Exmouth Pub Excursions

Sampling the Good Beer Guide 2020 entries in Exmouth, which we visited on a drizzly, dull Saturday afternoon in January.
This was also a rare Prop Up the Bar appearance by my mum, who I dragged along to rate the cider.

Persistent drizzle dictated our decision to get straight inside the pub, so we didn't wander along the esplanade.  Apologies to Exmouth for not including any charming shots looking across the Exe to Dawlish or showing the nice sandy beach.
However, here's a dinosaur, signifying that we're at the gateway to the Jurassic Coast...

First stop, just a stone's throw from the main square, was a spectacular red-bricked Victorian corner pub.

Grapevine (2 Victoria Road, EX8 1DL - web)
Inside, the pub has had a modern make-over, with dark blue walls, local artworks for sale, shelves of old beer bottles and vases of flowers.
The Telegraph pub reviewer has been here, declaring it a "devilishly handsome prince of a pub".  Y'see, that's the kind of thing that I just can't come up with, which is why I'm an amateur league pub blogger.

Beer-wise, there were three Bristol Beer Factory cask ales, alongside two from Crossed Anchor, the on-site brewery.
For me, a delicious Crossed Anchors red ale, 'Red Right Hand'.
For my mum, I picked the most obscure looking of the three boxed ciders.  Pretty undrinkable and I noticed she didn't leave me to pick on her behalf for the rest of the afternoon.

The Grapevine has a residency by Ruby Diner Burger Specialists - 2017 Taste of the West gold medal winners - and the kitchen was doing a fine trade with a varied clientele tucking into their food.  Hefty prices though, for a skinflint like me, so we moved on looking elsewhere for a bite to eat.

We called into the Wetherspoon's Powder Monkey, but it was busy with all tables occupied, so we moved straight on.  This is a small, standard 'Spoon's that I've been to before, with a couple of beers by Bay's looking the most appealing of the current choice.
Interesting ceiling repairs though...

Perhaps best not stand under this bit of ceiling for too long...

After a cup of coffee and bite to eat in a cafe, we ventured around the back of the shops with our next GBG pub in sight.

First & Last Inn (10 Church Street, EX8 1PE)
I've gotta admit that I was sceptical about how good the First & Last was going to be as we approached.
Great old pub sign - less convincing 'F&L' lettering...

But once inside, this was a cracking, spacious bar, on three split levels, climbing towards the pool tables at the rear.
Sport dominated, with a number of local folk claiming prime spots in front of the big screen to watch Exeter Chiefs, whilst further TV's allowed you to keep track of the afternoon's football scores.

This was the second pub with a brewery tucked away at the back somewhere - Checkstone Brewery in this instance.  They usually have one of their own beers available, and I was chuffed to see the current offering was a 7.5% ABV Imperial Stout.

We got hooked on the Exeter Chiefs game, although sitting beneath a speaker booming out the commentary meant we couldn't really ignore it.
Business as usual, cursing the rugby, will recommence when the Six Nations starts next month.

The Imperial Stout was enjoyable, but I opted to revert to sensible strength when I went back to the bar, picking a gentle Teighworthy 'Neap Tide'.
Mum rated The First & Last for the cider - a fridge full of boxes and a friendly barman offering samples and leading her to the Sandford Orchards 'Devon Red'.

Table football and plenty of space in the First and Last Inn

A few minutes walk up Rolle Road, then a left-hand turn into Bicton Street and our third pub was a lovely back-street corner local.

Bicton Inn (5 Bicton Street, EX8 2RU - web)

"A Devonishly Friendly Pub" according to their website.  Nice word-play.  There was a lovely traditional feel to the Bicton Inn - the most pubby of pubs that we'd been in today.  Two rooms are served by one central bar, with more subtle sport on TV than in the First & Last.

Plenty of local ale choice from Hanlons and the Dartmoor Brewery, whose'Winter Warmer' I opted for.
The evening's entertainment, Graham Butterfield, began setting up in the corner, before his legions of fans (well, six of them) arrived and bagged the prime spots.  I'm sure Graham is great, but we had to drink up and catch our bus home, so we'll never know for sure.