The Pub
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So, the Euston Tap... in one of the old gatehouses almost on The Euston Road, with sister pub the Cider Tap in the gatehouse just opposite. The gatehouse itself is a building with character, but does the pub no favours in terms of practicality (one unisex toilet led to a lot of queuing and the odd awkward moment), although they do make good use of outdoor space with a terrace. It took longer than I would've liked to get served on my first visit to the bar. This, along with the slightly incongruous upstairs room (accessed by a spiral staircase that would be 'interesting' after a few too many), initially left me somewhat disappointed. However, the Euston Tap very much redeemed itself with its selection of beers, reasonable prices and excellent staff (current and former).
Firstly, the beer selection. 20 keg and 8 cask, plus what must be into the 100s in bottles, there's surely something for everyone.
Next, the prices. In a city where anything out of the ordinary gets ramped up in price far too often, especially when pubs think punters will forget it only comes from down the road, the prices were very reasonable, and even the most niche offerings were fairly priced.
Finally, the staff, which is where the Euston Tap really excelled. Several things to say here. On one visit to the bar I asked for a number 4, and a number 25. There was no problem, and a bit of a chuckle when 4 pints of number 25 were poured by the barman by mistake, having misheard the order. Recent experience has taught me would not be the case in every pub, so a bonus point there. I'm not always a fan of non-working or former members of staff hanging around the bar, but on this occasion a former member of staff was very helpful in recommending what we should choose next, and definitely didn't prevent those actually working from doing their jobs. The staff were all cheerful, helpful, and even put Kate Bush on for us when we gave an only slightly tongue-in-cheek reply when asked if we had any requests. Essentially, almost every punter appeared to be treated as if they were regulars, which made us feel very comfortable.
We missed out on Famous Ray's Pizza, as it is not available on Mondays, and didn't sample the bar snacks, although the crisps did look pretty tasty.
The Beer
- Redemption Trinity - Lager Boy's opening choice, which was not his finest move. Even for my tastes it was too too flowery and lacked body.
- Moorhouse's Pride of Pendle - Ordered partly to celebrate "Queen" Victoria Pendleton's Olympic performance, but I wouldn't quite give this a gold. A good solid beer, that I would've happily gone back to a couple of times, but not spectacular.
- Jever Pils - A return to form for Lager Boy, who described this as clean, clear, crisp and consistent. Enjoyable, and the sort of lager we'd like to see available much more widely.
- Tyne Bank Monument - A punchy number at first, but then mellowed into a lightly hoppy aftertaste, that makes the next taste a little more punchy again. Very enjoyable, and an experience to drink.
- Schneider-Weisse Tap 7 Unser Original - Chosen on the recommendation of one of the former staff members by Lager Boy, he was certainly not disappointed. He hadn't sampled a Schneider-Weisse before, but was happy with the wheaty taste and relatively crisp finish.
- Blackjack The Blind - Cleverly listed as number 21 on the beer list, this one was definitely a bit of a gamble. Little or no head, and for the whole pint I couldn't get over the initial taste of blackcurrant and soda, that gradually got more bitter throughout the mouthful each time. Odd, but not displeasing.
- Mikkeller not just another wit - The story of this small Danish brewery is a lovely one, and Lager Boy enjoyed expanding his wheaty horizons further. A success.
- Liverpool Organic Best Bitter - This was my stand out beer of the night. I'm confident I could drink it all day and not get bored of it.
- Weihenstephaner - Yet more of the wheaty stuff for Lager Boy. Partly due to the number consumed prior to this the only note I have is, 'ideal'.
- Magic Rock High Wire - Again, limited notes when on to a fifth beer, this IPA style beer was a bit hoppy, even for me, but not unenjoyable.
The Verdict
Well, thanks for voting so well on our behalf. After initially being a bit unsure about it, we think we've found a friend in the Euston Tap. As mentioned above, we were made to feel like regulars, and the beer selection is extremely broad. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and friendly, which leaves the Euston Tap just needing a couple more toilets to tick yet another box.
