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The Sir John Oldcastle (Wetherspoon)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Yo-Ho Brewing Company - Tokyo Black AleExcellent1
Batemans - Shongweni Robsons Durban Pale AleExcellent1
Adnams - Oyster StoutExcellent1
Wadworth - Dungarvan O'Dwyer's Irish StoutExcellent1
London Fields - Shoreditch Triangle IPAExcellent1
Shepherd Neame - Cervecería Fort English Style India Pale AleGood1
Adnams - Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta Tea Leaf IPAGood1
Wolf - WhistleGood1
Adnams - Sixpoint Wheat StreetGood1
Adnams - Golden Road California Breakfast AleGood1
Weltons - Hoppy ChristmasGood1
Hop Stuff - Pale AleAcceptable1
Highgate - BeezoneAcceptable1
Wychwood - Lighthouse Shipwreck IPAAcceptable1
Brains - Clock TowerAcceptable1
Banks's - Devils Backbone Spider BiteAcceptable1
Batemans - Nøgne Ø BitterNot Tried0
Itchen Valley - Pure GoldNot Tried0
Banks's - Vasileostrovsky Imperial Russian StoutNot Tried0
Adnams - Southwold BitterNot Tried0
Hilden - Scullion's Irish AleNot Tried0
Itchen Valley - The Royal Green JacketsNot Tried0
Thwaites - Logan's RunNot Tried0
Itchen Valley - Watercress LineNot Tried0
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)Not Tried0
Batemans - Lincolnshire RedNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
Caledonian - Bodebrown Wee HeavyNot Tried0
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Elgood's - Spring ChallengeNot Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
Marston's - Barley Brown's ESANot Tried0
Itchen Valley - Father ChristmasNot Tried0
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Townshend's JCIPANot Tried0
Weltons - Xmas OldNot Tried0
Cronx - Mad-Ass Entire Chilli PorterNot Tried0
Banks's - Tetley's Christmas CrackerNot Tried0
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - A False DawnNot Tried0
Adnams - BroadsideNot Tried0
Adnams - GunhillNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ChiswickNot Tried0
London Fields - Black Path PorterNot Tried0
Adnams - Ghost ShipNot Tried0
Hydes - Owd OakNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - RunnerNot Tried0
Wychwood - King Goblin (superseded by 6.6% version)Not Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - AttaboyNot Tried0
Caledonian - Zululand Zulu BlondeNot Tried0
Weltons - Winter HeatNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Sir John Oldcastle, Farringdon, Central London

Visits Details

28 Mar 2018 (Stephen Harris)
Very busy in here in the mid-evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Oyster Stout4.30ExcellentA very fine Stout. Good enough to have two.
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Adnams - Southwold Bitter3.70Not Tried
Adnams - Gunhill4.00Not Tried
Adnams - Ghost Ship4.50Not Tried
02 Apr 2015 (HSB)
10:00 Had to go up to London early to do some tasks so breakfasted here before meeting my fellow pub crawlers. Busier than usual. Bank Holiday effect I suppose.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Golden Road California Breakfast Ale4.80Good
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Cronx - Mad-Ass Entire Chilli Porter5.20Not Tried
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - A False Dawn4.40Not Tried
18 Mar 2015 (Stephen Harris)
It has not escaped my attention that there is a Wetherspoon festival underway – although I do not find them essential visiting in the way I once did. Busy here, but it’s a big pub and can soak up a lot of people.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wadworth - Dungarvan O'Dwyer's Irish Stout4.50ExcellentAh ha – this is more like it. The first of the guest brewers’ beers that tastes like I imagine the brewer intended. Smooth, and very chocolaty.
Shepherd Neame - Cervecería Fort English Style India Pale Ale5.80GoodAnother beer with plenty of flavour but too soft a mouthfeel. Just about ‘good’ I think.
Banks's - Devils Backbone Spider Bite4.00AcceptableBrown (rather than the advertised black). The tasting notes have a long list of interesting ingredients, but the one this beer tastes of is Crystal Malt. Do they use Crystal Malt back home in Virginia? I suspect not. Disappointing, but redeemed slightly by hints of black pepper.
Wychwood - Lighthouse Shipwreck IPA6.50AcceptableSome interesting flavours here, but to me the beer is seriously compromised by having such a soft mouthfeel and by using English hops rather than the Pacific hops of the recipe.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Batemans - Lincolnshire Red5.00Not Tried
Batemans - Shongweni Robsons Durban Pale Ale5.70Not Tried
Caledonian - Bodebrown Wee Heavy6.00Not Tried
16 Mar 2015 (HSB)
09:00 Breakfast stop on my way to St Pancras to catch a Eurostar. Fairly quiet.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Batemans - Shongweni Robsons Durban Pale Ale5.70ExcellentVery hoppy.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Elgood's - Spring Challenge3.70Not Tried
Banks's - Devils Backbone Spider Bite4.00Not Tried
Marston's - Barley Brown's ESA5.10Not Tried
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Townshend's JCIPA5.50Not Tried
Shepherd Neame - Cervecería Fort English Style India Pale Ale5.80Not Tried
Wychwood - Lighthouse Shipwreck IPA6.50Not Tried
10 Jun 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Staff very jovial whilst cleaning up showing this is a happy ship.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Sixpoint Wheat Street5.00Good
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Itchen Valley - Watercress Line4.20Not Tried
17 Apr 2014 (HSB)
10:00 Breakfast stop. Fairly quiet.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta Tea Leaf IPA6.50GoodToo perfumy for my tastes
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Itchen Valley - Pure Gold4.80Not Tried
Adnams - Southwold Bitter3.70Not Tried
Itchen Valley - The Royal Green Jackets4.50Not Tried
10 Mar 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. The London Brewers' Festival has finally reached this central London venue.
BeerABVScoreNotes
London Fields - Shoreditch Triangle IPA6.00ExcellentPacked a punch - a beer to end the evening on
Hop Stuff - Pale Ale4.50AcceptableRan out half way through pulling a pint. Still drinkable and was gratis
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
London Fields - Black Path Porter4.20Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Attaboy4.60Not Tried
Weltons - Winter Heat4.90Not Tried
17 Dec 2013 (HSB)
14:30 Lunch stop. Now down to 8.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Weltons - Hoppy Christmas3.70Good
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Itchen Valley - Father Christmas5.00Not Tried
Weltons - Xmas Old4.50Not Tried
Banks's - Tetley's Christmas Cracker4.30Not Tried
17 Mar 2012 (Stephen Harris)
Very quiet on a Saturday lunchtime, occupied mainly by railway and construction workers otherwise engaged in the rebuilding of Farringdon Station.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wolf - Whistle4.70GoodMalty, dry, brown, best bitter with some citrus hop.
Highgate - Beezone3.80AcceptableHoney beer. A little too sticky for me.
Brains - Clock Tower4.30AcceptableA reasonable golden ale. Not much hop and a bit of butterscotch.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Chiswick3.50Not Tried
Hydes - Owd Oak3.50Not Tried
Wychwood - King Goblin (superseded by 6.6% version)6.00Not Tried
Caledonian - Zululand Zulu Blonde4.50Not Tried
Batemans - Nøgne Ø Bitter4.50Not Tried
Banks's - Vasileostrovsky Imperial Russian Stout6.50Not Tried
Hilden - Scullion's Irish Ale4.60Not Tried
Thwaites - Logan's Run4.30Not Tried
29 Mar 2008 (Ian)
Corner pub on Farringdon Road, not particularly special but convenient for the Farringdon station.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Yo-Ho Brewing Company - Tokyo Black Ale5.00ExcellentLiquorice roasted malt stout. Very nice stout, very good hops on finish. Very long finish. Really impressive. Liquorice roasted malt stout, some sourness. Very much above competent.

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About The Sir John Oldcastle

The pub sign. The Sir John Oldcastle, Farringdon, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent5
Good6
Acceptable6
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Farringdon, Central London, EC1M 3JF.

Open plan corner Wetherspoon. Large plate glass windows give views out over Farringdon Road and the seemingly everlasting building works in that area. Large L-shaped bar counter with 2 banks each of 6 handpumps being 12 in all. Lots of seating areas.

We have visited this pub 11 times, seen 50 different beers and tried 17 of them.

Map location

Postcode: EC1M 3JF