Sunday 27th January 2013

Bob Thompson

This bar is the third in a small chain. The others are in Chorlton and Rose Hill, Liverpool. It had only been open for a couple of months when Linda and I called in, although the premises had formerly been Le Trappiste, a Belgian bar.

Inside it is deceptively small. When we first arrived the bar was quiet so the barman showed me around. The main room is small but there is another room upstairs and he unlocked the back door so that I could take a photograph of the rear outdoor drinking area, which is quite spacious.

There are only three hand pumps yet the bar deserves its entry in BeerVisits because they dispense some seriously high quality cask beer. In fact, there were only two when we visited but both were absolutely superb. The choice available was of Phoenix (Heywood) Hopsack (3.8%), a personal favourite, or Tatton (Knutsford) Blonde (4.0%), another great beer.

Sadly, like many a modern bar, they sell a lot of nouveau-keg products, a pity, but I dare say the profit margins are much higher than for cask beers.

There is food, if you like pies, and there is always a vegetarian pie. The pub was beginning to fill up and a number of customers ordered said pies. This led to a further problem as there was only one member of staff and the kitchen was upstairs. No wonder they stick to just pies (with mash). He could only just cope and every time he returned with another order there was a rush to the bar. This is one area where they must improve, but it is early days and I'm sure they'll get better with time.

So, a recommended bar with some great beer, but a few reservations.

Important Information:

Pi, 18 Shaws Road, Altrincham WA14 1QU. Tel: 0161 929 9098

Open: Sunday to Thursday 11.00-23.00; Friday and Saturday 11.00-24.00

Altrincham station is served frequently by Metrolink trams from the city centre.
It is also served by trains operated by Northern Rail and they come from
Manchester Piccadilly via Stockport and continue to Chester.
Frequency is hourly Monday to Saturday and every two hours on Sunday.

From the station is about five minutes to Costello's, Cross car park and turn left into Stamford New Road, at first intersection turn right into Cross Street. Cross over pedestrianised George Street and you will walk into Shaws Road and the bar is on the right.