Albany W1

Albany, London W1

Contemporary pub (Castle/M&B)
240 Great Portland Street W1W 5QU
T 020 7387 0221 w www.thealbanyw1w.co.uk f thealbanyw1w
Open 1200-2400 (2230 Sun). Children welcome until early evening.
Cask beer 5 (Adnam’s, Sambrook’s, Sharp’s, 2 unusual guests) Cask Marque, Other beer 7 keg, 12 bottles, Also 35 wines, some specialist rums and whiskies.
Food Upmarket pub grub, Outdoor Standing area on street, Wifi. Disabled toilet.
Live music, comedy, DJ nights, occasional big screen sport, functions.

The growing interest of big pub owning companies like Mitchells and Butlers in specialist beer is a sure sign of how the market is growing, and the Albany, part of the group’s unbranded Castle chain, makes more than most of offering a good “craft beer” range. Besides the ubiquitous Doom Bar and other regulars Broadside and Wandle, the two guest cask handpumps are usually given over to contemporary minded small brewers like Hopdaemon, Ilkley, Rooster’s and Sunny Republic.

There’s a rotating Sierra Nevada keg tap – not just the revered but often seen pale ale – besides the likes of Bernard Dark, Camden Town Hells and Meantime London Pale, and worthwhile Belgian stuff like Bosteels Tripel Karmaliet in the fridge besides Worthington White Shield and bottles from Flying Dog and Goose Island.

The sizeable and often busy corner pub right by Great Portland Street Tube is now a single open space with a split level floor, a vintage textured ceiling and cream painted pillars well lit by big arched windows. A generally lively and youthful crowd with a good gender mix occupies its eccentric mix of furniture. Popular DJ and performance nights take place in the cellar.

National Rail Euston Underground Great Portland Street, Regents Park Cycling Links to LCN+ 0 50 Walking Link to Regents Park Path