The BeerCast’s Pub Guide – Edinburgh

The Bailie 2-4 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge Map
Open: 11am-12am (1am Fri-Sat); 12.30pm-11pm (Sun)
Link: bestpubs.co.uk
Good Beer Guide entry: No
On the corner of St Stephen Street in Stockbridge, The Bailie is a classic Scottish pub. A large central bar with small tables all around leads on to a darker back room with bigger tables for dining. The food here is particularly good, and as a result weekend lunchtimes are some of the busiest. Papers are stacked by the entrance, encouraging the patrons to stay longer, and the ever-changing range of cask beers make sure they want to return. Just a short walk down the hill from town, if you’re exploring Stockbridge it would be criminal not to stop here for a pint – and if you can’t stay for the food, just over the road is the world’s best-named baked potato place – ‘Take it away, Spud’

Blue Blazer corner of Spittal St and Bread St Map
Open: 11am-12am (1am Fri-Sat); 12.30pm-12am (Sun)
Link: bestpubs.co.uk
Good Beer Guide entry: Yes
Edinburgh Pub of the Year 2004, the Blazer also occupies a corner spot, this time near to the Castle. Just down the way from Edinburgh’s ‘pubic triangle’ the two-roomed pub has several guest ales from around Scotland, and a wide selection of whisky and rum. It even caters well for the lager drinker, serving all cold beers in frosty glasses straight from a freezer (or at least it did last time I had one in there). The Blazer also hosts a live music night courtesy of the local legend Peter Michael Schumacher, but woe betide anybody who turns up and speaks during the live acts. His ‘ssshhhhhes’ can strip paint at 30yds.

The Bow Bar 80 West Bow, nr Grassmarket Map
Open: 12pm-11:30pm (Mon-Sat); 12.30pm-11pm (Sun)
Link: bestpubs.co.uk
Good Beer Guide entry: Yes
I confess I’ve only ever been here once, but blimey if it isn’t the best pub in Edinburgh – it won the award from the Blue Blazer and has (to my knowledge) kept it ever since. On the downside, it’s tiny – but on the upside, the beer is brilliant, it has about 100 whiskys (as such it is also Edinburgh’s Whisky pub of the year), the staff are friendly, and they are one of the only pubs in the world that still use a traditional air pressure system to serve the beer. It’s also bang in the centre of Victoria Street (the colourful hilly one on all the postcards) – if you call yourself a beer lover and visit Edinburgh, and don’t visit the Bow Bar, we will hunt you down. Don’t believe me? Check out their comprehensive website.

Cask and Barrel 115 Broughton Street Map
Open: 11am-1am (Mon-Sun)
Link: bestpubs.co.uk
Good Beer Guide entry: Yes
Over on the other side of the city centre – and occupying yet another corner location – is the Cask & Barrel. At the bottom of Broughton Street in the east end of Edinburgh it’s very handy for thirsty shoppers, and the large curving bar is often useful in itself (it can get very busy, especially on football days). Fortunately there’s plenty of space to prop yourself up, and large barrels to rest the beer on if the seats are taken. You can even sit outside, which is a treat in a city criminally short of beer gardens. Every time I’ve been there, I’ve managed to sample at least one cask beer I’ve never heard of. Every time BeerCast panellist The Hopmeister has been there, he’s been thrown out. You can draw your own conclusions.

The Cumberland 1 Cumberland St, New Town Map
Open: 11am-1am (Fri-Sat); 12.30pm-1am (Sun)
Link: bestpubs.co.uk
Good Beer Guide entry: No
Did I just say Edinburgh was short of beer gardens? Well trundle down the substantial hill of Dundas Street and come to the Cumberland (turn right onto the street of the same name, and head for the large green tree at the end). There are a few tables directly outside, and a large sunken beer garden to the right. Inside, small rooms and alcoves are decorated with old adverts for beer and medical ointments. If you come at the right time, you can almost have the place to yourself. If you come after work on a Friday, you’ll be squeezing your way in. The beers here are also very good and change often, and if you like observing New Town yuppies in their natural habitat, bring your spotter’s book.

Kay’s Bar 39 Jamaica Street West, New Town Map
Open: 11am-12am (1am Fri-Sat); 12.30pm-11pm (Sun)
Link: bestpubs.co.uk
Good Beer Guide entry: No
John Kay was an Edinburgh wine merchant, and his family traded in the city for 150yrs. When the company went out of business in the 1970’s, the corner cottage was turned into a pub. Kay’s is another classic tiny boozer – you open the door and instantly you’re halfway along the bar having passed several people. The current landlord sports a cracking moustache, and recently caught us looking at an old photo of the street and gave us a ten minute history talk of the area. The real ale and decor here are superb, when you come here it really feels like a pub you don’t want to leave. It’s a beggar to find, although that makes it feel like you’ve found somewhere extra special.