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The Mermaid (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Eon's Milk Stout |  | 2 |
| North Cotswold - Hung, Drawn 'N' Portered |  | 1 |
| Dancing Duck - Seduction | | 1 |
| Oakham - Citra | | 2 |
| Slater's - Black IPA | | 1 |
| Tring - Mansion Mild |  | 1 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Stour Valley Gold | | 1 |
| Tring - Mercy Dash | | 1 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Ashes Ale | | 1 |
| Leighton Buzzard - Golden Buzzard | | 1 |
| Brentwood - Marvellous Maple Mild | | 1 |
| Wyre Piddle - Piddle Express | | 1 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Azza March Hare | | 1 |
| Hydes - Hits The Spot | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Oarsome Ale | | 1 |
| Batemans - Salem Porter | | 1 |
| Milestone - Cromwell's Bitter |  | 1 |
| Wold Top - Wolds Way Pale Ale (superseded by 4% version) | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Meadowsweet | | 1 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Suffolk County Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Alehouse - Sauvin So Good | | 1 |
| Anglo-Dutch - Summer Kolder | | 1 |
| Alehouse - What's My Age Again '09? |  | 1 |
| 3 Brewers of St. Albans - IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Coffee Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Drunken Monkey | Not Tried | 0 |
| Batemans - Wainfleet | Not Tried | 0 |
| Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Tiger | Not Tried | 0 |
| White Horse - Wayland Smithy | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tring - Blond | Not Tried | 0 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Essex Beast | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vale - Red Kite | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
18 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Seventh stop on this St Albans’ visit: Busy footfall for our early evening arrival and having met up with a fellow real ale enthusiast from SE London at the Alban Arena and then our walk here along the busy Hatfield Road. Friendly prompt service with a selection of six cask ales available on the inside.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Suffolk County Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Head and lacing at the start but not hanging onto it on this chestnut best bitter brewed from 2017 in Long Melford, Suffolk. Originally the brewery was based in Nethergate Street in Clare, Suffolk, and so the brewery was named after the street it was set up in, in 1986. A dry bitter first hit. A fruity bitterness rising with fruity, spicy, and herbal notes and suggestions of prunes testing my taste buds. A biscuity maltiness winning over with hints of caramel, toffee and toasted grain. Slightly minus its hoped-for conditioning. A dry caramelised bitterness ebbing out. Not in the best of condition compared to pretty much all the others sampled in St Albans on this visit. |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| 3 Brewers of St. Albans - IPA | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Coffee Stout | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Drunken Monkey | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Batemans - Wainfleet | 4.50 | Not Tried |
22 Apr 2024 (Magnus Greel)
Busy and buzzing for an early Monday evening with a decent choice of US Rock music playing to accompany one's merriment..
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Eon's Milk Stout | 5.00 | | Every silky smooth roasty chocolate creaminess box ticked as this perfection in a glass trickled down my appreciative throat.. |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Suffolk County Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Vale - Red Kite | 4.30 | Not Tried |
10 Mar 2023 (Magnus Greel)
This month's venue for our Friday Evening Group, a couple of us arrived a few minutes before noon to discover it had already opened and another of us inside just waiting for the barman to finish up opening duties.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | | In top form and most needed to wash away the horrific Golden Buzzard flavours. |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Eon's Milk Stout | 5.00 | | Nourishing and satisfying. |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Stour Valley Gold | 4.20 | | Light and hoppy with an uncomplicated bitter kick. |
| Leighton Buzzard - Golden Buzzard | 4.10 | | A complex combination of disgusting biscuit, low grade earth and battery acid (how I imagine it would taste). |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Azza March Hare | 3.90 | | Slight sweetness with just a hint of malts made for a refreshing cooking bitter. |
18 Mar 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening meet up of our Friday Evening Group. An award winning pub with superb service and beer. Other beers details lost in this server's website crash.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | | |
| Slater's - Black IPA | 5.00 | |
01 Mar 2014 (thebrewingman)
Lunchtime visit. A few in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Cotswold - Hung, Drawn 'N' Portered | 5.00 | | |
| Dancing Duck - Seduction | 5.20 | | |
| Brentwood - Marvellous Maple Mild | 3.70 | | |
| Tring - Blond | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Essex Beast | 6.20 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried |
12 Oct 2013 (thebrewingman)
Reasonably busy with locals and football supporters going to the match down the road. Blackboard had 12 ciders on it and said cider pub of the year but I'm not sure whether this was local or national. I can't remember the rest of the beers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batemans - Salem Porter | 4.70 | | A good porter but did not inspire me. |
22 Aug 2009 (Martin the Mildman)
Beer festival in progress so fairly busy.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Ashes Ale | 4.60 | | Shown as 4.2% here, this was a well balalnced pale ale with good hop and malt character. My score 15/20. |
| Wyre Piddle - Piddle Express | 4.30 | | Caramel/toffee malt flavours with a little hop balance. My score 15/20. |
| Mighty Oak - Oarsome Ale | 3.70 | | Pale, hoppy but well balanced bitter. My score 15/20. |
| Tring - Mercy Dash | 3.80 | | Festival special, a mid brown well balanced bitter. My score 15/20. |
| Hydes - Hits The Spot | 4.10 | | Very malty golden ale. My score 15/20. |
| Anglo-Dutch - Summer Kolder | 4.00 | | Very pale beer with a dry hop character and dry finish. My score 14/20. |
| Milestone - Cromwell's Bitter | 4.00 | | Mid brown bitter with some malt taste and a dryish finish. My score 14/20. |
| Castle Rock - Meadowsweet | 4.40 | | Strange aroma of minted peas, very strong hop taste of pine needles. Not particularly to my tsate but an interesting beer. My score 14/20. |
| Alehouse - What's My Age Again '09? | 3.70 | | Rather sour tasting mid brown bitter with a tart finish. My score 9/20. |
15 Jul 2009 (Martin the Mildman)
A handful of locals in on a quiet Wednesday early evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tring - Mansion Mild | 3.70 | | Malty and fruity with a little roast to start then a bitter finish. My score 15/20. |
| Alehouse - Sauvin So Good | 4.00 | | Grassy aroma, then intense fresh cut grass taste. A little too intense for my taste. My score 14/20. |
07 Jul 2007 (Ian)
Mid Saturday afternoon and there was a mad guide dog for the blind there that thought that everyone's bag was the most interesting thing in the world. 6 handpumps and an excellent jukebox playing Barenaked Ladies (well it did after I put it on).
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wold Top - Wolds Way Pale Ale (superseded by 4% version) | 3.60 | | Gold, disappearing white head. Some citrus hop, bit muddy and confused. Great hop citrus on finish |
| Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Tiger | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| White Horse - Wayland Smithy | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried |
About The Mermaid
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 1 |
| 6 |
| 11 |
| 6 |
| 1 |
The pub is found in St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3RL.
Single room pub with L shaped bar in Hatfield Road. Simple, basic pub. Dartboard, garden at rear, breweriana pictures, mirrors and signs on cream wall and lots of exposed worn wood. An award winning pub for its cider/perry range and quality, 7 handpumps.
We have visited this pub 9 times, seen 33 different beers and tried 23 of them.
Postcode: AL1 3RL