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Old Cross Tavern (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Old Cross - HersbruckerExceptional1
Timothy Taylor - LandlordExcellent6
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde MildExcellent1
Old Cross - CascadeExcellent1
Mighty Oak - Brockton BlockbusterExcellent1
Tring - Tryanuary American AmberExcellent1
New River - Blind PoetExcellent1
Old Cross - SolsticeExcellent1
Old Cross - Pale AleExcellent1
Mighty Oak - Red KiteExcellent1
Crouch Vale - JungaExcellent1
St Austell - TributeGood1
Strathaven - Trumpeter Dark AleGood1
Tring - White IPAGood1
Mighty Oak - Cwismas QuackerGood1
Mr Grundy's - BulletAcceptable1
Old Cross - 3 Nine 50Acceptable2
Crouch Vale - SummitAcceptable1
Dark Star - 1910 PorterNot Tried0
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Not Tried0
Mighty Oak - Autumn MistNot Tried0
Empire - Colony 13Not Tried0
Whitstable - Kentish ReserveNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Plasticine PorterNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Mr MoonlightNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - English OakNot Tried0
Tring - Fanny Ebbs Summer AleNot Tried0
Adnams - Mosaic Pale AleNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Cascade IPANot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Steeple JackNot Tried0
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Scapa SpecialNot Tried0
Viper (Mighty Oak) - Jake the SnakeNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - Brewers GoldNot Tried0
Adnams - Southwold BitterNot Tried0
Picture 1. Old Cross Tavern, Hertford, Hertfordshire
Michael Croxford

Visits Details

08 Feb 2019 (ChrisE)
I was outside the door for 4pm opening and managed to gain entry a few minutes before that and was soon joined by the rest of our group. I was pleased to be informed that there was so much money in the kitty left over from previous trips that it should cover the costs of the evening. I really like this pub, a good atmosphere with a good friendly atmosphere. I may not have listed all the beers as several were changed during the course of the evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Oscar Wilde Mild3.70ExcellentThis came on sale towards the end of our visit but just had to be sampled.
Tring - Tryanuary American Amber4.00ExcellentVery much to my taste, I had several of these.
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Cascade IPA6.20Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Steeple Jack4.10Not Tried
24 Aug 2018 (ChrisE)
This pub opens at 4pm on Fridays so we waited in a nearby pub and arrived here at about 3.58pm to find a fair number of people had beaten us to it and were already sitting with their pints. My first visit here and I really liked it, a comfortable relaxed atmosphere, welcoming staff and a great food selection of either pork pies or Scotch eggs, superb.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Red Kite4.20Excellent
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Tring - Fanny Ebbs Summer Ale3.90Not Tried
Adnams - Mosaic Pale Ale4.10Not Tried
Tring - White IPA5.50Not Tried
17 Jun 2018 (Stephen Harris)
For the second time today we walk into a pub to find that there is a beer festival underway. Just noting those sampled.
BeerABVScoreNotes
New River - Blind Poet4.50ExcellentA dark Porter with chocolate and smoke.
Tring - White IPA5.50GoodMurky gold. Hoppy and sharp.
17 Aug 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Quiet, Monday evening quiet. Good conversation at the bar but little help with my crossword!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Cross - Cascade3.80ExcellentNew on tonight
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Acceptable
Mr Grundy's - Bullet4.30Acceptable
Mighty Oak - English Oak4.80Not Tried
17 Feb 2015 (HSB)
16:50 Last stop on the crawl for me. Opened at 16:30 so fairly quiet.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Cross - 3 Nine 503.90PoorTasted like amateur homebrew
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Whitstable - Kentish Reserve5.00Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Plasticine Porter4.50Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Mr Moonlight4.00Not Tried
15 Dec 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Assistant brewer of the in-house brewery was behind the bar.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Cross - Solstice4.90ExcellentBest beer tonight
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Good
Strathaven - Trumpeter Dark Ale4.20GoodJust a taster reminded me of cough linctus, the barman thought of beef gravy!
Mighty Oak - Cwismas Quacker4.00Good
Old Cross - 3 Nine 503.90Acceptable
21 Oct 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Excellent
St Austell - Tribute4.20GoodCouple of pints before it ran out
Mighty Oak - Autumn Mist3.90Not Tried
Empire - Colony 135.10Not Tried
04 Sep 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Pretty much a perfect pub. The beers and customers are equally well looked after. Absolutely no need to go anywhere else in Hertford.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30ExcellentWow at last those awful caramel tones have disappeared from Landlord and it is a proper bitter again
Old Cross - Pale Ale3.70Excellent2nd out of new cask and very aromatic and tasty
Crouch Vale - Junga4.10Excellent3rd one out of a new cask. Intriguingly tasty
Crouch Vale - Summit4.30AcceptablePump clip said "Wildly aromatic and full of hops". I don't think so. But it was a couple of pints from end of cask
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.80Not Tried
26 Jun 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. A faultless boozer.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Cross - Hersbrucker3.80ExceptionalJust hit the mark tonight. If moreish is a test this was moreish
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30ExcellentSo near a 5* but why has Landlord got that caramel aftertaste everywhere. This one served to perfection in so far as a pub can
Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold4.00Not Tried
Adnams - Southwold Bitter3.70Not Tried
Dark Star - 1910 Porter5.60Not Tried
05 May 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Classy as always, beer clearly cared for. The pork pie was much too good to have taken from Mrs Joe's larder to take to Magwitch!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Excellent
Mighty Oak - Brockton Blockbuster4.40ExcellentDark malty bitter excellent balance
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Scapa Special4.20Not Tried
Viper (Mighty Oak) - Jake the Snake4.00Not Tried
Old Cross - Cascade3.80Not Tried

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About the Old Cross Tavern

The pub sign. Old Cross Tavern, Hertford, Hertfordshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional2
Excellent22
Good8
Acceptable4
Poor1

The pub is found in Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG14 1JA.

Fairly small freehouse with its own brewery. Around 5-6 beers served, usually one from the brewery and some local and national guests. Has a total of 8 handpumps on the bar but rarely all in use at one time. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2012 and 2018.

We have visited this pub 18 times, seen 50 different beers and tried 26 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SG14 1JA