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26 Furnival Street (formerly The Castle) (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Sawbridgeworth - Mead MildExcellent1
Leeds - Midnight BellExcellent1
Crouch Vale - SladekGood1
Cross Bay - HaloGood1
Spitting Feathers - Autumn Smoked AleGood1
Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Yellow HammerGood1
Wrekin (formerly Ironbridge) - Dbl SimcoeGood1
Bryson's Brews - Westmoreland BitterAcceptable1
Fellows - Crafty FellowAcceptable1
North Yorkshire - Summer AleAcceptable1
Harwich Town - Parkeston PorterPoor1
Great Orme - MerlynPoor1
Mr Grundy's - The Red BaronPoor1
Tower - Pale AlePoor1
S43 (formerly Sonnet 43) - India Pale AlePoor1
Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - No AngelPoor1
Cross Bay - NightfallNot Tried0
Triple fff - Alton's PrideNot Tried0
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Old FlameNot Tried0
Eastwood & Sanders - Beyond The PaleNot Tried0
Moles - Rucking MoleNot Tried0
Moorhouse's - Premier Bitter (was 3.8%)Not Tried0
Vale - Best BitterNot Tried0
Buffy's - BitterNot Tried0
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Lemon HeadNot Tried0
Burton Bridge - Sovereign GoldNot Tried0
Vale - Red Kite (superseded by 4.3% version)Not Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
S43 (formerly Sonnet 43) - Blonde BeerNot Tried0
Ossett - Silver KingNot Tried0
Dorset Brewing Company - JurassicNot Tried0
Nook - RedNot Tried0
Flack Manor - Flack's Double DropNot Tried0
Andwell - Resolute BitterNot Tried0
Itchen Valley - Red Car BitterNot Tried0
Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - BitterNot Tried0
Itchen Valley - RudolphNot Tried0
Hidden - PintNot Tried0
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel Ale (aka Special Coriander Ale)Not Tried0
B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Shefford Dark MildNot Tried0
Thwaites - Good ElfNot Tried0
Wentworth - Best BitterNot Tried0
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Redcar Best Bitter (aka Nethergate 3.9)Not Tried0
Picture 1. 26 Furnival Street (formerly The Castle), Chancery Lane, Central London

Visits Details

25 Jun 2013 (Stephen Harris)
I came here to meet my friend Medium Sized Colin (the artist formerly known as Big Colin) only to find that he had already moved on. It must be more than coincidence that I always seem to get a ropey pint here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
S43 (formerly Sonnet 43) - India Pale Ale4.40PoorImpossible to properly describe or rate the flavour. It was sour, on the turn and with the first whiff of vinegar. I can only say ‘poor’.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Moles - Rucking Mole4.50Not Tried
Vale - Best Bitter3.70Not Tried
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Lemon Head4.00Not Tried
Vale - Red Kite (superseded by 4.3% version)4.00Not Tried
Itchen Valley - Red Car Bitter3.80Not Tried
S43 (formerly Sonnet 43) - Blonde Beer4.10Not Tried
28 Jan 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Late afternoon visit and the pub is fairly quiet.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harwich Town - Parkeston Porter4.50PoorOuch, this was horrible. Cold, thin, very fruity, tangy and a slight nose of vinegar – i.e., it was on the turn. Some underlying roastiness.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel Ale (aka Special Coriander Ale)3.80Not Tried
B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Shefford Dark Mild3.80Not Tried
Wentworth - Best Bitter4.10Not Tried
Cross Bay - Nightfall3.80Not Tried
Itchen Valley - Red Car Bitter3.80Not Tried
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Old Flame3.50Not Tried
08 Jan 2013 (Martin the Mildman)
Fairly quiet mid evening on a Tuesday, was able to find a perch near the bar.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Cross Bay - Halo3.60GoodPale malty bitter with biscuity malt dominating but with some fruity hop in the finish. My score 15/20.
Mr Grundy's - The Red Baron4.20PoorDominated by a harsh dry, yeasty and malty flavour. Little hop to counteract the dry malt. Rather unbalanced and not to my taste. My score 9/20.
11 Sep 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Busy but found a corner to sample the beers and make notes.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wrekin (formerly Ironbridge) - Dbl Simcoe4.80GoodPale strong bitter with quite a sweet, fruity inital flavour. Full bodied with the finish of a citrus fruit cordial. My score 15/20.
North Yorkshire - Summer Ale4.00AcceptableShown as 3.8% on pumpclip, this was a very pale bitter with moderate bitterness and a little sharp hoppiness. Rather dry finish. My score 14/20.
14 Jun 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Busy with the Euro football on the TV.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Fellows - Crafty Fellow4.00AcceptableVery pale bitter with a dry, bitter flavour without being particularly hoppy. Dry, bitter finish. My score 14/20.
22 Dec 2011 (Stephen Harris)
Very busy with pre-Christmas drinkers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Spitting Feathers - Autumn Smoked Ale4.50GoodBrown beer with definate smokey flavour.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Ossett - Silver King4.30Not Tried
Dorset Brewing Company - Jurassic4.20Not Tried
Nook - Red4.50Not Tried
Flack Manor - Flack's Double Drop3.70Not Tried
Andwell - Resolute Bitter3.80Not Tried
Itchen Valley - Red Car Bitter3.80Not TriedHouse beer, now brewed by Itchen Valley (formerly by Nethergate).
Itchen Valley - Rudolph3.80Not Tried
06 May 2010 (Martin the Mildman)
Rather quiet for a Thursday evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Crouch Vale - Sladek4.10GoodGolden bitter brewed with a new Czech hop which imparts a fruity, citrussy character. My score 15/20.
09 Mar 2010 (Martin the Mildman)
Farily quiet mid evening on a Tuesday.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Sawbridgeworth - Mead Mild3.40ExcellentExcellent smooth, malty and low hopped brown mild. My score 16/20.
19 Feb 2009 (Ian)
Handfull of people in. London appears to be either being dug up or recently resurfaced. This area was being dug up.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tower - Pale Ale4.80PoorAdvertised on a type written unbranded pump clip as a traditional IPA. Copper, thin white head. Oh dear, this isn't good either. Some butter toffee, some vague spritzey hop on finish. Aroma is terrible, a chemical edge to it. Thinnish in mouth. Finish has a bit of a buttery tingle to it. Poor.
Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - No Angel4.00PoorCopper brown colour, slight haze, disappearing head. It's a not very good bitter, some fruit malt, some tingle on the finish. Aroma is musty and poor, not fully attenuated I'd say.
Triple fff - Alton's Pride3.80Not Tried
Eastwood & Sanders - Beyond The Pale4.00Not Tried
Moorhouse's - Premier Bitter (was 3.8%)3.70Not Tried
Buffy's - Bitter3.90Not Tried
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Redcar Best Bitter (aka Nethergate 3.9)3.90Not Tried
Burton Bridge - Sovereign Gold4.00Not Tried
10 Dec 2008 (Ian)
It was quiet and nice to have a chat with the new landlord who wants to have a range of ABV beers in. I sat by the window and watched people working in the offices opposite and dashing around.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Leeds - Midnight Bell4.80ExcellentDecent dark ale. Nice hop throughout too, on top of choc, dates, prunes flavours. Great condition. This is good. Nice sourish fruit edge to it.
Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Yellow Hammer4.20GoodPale gold, thin white head. Solid blond ale, perfumed rose petal lemony citrusy beer. OK condition. Good nettle, nice sherbert nettle.
Bryson's Brews - Westmoreland Bitter3.60AcceptableYeasty bitter, yeast dominates throughout
Great Orme - Merlyn5.00PoorDiacetyl. Some heat from the alcohol on finish, but too buttery for me.
Joseph Holt (see also Holt's) - Bitter4.00Not Tried
Hidden - Pint3.80Not Tried
Thwaites - Good Elf4.90Not Tried
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Redcar Best Bitter (aka Nethergate 3.9)3.90Not Tried

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About the 26 Furnival Street (formerly The Castle)

The pub sign. 26 Furnival Street (formerly The Castle), Chancery Lane, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent5
Good7
Acceptable8
Poor7

Website.

The pub is found in Chancery Lane, Central London, EC4A 1JS.

Corner pub off Holborn/Chancery Lane. Dark wood, dark red and cream walls decorate a single room. Bar has 8 handpulls, but 10 micros available are promised soon. A couple of regular beers, but plenty of guest beers with a "Coming Soon" chalkboard. Reasonably priced sandwiches available at lunchtime. Large windows give a more open feel. ** Closed in April 2015 for conversion into an hotel. ** Re-opened with a new operator with change of name in late 2018 (was Red Car).

We have visited this pub 12 times, seen 53 different beers and tried 27 of them.

Map location

Postcode: EC4A 1JS