BV London Pub of the Year 2023-2024 - part two

Here we go then, the second part of this year's BV London Pub of the Year contest. Check out part one first if you need to, then read on. This time it's five new or returning hostelries that weren't in last years competition, so let's keep things fresh with these beertastic beauties. 

You won't want to miss this! (If you do want to miss this then feel free to miss this, obviously.)

Cask, Pimlico

We start proceedings with a 're-entry' to the contest, and arguably a pub that was unfortunate to have ever dropped out of it. It was over 15 years ago that the Cask Pub & Kitchen first opened up to an unsuspecting neighbourhood just south of Victoria station and things haven't been the same since. Those years have absolutely flown by; they recently had a 15th birthday bash with specially brewed beers, but I remember going to their 10th like it was yesterday, and their opening like it was the day before, even though I would've been a mere 32-year-old child at the time. This was the pub that eventually spawned the Craft Beer Co chain, which has done extremely well in this competition over the years, but nowadays the original is arguably the best.

Passport to the pints of Pimlico

Range of draught beers: The Cask boasts one of the finest selections you'll find anywhere in London. In fact, that's an understatement, it's literally one of the finest in the world. The entire length of the bar consists of a long line of handpumps (10) and keg founts (absolutely fuckloads - I want to say 22 but may even be more!) There's everything from everyday mild and bitter from British Indie brewers on cask, through to experimental and strong stuff on keg, plus rare imports. It's not necessarily cheap - I recently noted a barrel-aged Lambic from Cantillon retailing at £57 a pint, though of course you're not really supposed to drink a pint of it. If you can't find a beer you want to drink here, you really, really cannot like beer. That is all. A full 3 points.

Quality of real ale: Being called 'Cask' doesn't necessarily mean that cask beer quality is any good, only in this case, it very much does. It's truly excellent. The combination of staff that know how to keep cask and customers that want to drink it means that every pint is a good 'un. I really have to award a further 3 points here.

Bonus points: First up, one has to mention the impressive range of bottled beers in the fridge, which can also be take-out at a discount price. That's worth a bonus point. On seven points already, we've established that the beer here is wonderful, but I'm not the only person to have noticed that beyond beer, one might be struggling for reasons to enjoy this place as a pub. What I mean is: I'm a beer person, and that makes it a great pub for the likes of me, but for 'normals' who don't care that much about beer, it's significantly harder to make a case for this place. I will give a second bonus point for the spirits selection which is also rather grand. The food (mainly burgers) is, in my view, just OK, and suffers from the presence of genuinely fabulous burger joints in the neighbourhood. I will resist the temptation to deduct a point for high pricing because it's central-ish London and it's fucking great beer.

In conclusion it's truly awesome for people like me, but you possibly wouldn't want to bring a non beer drinker here.  

 

Albion, Kingston

We go to Kingston-upon-Thames. Or is it just 'on' Thames? Anyway, another re-entry and another pub that was unlucky as it made the top five on its debut in 2018-2019 but fell out of consideration due to Lockdown. (Lockdown! Remember that?!?) The Albion is part of the Big Smoke brewery chain that now amounts to several outlets in West and Southwest London, but this pub, which first opened in 2016, is probably my pick of the bunch.

Range of draught beers: Usually a good range of cask (8-10) and keg (20ish) to pick from, including all the regular and seasonal beers from the brewery, now based in Esher and consequently not in the 'Big Smoke' at all. Plenty of guests keep the selection interesting and stylistically varied, though there is a definite bias towards sessionable hoppy and/or hazy pale ales. Brew York, Polly's and Disruption is Brewing are typical finds here, as are beers from the local Park brewery. It's a decent selection overall and worth 2 points.

Quality of real ale: I sometimes wonder if the Big Smoke pubs put on slightly too many cask beers than they should. And I also wonder if that's due to the need to put on their own beers and offer enough stuff of interest to those who want something else. Arguably this results in quality suffering a bit, and while the beers I've had here are above average (so we're definitely not going into minus territory) it's hard to score the pub higher than a 1 in this category.

Bonus points: One of the more 'Gastro' of the pubs in this years comp, the food at the Albion is pretty damn good and there are themed food nights, like pizza and a pint for a special price. The small plates and desserts are also decent and overall the food offering definitely merits a bonus point. They also have extended happy hours during the week with all cask beers at only £3.50 a pint and that is laudable and worth a further point. 

On the whole it's a good solid pub, worth visiting if you're in the Kingston area, and worth stopping to eat in if you're hungry. But is it enough of a destination to be a serious contender? Possibly not just yet.  

 

Trafalgar, Merton

Now, how's this for a story - it's a our third and final re-entry, and it's a pub that last featured in the very first competition, and which has spent some years actually being closed. The bad news is that in the longer term the threat of closure (again) is still very real and there has been a campaign against proposals to radically redevelop the site and replace the existing pub. I myself have written in to express my concerns as we really, really don't want to lose 'The Traf' again, having only just got it back. It's essentially the 'little sister' pub to the Hope. Which is, obviously, no bad thing.

Locals making a song and dance about something...

Range of draught beers: It's a little pub and the beer range obviously isn't going to compete with some of the other pubs in the competiton. That said, you'll find four changing casks at all times, usually including a dark beer as well as something a bit unusual. This was, for example, the only pub where I've got to sample the limited edition 'Union' version of Thornbridge 'Jaipur'. Other breweries you might find here regularly include Surrey Hills, Lacons and the very local Wimbledon brewery. The craft keg range is again limited in number but high in variety, usually offering some sort of sour, something strong and hoppy and often an imperial-strength stout. It's the right way to curate a modest selection and worth a solid 1.5 points. 

Quality of real ale: If I'm honest, I prefer my cask served a bit cooler than is typically the case here - that's a personal and subjective issue, I know, but it does matter to me. Otherwise the quality is generally good, though beers haven't always had the 'Fuck, wow!' factor. 1.5 points.

Bonus points: Where the Traf really comes into its own is as a community hub. Folk music, Morris Dancing, games nights and a bunch of stuff I haven't even been told about because I'm not local... I think they even have a cricket team, but I don't like cricket because the ball is too hard. But, anyway, it does all this sort of 'intangible' stuff well, which is worth a point. Another bonus point is awarded for the ciders as there is always at least a couple on draught to choose from, often including an interesting, eccentric or downright batshit-insane option. For a small pub they also boast an interesting 'top shelf' which is              worth a point. 

In an ideal world, there would be little pubs like the Traf in every community. The truth is that pubs like this have become increasingly rare and we need to fight tooth and nail to save them. Yes, it might not have enough to make it the best pub in all of Greater London, but that's not the point. It's the best pub in its own local area and that's important.

 

Prince, Wood Green

It's not a conspiracy that pubs in North London don't often compete for my award - just that in recent years a greater number of really good pubs have tended to be South of the River. Bucking that trend is the former Prince of Wales, up in Wood Green, where there really is practically no serious local competition I'm aware of if you're looking for craft beer. It's a brand shining New Entry, so let's welcome the place with open arms (and a thirsty oesophagus or something). 

Tuck the fuck in!

Range of draught beers: There's more keg than cask, and unusually a strong focus on good quality proper lager, alongside the fruity sours, hoppy IPAs and other stuff you'd expect nowadays in any pub that takes beer seriously. A surprising number of the cask beers seem to come from Almasty brewery (in Tyneside) which is a little odd, but they're not common down here so I'm not complaining. More familiar faces include London breweries Five Points and Goodness. Overall a decent selection, especially for the area. 2 points.

Quality of real ale: I found the cask here to be solid, but not life-changingly spectactular. Again, it feels harsh to only be giving out 1 point, but let's not forget that this is on a scale from -3 to 3.

Bonus points: The 'craft' ethos extends to the food offering here, which is very good indeed. A small choice of selected dishes on the blackboard each day is usually a good sign, and there's a mix of main meals and snacky small plates. The potatoes with a strong, punchy Aioli are wonderful, though you'll need to pick the right beer to match with them. There's also some interesting Edwardian architecture and relief surviving that is worth checking out which gives the Prince a second bonus point. I also love the fact that their website actually does something useful and tells you what beers are currently on tap. There's nothing I'd deduct points for, so they get the maximum bonus haul.

It's a relatively unknown gem in an area that hasn't been beating a path to the door of good beer in recent times.

 

Three Hounds, Beckenham

The last pub to make this years list requires us to head out to Beckenham. Or Penge. Even the locals can't quite agree where the Three Hounds is, but it's somewhere between Beckenham and Penge and that'll do me. Occupying a pair of former shop units - the main bar has moved from one to the other - it's a strange location with a unique feel that is partly micropub but also curiously 'continental taproom'. And very dog-friendly. I sometimes wonder If I'll only be allowed in if I borrow a King Charles spaniel named Windsor and pretend that he's mine!

Be stillage, my beating heart...

Range of draught beers: Very keg-centric, except during their quarterly beer festivals, with two or three populated handpumps and perhaps a dozen keg taps. In theory they have their own in-house brewery, but it is very much an on-again, off-again operation and there is no guarantee you'll actually find their own beers here. What you will find is a well-curated selection of the best modern microbrews, from low alcohol pale to Imperial Dessert stouts with ABVs well into double figures. During the festivals you can add more than 10 further casks to the range, and these beers are often rare and interesting (Play brewery 'Strawberry Jelly and Ice Cream sour' or Brew York 'Peanut Butter Tonkoko' on cask anyone?!?) I'd prefer more cask as standard, obviously, but I have to give the range a solid 2 points.

Quality of real ale: Another 2 points. Whether it's the handpulled ales from the bar, or on gravity when the festivals are on, it's always in 'decent nick' as a CAMRA foot-soldier might like to say!

Bonus points: I keep banging on about them, but the beer festivals are not to be missed, as the adjacent unit fills up with stillaged casks offering a much expanded beer selection. These are worth a point, obviously. Even in normal times the range of cider available is very impressive and I've got to give them a point for that too. Finally they have an innovative snack selection that offers charcuterie products on top of the usual crisps and nuts so that's a third bonus point. The takeaway beer selection plays a big part in their business and would get a point too, so even if I were to deduct a point for the questionable condition of the 'facilities' (this may have been a one-off but I've heard others comment on it too) they're still on for a maximum in this round!

And those are the pubs in the 2023-24 competition! There's a winner to be chosen, and you can do the sums yourself to see who is in contention or wait a couple of weeks for me to announce the result. If you have done the numbers you'll see it's going to be another close one this year. Now it's time for a well-earned pint, I think. But where to go?...

 

Where to find it... 

Cask Pub & Kitchen
6 Charlwood Street
Pimlico
SW1V 2EE (map)
website / whatpub
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Albion
45 Fairfield Road
Kingston
KT1 2PY (map)
website / whatpub
********* 

Trafalgar
23 High Path
Merton
SW19 2JY (map)
website / whatpub
********* 

Prince
1 Finsbury Road
Wood Green
N22 8PA (map)
website / whatpub
********* 

Three Hounds
57 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
BR3 4PR (map)
website / whatpub
*********