The Lord Nelson

After a week of nearly constant rain the sun is back. That’s one of the great things about Sydney; a week of rain is all you get before the sun comes out again. With that in mind it would be almost rude not to celebrate this return to form. So it’s time for a trip to The Lord Nelson.

There aren’t many places I’d rather be on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Picture a building with thick sandstone walls, huge windows looking out onto the trees outside and an abundance of dark wood and polished brass. Proper pint beer mugs (with handles!) hang over the bar and there’s not a midi or schooner in sight. It’s a proper pub.

As well as a great pub that ticks all the boxes, The Lord Nelson brews six beers right on the premises:

Nelsons Blood - A porter and my favourite of all the beers on offer. It looks almost red when the light catches it just right and has a fantastic creamy head. It fills the mouth with an immediate hit of dark chocolate and coffee; flavours reminiscent of Lindt 80% with a couple of strong short blacks on the side.

Old Admiral - This is classic old English ale with bags of malty flavours and a nice hoppiness. This stuff packs a hell of a punch. Don’t lose track of how much you’re drinking.

Victory Bitter - A British pale ale with spicy and malty flavours. A nice amber colour and great if you just fancy the one.

Three Sheets - A golden Australian pale ale with herbaceous and citrus flavours. Amazing length to this and it’s really hoppy. Perfect for a summer day.

Trafalgar Pale Ale – A classic English bitter with a lingering taste. Fantastic with some food.

Quayle Ale - A summer ale made with German ale yeast to give it a spicy finish. Easy drinking….too easy really.

The brewery is situated at the back of the pub behind a big set of windows that allow a great view of the fermentation tanks (mash tun is in the cellar). A chalk board lets you know what’s brewing for future visits.

In the interests of research and providing honest recommendations I have tried all of these fantastic beers and they really are a cut above the rest. They aren’t the only thing on offer of course. There is also a full range of more traditional Aussie fare such as Coopers and a great range of Belgian beers including Duval, Orval and Hoegaarden Grand Cru. If I were you I’d stick to the house brewed stuff though.

What could possibly make this better? A pie you say? No problem. The pork pies (which to be honest are pretty run of the mill) are served up with tasty pickle and a generous blob of English mustard. It’s perfect beer food. If a pork pie isn’t enough to line the stomach then there is the option of a full ploughman’s served with enough cheddar to keep even me happy.

Pubs like this, where they seem to really care whether you enjoy yourself or not, are heaven for me. It’s a great venue for a big night out or just sitting in the sunshine with a book and enjoying a perfect pint.