Liverpool (Baltic Triangle) - June 2022

Returning to Liverpool in June 2022, provided an opportunity to revisit the Baltic Fleet and to visit Black Lodge Brewing and Cains Brewery for the first time. 

The Baltic Fleet

First visited on a night in January 2019, it was nice to revisit the Baltic Fleet in daylight hours, on Monday 6 June.

The paintwork on the chimneys make them look like a ship's funnels. The main entrance is on the side furthest from the narrow end with a side door allowing access to the chained off outside seating area.

Four cask ales were available and I chose Cascade Pale Ale from Carnival Brewing Company (Liverpool). After some walking and a visit to Radical Landscapes at Tate Liverpool, it was a delight to find a beer exactly to my taste and a chance to sit down. The 4.2% ABV session pale is brewed with wheat and oats making it soft, sweet and fruity. (£4.20 pint / card payment only).

Two days later I would return to the Baltic Fleet, after a visit to nearby Black Lodge Brewing, and enjoy a glass of Brimstage Brewery (The Wirral) Trapper's Hat, an award winning 3.8% ABV golden ale. (£1.80 1/2 pint).

Cains Brewery and Bar

On Wednesday 8 June, after a day in Chester, I ventured to Cains Brewery and Bar, at the southern base of the extended Baltic Triangle. My visit was only days after the opening on 2 June and too soon for any beers from the new brewery to be available.

My pint of Ossett White Rat, a 4% ABV dry and hoppy pale ale was enjoyable but on the expensive side (£4.80). I had to ask for the glass to be topped up (photo after) and was not offered a choice of a glass without a handle - hey ho!

There is no doubt that little expense has been spared in furnishing the new Cains Brewery and Bar to a high standard. I liked the bare brick walls and high ceilings in the main bar and the view of the brewery but had a few gripes apart from the price of the beer and glassware. There were liberal amounts of greenery as decoration and features but it was all plastic! The music, that was played quite loudly, was not recognisable classic tunes or even anything unusual and interesting.

Hopefully, the quality of the new Cains Brewery beers will make Cains Brewery and Bar worthwhile visiting in future.

In any case, the surrounding Cains Brewery Village is worth a visit. This area, south east of Parliament Street and Grafton Street, is the home for several bars and food markets including those in the collage above.

There's also an Abbey Road mural by Paul Curtis that is an invitation to step into the frame for a photo opportunity!

My walking route to Black Lodge Brewing was not the one recommended by Google maps but it did allow me to see some buildings, murals and a statue that would have been missed otherwise.

Black Lodge Brewing

Access to Black Lodge Brewing is only possible via Kings Dock Street unless you know your way around the tunnels of Liverpool, one of which has a (usually!) blocked entrance nearby.

There were only a few customers when I arrived soon after 7pm. As it was a warm evening, the outside bar, housed in a 10 foot container, was in use as well as the interior bar.

Hannah and Daniel made me feel very welcome and served me with a glass of Start the Parade. This 4.2% ABV American Pale Ale is hopped with Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic and made a perfect start to my visit. 

The Craft Beer Expo glasses are for the popular event held at Black Lodge Brewing and (adjacent) Sub Rosa with the next one scheduled for 16-18 June 2022.

The keg beers are sensibly priced, based on 2/3 pint servings. The regular Black Lodge branded glasses have lines marked for 1/3 pint and 2/3 pint. A couple of cask ales are often also available from the main bar. My second beer, A Better Land, 4.8% ABV, was hopped with Amarillo and Azacca and I was assured that the Liverpool water is part of the explanation for its excellent quality.

I had a quick look inside the main bar / brewery and noticed that there was plenty of greenery, with real plants, in contrast to Cains Brewery and Bar!

Looking away from the bar you notice an unusual fire basket that was fashioned locally but looks as though it came from outer space! 

There was just time to order a third half pint before Black Lodge Brewing closed for the evening. This was a good moment to persuade Hannah and Daniel to pose with copies of West Berkshire CAMRA's Ullage magazine that I had been distributing. No Condition is Permanent is a 5% ABV juicy pale ale brewed with Citra & Idaho 7 hops. 

I could not have asked for better beers or more friendly hosts than I was privileged to enjoy on this memorable evening. Cheers!

The Bridewell

After stopping for a half pint at the Baltic Fleet, I headed north on Wapping and then right into Liver Street, the northern boundary of the Baltic Triangle. Passing beyond Park Lane, the eastern edge of the Baltic Triangle, the entrance to The Bridewell can be found at the corner of Argyle Street and Campbell Square.

Formerly a Victorian police station (note the blue lamp and pub sign), the cells are now used as seating areas and there is an enclosed patio area.

At the bar, my half pint of  Kirkstall Brewery Jasper (£1.85) tasted sour. It was easily exchanged for Kirkstall Brewery Three Swords, a 4.5% ABV extra pale ale brewed with three American hop varieties.

It was a new experience to pass the heavy cell door and sit inside a cell with a beer! Perhaps not the best venue for anyone prone to claustrophobia though!

With good music being played (Moby, Bahamas, The Smiths) it was an easy decision to order another half pint and stay a bit longer. The Kirkstall Brewery Virtuous (£2.50) 4.5% ABV session IPA was pale and dry. 

Among the interesting items displayed on the walls of the Bridewell is a poster for the Cassius Clay v Henry Cooper bout at Wembley in 1963 framed together with a signed photo collage. This was the match that Our 'Enery would lose in the fifth round having knocked down Cassius Clay near the end of the fourth round.

Returning my glass to the bar and noticing that Ossett Brewery Silver King was available on cask resulted in an extended stay for another half pint (£1.85). This is a fruity American Pale Ale (4.3% ABV).

Congratulations to Fiona and Dominic Hornsby, who took over the lease in 2019, as The Bridewell was awarded Pub of the Year 2022 by Liverpool & Districts CAMRA. The Denbigh Castle is their second Liverpool pub and is featured, with the Lion Tavern, in a companion post - Liverpool (Moorfields) - June 2022.

Other pubs South of Liverpool Central

The Philharmonic Dining Rooms is famed for the marble surrounded urinals in the Gents toilets. The pub is now managed by Nicholson's. I enjoyed a pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord (£4.85 pint) on my visit. 

It was quiet on a Monday evening but well worth having a look around the various rooms to appreciate the historic and ornate interior. Cheers to the person who suggested Brahms and Liszt for facing rooms! CAMRA's Pub Heritage database has more details and photos of the pub's historic features.

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The Grapes at 60 Roscoe Street, on the corner with Knight Street, is also in the Georgian Quarter and not to be confused with the Grapes, Mathew Street in the Cavern Quarter.  From a wide choice of cask ales, I chose Chapter Brewing (Sutton Weaver, Runcorn) Kandata. The 4.7% ABV pale ale was smooth and fruity (£3.70 pint). In contrast to the Philharmonic, the Grapes was busy on a Monday night, downstairs and in the sheltered patio, above a recent extension to the side of the pub, designed by Huge Architects. 

Open to the sky, there was only the sound of multiple conversations in this space surrounded by Buddhas and potted plants. The Grapes is a pub for the young and the young at heart!

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While the Lime Kiln may lack character, it makes up for this with value and convenience. The modern Wetherspoon pub is near lively Concert Square and overlooks Fleet Street. It is only a short walk from Bundobust on Bold Street and Kazimier Garden on Seel Street. I had no complaints about the beers at the Lime Kiln (eg Weetwood Ales Cheshire Cat, a 4% ABV blonde ale for £2.10 pint; Peerless Brewing Co Brit Hop, a dry 4.7% ABV golden ale - seen in photo) or the evening meals and the breakfast bacon butties with unlimited coffee (£1.20 extra). My only gripe here would be the lack of beer mats, leading to sticky table surfaces.

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My previous visit to Peter Kavanagh's was on a Sunday afternoon in January 2019 and resulted in some interior photos (including the one above) appearing in a post for Beer Europe. On Wednesday 8 June 2022, my only photo would be of the pub's exterior with groups gathered at outside tables (see map / photo collage above). Once inside, all the cask ale pump clips were turned round except for Abbot Ale which was the only one available on this occasion. I pledged to return another day and embarked on a walk down busy Parliament Street to reach Cains Brewery Village. My subsequent tweet about this lack of cask ale choice elicited a courteous reply from the pub: 'Only got our delivery in today so cask has to settle, sorry about that we like to make sure you get a good pint.'.

More photos of the historic interior of Peter Kavanagh's are featured in CAMRA's Pub Heritage database.

[NB Note that all beer prices quoted were from Tim's visit to Liverpool 6-9 June 2022.]

Liverpool (Moorfields) - June 2022

Returning to Liverpool after a previous visit in January 2019, I was keen to visit the Lion Tavern for the first time. In a reply on Twitter, Abi said 'Heartily recommend the Lion Tavern, Moorfields. Gorgeous pub.' On the late afternoon of Tuesday 7 June, after visiting Southport, Birkdale and Ainsdale, I left the Merseyrail train at Moorfields station and headed up the road.

The former Yates's Wine Lodge building caught my eye and I stopped to try and understand why there was a circular cut out section in the frontage. Noticing my interest, a passerby commented 'Weird, isn't it' and I had to agree! [Subsequent research shows the circular section was designed by sculptor Richard Wilson for the Liverpool Biennial in 2007. There is a video on YouTube showing the circular section rotating. Turning the Place Over closed in 2011.]

The Lion Tavern

Before entering the Lion Tavern, I investigated the impressive former Exchange Station building at the top of the road and determined that there was no access for the public. Research shows that the station closed in 1977 and was replaced by Moorfields station. The Lion Tavern takes its name from a steam locomotive that was built for the Liverpool & Manchester Railway in 1838 and is displayed at the Museum of Liverpool.

Once inside, I looked for a table with the sun shining on it and found one in the angled corner of the main bar.

A few customers stood at the bar or sat at the high tables by the windows but I was able to take a photo of the impressive bar without including any of them.

A panel opposite the bar gives details of the regular cask ales and ciders served.

My first pint was POTYSIPA a 4.3% ABV session IPA from Liverpool Brewing Company which was dry and bitter. (£4 pint). It was a pleasure to enjoy this beer in a bar where conversation was the norm but where the free jukebox could provide occasional musical interest.

A while later, I was able to take advantage of the free jukebox myself to play a couple of favourite Elvis Costello tracks - Alison (146 01) & Watching the Detectives (155 02). My third and final choice was a reflection of my current state - see footnote.

Yellow Submarine from Rock the Boat (Little Crosby Village Brewery) was my second pint. The 3.9% ABV golden ale cleared beautifully. With softness and less bitterness this suited my taste better. 

The award winning pub has its own bar mats to protect the historic bar surface. When I went to find the free jukebox I took the opportunity to photograph other parts of the pub.

There are art nouveau style tiles on the lower walls of the main bar and in the passage that runs between the main bar and the other bars. Note also the mosaic style passage floor.

The News Room is the bar on the right of the entrance from Tithebarn Street and also benefits from afternoon sunshine.

A skylight provides extra natural light to the Lounge at the rear. 

The Lounge also features a map on one wall illustrated with photos including one of the Lion locomotive. For more details and photos of the historic features of the Lion Tavern visit CAMRA's database of Historic Pub Interiors.

One space that is not usually visible is the Cellar. Traditional pubs have the benefit of a cool cellar with short beer lines to the hand pumps above. (I was able to sneak the photo above when a cask needed changing.)

I couldn't leave the Lion Tavern without sampling the mild ale and having a chat with Landlord Dave Hardman, who took over the pub in November 2016. Lion Best Mild from Rock the Boat (Little Crosby Village Brewery) is a 3.5% ABV North West Dark Ale brewed with five smooth malts. Described as 'Treacle, chocolate and nutty' it was dry to my taste but recommendable, as indeed were my previous two beers.

Dave was wearing a 'We had dreams and songs to sing' t-shirt with guitar picks featuring clubs and bands including: Eric's Liverpool; The Jam; Pink Floyd and The Clash. After a chat about the beers which he is proud to serve on a regular basis, Dave agreed to pose for a photo with the summer 2022 issue of Ullage magazine. This was the first issue of the West Berkshire CAMRA magazine to be printed since Spring 2020.

Dave kindly enquired about the other pubs I planned to visit and suggested the nearby Denbigh Castle. He also mentioned the Globe as a favourite pub. Dave was rather dismissive about pubs that offered too many cask beers as beer quality declines after a few days and it needs turning over quickly for it to be served in top condition. 

The Denbigh Castle

The Denbigh Castle, 10 Hackins Hey, is only two minutes walk from the Lion Tavern, but I stopped on the way to take a photo of a freestanding derelict building at 15 Tempest Hey (see photo collage near end).

Arriving at 6pm, there is some distance from the door to reach the bar at the back and adjust to the relative lack of light inside.

There was a choice of four cask ales and after some deliberation I was very happy with my choice of Twisted Wheel Brew Co (Easter Court, Warrington) Speed Wobble, a soft and hazy 4.7% ABV Session IPA. (1/2 pint £1.85).

The chance to visit pubs like these on a Tuesday has the advantage that there is a good choice of seating and no queues at the bar!

The spacious pub has an exposed brick wall, some interesting decor and contemporary lighting. 

Subsequent research shows there is also a downstairs bar used for events and that sport is shown on screens in the pub. It is the second pub to be opened by the Small Hands company after the Bridewell.

Before leaving, it was nice to have a quick chat with Francis who kindly agreed to pose with another copy of Ullage magazine which I had brought with me from Newbury.

Other pubs 'North of Liverpool Central'

The photos above were all taken in June 2022. I had previously visited the White Star (Cavern Quarter) and Crown Hotel (Lime Street) in 2019 but only had time to take fresh photos on this visit. One pub that I sadly failed to revisit this year due to lack of time was the Ship & Mitre. This was a pub recommended by Mark Geeson that can easily be reached from Moorfields by walking up Dale Street.

Footnote

The third free jukebox play at the Lion Tavern was: Canned Heat - On the Road Again (heard earlier in the day at the Masons Arms, Southport).