Great Beer!

With the love of cask ale and craft beer we couldn't wait to write about this. There's quite a few amazing places to visit in Bradford for a great pint and it seems to be that the independent businesses lead the way here.

But it's not just great beer but also some great beer gardens too. There's nothing better than a great pint (or half if wish) on a nice day in a beer garden.

There are more places than we can write about in one post but in our opinion this is our top 5 for any real ale enthusiast to visit:

The Corn Dolly - A very traditional pub with a cozy feel with its wooden beamed ceilings and an open fire. Typically has 8 real ales, a hand full of lagers and ciders and a pool table at a modest price of 50p a game and a fantastic beer garden with heated shelters.

The Exchange Craft Beer House - In the cellars of one of Bradford's most iconic buildings The Wool Exchange you will find this gem of a bar. Located on Market Street it's entrance could easily be missed and looks tiny from the outside, however once stepping down into the bar you'll notice how vast it is. It has a great crowd of customers and the staff are really friendly. With everything from Cask Ales and Keg Beers, Fridges full of craft beers from all over the world, boxes of real ciders and a fully stocked bar back their is something for everyone here. The music selection is always good and have regular live music and events, They even host a monthly open mic night.

Jacobs Well - One of the oldest pubs in Bradford located on the far side of City Park Jacobs Well is one of Bradford's friendly and more laid back pubs. It is renowned for it's excellent real ales and ciders and it's home-made pork pies. It has a small cobbled yard to the front with picnic tables great in good weather. It's one of the closest pubs to the Alhambra and soon to open the Bradford Arena. This pub is very LGBT friendly.

The Fighting Cock - Although not quite within the city centre. This pub has every right to be featured in this article. It's approximately 15-20 mins walk from the city centre or 5 mins in a cab, located on Preston Street just off Thornton Road. With decades of CAMRA Awards it's no surprise that this cannot be missed if you're on the hunt for the best pubs or beers. It has plenty of ales to choose from and during the colder months the huge two sided stove is always lit. Although further out of town it still has a good crowd of regular and visiting drinkers. The first time I visited the pub I was amazed with the friendliness. A small group of people wouldn't let me sit on my own and insisted that I join their table. I now visit here regularly and always meet someone new who has a story to tell.

Boar & Fable - If you're looking for something different Boar & Fable has got to be it. German inspired bar located on North Parade. Not the biggest bar but one of the biggest at heart. It stocks Cask Ales and Craft Beer from around the world and almost always has something crazy that you've got to try. It has regular live music and events and can also be found on untapped.

Other popular places are Peacock Bar, The Sparrow, City Vaults and The Lord Clyde.

If you're looking for a decent beer garden in the city we suggest you try The Corn Dolly, Jacobs Well, The Lord Clyde, The Fighting Cock or the Shoulder of Mutton. Most of North Parade has outdoor seating also, however is currently unavailable due to road works.

Author: Tom Clark