Is this Newbury’s best pint of Guinness?

Today is St Patrick’s Day, a religious holiday that commemorates the death of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s foremost patron saint.

In modern times, it has become a day to celebrate Irish culture and heritage and it is a public holiday in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

For many of us Brits who jump on the bandwagon, St Patrick’s Day is an excuse to go to the pub and drink one of Ireland’s most beloved and popular cultural exports – Guinness.

It is the highest-selling beer in both Ireland and the United Kingdom and it is enjoyed by all types of drinkers, from elderly folk who have been drinking it before it was extra cold to youths who are obsessed with the playful trend of ‘splitting the G’.

Guinness is my favourite beer and probably my favourite alcoholic beverage as well. I thought I would put my love of the black stuff to the test and embark on a journey to find Newbury’s best pint of the world’s favourite stout.

I limited myself to town centre pubs (sorry to those further afield!) and drank 14 pints of Guinness over two days in 14 different places. I also didn’t drink any pints at bars, cafés or restaurants.

I began my journey at the Bacon Arms where I was gladly joined by a cardboard cut-out of Luke Humphries – the world’s number one ranked darts player and former world champion who hails from Newbury – as a drinking companion.

My first pint cost £5.60 and it was a good start. It was poured well and had that signature Guinness taste and creaminess, if a tad on the bitter side.

It also happened to be my first visit to the Bacon and I did enjoy myself. With the exposed roof beams, classic bar and fireplace it had a very cosy feel, almost as if I was in my own living room.

The second pub on my list was The Monument which also offered one of the cheapest pints of Guinness in the town centre at £4.20. I thought this was pretty great value all things considered and the Guinness tasted lovely. It was nice and cold, just how I like it.

Being the town’s oldest pub, The Monument carries some historical weight within its walls. I enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere alongside my fellow afternoon drinkers while sitting in a comfortable pew by the window.

The third stop on my pub tour was The Lion which charged me £6.20. I thought this was a tad expensive, but it was a good pint.

As I sat at the bar and admired the ale pumps adorned with paintings depicting fox hunting, I started to realise the mammoth task I was undertaking.

Picking one pint above the other 13 wasn’t going to be easy, and doing it all within two days wasn’t going to be either.

I finished with the pubs at the top of the town, strolled down Northbrook Street and entered the The Lock, Stock & Barrel which charges an eye-watering £7.10 for a pint of Guinness.

It was expensive, but it was possibly the best tasting pint I had enjoyed thus far. It was really creamy and wasn’t so bitter. I managed to soak up a bit of sunshine by the canal too which certainly added to the experience.

I moved on to The Globe which charged me £5.85. It was another good tasting drink that I relished while inside the funky, hipster-like interior of The Globe.

As soul and rock music passed through the pub’s airwaves, I started to ponder what has made Guinness such a popular beer.

Is it its iconic silhouette? Its uniqueness as a stout among the usual lagers and ales of pub pumps? The brand’s iconic marketing covering toucans, memorable slogans and the global game of rugby?

I don’t think we will ever know for sure, but as long as it stays popular, I’m happy.

My next stop was The Newbury. The prim and proper gastropub charged me £6 and it was another pleasant pint. However, it didn’t quite have the creaminess of the others.

My final destination for the first stint of my Guinness tasting journey was The Coopers Arms, a proper pub that has a true atmosphere without all the fancy trimmings.

A pint set me back £5 which was good value, but it did taste slightly cider or lager-like.

That was the end of my first day of tasting, and after a pizza, several glasses of water and a good night’s sleep, I was ready and raring to continue the following day.

I began at lunchtime at The Dolphin which charged me £6.20, another higher price point pint of Guinness.

I was slightly daunted at the realisation that I had to consume another seven pints, but once I walked into the bar and was welcomed by the sight of three toucans carrying two pints each on the wall above the bar, and I was served an extra cold pint with condensation on the side of the glass, I knew my quest was a necessary and noble one.

After this, I walked north up Bartholomew Street and entered the newest pub on my hit list – The Coat and Bear.

A pint of Guinness here costs £6.45 and although it was expensive, it was real smooth. Smooth enough to match the plush wooden panel interiors of the pub. I did feel pretty upmarket in there.

I had a few hours break in the afternoon, fuelled myself with some pasta and got straight back to it. The final stretch of five pubs were all in close proximity to Market Place.

The King Charles Tavern, a pleasant homely pub on Cheap Street, certainly impressed with its pint of Guinness that cost £5.70.

It was nice and smooth and had didn’t have that metallic tang that you sometimes encounter. The competition was beginning to heat up.

There was a buzzing atmosphere when I entered The Catherine Wheel and it provided me with another top tasting pint at £5.80.

The Wheel is one of my more regular haunts when it comes to Newbury’s drinking establishments so I might be a tad biased, but I have always loved its maze-like interior, fine selection of beers and of course, its pies.

At this point during my important research, my stomach was beginning to feel the weight of the 11 pints I had consumed in the past 24 hours. But with only three more pubs to go, I found the strength to soldier on and complete my mission.

Another tasty pint of Guinness passed through my gullet at The Elephant at the Market, and with every extra pint I tasted I knew my final decision was getting harder and harder.

This drink cost me £5.85, and I enjoyed it in the dark-walled interior of The Elephant. It conjures a certain romantic and mysterious vibe that is great to pair with an evening drink.

The penultimate pub was the Old Waggon & Horses where, upon entering, I was instantly met with a jubilant buzz of customers enjoying their Friday evening, complete with laughter, pop music and smiles all around.

The pint cost a very respectable £4.80 and I feel I should be slightly critical because it was served in a Timothy Taylor’s glass, but it did taste good and it was great value so I’ll let it slide.

My rather ridiculous quest met its end at The Hatchet Inn, Newbury’s own entry in the homogeneous Wetherspoon universe.

I have frequented several Wetherspoon pubs up and down the country in my time, and I have always thought The Hatchet is one of the most charming and cheerful in the land.

In typical Wetherspoon fashion, it offered by far the cheapest pint at £3.30 and it hit the spot just like the rest of them.

Pondering on which pub to crown the winner in this fairly arbitrary and ludicrous contest of mine, I realised I enjoyed all the pints I had, not just for the Guinness but for all the lovely pubs that served them to me.

In the end, I’ve gone with The Monument because it was a great tasting pint priced well, and its hard not to enjoy a drink in the classic and down-to-earth atmosphere of Newbury’s oldest pub.

However, if you are on the prowl for a pint of Guinness this St Patrick’s Day, any of the great pubs in this town will look after you. Of that, I can assure you.