but every pub on this list deserves a visit. If you're ever thought about visiting Leeds, I suggest you follow through with it. You won't be disappointed and, regardless of your beery predilections, you will definitely find something you enjoy. I'm glad I braved the cold to pay this fine city a visit. I left knowing that it's somewhere I'll come back to. There's so many pubs I didn't have time for, which is incentive enough to plan my return. My list of planned excursions continues to grow. And, to that end, time, money and rail strikes notwithstanding, I hope to squeeze another trip in before the end of the year, although it's very unlikely that that entry will be published before the arrival of jolly old Saint Nick. With that in mind, all that remains this time is for me to sign off, wishing you a Merry Christmas and an excellent festive period.
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