Hop Union Brewery Tap, Brislington, Bristol

Located around the back end of an industrial estate, this isn’t somewhere you’re likely to stumble across by accident, but is nonetheless worth making the effort, and they’ve done a decent effort of making this feel somewhat more pub like than many brewery taps, where they just shoehorn a bar counter into an available corner of the warehouse. Initial impressions aren’t the best perhaps, with a scruffy UPVC door leading you to a plain lobby where it’s not even immediately clear where you have to go next. Once you have found the bar though, It’s quite pleasant with tiled bar counter off to the left, and whilst it is still fairly industrial in style with concrete screed on the floor and metal girders on the ceiling, the breeze block walls had been painted a deep blue and there was also some exposed brickwork along the front wall. Bifold doors at the side led out to a small courtyard/patio area, and the glass wall at the rear provided a view in to the brewery making something of a feature. Seating was high tables with padded chairs and stools, and there were several stools around the bar counter as well. A small raised platform was in one corner which hosts occasional live music, and a couple of old beer barrels were provided for vertical drinking. Beers on tap were all their own as might be expected, and predominantly keg with just one hand pull on the bar, although the blackboard menu listed two cask options, so I’m not sure where the other was dispensed from. According to the menu, the cask options were Riff Raff and Scallywag, whilst the keg choice was Bloody Nora, Whakapappa, Alpha Centauri, Miami Peach and Hip Hops. Ciders meanwhile were Red Fin, The Goat and Fratello.

Official site of Hop Union Brewery Tap - www.hopunionbrewery.co.uk

Official site of Hop Union Brewery Tap - www.hopunionbrewery.co.uk