Visited on: Saturday 29th September 2018
Bob Thompson
This is an unlikely bar to find in an unlikely district of Moscow. We began by travelling to the southernmost extremity of Metro Line 9, alighting at the end station of Bulvar Dmitriya Donskogo (БулЬвар Дмитрия Донского). At this mouthful of a station the map showed an interchange to Ulitsa Starokachalovskaya (Улица Старокачаловокая) station on line 12. What we didn’t know was that this was the in the same station building. Up one set of stairs and down another!
Having located line 12 we went one stop to Ulitsa Skobelevskaya (Улица Скобвелeвскаг) station. Line 12 is different to the most Metro lines as it is not underground, actually being elevated above the streets. Also, it doesn’t run into central Moscow or anywhere near. Its purpose is to connect the termini of Metro lines 6 and 9 with the large numbers of tower blocks along Boulvard Admirala Ushakova (Бульвар Адмирал Ушакова) and beyond.
This area is a small city in itself. Unlike many housing developments these apartment blocks date from the post-Soviet era and are quite modern. It didn’t take us long to locate Gloster in a small terrace of shops and restaurants at right angles to the boulevard. Although not an unlikely setting for a small neighbourhood pub, it is for one with its own brewery!
Once inside we soon met Nikita the barman who spoke very good English. He told us he had learnt it from South Africans when he working in the oil industry in Kyrgystan. The bar is designed to resemble an English pub and it partially fulfils this objective. In the middle of the room is a brick construction, no doubt shrouding a support for the building.
The walls around the rest of the room are painted dark green with the lower halves clad in dark varnished wood panelling. The long bar is constructed from the same wood.
Over the years Nikita has amassed an extensive collection of beer mats which are displayed on several walls. The brewery is located beyond the service area behind the bar.
Myself and Linda settled on a couple of high chairs in front of the bar counter and discussed the beer selection. There were four available. Nikita explained that they normally serve a light, dark and amber with one special. However on this occasion there were two specials so Темное (4.8%), the dark was not available.
We tried all that was offered, starting with Светлое (4.2%), the light lager and Янтарное (4.6%), the amber lager. Both were good examples of their styles, being full-flavoured which I think can be put down to the fact that all of their beers are unpasteurised and unfiltered.
The two specials were Стаут (Stout) (5.2%), which was a bit sweet for my taste and American Pale Ale (5.0%) which we thought was very good indeed.
This can only be regarded as a successful visit and we can recommend this pub to all. It offers a full menu and it’s well worth the journey out of the city.
Important Information:
Bar Gloster, Admirala Ushakova Blvd (Бульвар Адмирал Ушакова), 12, Moscow. Tel: 74957165536.
Web: glosterbar.ru
Hours: Monday-Thursday 12:00-24:00, Friday-Saturday 12:00-02:00, Sunday 14:00-24:00
Catch the Metro lines 6 or 9 going south to the end of these lines.
Then catch the Line 12 to Ulitsa Skobelevskaya (Улица Скобвелeвскаг) station.
Leave the station from the exit at the front of the train in the direction of travel.
Once you reach a road, take it to the main road on the right.
Turn left here and you will soon see Bar Gloster on the right.
