Tapping the sauce

A flying visit to the newly opened Euston Tap on the way through London on Friday. Their Facebook page describes the bar as: ‘An intimate drinking and eating room set within the Grade II listed West Lodge fronting Euston Station.’ Intimate it certainly is. Entering through the double door you walk into a small (and I mean small) space, dominated by a ‘U’-shaped bar, flanked by two big beer fridges with a range of delights from U.S., German and Belgium breweries. The thirty-odd (I didn’t quite get around to counting) draft (sic) beers listed on blackboards above the bar are served U.S.-style from taps set in the rear wall of the bar area (similar to the arrangement at Beer Temple in Amsterdam). The mouth-watering delights of the likes of Thornbridge Bracia, Bernard Světlý Ležák 12° Unfiltered, Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron and Left Hand Imperial Stout await your pleasure. Shelves to rest your beer upon run along the left and right walls, together with a number of swivel-style bar stools. I sampled the Bernard Černé Pivo 13° and Světlý Ležák 12° Unfiltered and the Anchor Humming Ale, all of which were in fine condition. Prices, given the range of beers and the location of the bar, were reasonable. For example, a pint of the Left Hand Imperial Stout was £7. Other beers are cheaper. I didn’t check at the time, but it might be worth investigating if they serve thirds (all beers were priced as pints, with the exception of a handful of stronger brews). As for food, it seemed there were bar snacks only. After all, where would they put the kitchen?

In the corner, a spiral staircase ascends precipitously to a similarly-sized seating area on the top floor with low tables, chairs and sofas, and where you can also find the one (yes, one) toilet (not tested). Outside, fenced in by railings, is a small outdoor drinking area with a canopy and patio heaters. Standing on the pavement (expect to have to do a lot of that at busy times), I spotted one of the bar staff emerge into the garden, throw back a big concrete slab set into the ground and descend by ladder into the fluorescent-lit cellar—changing barrels is obviously going to be a bit of a pain in winter. Unsurprisingly, given that it was the opening night, the place was rammed, with drinkers spilling out onto the pavement by Euston Road. Despite the crowds, service was brisk and efficient and the bar staff seemed friendly. The clientele were mainly young, with a good mix of men and women— chin-stroking bohemian beer lovers, rather than ‘beards and bellies’ CAMRA stereotypes.

So, all-in-all, a classy little joint. The team at the Euston Tap have built upon the success of the wonderful Sheffield Tap and look set to take things to an entirely new level. This is the kind of bar that, on a recent trip to Amsterdam for the de Molen Borefts beerfest, I came to the conclusion that London desperately needed. Well, now it’s got it. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to scoop.

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