Cheers! to Leicester’s great pubs

While there’s a lot to be said for a large mug of steaming hot tea, sometimes only a beer will do, and we’re pleased to say this month is all about beer: 15 June is Beer Day Britain, and we’ll certainly be raising a glass or three in honour of our national drink.

If you’re wondering why every day wouldn’t be a good one to celebrate a large pint, we can tell you that 15 June (1215) is also the date the Magna Carta was sealed, and ale is actually mentioned within it. Its connection with the most significant legal document in history reminds us what a central role beer and pubs play in English life, say the organisers of Beer Day, and who are we to argue?

From a hipster craft ale to an ice-cold lager, there’s a beer for every palate and thankfully, in Leicestershire, the same can be said of the pubs.

It would take several months to visit all of the pubs our county boasts. If you want to have a go, Leicester Campaign’s for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) pubs’ correspondent, Jim Reay, has a number of suggestions for walking routes you can take in the city and county. 

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Or you could just pop along to the winner of Leicester CAMRA’s Pub of the Year 2018, the very quaint Blue Boar micro-pub on Millstone Lane.

Boasting a wide range of cask ales as well as ciders and fine wines, the Blue Boar is small but perfectly formed. Sit at upturned barrels as you nibble on their locally-sourced cheese and pork pies.

For those after serious ale sessions, CAMRA have helpfully produced a map and guide to more than 40 of Leicester’s real ale pubs in the city centre and surrounding area.

Copies are also available from the Visit Leicester tourist information centre on Gallowtree Gate.

A newcomer to the city and a definite must-visit for any beer enthusiast is The Head of Steam on Market Street. Serving up over 150 different beers as well as cocktails and a pretty impressive gin menu, it would be hard not to find something to quench your thirst in here. The selection includes a mixture of local beers as well as rare beers you won’t find in your local, so there’s something new to try every time. If you’re like us and a bit indecisive when faced with so much choice, order the Besler. The perfect sharer, the Besler includes your choice of three light bites off the food menu, each served with a custom beer or ale pairing.

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If more help is needed to help you whittle down your choice of drinking establishments, the Good Pub Guide 2018 has a number of Leicestershire pubs in this year’s recommendations.

They include the part 17^th century, creeper-clad Crown Inn in Old Dalby, Melton Mowbray, where you can enjoy a pint of Charnwood Vixen or Belvoir Old Dalby pulled by hand, while you tuck into rosemary and honey roast lamb with crushed Jersey Royals.

For those who are tired of gimmicky pubs, head to The Tap at No 76 in Ashby-de-la-zouch. The simple but welcoming surroundings make a great location to relax and enjoy well-made drinks and conversation in a comfortable environment. Their House Beer and range of cask to glass ales are all brewed just 4 miles away at Tollgate Brewery, alongside which are two guest ales and six keg beers from a variety of breweries across UK.

All this drinking got you thirsty for knowledge? The Langton Brewery, based in Thorpe Langton just outside Market Harborough, is the ideal location to find out a bit more about the brewing process behind the nation’s favourite drink. You can book a private brewery tour Monday to Thursday evenings to learn about the brewery and the brewing process, together with an opportunity to look around and ask any questions.  And if you want a souvenir from your trip you are in the right place! You can get your hands on a personalised beer with your own choice of photo and slogan on the label, together with any message. Buy in advance and collect on the day or have it delivered to your door.

The beer lines are have been cleaned, the brass has been polished, and the deliveries are in. We are ready for the weekend at The Knight & Garter! This weeks Guest Ale is Everards Tight Head roasted ruby ale, brewed to celebrate the forthcoming 6 nations. If you're in Leicester this weekend then pop in and give it a "try".......

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All this talk of beer is making us thirsty, so we’ll be heading off for a pint now to the best pub in Leicestershire – according to the national pub and bar awards 2018 – the Knight and Garter in Hotel Street, Leicester.

Opened a year ago after a £1.4m refurb, this very stylish bar and restaurant is the first in the Midlands to serve Budvar, an unpasteurized, unfiltered beer, imported from the Czech Republic and served straight from a giant copper, beer kettle.

Did you also know that the renowned Everards Brewery Company was founded in Leicester over 150 years ago? They're still brewing and serving to this day, with over 170 pubs up and down the country. You can use their handy site to Find Your Local if you plan on visiting one of their many establishments, such as the historic The Anne of Cleves in Melton, which can be traced back as early as 1327!

Right then. Whose round is it?