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The Blacksmiths Arms (Stonegate Pub Co)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Great Yorkshire (see also Cropton) - Yorkshire BlackoutExcellent1
Signature Brew - Dark HeartExcellent1
Oldershaw - TraleblazerGood1
Tring - White StorkGood1
Oakham - TranquilityAcceptable1
Bird's - Skull DuggeryNot Tried0
Brewster's - DecadenceNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - AmarilloNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - Yakima GoldNot Tried0
Great Heck - CitraNot Tried0
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)Not Tried0
Hardknott - Code BlackNot Tried0
Hopping Mad - BrainstormNot Tried0
Ilkley - Wit MarieNot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Jack BlackNot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Legally BlondeNot Tried0
Oakham - Black Hole PorterNot Tried0
Oakham - InfernoNot Tried0
Ringwood - Scuttle ButtNot Tried0
Saltaire - Cascade Pale AleNot Tried0
Saltaire - Cascadian BlackNot Tried0
Saltaire - South Island PaleNot Tried0
Tiny Rebel - Beat BoxNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Picture 2. The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Michael Croxford

Visits Details

18 Mar 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. The place was packed and as I queued a lady in front of me just asked what I wanted and added my pint to her card payment. A first for me that one. Other beers details lost in this server's website crash.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oakham - Tranquility6.50AcceptableOverly sweet, needed more bitterness to balance
01 May 2014 (HSB)
11:20 First stop on a St Albans pub crawl with yet another group of old railwaymen. Not many in this early.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Signature Brew - Dark Heart5.00ExcellentSuperb. Cascade Chinook and Columbus.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Amarillo5.00Not Tried
Oakham - Inferno4.00Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Yakima Gold4.20Not Tried
Hardknott - Code Black5.60Not Tried
Great Heck - Citra4.50Not Tried
Ilkley - Wit Marie4.50Not Tried
25 Jan 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Lunchtime visit. There is a much wider range of beers on sale here today than when I last came here in its days as a Hogshead.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oldershaw - Traleblazer4.00GoodA deep golden-coloured beer, robustly hopped with the new Jester hop variety.
Tring - White Stork3.90GoodAn easy-drinking, soft, golden bitter/lager.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Oakham - Black Hole Porter5.50Not Tried
Brewster's - Decadence4.40Not Tried
Hopping Mad - Brainstorm4.30Not Tried
Tiny Rebel - Beat Box4.50Not Tried
Bird's - Skull Duggery5.20Not Tried
Ringwood - Scuttle Butt4.00Not Tried
12 Oct 2013 (thebrewingman)
Fairly busy with good mixture of drinkers and diners. They had a mini Saltaire Festival going on. Two real ciders. I have only listed those beers I can remember.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Great Yorkshire (see also Cropton) - Yorkshire Blackout5.00ExcellentAn excellent black beer that was very chocolaty. Went off soon afterwards.
Saltaire - Cascade Pale Ale4.80Not Tried
Saltaire - South Island Pale3.50Not Tried
Saltaire - Cascadian Black4.80Not TriedWas just being put on.
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Legally Blonde4.00Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Jack Black4.80Not Tried

About The Blacksmiths Arms

The pub sign. The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans, Hertfordshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent2
Good2
Acceptable1
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3HG.

Large open planned pub on the corner of the main shopping street. Has nine handpumps with several guest beers. Also known as Blackies, formerly Hog's Head. Has a plaque on the outside to recognise this as the first meeting place of The Zombies pop group.

We have visited this pub 4 times, seen 23 different beers and tried 5 of them.

Map location

Postcode: AL1 3HG