Steel Brew Co - Plymouth

Following our brief excursion into Cornwall, we returned to 'Britain's Ocean City' (™Plymouth Tourist Board) where we had a pub route which included classic pubs, members clubs and brewery taps.
Our bus brought us back into Devon by way of the Torpoint ferry...

A quick change onto the No.21, then a short walk, took us to the Royal William Yard.

This is a victualling yard - 'providing with food and other provisions'.  There's a word I'll need for a crossword one day, at which point I'll have completely forgotten it.

It was built between 1825 and 1831 by Victorian architect Sir John Rennie, who probably didn't envisage his buildings being turned into a 'premier lifestyle...arts and culture destination' some 190 years later.

Among'st the bistros, burger shacks, chocolatier and lifestyle boutique, is a brewery tap.

Steel Brewing Co (Mills Bakery, Royal William Yard, Plymouth, PL1 3DG - web)
The Melville building is the first you reach after walking through the entrance archway.  Grade I listed it may be, but once inside everything looks very modern, in a craft beer style.
Seating covers the whole range, from repurposed wooden pallets to Chesterfield sofas.  The brewing kit is lined up behind a low barrier on the back wall with the bar to one side and a display of merchandise at the end of the room.

Two cask beers are usually available, but these were crossed out on the menu on our visit.  We still managed to procure a fine selection of draft brews: a best bitter ('Belt, Braces and Barnacles'), a strong pale murky IPA, and a milk choc stout.  All of which were very good.

 

Steel Brew provide this months Shiny Brewing Equipment picture...

Leaving the Royal William Yard, we weren't far away from a Beer Guide pub that I tried to get to a couple of years ago only to scuppered by unpredictable 2020 opening hours.
No such trouble today...

Artillery Arms (6 Pound Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth, PL1 3RH)
The Artillery Arms has got:
- Super porthole windows on the front door
- Old propellers above the fireplace and lots more nautical and naval decor
- A ceiling mounted monkey race (I'm not entirely sure this is a good thing)
- And Bass!

Sadly it didn't have the crowd of customers that it really needed to elevate this to a great pub visit.  The four solo drinkers spread throughout the room all sat quietly and with no background music I found myself whispering to Mrs PropUptheBar over the foamy head of my Bass.

We moved on just as the Artillery Arms was about to get busy - a group of lads who'd been on a tasting session in Steel Brew were arriving as we left and were guaranteed to liven things up.

Our next stop was right in the heart of Plymouth.
The Brass Monkey is every bit the city centre pub, a couple of doors down from TK Maxx and Ted Baker...

Brass Monkey (12-14 Royal Parade, Plymouth, P1 1DS - web)

This is possibly the cities least likely Good Beer Guide entry: open until the early hours at the weekend, Ibiza themed party nights, bottomless Prosecco brunch deals...
And a distinct lack of cask when we visited, although anyone who likes their Lilley's fruit ciders was well catered for. 

No denying the Wetherspoon comparisons, although this is 'Spoons for folks who want things a bit noisier and livelier.
We stayed for some cheap 'n' cheerful food and a pint of 'Crazy Goat' blended cider and perry.

If we're back in December, we'd better start thinking about booking our table now...

Planning ahead

Right - time to move on and find a proper backstreet pub.
This one's a bit of a stunner and proved to be our favourite of the day...

Providence (20 Providence Street, Plymouth, PL4 8JQ)
Tucked away amongst the terraced houses to the side of North Street, the Provi sits on a corner, with a couple of drinkers on the bench out front and a colourful floral display in the window boxes and baskets.
Inside it's one single L-shaped room around the bar, possibly Plymouth's smallest pub.

The first challenge is to get past the two excitable Staffies, Butch and Spike, who were determined that we'd come for the sole reason of giving them some fuss and attention.

This is a pub to put a smile on your face.  A warm welcome; some busily patterned carpets, homely decorations and plentiful pot plants.

 

I turned down the local beers from Salcombe and Summerskills breweries, the Lillie's from the Brass Monkey giving me a taste for the cider.  No idea what it was, but it was almost certainly local and foolishly strong.

The pub has no music and no distractions, instead promoting "good old-fashioned conversation".
No need for me to worry about conversation - Mrs PropUptheBar's attention was thoroughly taken by her new friend...

It wasn't far around the corner to a Good Beer Guide club.
Another one of those "ring buzzer for entry" places... 

Fawn Private Members Club (39 Prospect Street, Plymouth, PL4 8NY)
Okay, so this was somewhere else that was very quiet on our Thursday evening visit, but still a great place.
Having deduced our Beer Guide-led pub crawling theme, the chap behind the bar spent some time chatting about all the places we shouldn't miss in Plymouth.

I nodded along vigorously at the comments that the cheery local sat by the bar kept adding, even though I didn't understand a word he was saying.
Was that down to him or me?
Was the 6% Countyman farm scrumpy (CAMRA Gold medal winner 2017) kicking in?

I'd skipped the ales again (Bays 'Topsail' and Dartmoor 'Legend' being the options here).
What harm could all this cider do, I thought, little predicting that I'd be sitting on Plymouth station platform next morning looking pale whilst Mrs PropUptheBar said "It's your own fault - I've got no sympathy for you".

There may possibly have been another pub after this.  And an ill-judged visit to Brewdog.
But I'll finish this post whilst still being able to walk in a straight line, with a picture of the sun setting over the seafront of Plymouth...