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The Lyric (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Offbeat - Wacky Winter WarmerExcellent1
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Gunboat SmithExcellent1
Wylam - Single Hop Series: 011 LoralExcellent1
Vibrant Forest - CydoniaExcellent1
360° - Pacific Pale #49Excellent1
Harbour - Light AleExcellent1
Blue Monkey - MarmosetExcellent1
Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - We Come in PeaceExcellent1
Haresfoot - Sundial Golden AleGood1
Reunion - Frost FairGood1
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Piddle Premium AleGood1
Liverpool Organic - Empire AleGood1
Anarchy - Shattered IllusionsGood1
Buntingford - TriskelGood1
Big Smoke - BonfireAcceptable1
Portobello - APAAcceptable1
3 Brewers of St. Albans - Classic English AleAcceptable1
Frome (formerly Milk Street) - FolkloreNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - JaipurNot Tried0
Otter - BitterNot Tried0
Bespoke - Money For Old RopeNot Tried0
Goffs - Black KnightNot Tried0
Rooster's - Wild MuleNot Tried0
Brass Castle - Tail GunnerNot Tried0
Five Points - PaleNot Tried0
RedWillow - DirectionlessNot Tried0
Stewart - CascadeNot Tried0
Harbour - Amber AleNot Tried0
Buntingford - Winkle PickerNot Tried0
Mallinsons - AmarilloNot Tried0
Big Smoke - Electric EyeNot Tried0
Arbor Ales - Oyster StoutNot Tried0
Black Iris - Bleeding HeartNot Tried0
Ilkley - Fireside PorterNot Tried0
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - BestNot Tried0
Blackjack - Amarillo IPANot Tried0
3 Brewers of St. Albans - Golden Engish AleNot Tried0
Mauldons - Black AdderNot Tried0
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - Dark-AgeNot Tried0
Salisbury - WynterNot Tried0
Big Smoke - Underworld Milk StoutNot Tried0
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Jimmy Best BitterNot Tried0
Box Steam - Tunnel VisionNot Tried0
Rudgate - Brew No. 2 Rye BeerNot Tried0
Big Smoke - Solaris Session PaleNot Tried0
Triple fff - MoondanceNot Tried0
Otter - Winter WarmerNot Tried0
Saltaire - Cascade Pale AleNot Tried0
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterNot Tried0
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Orkney BestNot Tried0
Butcombe - GoldNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Lyric, Soho, Central London

Visits Details

28 Feb 2023 (Jack William)
Late afternoon after a short visit to the spectacular National Gallery. Good Beer Guide main entry (the pub, not the gallery) and fully deserved. A real buzz to the place and an eclectic mix of clientele. Big choice of ales with some good advice from the barman. Only £5.10 a pint. Best pub of my day.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Anarchy - Shattered Illusions4.00GoodWarned that this was unfiltered. I’m starting to get used to beers I can’t see through if the flavour and condition is right - this was.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Butcombe - Gold4.40Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur5.90Not Tried
Goffs - Black Knight5.30Not Tried
Five Points - Pale4.40Not Tried
31 Dec 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Mid-afternoon and populated mostly by shoppers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wylam - Single Hop Series: 011 Loral4.30ExcellentA hazy pale gold. Distinctive hops.
Box Steam - Tunnel Vision4.20Not Tried
Big Smoke - Solaris Session Pale3.80Not Tried
Otter - Winter Warmer4.00Not Tried
04 Apr 2016 (Stephen Harris)
Relatively uncrowded, this being a Monday evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Portobello - APA5.00AcceptableI found this a bit disappointing. Darker and less hoppy than I was expecting for the style. I see I have described it as ‘pale gold’ and as ‘amber’ in colour on these pages before – this pint was approaching copper-coloured. But flavours were dulled by a thick, creamy head and an above optimum temperature.
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - Dark-Age4.00Not Tried
Harbour - Amber Ale4.00Not Tried
Big Smoke - Underworld Milk Stout5.00Not Tried
Big Smoke - Bonfire4.50Not Tried
22 Jan 2016 (Stephen Harris)
Jam-packed in here at 8pm on a Friday.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - We Come in Peace4.60ExcellentA US Amber-style beer that is full of fruity hop tastes.
Reunion - Frost Fair4.50GoodA very good, dark, rich, traditional Bitter.
3 Brewers of St. Albans - Classic English Ale4.00AcceptableAmber in colour. An ordinary sort of Bitter.
3 Brewers of St. Albans - Golden Engish Ale3.80Not TriedRan out.
Big Smoke - Bonfire4.50Not Tried
17 Nov 2015 (Stephen Harris)
The area to the side of this pub has been redeveloped since my last visit and it has new restaurant neighbours and a fancy-pants hotel. Busy.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Gunboat Smith5.20ExcellentSmooth, balanced and full-bodied Black IPA.
Vibrant Forest - Cydonia5.00ExcellentDescribed as a ‘Red Pale’. Nice indeed. Sweet red malt and superior hops.
Big Smoke - Bonfire4.50AcceptableA malty brown beer. I had hoped for smoked malt, but ‘Bonfire’ here means toffee and caramel flavours.
Big Smoke - Electric Eye5.50Not Tried
Black Iris - Bleeding Heart4.50Not Tried
Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Best4.10Not Tried
03 Jun 2014 (Stephen Harris)
All six cask beers were unfamiliar to me and I made a fairly random choice of two.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Buntingford - Triskel4.00GoodA light-bodied, golden beer, brewed using a new-ish French hop. Nice citrus tastes, but overall a little sweeter than I like.
Haresfoot - Sundial Golden Ale3.80GoodA good session bitter.
Bespoke - Money For Old Rope4.80Not Tried
Brass Castle - Tail Gunner4.00Not Tried
Stewart - Cascade4.10Not Tried
Buntingford - Winkle Picker4.50Not Tried
26 Mar 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening visit after checking out a hotel nearby which my brother and his family are using when they come over from Australia next month. The pub is very busy – packed in fact.
BeerABVScoreNotes
360° - Pacific Pale #494.90ExcellentLip-smacking, citrusy, US-style pale ale with some bitterness.
Liverpool Organic - Empire Ale5.20GoodFruity, reddish-brown pint.
Triple fff - Moondance4.20Not Tried
Saltaire - Cascade Pale Ale4.80Not Tried
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Orkney Best3.60Not Tried
Frome (formerly Milk Street) - Folklore3.90Not Tried
13 Feb 2014 (HSB)
17:00 Another Heritage potential visit. Not too busy.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Piddle Premium Ale4.10Good
Mauldons - Black Adder5.30Not Tried
Salisbury - Wynter5.00Not Tried
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Jimmy Best Bitter3.70Not Tried
Rudgate - Brew No. 2 Rye Beer3.60Not Tried
05 Dec 2013 (HSB)
Walking by on my way to the French House and this place caught my eye. Never been in before. Great choice of beer and an interesting interior. I thought £3.50 a pint wasn't bad for this part of London.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Blue Monkey - Marmoset3.60ExcellentTypical Blue Monkey beer lots of flavour
Offbeat - Wacky Winter Warmer4.50Excellent
Arbor Ales - Oyster Stout4.60Not Tried
Ilkley - Fireside Porter4.20Not Tried
Blackjack - Amarillo IPA5.20Not Tried
01 Nov 2013 (Judy G Garland)
Afternoon Session,
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harbour - Light Ale3.70Excellent
Otter - Bitter3.60Not Tried
Rooster's - Wild Mule3.90Not Tried
RedWillow - Directionless4.20Not Tried
Harbour - Amber Ale4.00Not Tried
Mallinsons - Amarillo4.20Not Tried

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About The Lyric

The pub sign. The Lyric, Soho, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent13
Good7
Acceptable3
Poor-

The pub is found in Soho, Central London, W1V 7PA.

Originally there were two pubs on this site, named the Ham and the Windmill. These merged at some point, becoming the Ham & Windmill and the name was changed to the Lyric Tavern in 1890. It is a small pub, just off of Piccadilly Circus, in the heart of the bustling West End. There is a single ground floor bar, wood-panelled at the rear, an upstairs room and an opportunity for open-air drinking to the side. The pub closed in 2007 and was boarded-up for a period, but re-opened in the last week of April 2013 as a sister pub to the North Pole in Hoxton. The emphasis is now very firmly on micro-brewed beer, with no national brands on cask or keg.

We have visited this pub 13 times, seen 67 different beers and tried 23 of them.

Map location

Postcode: W1V 7PA