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The Bridge End Inn (McGivern)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Three Tuns - 1642 BitterExcellent1
Gloucester - GoldExcellent1
Hawkshead - BitterExcellent1
Hobsons - Best BitterExcellent1
Lymm - Lymm BitterExcellent1
Loch Lomond - Ale of LevenExcellent1
Salopian - Darwin's OriginExcellent1
Weetwood - Old Dog Premium BitterExcellent2
Oakham - CitraExcellent1
McGivern Ales - Bridge PaleExcellent1
Salopian - OracleExcellent1
Slater's - Autumn RedExcellent1
Rowton - StarlightGood1
Whale Ale - Ruby MobyGood1
Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - The Public Want What The Public GetGood1
Buzzard - Village BitterGood1
Liverpool Organic - Josephine ButlerGood1
Big Hand - DeltaGood1
Slater's - PremiumGood1
McGivern Ales - Bridge BitterGood2
Warwickshire - Lady GodivaGood1
Wharfedale - BlondeGood1
Peerless - Paxtons PeculiarGood1
Wall's - Pale and EasyGood1
Phoenix - Spotland GoldGood1
Rat - Project Rat 4Good1
Hobsons - Old PricklyGood1
Facer's - Flintshire BitterGood1
Salopian - BoomerangGood1
Wood Street - BoojumGood1
Merlin - ElixirGood1
Weetwood - Eastgate AleNot Tried0
RedWillow - WrecklessNot Tried0
Ossett - Winning StreakNot Tried0
Rat - Project Rat 5Not Tried0
Picture 1. The Bridge End Inn, Ruabon, Denbighshire
Picture 2. The Bridge End Inn, Ruabon, Denbighshire

Visits Details

16 Nov 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Early finish at work so off for a quiet pint. My visit coincided with that of 5,000 people from Liverpool CAMRA. Wonderful to see the pub so busy, wonderful to see so many enjoying themselves. The Bridge End staff coped admirably. Real ale is in good hands.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hobsons - Best Bitter3.80ExcellentI once commented that this was not a full bitter. Well, either the beer has changed or my palate has. What a cracking bitter and all at 3.8%.
McGivern Ales - Bridge Pale3.90ExcellentAlways find a new dimension every time I try this beer. The best of the evening. Spot on.
Warwickshire - Lady Godiva4.20GoodMiddle of the road and a little bland - perhaps not a fair comment as the beer before was extrememly flavoursome. Will definitely try again.
Phoenix - Spotland Gold4.10GoodCrisp, light and refreshing.
06 Oct 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Some pleasant autumn sun in the beer garden.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wood Street - Boojum4.20GoodA golden ale, grassy with a light bitterness.
Whale Ale - Ruby Moby4.00GoodA golden, malty ale.
29 Sep 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Remains of the late afternoon sun in the beer garden. Tranquil.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Weetwood - Old Dog Premium Bitter4.50ExcellentConsistently good. Always a pleasure.
Peerless - Paxtons Peculiar4.10GoodGreat condition and presentation but not enough taste.
Hobsons - Old Prickly4.20GoodBrewed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Hedgehog Preservation Society (or something similar). A decent mild beer.
26 Sep 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Not been for a couple of weeks. Missed it.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Lymm - Lymm Bitter3.80ExcellentTasty, malty bitter.
Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - The Public Want What The Public Get4.40GoodA beer without any exceptional flavours and a reasonably dry finish. Middle of the road for me.
08 Sep 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Where else would you see families playing Scrabble and dominoes and enjoying themselves. I am so lucky to have such a pub on my doorstep. A pub as a pub should be.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Salopian - Darwin's Origin4.30ExcellentEnough has been said about this superb beer. This was on top form.
Slater's - Autumn Red5.00ExcellentIf only all red beers were on a par with this one. Full of flavour and soft. Full body and excellent presentation.
Slater's - Premium4.40GoodThis is a top beer but it lacks that little something to make it extra special. Superb condition and presentation.
Facer's - Flintshire Bitter3.70GoodAlways a good choice. A malty start and some sharpness in the semi dry finish.
01 Sep 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Quite chilly in the beer garden so spent a couple of hours in the reading room. Oh yes, some very nice black pudding as well.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Weetwood - Old Dog Premium Bitter4.50ExcellentAlways a treat whenever this beer is available. Superb condition and presentation.
Oakham - Citra4.20ExcellentClassic Oakham and in my opinion the best of their beers commonly available. If only Hawse Buckler were more available. Anyway, the Citra was on top form.
Gloucester - Gold3.90ExcellentA golden, full bodied, proper bitter. Well balanced, slightly dry and a wonderful lingering bitter aftertaste. Bonzer.
Rowton - Starlight3.60GoodA malty, session bitter. So good and full of flavour. Usual top condition and presentation.
30 Aug 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Another pleasant evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Salopian - Oracle4.00ExcellentOne of my favourites.
Three Tuns - 1642 Bitter3.80ExcellentOne of the better session bitters.
Loch Lomond - Ale of Leven4.50ExcellentSuper amber beer, good hops, a little sweet, a little spicy and a little nutty.
Liverpool Organic - Josephine Butler4.50GoodNot convinced about elderflower flavoured beer. Great condition and presentation.
23 Aug 2013 (Stephen Harris)
My first visit to this former CAMRA PoTY. We only had 30 minutes for a quick visit on the way to see Cefn Druids, so were in two minds what to do when we found a beer festival in progress out the back. We decided just to visit the pub itself and pretend the festival wasn’t happening. My second beer was from the ‘Axiom Brewery’, of which I can currently find no information.
BeerABVScoreNotes
McGivern Ales - Bridge Bitter4.10GoodChestnut-coloured. A malt-led, full-bodied bitter.
Weetwood - Eastgate Ale4.20Not Tried
RedWillow - Wreckless4.80Not Tried
Ossett - Winning Streak4.10Not Tried
Rat - Project Rat 53.50Not Tried
23 Aug 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
First day of the 4th annual beer festival,32 cracking beers on show and all on gravity plus the eight on handpull in the main bar. Good entertainment, good food, good company and great hospitality. Not to be missed. Hopefully back again on Saturday.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Salopian - Boomerang6.90GoodLooked forward to this since I tried the Automaton. Such a lot going on in the glass, not disappointed.
Merlin - Elixir4.00GoodA good pale ale packed with flavour.
Buzzard - Village Bitter3.90GoodNice and light, some malt coming through. Festival notes quote 'a good session beer'.
Big Hand - Delta3.70GoodVery dry finish, festival notes quote 'a cracking session beer, light and hoppy'.
Wharfedale - Blonde3.90GoodDry and hoppy, flavours were light and delicate.
Rat - Project Rat 44.80GoodA honey wheat beer was expected and a honey wheat beer was delivered; not a fan of wheat beers but this was good.
18 Aug 2013 (Bear & Ragged Staff)
Caught some late afternoon sun in the beer garden.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hawkshead - Bitter3.70ExcellentFabulous balance of malt and hops. Very enjoyable.
McGivern Ales - Bridge Bitter4.10GoodClassic bitter.
Wall's - Pale and Easy3.80GoodPale and Easy, more Pale and Bitter. Very nice.

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About The Bridge End Inn

The pub sign. The Bridge End Inn, Ruabon, Denbighshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional15
Excellent110
Good239
Acceptable36
Poor5

Website.

The pub is found in Ruabon, Denbighshire, LL14 6DA.

Traditional pub located close to Ruabon railway station in Bridge street. Home to the McGivern Brewery. CAMRA National Pub of the Year for 2011 which meant it entered CAMRA’s history books as the first ever Welsh pub to win its National Pub of the Year competition, but having only been re-opened by its current owners in March 2009, became one of the most remarkable success stories in the competition’s history. At November 2012 was selected to be in the last four contestants for the 2012 competition too.

We have visited this pub 130 times, seen 298 different beers and tried 293 of them.

Map location

Postcode: LL14 6DA