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The Swan (Greene King)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
London Fields - Black Path PorterExceptional1
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Tail FeatherExcellent1
Hackney - Best BitterExcellent1
Windsor & Eton - MandarinExcellent1
Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout)Excellent1
Hackney - Golden AleExcellent1
Hammerton - N1Excellent1
Portobello - APAExcellent1
London Fields - American Black AleExcellent1
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterExcellent1
London Fields - Rye Pale AleExcellent1
Wimbledon - Quartermaine IPAGood1
Wimbledon - PhoenixGood1
Clarkshaws - Hellhound IPAGood1
Bespoke - Going off half-cockedGood1
London Fields - Shoreditch Triangle IPANot Tried0
Purity - Mad GooseNot Tried0
Westerham - 1730Not Tried0
Greene King - London GloryNot Tried0
London Fields - Black FrostNot Tried0
Purity - Pure GoldNot Tried0
Sambrook's - WandleNot Tried0
Five Points - Railway PorterNot Tried0
Adnams - Topaz GoldNot Tried0
Greene King - Hardys & Hansons Rocking RudolphNot Tried0
Clarence & Fredericks - Cascadian BlackNot Tried0
St Austell - Tribute ExtraNot Tried0
G2 - OrionNot Tried0
Clarence & Fredericks - Oat Milk StoutNot Tried0
Windsor & Eton - ConquerorNot Tried0
G2 - SailNot Tried0
Hackney - Winter WarmerNot Tried0
Hackney - American Pale AleNot Tried0
Plain Ales - Stocking FillerNot Tried0
Loose Cannon - Gunners GoldNot Tried0
Adnams - BroadsideNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - AttaboyNot Tried0
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - AK Original MildNot Tried0
Windsor & Eton - GuardsmanNot Tried0
Hogs Back - Hop Garden GoldNot Tried0
Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale AleNot Tried0
Hogs Back - HBBNot Tried0
Sambrook's - Battersea RyeNot Tried0
London Fields - Love Not WarNot Tried0
Hop Stuff - FusilierNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
Robinsons - Trooper Red 'n' BlackNot Tried0
St Austell - TributeNot Tried0
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)Not Tried0
London Fields - Hackney HopsterNot Tried0
Timothy Taylor - LandlordNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Swan, Bloomsbury, Central London

Visits Details

08 May 2018 (ChrisE)
Fairly quiet at the time of my visit. A good range of ales was on offer but I have not listed them all, the main reason for this being that I took photographs instead of noting the beers down on paper, now I am not entirely sure which rows of beer pumps belong to which pub. I thought the prices here were very reasonable for the area.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentVery good Harvey's.
29 Dec 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Space is at a premium in here tonight and people are turning away when they find there are no tables available for evening meals. There are even people sitting outside. Good to see that the rebranding from Taylor Walker to Greene King has not led to a reduction here in the variety of guest beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hammerton - N14.10ExcellentFresh and light and hoppy
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Sambrook's - Wandle3.80Not Tried
Greene King - Hardys & Hansons Rocking Rudolph4.20Not Tried
Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout)5.30Not Tried
G2 - Orion3.80Not Tried
G2 - Sail4.20Not Tried
05 Mar 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Mid-afternoon on a rainy Sunday and it is pretty quiet in here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout)5.30ExcellentMy first pint of cask beer back in England after ten days away on the Euro Fizz, and it’s a cracker.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Purity - Mad Goose4.20Not Tried
Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale4.20Not Tried
Greene King - London Glory4.10Not Tried
08 Nov 2016 (Stephen Harris)
Mid-evening. To my horror, they already had Christmas decorations up in this pub. Some Americans at the next table were loudly celebrating that fact that within 24 hours we would finally have heard the last of Donald Trump.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wimbledon - Quartermaine IPA5.80GoodBritish-style IPA, with a somewhat ‘perfumed’ hop flavour.
Wimbledon - Phoenix4.80GoodSmooth, dark and smoky.
Windsor & Eton - Guardsman4.20Not Tried
Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale4.20Not Tried
Sambrook's - Battersea Rye4.50Not Tried
Hop Stuff - Fusilier4.30Not Tried
Hammerton - N14.10Not Tried
Robinsons - Trooper Red 'n' Black5.80Not Tried
12 Mar 2015 (Stephen Harris)
I’m not quite sure why I feel so comfortable in this pub when every other customer tends to be a fish & chip consuming, Guinness drinking tourist, but I do. Perhaps it’s because the beer always seems to be in excellent condition.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Portobello - APA5.00ExcellentA very nice, pale gold, hoppy American pale Ale that is not over the top.
Bespoke - Going off half-cocked4.60GoodA good, balanced, golden Pale Ale.
Windsor & Eton - Conqueror5.00Not Tried
Hackney - American Pale Ale4.50Not Tried
Loose Cannon - Gunners Gold3.50Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Attaboy4.60Not Tried
15 Oct 2014 (Andrew)
Excellent pub tucked away down a side street. Pleased to see 2 Hackney beers on.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hackney - Best Bitter4.40ExcellentMid brown. Fruity - bit of lychee, bit of tart plum. Nice malt-nut bite. Nice
Hackney - Golden Ale4.00ExcellentPale gold. Citrus notes. Mellowish. Very drinkable
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Purity - Pure Gold3.80Not Tried
Adnams - Topaz Gold4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute Extra5.20Not Tried
Westerham - 17304.00Not Tried
06 Aug 2014 (Stephen Harris)
I came here after finally giving up on the Craft Beer Co. pub – it needs to be ten times the size to cope with its popularity. Relatively peaceful here, and as before the clientele was mainly an overseas tourist one.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Tail Feather3.50ExcellentLemony, sharp, Pale Ale with a bitter finish. I like it.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
London Fields - Hackney Hopster4.20Not Tried
London Fields - Shoreditch Triangle IPA6.00Not Tried
Westerham - 17304.00Not Tried
26 Jan 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Late afternoon/early evening, with a few in to watch the Chelsea game on TV and a few eating. Impressive beer range, for which this pub is starting to forge a reputation. 10% CAMRA discount claimed.
BeerABVScoreNotes
London Fields - American Black Ale7.00ExcellentBlack, with a brown head. Heavy-duty beer with liquorice, and aniseed flavours, alcohol and hops.
London Fields - Rye Pale Ale4.60ExcellentPleased to find this Redwell collaboration on cask. Amber/gold and tasty.
Clarkshaws - Hellhound IPA5.50GoodA full-bodied, amber IPA.
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - AK Original Mild3.70Not Tried
Hogs Back - Hop Garden Gold4.40Not Tried
Hogs Back - HBB3.70Not Tried
London Fields - Love Not War4.20Not Tried
27 Dec 2013 (Stephen Harris)
I had heard that this pub was specialising in London-brewed beers and was not disappointed by the excellent range. Many, many years ago I used to use this pub at a time when my friends and I thought we might prove attractive to the student nurses who used to drink here – needless to say, none of them ever gave us a second look. It could be 20 years though since I last visited.
BeerABVScoreNotes
London Fields - Black Path Porter4.20ExceptionalAlways a pleasure to encounter a London Fields beer. . This was fabulous today. A gorgeous, smooth, rich, black porter.
Windsor & Eton - Mandarin4.50ExcellentI asked for a taster of this one first as I feared it might be sweet. Not at all, and very tasty. Citrusy orangey; I think there may be added fruit juice as well as hop flavours.
London Fields - Black Frost6.00Not Tried
Five Points - Railway Porter4.80Not Tried
Clarence & Fredericks - Cascadian Black5.00Not Tried
Clarence & Fredericks - Oat Milk Stout5.00Not Tried
Hackney - Winter Warmer5.00Not Tried
Plain Ales - Stocking Filler4.00Not Tried

About The Swan

The pub sign. The Swan, Bloomsbury, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent10
Good4
Acceptable-
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Bloomsbury, Central London, WC1N 3AP.

A small, traditional pub, one of two tucked just off Southampton Row in Cosmo Place. Branded for a while as a ‘Taylor Walker’ pub and now as Greene King. 10% discount offered to CAMRA members. The many hotels and attractions in the area ensure a good tourist trade.

We have visited this pub 9 times, seen 51 different beers and tried 15 of them.

Map location

Postcode: WC1N 3AP