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The Magpie (Nicholson's (Mitchells & Butlers))

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Acorn - Dead GoodExcellent1
Brains - Café PhoenixExcellent1
Firebrand - Big Hop Little BeerExcellent1
Kirkstall - Dissolution IPAExcellent1
Stewart - ZymicExcellent1
Thwaites - 13 Guns (canned)Excellent1
Born in the Borders (formerly Scottish Borders) - Wild HarvestGood1
Evan Evans - Artisan Craft Beer: AmarilloGood1
Maxim - Lambton's CaskGood1
Redemption - Pale AleGood1
Adnams - Rudolph Nose BestAcceptable1
Brains - I Sea SantaAcceptable1
Knops - Musselburgh BrokeAcceptable1
Rooster's - Little BirdAcceptable1
Sambrook's - Lavender Hill (originally exclusively for Nicholson's)Acceptable1
Batemans - Black & WhiteNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - RunnerNot Tried0
Black Sheep - Best BitterNot Tried0
Black Sheep - Monty Python's Holy GrailNot Tried0
Dent - AviatorNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells / Dogfish Head DNANot Tried0
Elgood's - Black Dog MildNot Tried0
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Sly FoxNot Tried0
Exmoor - AleNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
Great Heck - DAVENot Tried0
Greene King - XX Dark MildNot Tried0
Harbour - India Pale AleNot Tried0
Harviestoun - Sleigh DriverNot Tried0
Hook Norton - Lion (aka Cotswold Lion)Not Tried0
Hop Back - Summer LightningNot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Scottish AleNot Tried0
Marston's - PedigreeNot Tried0
Marston's - Pedigree New World Pale AleNot Tried0
Orkney (Sinclair) - Dark IslandNot Tried0
Peerless - Dark MatterNot Tried0
Purity - Pure UBUNot Tried0
Revolutions - Clash London PorterNot Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale AleNot Tried0
St Austell - Nicholson's PorterNot Tried0
St Austell - Saint Nich's Festive AleNot Tried0
St Austell - TributeNot Tried0
Stonehenge - Sign of SpringNot Tried0
Triple fff - Pressed Rat & WarthogNot Tried0
Wadworth - 6XNot Tried0
Woodforde's - Bure GoldNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Magpie, City, Central London

Visits Details

14 Feb 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Not over-crowded, but a small group of very drunk and dreadfully racist Australian businessmen are lowering the tone of the place – I’m surprised they were not moved on.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Rooster's - Little Bird3.40AcceptableLight in every sense of the word.
Knops - Musselburgh Broke4.50AcceptableVery Scottish indeed.
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Sly Fox4.00Not Tried
Great Heck - DAVE3.80Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
30 Jun 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Here after work at about 8:15. Still busy, although most people are standing outside and there is plenty of room in the bar area.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Maxim - Lambton's Cask3.80GoodGolden and smooth-textured. Fruity Citra hop flavours, although these do not dominate.
Marston's - Pedigree4.50Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Purity - Pure UBU4.50Not Tried
Hook Norton - Lion (aka Cotswold Lion)4.00Not Tried
Black Sheep - Best Bitter3.80Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
Marston's - Pedigree New World Pale Ale3.80Not Tried
05 Jan 2015 (Stephen Harris)
8pm and I have never seen this pub so empty. The number of customers never hit double figures throughout my time here – weird at a pub that is always crowded in the evening. I took the opportunity to use a Nicholson’s 25p off voucher – every little helps as they say.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Firebrand - Big Hop Little Beer3.60ExcellentA golden beer with a solid malt base and very well-hopped with Columbus, Amarillo and Nugget.
Redemption - Pale Ale3.80GoodA very decent golden beer. Loses a little alongside the very hoppy beer that had gone before; on another day I would probably have rated as ‘excellent’.
Wadworth - 6X4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Woodforde's - Bure Gold4.30Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Saint Nich's Festive Ale4.50Not Tried
18 Nov 2014 (Stephen Harris)
With the nearby White Hart closed down and the Woodin’s Shades closed for refurbishment, this pub was even more crowded than usual at 7:30pm. I joined the throng outside for a while but after being pestered by three beggars in five minutes I squeezed back inside.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brains - Café Phoenix4.40ExcellentBlack, smooth and creamy Porter. Strong coffee flavours – I don’t like coffee at all as a drink on its own, but really enjoyed this.
Elgood's - Black Dog Mild3.60Not Tried
Hook Norton - Lion (aka Cotswold Lion)4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Porter5.00Not TriedRan out whilst I was queuing to be served.
17 Jul 2014 (HSB)
My first visit here since it became a Nicholson's. Very busy outside. Less so in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Thwaites - 13 Guns (canned)5.50ExcellentVery good especially for Thwaites.
Sambrook's - Lavender Hill (originally exclusively for Nicholson's)4.50Acceptable
Hop Back - Summer Lightning5.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Harbour - India Pale Ale5.00Not Tried
Black Sheep - Monty Python's Holy Grail4.00Not Tried
04 Jun 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Passing through after work. Busy and loud at 7:30pm.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Evan Evans - Artisan Craft Beer: Amarillo4.20GoodI could not see the words ‘Evan Evans’ on the pumpclip – perhaps they were there, but I had to do some internet research to find out who brews this. A clean, fresh, hoppy, Pale Ale.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Greene King - XX Dark Mild3.00Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Thwaites - 13 Guns (canned)5.50Not Tried
Peerless - Dark Matter3.60Not Tried
24 Mar 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening visit. Not for the first time this year I found it a bit too noisy in here, with people having to shout to be heard above the music, so I decided to move on to an alternative venue.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Acorn - Dead Good4.50ExcellentA golden/blond beer. Fresh and zesty. Smooth malt and Cascade hops.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Stonehenge - Sign of Spring4.60Not Tried
Dent - Aviator4.00Not Tried
Revolutions - Clash London Porter4.50Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Batemans - Black & White3.60Not Tried
07 Jan 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Busy here, but it is mild enough for many people to be standing outside at 7:30pm.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kirkstall - Dissolution IPA5.00ExcellentAmber beer with a very heavy, fruity, hop load. Long bitter finish.
Born in the Borders (formerly Scottish Borders) - Wild Harvest3.80GoodI though from its name that this might be a very late ‘green hop’ beer. In fact the wild harvest is of Sea Buckthorn, which gives an interesting flavour. The beer is very pale and a bit hazy, with a tart finish.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Orkney (Sinclair) - Dark Island4.60Not Tried
Exmoor - Ale3.80Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Stewart - Zymic3.80Not Tried
06 Dec 2013 (ChrisE)
Friday evening and absolutely packed. Fortunately I was attending a private function upstairs, and we had that room and bar to ourselves. Downstairs was so busy that I could not see which beers were on the other downstairs pumps as it was difficult to move.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Stewart - Zymic3.80ExcellentExcellent thirst quenching hoppy beer.
Adnams - Rudolph Nose Best4.50AcceptableMy first and probably my last Christmas Ale for this year, these spiced beers are not to my taste.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Exmoor - Ale3.80Not Tried
02 Dec 2013 (Stephen Harris)
It does seem that Monday is loud music night here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brains - I Sea Santa4.90AcceptableBrown and thick and spicy.
Triple fff - Pressed Rat & Warthog3.80Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Scottish Ale4.30Not Tried
St Austell - Nicholson's Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells / Dogfish Head DNA4.50Not Tried
Harviestoun - Sleigh Driver4.10Not TriedSour. Replaced and immediately taken off sale, with profuse apologies, when I returned it.
Adnams - Rudolph Nose Best4.50Not Tried

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About The Magpie

The pub sign. The Magpie, City, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent13
Good7
Acceptable9
Poor1

Website.

The pub is found in City, Central London, EC2M 4TP.

Just off Bishopsgate opposite Liverpool Street railway station, this pub mainly caters for the after work city crowd. Several guest beers from the M&B seasonal list plus regulars.

We have visited this pub 18 times, seen 82 different beers and tried 31 of them.

Map location

Postcode: EC2M 4TP