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Wandsworth Pubs: Britain's Oldest Continually Brewing Site
Рет қаралды 7,487
Күн бұрынExploring Wandsworth, in South West London, an area synonymous with Young's and their historic Ram Brewery (albeit that they left it in 2006). They did at least leave behind a few interesting historic pubs, and we find that other brewers have stepped in to pick up where they left off, on what is the longest continually brewing site in Britain.
Along the way the usual mixed bag of historical anecdotes and architectural musings. Did a gipsy fortune teller predict her own death? Are riverside apartments even more unsightly than a gas works? We look at the very low success rate of spirit licence applications in the 1850s. We touch on a poem about the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 which mentions the Ram Inn. A brief history of the corporate buck passing of Young's brewing operations. I talk a bit about why I don't like the term "craft beer" and commend Sambrook's Brewery, one of the wave of 21st century London breweries, for actually making a bitter. Two in fact! I attempt to assert my amateur architectural knowledge by claiming the Spread Eagle is Queen Anne Revival rather than Flemish Renaissance as Historic England claim. Was the Spread Eagle formerly a coaching inn? A brief nightmarish interlude about BrewDog and their grapefruit infused grapefruit hopped grapefruitey grapefruit beer which tastes of grapefruit. Did I mention grapefruit? Then finally to the safety of a pub owned by Harvey's of Sussex, named after a temporarily absent pet.
Links etc
Ship
whatpub.com/pu...
londonwiki.co....
Alma
whatpub.com/pu...
pubheritage.ca...
londonwiki.co....
Ram
whatpub.com/pu...
en.wikipedia.o...
historicenglan...
Sambrook's Brewery Tap
whatpub.com/pu...
Spread Eagle
whatpub.com/pu...
pubheritage.ca...
londonwiki.co....
historicenglan...
Cat's Back
whatpub.com/pu...
londonwiki.co....
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:23 Ship
4:59 Alma
8:36 Ram
12:04 Sambrook's Brewery Tap
14:33 Spread Eagle
18:57 BrewDog (only joking!)
19:10 Cat's Back
22:47 Outro
@eddavis1832 2 ай бұрын
Without very little doubt, quite possibly the best “stay away” warning I’ve ever seen on KZfaq in reference to “Brewdog.” Nearly fell out of my chair in convulsive laughter. Sambrooks Brewery’s Wandle will be added to my list as will a stop at the Cat’s Back Pub, if I’m ever in the neighborhood. BTW, your most excellent “Tweedy Outdoors “ venture to East Sussex has inspired me to spend a couple days in Lewes. Well done…Cheers!!! 🍻
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Ed! Perhaps the short horror movie sequence there could have had a bit more finesse but it sounds like it got the message across! I'm afraid the Cat's Back isn't much to look at on the inside these days, but the beer was great, and on a good day they have as many as four hand pumps serving different Harveys beers - albeit only two in operation on my visit. Lewes is a gem of a place - quite possibly my favourite town in England. I hope you have a good time!
@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian 2 ай бұрын
Hi John. As a founding member of the “Campaign against citrus beer 🤢” I commend you for continuing the fight against the scourge that’s rampant in all our pubs! As for Brewdog! 🤬 When I began work in London in the late 1970’s I had a drinking friend who was a great fan of Young’s beer. I was a Fullers fan myself. We had some great times proving whose beer was best. So sad that both brewers are no longer as they were. Of all the pubs you visited, the Alma looked the most enticing, but the Cat’s Back is where I would head as to my shame I have never tried Harvey’s beer! 😮🍺
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Andrew! I've only really known Young's beer since they left the Wandsworth brewery and I suspect that's part of the reason I'm not really a fan - particularly the way it has been handed off multiple times to a succession of different corporate entities. It's hard to imagine there's a lot of care and craftsmanship going into it today - it's just a brand image and likely a set of buttons for someone to press in a highly mechanised brewing plant.
@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs it’s worrying how many “historic” beers are now brewed to order in “beer factories” as opposed to breweries. I suspect you are right, all made on the same production line, the brew being dependent upon which buttons are pressed. Very sad, and worrying too. Thank goodness a few “traditional brewers” remain.
@ciar67 2 ай бұрын
Grew up in Wandsworth, just up from the Cat. We used to drink in there in the 80s but it didn't look anything like it does now. The Hop Pole round the corner was our local and I've been back lately and is a great Irish pub. We also used to go to the Two Brewers opposite the town hall which back in the 80s was like stepping in to Ireland. Good times.
@MartySulls 2 ай бұрын
Fabulous. A Tweedy post. I've only just started watching and i have a beer in hand. Life is good. Happy Saturday everyone.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you - life is indeed good!
@MartySulls 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs It is a rich stream of wonderment.............(Yeah.... I'm pissed now) GNNN
@markjones327 2 ай бұрын
Played football for the ship back in the day and drank in the Alma regularly , brilliant vid thank you tweedy I’m born bred In Fulham was a short walk over the bridge from My house
@elvis197797 2 ай бұрын
Absolutely brilliant as usual mate. Thankyou. Waiting for u to cover Wimbledon and Notting Hill pubs 😎👍🍺
@thomashiggins4923 2 ай бұрын
Compelling viewing, TP, even from where I am in wine country (lower Burgundy), and as always, very impressive research. What amazing things some of these pubs are though... Such a shame if we lost them. In France, many bars are closing, and I wonder if some of the rage expressed online (anonymously) is finding its outlet there, because the bar network is diminishing, and guys (mostly) can no longer go and sound off, while propping themselves up against the counter. Thanks for all these details, always interesting. Tom (like I said, from France).
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Tom! Fascinating that you're in Burgundy as that's one of my other big interests - I have another channel ( youtube.com/@BurgundyWithTweedy ) where I do Burgundy tasting, but the videos are a lot more basic than on this channel. Yes the decline of pubs is definitely a problem here too, and I can't help but think the increasing lack of these "third spaces" is at the root of a lot of society's other problems. I'm pretty sure people sitting in their own homes looking at screens all the time isn't healthy!
@senianns9522 2 ай бұрын
Had a few beers in the Brewery Tap Wandsworth one afternoon in the mid 70's . Wow what a great afternoon that was! never forgotten for sure!
@kevinhouse7143 2 ай бұрын
That Sambrooks Brewery tap look and feel is what a lot of "pubs" over here on the west coast of Canada are looking like these days. Most of them are brewpubs with the large stainless tanks playing a role in the interior space decor. It's rare to find a good old grizzled and gnarly patina boozer with creaky floors and mismatched wooden chairs. Which is one of the attractions and reasons we love to visit London... and watch your videos.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Kevin! Brewpubs can be great - if the style of beer they make is to my liking! Sadly I think that's becoming an increasing rarity these days...
@kevinhouse7143 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs Agreed and agreed.
@baileysbritain 2 ай бұрын
Really good videos, I am very much enjoying watching them, thanks for sharing
@JonniePolyester 2 ай бұрын
I think we share an identical taste in beer! I also cannot abide most keg craft beers and Brewdog is just offensive to my tastebuds. Apart from the Ship which is where the Boat Race is viewed which I think was last time I was there 25 years ago I haven’t been to any of those pubs. Really enjoyed your focus on the history and architectural features most enlightening 😊
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you! I really appreciate that comment - I sometimes feel like I'm going mad! I'm all for pubs having broad appeal and providing something for everyone but I was in my local earlier (a very traditional Victorian boozer), and of the four hand pumps which were in action, three of them were various types of grapefruitey pale ales with American hops (Cascade/Citra). I'm a bit worried that traditional English beer styles are a dying breed!
@Maitreya0208 2 ай бұрын
The last (and only) time I’ve been to “The Ship” was October 28, 2022. The date, much like the pub, was notable only due to the lovely ladies who accompanied my younger brother on that evening. Despite the bright conviviality arising from our mildly pickled state, we all agreed that the pub itself was nothing at all special. We eventually retired to one of the finest private rooftop terraces I’ve ever visited over in Southwark. Thanks for another great vid!
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Definitely the sort of pub you could have a great time at (regardless of the bland interior and uninspiring beer offering) with the right company!
@chrish2461 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Tweedy for another detailed look at the pubs! Really interesting as always 😀 We did the Young's Brewery tour in 2000 and stopped at the Spread Eagle after the tour, but we didn't really explore the area. Interesting to see what it looks like now, and of course to learn the history!
@skuda9 2 ай бұрын
Had a trot around there last Saturday....took in the brewery,Alma and Ship among others.....Good day out.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
I know I grumbled a bit in this video but I did actually have a fun day out!
@robcoles8493 2 ай бұрын
Wandsworth isnt an area ive frequented. From that video, i feel i have not missed out too much. That said, i do find your historic research and local knowledge to be really informative and entertaining - so thanks for that Tweedy. Youngs houses are decent enough - but rarely have anything like what i would see as real historic charm. Great vid as ever!!
@harlanthejester 2 ай бұрын
Excellent video as ever, it was a little nostalgic as I worked for a while in Britannia row recording studios in the early 2000's and would regularly visit the Wandsworth bridge tavern (sadly gone) and the Ship (a completely different pub 20 years ago). My Sunday evenings are not complete without a tweedy pubs review and I have to agree on the brewdog comment...
@russellnixon9981 2 ай бұрын
Always good to see a new location from you Mr Tweed, liked the news paper article mentioning you.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Yes it was amazingly prescient - over two centuries before I was born!
@MHawkins-qz1yr 2 ай бұрын
Brings back memories of visiting Young's brewery many years ago and seeing the ram whose favourite snack was cigarette butts.
@woden20 2 ай бұрын
Excellent, I remember this place well, college ,spread eagle and the snooker hall. (80's)
@joshmelville7464 2 ай бұрын
Great content again mate! The Alma was used as a filming location for Minder the episode was Another Bride Another Groom. Its vibrant green facade is quite distinctive.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thanks! Nice follow-on from Hammersmith there which also had Minder connections.
@austenj4539 2 ай бұрын
On the 1930's exterior tiles on 'the Ram', it states proudly that Young's had 'ales and stouts'. I would give a Young's Stout a taste, if it was still brewed!
@chrish5319 2 ай бұрын
Thank you, nice to see a mix of good, bad and ugly pubs. Great video.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
That's a good summary Chris, thanks!
@frasegfunk9790 2 ай бұрын
Another Corker Tweedy! Great stuff, 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@WC21UKProductionsLtd 2 ай бұрын
Loved the screaming! Right up my street. The Alma and Spreadeagle looked to be reasonably intact. Hated the industrial look of the brewery bar - so 2020s! It looked like they’ve put some ghastly contemporary construction on top of the brewery that overshadowed the appealing external appearance of The Ram. And I’m with you - gasworks over identikit apartments any day of the week. Excellent research as usual and I really liked the opening summary of what was coming in the video. New sound system is superb too. Sorry if I come across as a bit negative about the architecture - you are doing a great job reflecting what London looks like today - I just can’t understand why all these terrible developments are being allowed. I know I live in the past!
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you Mr WC21, and fear not I think we're very much "on the same page" about the state of modern architecture! An office I worked in at one point had all that exposed plumbing etc in the ceilings, I always thought it looked rubbish. Particularly as I understand when my former employer took on that building, there had been a proper ceiling with inoffensive tiles covering up all that nonsense (that also would have helped with the acoustics) - which they then decided to remove to make it feel more "industrial". Idiocy! The screaming and that opening summary were both last minute additions. I had in fact finished the main bulk of the editing by Friday evening, and dithered over whether to just publish it then, versus tinker with it for another couple of hours Saturday morning. In hindsight I'm really glad I gave myself a bit of extra time as I think that opening summary in particular is a really useful addition. If people do click away part way through that then it's fine by me - I think it's a good condensed representation of what the rest of the video is about so if they weren't interested in the summary they're unlikely to have a good time with the remainder!
@WC21UKProductionsLtd 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs and of course we know that at some point, all the exposed pipes will become unfashionable and have to be covered up! Have you noticed that people talk with disdain about past fashions, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the same will happen with what they’re doing today?
@marmoset3 2 ай бұрын
Fun fact, they sell Harveys in the on site bars at Butlins, the Beachcomber Inns.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
The first compelling reason I've heard to go to Butlins!
@MARKKY2727 2 ай бұрын
Love youngs beers ,you should of had a ram rod & special Oliver reeds fave tipple
@MartySulls 2 ай бұрын
19:06 A fantastic comedic 'call back' to your earlier comments. Bravo.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thanks for noticing - I like to be consistent!
@marram1 2 ай бұрын
Actually lol'ed at the BrewDog bit.. serious question on the grapefruit citrus thing..Why? Is it cheap? Is it a popular taste? Personally think it tastes like bile!
@jumpinallans 2 ай бұрын
Great video as always. Thank you, brother.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@markjohnathanappleton8642 2 ай бұрын
Another great video as always, thank you
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@BigScubes 2 ай бұрын
I Thought it was you at the ram lol I went in for a Guinness and saw you taking photos
@MrCHistorywalks 2 ай бұрын
This is excellent. I agree with you that the Ship is overrated. Cats Back deffo the best pub in Wandsworth!
@WalksInCamera 2 ай бұрын
I've not been to Wandsworth too many times - usually passing through it on a train, but I was surprised that I've been to the majority of the pubs you've featured. The Alma and Ship have been stop offs after walking the Wandle Way or Thames Path. I quite like The Alma as it has a nice location but it has been gastropubby for a number of years and I agree The Ships main attribute is the outside space. Will have to try Sambrooks though!
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
I know I probably was a bit more gripey than usual but I actually think Wandsworth is a good destination for a pub crawl! Perhaps an optimised version of it might be to combine it with nearby Putney - I haven't been for a good few years but I remember the Bricklayers Arms there was always a bit special.
@WalksInCamera 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs I think the Bricklayers is one to pick. Probably the Green Man too. A lot of modernised pubs in Putney from memory.
@liberty_and_justice67 2 ай бұрын
So, for me The Alma, Spread Eagle, and Cats Back (for the name). Enjoy the history but fully agree that any new brewery with great product should be included. All the best!🎉
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Yes it definitely seemed like a worthwhile inclusion here as it fit with "the narrative" and I wanted a break from all the Young's beer!
@algonzales1809 2 ай бұрын
The Spread Eagle is a must visit for me and The Cat's Back goes to the top of the list as they are a Harvey's stockist. Glad to see you back on track Tweedy and in fine fettle. Any consideration given to a subscriber meetup in London at some point? Maybe other subscribers would be interested as well. I'll be in town for the NY Jets American football game the weekend of October 6. Plan to do a proper pub sojourn along with a nip in to Duke's Bar for a martini. Just sayin' lol.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Al! The idea of a subscriber meetup fills me with terror though! 😂 I'm actually a mumbling idiot in real life - I only sound vaguely like I know what I'm talking about in the videos thanks to the magic of editing!
@algonzales1809 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs Understood Tweedy..perhaps, if you don't mind of course, as the date gets nearer, if any subscribers are in London and would like to meet for a pint and toast you in your absence we could announce that lol We can call it Tweedy Con.
@steveboyd8994 2 ай бұрын
They've removed the figurehead from the exterior of The Ship? Is nothing sacred 😕These were all regular haunts of mine before the brewery threw in the (bar) towel and moved to Bedford. Sampling Sambrooks offerings is on my to do list - keep up the good work sir!
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Yes I spotted that figurehead on a 1970s photo of the Ship when I was researching this video, it does seem like a shame as that was probably the single most charming thing about the exterior. I think I only really came to know Young's beer from about 2007 onwards, by which time they'd already sold up and moved out of the Ram brewery - and I wonder if that's part of the reason I've always had a bit of a lukewarm feeling about it. I can well imagine it was better back in the day when it had that continuity and craftsmanship and so on. Now it just feels a bit like an unloved corporate asset!
@steveboyd8994 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs You're not wrong - their beers had a completely different taste to what's served up now and they also brewed popular seasonal beers - sadly just memories now!
@w.g.hunter1300 2 ай бұрын
I'm curious - what's your stance on cocktail bars, Tweedy?
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
I used to be quite a fan of classic London cocktail bars - The American Bar at the Savoy, Dukes, and so on. It has been a while now since I've been to any though! The only cocktail I still drink on a semi-regular basis these days is the Negroni but I tend to just make them myself at home.
@stephenpark8133 2 ай бұрын
The cat's Back, yep I heard the story about the name, was told, by a member of the Bar Staff, that one of the locals said "Cat's Back", I worked around the corner, and often popped in their for "A" Pint, I asked if they have Peanuts, the reply was a Pint or a Half, so I had a Pint. Also at that time all the chairs around the Tables were different, not one was the same, as in seat colour or style, then Youngs Pubs started to copy the Style.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
I asked the young lady behind the bar about the name and she recounted the story she had heard while giving a caveat that some of the old regulars had provided slightly different versions. I guess it's broadly along those lines though...? To be honest I was a bit disappointed by the current interior but the beer was great and it's still an oasis of a pub, a bit out on a limb, between bland modern residential developments and older industrial areas.
@dodgyg3697 2 ай бұрын
Magnificent
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you! I really appreciate that - when I cover these lesser known corners of London the viewing stats inevitably take a hit. It's great to know it's still appreciated by a discerning minority!
@Socrates... 2 ай бұрын
What about the Tir Na Nog and Old Sergeant?
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Alas even when (mostly) drinking halves, 6 pubs is at about the limit of what I can cover in one day and still be able to communicate (relatively) coherently on camera. I hope it doesn't show too much in the final video but when I was editing this I felt some of the footage from the final pub was a bit slapdash. The Tir Na Nog does look interesting though and in hindsight might have been more fun than one or two of the pubs featured here!
@swanfibre 2 ай бұрын
What is the difference between a saloon bar, a public bar and a private bar?
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
It's a remnant of the class system. The public bar would have been for working class drinkers and usually the most basic space in terms of the decor (although by today's standards many of these late Victorian public bar spaces still look very elaborate). The saloon bar was intended for middle class drinkers, usually the decor was a bit more upmarket and often the prices were slightly higher. I think the private bar was typically a place for friends of the landlord/landlady - so potentially a more exclusive space than the saloon bar.
@fredshred5194 Ай бұрын
A butt of beer, what was the % of alcohol ? 2 may be 3 % . ? Even then that's a challenge .
@normanfairbrass7275 2 ай бұрын
You do a good impression of Vivien Mayer all you need is a Rolleiflex.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
That's not a name I was familiar with - Wikipedia has a Vivien Maier with an I rather than a y - is that the same person? If so that's an extremely generous comparison, thank you! I don't have an artistic background at all, and most of the footage in these videos is taken according to a "this'll do" principle. Which is not to say I don't care about how it looks but I just acknowledge the limits of my abilities!
@normanfairbrass7275 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs I did spell her name wrong! What I meant was seeing your reflection in the many pub mirrors.Try using "vivian maier reflection photos" in google then images
@liamkatt6434 2 ай бұрын
Thank God you avoided Brewdog. Over here on Vancouver Island we have a large about of small breweries. Some very Good like Red Arrow but some detailing their merchandise in what can only be described as psychedelic designs. I am well away that one of the pop groups, The Beatles have a Rolls Royce painted in this sort of unpleasant livery. That's one thing but to have it spread to beer cans shows that the youth are out of control. I dearly hope that this trend will die out or that someone can take action.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Yes it is worrying the direction beer brewing is going, and I fear the traditional English pint of bitter may one day become a thing of the past. I suppose there always has been "evolution" like this in brewing - once upon a time porter was king. That doesn't sound so bad to me, I quite like a porter, and interestingly that it one of the styles I've seen some of these trendy modern breweries pick up, and thankfully they don't (in my experience) adulterate it with grapefruit flavoured hops!
@rain_down_ 2 ай бұрын
Yes, never understood the need for grapefruit flavoured beer in much the same way I've never understood why people want hazlenut flavoured coffee or whatever other daft flavours you can get.
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Thank you! So glad to hear it's not just me.
@mancroft 2 ай бұрын
Do you have any formal training in architecture?
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
No not at all, just an amateur interest. You should definitely take my observations with a pinch of salt, but I think Mark Girouard would back me up on that assertion that the Spread Eagle is Queen Anne Revival!
@mancroft 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs OK
@MHawkins-qz1yr 2 ай бұрын
As a child he was encouraged to look up above shop fronts to the rooflines.
@benoakes01 2 ай бұрын
What’s the point having a Brewery Tap if only one out of four cask beers is your own?!
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
A good question! The Ram Brewery Phoenix there is at least brewed on the same site - if I recall correctly that's a microbrewery ran by John Hatch, former head brewer of Young's, who kept the legacy of brewing going here after 2006. I suspect there's some degree of cooperation between them and Sambrook's now as they're neighbours. Sambrook's also make some keg beers, I didn't inspect the keg taps but I imagine more of their beers were represented there.
@benoakes01 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs thanks for the reply. I'll get myself to the taproom one of these days!..
@Micktyb 2 ай бұрын
Thanks 🍺Wandsworth’s a little disappointing but not the video 😎👍🍺
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
Yes I know what you mean - as I said at the end of the video there are pubs with nice historic interiors but interesting beer and pubs with not-so-interesting interiors but good beer. It seems you can't have both!
@Micktyb 2 ай бұрын
@@TweedyPubs no haha
@argopunk 2 ай бұрын
haha Bad dog!
@TweedyPubs 2 ай бұрын
I am anticipating a bit of flak for that but they're certainly no strangers to controversy!
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