GLASGOW
6. Around Waterloo St & lower Hope St
There are 22 pub trails in Glasgow. There are ten trails in the centre of the city, plus five in the West End, two on The Southside across the river and four going East.
Three trails explore three of the main streets in the city centre HOPE St; RENFIELD St and WEST NILE St
Two trails are around Squares; GEORGE SQUARE and the OLD FRUIT MARKET in Merchant City.
Another five, trails take in : QUEEN St & GLASSFORD St, JAMAICA St/ST ENOCH, BATH STREET , WATERLOO St & BOTTOM of HOPE St and CHARING CROSS .
Across the river Clyde, on the South side are PAISLEY ROAD WEST and QUEEN’S PARK trails.
Going east are trails for Around THE TRONGATE, up GALLOWGATE , DUKE STREET, Dennistoun and along to SHETTLESTON
In the West End there are more trails - St George's Cross subway to Kelvin Bridge , BYRES ROAD , KELVINBRIDGE , KELVINHALL TO PARTICK and MARYHILL
Plus the SUBWAY CRAWL - 15 subway stops and the closest bars.
Glasgow pubs around Waterloo St and lower Hope St
GLASGOW: WATERLOO St & HOPE St TRAIL
From inside the Central Station take the small left hand exit and cross directly over. to the street running ahead which is Waterloo St and second right on it is the first pub. The first bar was called The Hope but has now been renamed The Smokin' Fox. Cross over and continue along to Kitty O' Shea's, then Nomad (formerly The Drop), followed by Rhoderic Dhu and then on the corner The Woods. Going out of the other door of The Woods turn down Wellington St which has The Waterloo at the end of it. Turn right along the main street for two blocks and on the opposite side at the corner is The Duke’s Umbrella. Walk back along the main street to the station and find The Sir John Moore at the next major junction. Detour by crossing over diagonally at the lights and walk down to Oswald’s (formerly Kelly’s formerly The Quarter Gill).
Walk back up from Osbourne’s towards the station and cross over to find Number 16 (formerly Sotto and Two Heided Man). Now cross over Hope St. to Denholms on the opposite corner. Up from here are The Solid Rock Cafe, The Alpen Lodge and The Park Bar. Cross over to the station side and see 26 Hope St and then into the station.
A place this size is bound to have its own guides to illustrate the vast quantity, quality and styles of pubs.
Glasgow guide illustrating top ten pubs in different styles of drinking (and dining) eg Style pubs or Live Music pubs.
Timeout listing of best pubs - controversial
A good proportion of the pubs have real ale but many do not. The west coast still has a bit of a lager flavour - occasionally only lager. Real ale is not limited to trendy style pubs, and not even in many of these.
Glasgow does not have the tourist grouping of pubs as found in Edinburgh - they are mainly aimed at Glasgow folk.
Practically every pub offers food at lunch or all day
The Smokin' Fox ★
The Smokin' Fox, Glasgow - outside seating
The Smokin' Fox, Glasgow - outside seating
The Smokin' Fox, Glasgow
The Smokin' Fox, Glasgow - was formerly The Hope
The Smokin' Fox, Glasgow
The Smokin' Fox, Glasgow - was formerly The Hope
The Smokin' Fox, Glasgow - was formerly The Hope
The Smokin' Fox (formerly The Hope) is an old two roomed bar which has been renovated to a high standard. The bottom half has an old counter and nice back bar. The room is light an airy due to high ceiling and large windows. This room has a large plinth table between columns for standing at in the middle of the room. There are tables at the windows, either side of entrance, and down the right-hand side. The second room is up a few wide steps from the back of the lower room and has a interesting ceiling. This has more tables and chairs and is used for dining. This pub used to be connected to The Toby Jug around the corner via both pubs back rooms. Some seating outside
This was formerly the Blythswood Bar and the lounge was, what is now, The Toby Jug now a separate bar on Hope St - History
Have a pint here
Real ale: was on sale when it was The Hope
Bitter: Camden Pale; Cold Town Beer New England Pale; Gamma Ray
Lager: Cold Town Beer Lager; St Mungo; Birra Moretti ; Tennent’s
Cider: Inch’s Cider; Guinness
Kitty O’Shea’s
Kitty O'Shea's, Glasgow
Kitty O'Shea's, Glasgow
Kitty O'Shea's, Glasgow
Kitty O’Shea’s is an Irish pub situated in a basement with the bar around to the right. It has a low ceiling, is dimly lit and furniture and walls are dark wood. As such it is quite dark and there is a feeling of intimacy enhanced with a lot of boxed in seating, booths and small rooms around the bar area. It opens up further back to a larger area for performance or big screen TV watching. Some booths have their own TV. food is available.
Have a pint here
Craft : Franciscan Well beers -; IPA; Rebel
Heavy: Caffrey;s
Lager: Carling; Coors; Hop House 13 Lager; Urguell, Heineken; Kursovice; Blue Moon; Innes & Gunn lager
cider: Strongbow Dark Fruits Chieftain Shandon Stout
El Camino (was The Drop -then a late night venue called Nomad)
El Camino, Glasgow - servery
El Camino, Glasgow - cactus opposite counter
El Camino, Glasgow
El Camino, Glasgow - up first flight of stairs
El Camino, Glasgow - top seating towards street and top of cactus
El Camino, Glasgow - first landing kitchen
Nomad, Glasgow (was The Drop)
The Drop, Glasgow (now El Camino)
The Drop, Glasgow (now El Camino)
The Drop, Glasgow (now El Camino)
El Camino (formerly The Drop then a late night venue called Nomad) is now a Mexican bar-restaurant. The layout is the same as The Drop with added sombreros and centre pillar now being a giant cactus, and less TV screens. Two tall tables at window and servery is along the left wall.. There are a couple of booths opposite the servery. Beyond the ample standing room, with the pillar decorated as a cactus, are steps to an mezzanine level with dining table seating, kitchen and two deck-chairs. Then a couple of steps to next level which has dining sizes tables and five tall table booths at the front windows.
Have a half pint here
Lager: Carling; Pravha; Staroperamen; Madri; Coors
Cider: Carling Guinness
Rhoderick Dhu
Rhoderick Dhu has a horseshoe shaped bar lying at a slight angel to the room. Plenty of bar stools. There are normal tables and chairs around the walls. The frontage can open up onto pavement area for al fresco drinking during the summer. There is always seating outside by the pavement. Food available and lots of TVs
Have a pint here
Heavy/IPA Belhaven Best, Level Head; Neck Oil
Lager: Innes & Gunn; Flint Eye;; Peroni; Tennent’s; Birra Moretti; Schiehallion; Madri; St Mungo
Cider: Old Mout Cider ; Inches Guinness
The Admiral Woods ★
was The Woods
The Woods, Glasgow - short frontage on Waterloo St
The Woods, Glasgow - longer side on Wellington St
The Woods, Glasgow
The Admiral Woods - with different decoration and table layout
The Woods, Glasgow - short frontage
The Woods, Glasgow - from short frontage to bar servery
The Woods, Glasgow - seating facing long frontage
The Woods, Glasgow - from bar to Waterloo St
The Woods, Glasgow
The Woods, Glasgow - an outside area from inside
The Woods, as in "If You go Down To The Woods Today"; Not a corner pub but stretches around the corner with entrances on both Waterloo and Wellington streets. The Waterloo St side is the shorter frontage and has booths and tables leading up to one side of a horseshoe shaped bar. Behind the bar there is an entrance to a smaller outside seating which catches sun is in an area behind the servery separated from the bar area by a glass wall.
The Wellington St entrance has a larger frontage and contains much more of a dining area feel and with tall tables closer to the bar and dining tables alongside the full sized windows . There is a performance area flanked by big red booths along the right-hand wall. Has a lovely contemporary light brown wood retro style to it.
Food served all day
Have a pint here
IPA: Neck oil IPA
Lager: Heineken Silver; Heineken; Bones Lager; Amstel; Red Stripe; Birra Moretti
Cider: Strongbow ; Inches Guinness
PUB QUIZ
What stretch of water separates Sweden from Jutland (Denmark)?
Answer at foot of page
The Waterloo
The Waterloo is a corner bar with stained glass in upper half of windows around outside. Entrance doors in middle of short side and far end of the longer side. The one room has the servery against the middle of the long wall. Seating all around sides under the windows with small performance area in window corner. Stools around the bar but with reasonable standing room between bar and tables. Noted as one of the first gay pubs in Glasgow.
Have a pint
Heavy: John Smith’s
Lager: Peroni; Tennent’s; Birra Moretti; Amstel; Stella
Cider: Strongbow Dark Fruits Guinness
The Duke’s Umbrella ★
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow - corner entrance
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke's Umbrella, Glasgow
The Duke’s Umbrella is a corner bar/diner with lots of light coming in from the windows running down two sides. Don’t be put off by the rather distressed looking appearance above the windows as inside tastefully decorated with the subdued lighting and dark wood combining to give a cosy private atmosphere.
The short servery is straight ahead tucked in at window and back wall. Along all of the windows are small glass shelves and stools. The main roomm has two long passages for seating/dining. the passgae closesr to the servery has four booths with padded seating while the passgae closer to the door has small dining style tables. The floor, tables and walls are all dark wood while lighting is low with ‘candles’ for each table
Have a pint
Real ale: there, but not on during the quiet winter months
Pale ale: Neck Oil; Gamma ray
Lager: Amstel; Heineken; Weihenstepaner; Birra Moretti
Cider: Orchard Thieves Apple Cider Guinness
The Sir John Muir
The Sir John Muir is a large Wetherspoon's pub. The bar is straight ahead and there is the usual variety of table styles. Some outside seating on large pavement.
Have a pint here.
Regular in Good beer Guide, including 2023, 2024
Real ale: Glasgow Cross; Doombar; Stewarts 80/-; Green devil (Oakham); White Shores
Heavy/Pale Ale: Punk IPA ; Worthington Cream Flow; John Smith ; Joker
Lager Tennent’s; San Miguel; Corona; Coors; Carlsberg; Stella; Bud Light
Cider Strongbow and dark Fruit; Aspall Guinness
Oswald’s
(was Kelly's ,before that was The Quarter Gill)
Oswald's, Glasgow
Oswald's, Glasgow - a Rangers pub
Oswald's, Glasgow - was Kelly's
Oswald's, Glasgow - was Kelly's and before that The Quarter Gill
Oswald’s (was Kelly's ,was The Quarter Gill) is a small L-shaped corner bar. The counter is to the left with some seating to the window. Further on after the servery the room opens out with more banquette seating. This back area is decorated with paintings on the wall of Rangers’ heros and Rangers triumphs are on the wall opposite servery.
History
have a pint.
Heavy: Belhaven Best
Lager: Staroperaman; Coors; Carling
Cider: Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness
Number 16 Bar & Kitchen
(formerly Sotto and The Two Heided Man (aka McGinn's)
No 16, Hope St, Glasgow
No 16, Hope St, Glasgow
No 16, Hope St, Glasgow
No 16, Hope St, Glasgow - was The Two Heided Man
No 16, Hope St, Glasgow - was The Two Heided Man
Number 16 Bar & Kitchen (formerly Sotto and The Two Heided Man (or McGinn's)) has a centre bar with couple of tall tables to the right and more tall tables in larger area to the left. The serving counter is taller than usual. Pleasant wee bar. Seating outside along pavement.
History
Have a pint here
Lager Grolsch ; Peroni; Ashi; Tennent’s
Guinness
PLACES TO VISIT WITH PUBTRAILS
The towns and villages highlighted on this web site have a wide variety of pubs and beers in them. All of the places are great to visit, whether for a day or longer, and most have tourist attractions for all of the family.
There is a large variety of pubs throughout the different towns shown below. Some you may wish never to visit again but even discovering these can be interesting. There are pubs that you would not take your wife into. While some you could not take your girlfriend into. A few you would not take either into. However, most of the pubs are very pleasant.
HOME MAP of places visited
Alnwick Ambleside Anstruther Bakewell Bamburgh Barnard Castle Bath Berwick upon Tweed Birnam & Dunkeld Bourton on the Water Bowness on Windermere Bridge of Allan Chester Chichester Dunblane Dunoon Edinburgh Ely Fort William Glasgow Gourock Greenock Helensburgh Inverness Kelso Keswick Knaresborough Largs Linlithgow Lyme Regis Melrose Montrose Newton Stewart North Berwick Norwich Oban Pebbles Penzance Portree Pitlochry Quorn Richmond Rothesay St Andrews Seahouses Seend Shrewsbury Skipton Stirling Stratford-upon-Avon Stockton Heath Whitby Windemere Whitstable York
Denholms Bar
Denholms Bar is an old traditional bar that has been updated to a comfy unfussy lounge with padded fixed seating around sides. Screens separate each corner of the bar counter from the middle. Padded bar stools, interesting mural of customers above the bar. There is a downstairs lounge bar. Some outside seating on pavement. Serves coffee.
Old Glasgow Pubs
Have a pint here
Heavy/IPA Neck Oil; John Smiths
Lager Birra Moretti; Cruzcampo; Carling; Tennent's
Cider Strongbow and Dark Fruit Guinness
Solid Rock Cafe
Solid Rock Cafe is a long thin dark bar with low ceiling. The dark servery starts quarter of the way in. Seating around sides and in a slightly raised portion at the window. Booths are on the right after the servery.
Have a pint here
Heavy/IPA Joker; Gladeye IPA; Disc Forklift Truck
Lager: Amstel; Kelvin (Drygate); Fosters; Heineken; Budweiser;
Cider: Strongbow and Dark Fruit Guinness
Alpen Lodge
Alpen Lodge very small upstairs bar with larger downstairs lounge which is only open at the weekend. Small servery in top left with some banquette seating and small round tables at front and some more tables opposite servery.
History
Have a pint here
Heavy Belhaven Best
Lager Tennent's ; 1664, Staroperamen; Heverlee
Cider Strongbow Guinness
Park Lane
Park Lane is a small one roomed pub opposite the station. Stools are around the small bar. Dining tables and chairs in main room.
History
Have a pint here.
Heavy Caledonia Best
Lager Tennent’s; 1664; Carling
Cider Blackthorn Guinness
No 26 Hope St
No 26 Hope St is a small one roomed pub made bigger by long mirror on wall. Bar is on right hand wall by the entrance. Outside seating on pavement
Have a half pint
Heavy Tennent's Special; Caledonia Best
Lager Bud; St Mungo's; Stella; Tennent's
Cider Strongbow Guinness
Links for Glasgow city centre Pubtrails
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Trail 1 - Around George Square
(blue with black dot icon)
Waxy O’ Connors
Dow’s
The Vale (now closed)
Camperdown Place (closed)
Georgics
The Ark
The Piper
Committee Room No 9
Katie’s Bar
Drouthys
The Counting House
The Anchor Line
The Citizen (was The Trading House)
The Auctioneers
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Trail 2 - HOPE STREET
(light blue icon)
Stereo
The Old Hairdressers
The Society Room
The Pot Still.
Molly Malone's.
MacConnell's
Ardnamurchan (was Trader Joe's)
Rufus T Firefly
NYC Bar
Ad Lib
The Toby Jug
The Smokin' Fox (formerly The Hope)
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Trail 3 RENFIELD STREET
(green icon)
The Merchant
The Maltman
The Raven
Lauders.
The Atholl Arms
Walkabout
The Renfield Bar
Revolution
Missoula
Revolucion De Cuba
The Drum and Monkey
The Horseshoe.
Dury Lane Bar & Kitchen
Yes Bar - closed
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Trail 4 - WEST NILE St
(red icon)
Vroni's Wine Bar
The Shilling Brewing Co.
The Iron Horse - closed
The Station Bar
The Intermezzo
Alfie’s (was Alfredo's)
Cul Cuil (was The Courtyard)
All Bar One
Innes & Gunn Talroom
Los Iguanas
Revolution
Ross's Original Bar
Tabac
August House
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Trail 5 - AROUND THE FRUITMARKET
(grey icons)
Bar 91
Beer Cafe
The Metropolitan
Marmalade Skies (was Boudoir Wine Bar) - closed
Bar Square
The Tap Room (was Steak, Rattle and Roll which was Bar Espagnol Mercado)
O'Neil's
Bar Soba
Bar Gandolfi.
Bar Home
Babbity Bowster,
Strathduie (was Macgregor's Pie & Ale Howf and before that Strathduie !)
The Black Bull
McChuills
Connolly’s LIQR (was LIQR and before that The G-Lounge)
Blackfriars of Bell St
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Trail 6 -A circle around Waterloo St & Hope St
(yellow icon)
The Smokin’ Fox (was The Hope)
Kitty O'Shea's
El Camino (was The Drop)
Rhoderick Dhu
The Woods
The Waterloo
The Duke’s Umbrella
Sir John Muir
Oswald’s (was Kellys ;was Quarter Gill)
No 16 Bar & Kitchen (was Sotto; was The Two Heided Man)
Denholms
Solid Rock Cafe
The Alpen Lodge
The Park Lane
26 Hope St
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Trail 7 - Queen St and Glassford St
(purple icon)
Biere Halle
The Lab
Wonderbar
Sloans
Rocky O' Sullivans CLOSED
Strata CLOSED
Max's Bar & Grill
Thundercat
The Spiritualist
Cairns
Steps Bar
Blane Valley
Bacchus
Rab Ha's
The Pavement
The Doghouse
The Gallery Bar
The Amsterdam
The Oriental (closed)
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Trail 8 - Jamaica St- St Enoch
(brown icon)
O'Neil's (was The Royal Scott)
The Grant Arms
The Crystal Palace
Macsorley's
The Imperial
The Mint & Lime
Lauristons
Gallagher’s (was Kelly’s and was Coyote)
Hootenanny
Times Square
Crafty Joe's (taken over by Times Square)
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Trail 16 - Charing Cross
(yellow with small square)
Bavaria Baurhaus
Slug & Lettuce
Bon Accord
Chinaski’s
The Locale
Driftwood
The Hall
Nico’s
Kilt & Kocktails
The Hengler’s Circus
The State
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Trail 10 - Bath St
(red with small square)
Golf Loung
Buck’s Bar
Bloc+
The Butterfly and The Pig
Palomino
Slouch
The Griffin
Tiki Bar and Kitsch Inn
St Judes
Howlin’ Wolf
Malones
The Bay Horse
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Trail 19 - Paisley Rd West
(dark blue teardrop)
Lauriston Bar
The Quayside bar
The Union Bar
The Old Toll Bar
The Viceroy
The Bellrock
Grapes
The District bar
Kensington Bar
Park Bar
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trail 22 -Queen's Park
McNeil’s
The Regent
Titwood Bar
TheBbungo
Allison Arms
MJ Heraghty
Victoria Bar
Ryan’s bar
The Bell Jar
The Rose reilly
Queen’s Park Cafe
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Trail 9 - Around The Trongate
(orange with large square icon)
Grace’s Irish Sports Bar
Buck’s Bar
Boteco do Brazil
Maggie May's
Avant Garde
13th Note -(closed)
Old Empire Bar (closed)
Whistler on the Green
The Old Ship Bank Bar
The Winds
The Victoria & Clutha
The Scotia
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Trail 17 - up the Gallowgate
Chrystal Bell & Co
MacKinnon’s
The Gate (check opening)
Bar ‘67 (check opening)
226 Gallowgate
Hielan Jessie
The Wee Man’s Pub
The Drover
Van Winkle (check opening)
Luke’s & The Flying Ox
Traders Lounge
The Old Burnt Barns (check opening)
Braemar
Tollbooth Bar
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Trail 18 - Duke Street, Dennistoun
The Bristol bar
The Louden tavern
The Duke Bar
the Crown Creighton
The Alexandra Bar
The Snug
The Palais
Redmond’s of Dennistoun
The Drover
The Wee Man’s Bar
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Trail 21 -Shettleston
Snedden’s Inn
The Palaceum
The Town Tavern
The Cottage Bar
The Marquis
The Drum
The Portland Arms
The Railway tavern
The Kirkhouse
Miller’s
Links for Glasgow West End & Subway Pubtrails
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Trail 11 - St George's to Kelvinbridge
(lime green with tick icon)
The Castle Vaults
The Hug and Pint
The Scallion (was Munro's then The Bull and now ..)
Wintersgills
The Lansdowne - closed
Webster's
Inn Deep
Cooper’s
Bakehouse
The Left bank
Stravaigin
The Doublet
Schoolhouse
Dram!
Arlington
The Carnarvon Bar
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Trail 12- Byres Rd
(light blue icon)
Curler's Rest
the Wee Pub/The Pub
Innes & Gunn Brewery Tap
Brel
Vodka Wodka
Jinty McGinty’s
Hillhead Book Club
The Parlour
Oran Mor
BeGin
Tennent's Bar
Bar Soba
The Aragon
The Hill - closed
Gumbo - closed
The Record Factory
The Three Judges
Bag O'Nails
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Trail 13 - Kelvingrove
(red with tick)
Dirty Duchess
Lebowskis
Taphouse
The Grove
The Big Slide
The Snaffle Bit
The Butchershop
BrewDog
Dukes Bar
The Islay Inn
The Park Bar
No 78
Kelvingrove Cafe
The Ben Nevis
Finnieston
Brass Monkey
Strip Joint
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trail 15 - Kelvinhall to Partick and back
(maroon circle with square or tic)
To To
Kelvinhall Patrick Stumps Bar Three Judges
The Fiddlers The Dolphin
Victoria Bar Bag O’Nails
Quarter Gill Storm Queen
The Linsmor Smiddy Bar
Sparkle Horse Tenement Bar
Bauhaus Windsor Tav.
Record Factory Rosevale Tav.
Gallus Deoch An Dorus
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trail 20 - Maryhill
LOWER
The Castle Vaults
The Tower
the Star & Garter
Munn’s
The BrewHaus
The Botany Bar
The Woodside Inn
The Royalty Bar
UPPER
The First & Last
Kelvin Dock
The Punch Bow;
The Viking Bar
The Lockhouse
Harvey’s Bar
The Ram’s Head
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Trail 14 - Glasgow Subway
Waxy O'Connors
Jackson’s
Castle Vaults
The Hug
The Doublet
Curler’s Rest
The Bag O' Nails
Deoch and Doris
Brechin's
The Louden Tavern
Kensington
The Bellrock
Stanley Bar - closed
The Old Toll Bar
The Lord Nelson - closed
Laurieston
Times Square
Links to pages and sites
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Books on Beer
A variety of recommended books to improve your knowledge of beer and brewing
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Stevenson & MacKay
Craig Stevenson and John MacKay use their bus passes to visit pubs the length and breadth of Scotland.
They have recorded their adventures in seven books.
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Books on Pubs
A veriety of recommended books that describe the history and development of the public house.
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CAMRA
The Campaign for Real Ale
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Places visited by Pubtrails
Villages, towns and cities which appear on this website.
“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
— Benjamin Franklin
ANSWER: Skagerrak