A Trip to the Powderkeg

Me and some chums went to the Powderkeg Diplomacy (http://www.powderkegdiplomacy.co.uk/) bar in Clapham on Friday, despite living not that far away I’d never been here before but I had heard good things so I thought it was worth devoting an evening to.

The Powderkeg is about a 10 minute walk from Clapham Junction station and even though you walk past several other pubs to get there it is definitely worth it. It’s sort of innocuous from the outside but definitely interesting inside with old doors suspended on the wall and ceiling which was certainly different. You always know you’re in for a good evening when the menu is mostly devoted to ale of various varieties and the Powderkeg certainly doesn’t disappoint.

The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and although the bar space is limited as the staff come round to your table to ask if you need another drink this isn’t a problem. I must also give a special mention to the staff member in a flat cap who brought us an extra chair, presumably from the restaurant, when we didn’t even ask for it (we were rather cramped onto a small sofa before this). Staff who go out of their way to help you out does really make a difference and it really did cement the Powderkeg up there as one of my favourite places.

One small critique would be that I’d like to know the bottle size of the ale on the menu before I order it, as I don’t mind paying £4.50 for 330ml of an imported/hard to source beer but I’d like to know beforehand. But overall the Powderkeg is excellent and the ale selection and quality was top notch.

These are the first five ales I had, there were another two but I don’t remember them.

Oakham Hawse Buckler, 5.6%. This ale takes its name from the plate which fills the hole for a ships anchor chain, the hawse-hole, in rough weather, strangely apt as I was soaked from an autumn shower. A dark, dark ale, with rich malt and raisin aromas which hits upfront and then is followed by a long lasting bitter finish, one for those who like their dark ales (like me), an excellent start, 7/10.

Magic Rock High Wire, 5.5%. Magic Rock’s tribute to West Coast IPA’s which really do use a lot of hops and test your taste buds. This has a nice fruity start of lychees and grapefruit and then develops into a long increasingly intense bitter finish, really does wipe the palate and very refreshing. 6.5/10.

Beavertown 8 Ball, 6.2%. A Rye IPA which takes its name as originally the hop sacks were weighed down into the beer using old pool balls. Fruity orange and spice on the nose and palate with a tinge of bitterness at the end, really, really nice. 8/10.

Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout, 4.5%. For me there are not enough milk stouts around, and this is a good one, it’s a historic recipe re-brewed for the modern day and it looks just as it should, pitch black and thick. Smooth and well balanced with the milk sugars bringing sweetness into the taste and a nice sharp finish. 7/10.

Flying Dog Wildeman Farmhouse IPA, 7.5%. This was my favourite beer of the night, hazy golden colour, very hoppy with a tart orange and lemon zest, surprisingly easy drinking. Also has the best bottle design of the evening too. 8.5/10.

Top stuff all round.