London and Paris

[Girth Brooks]

Two great places in Paris are:
-www.caveabulles.fr/‎
A few things are cold, but it is mostly a bottle shop, and it is centrally located in the Marais. The owner was on the show a few years back when they did the French beer episode.
-http://www.brewberry.fr/
Wonderful selection of beers from around the world, staff is great and the area around it is quite lively as well

Good to know these are worth going to. They were the two stops I really wanted to make from the reviews I read.

[JoeBeer100]

I'm in London this week scoping out the pub scene (for work, of course). I am staying near Trafalgar Square. I went to Tom Cribb, which is a Shepherd Neame thing. I wasn't impressed, mainly because the bartender wasn't exactly pleasant. Maybe that's just how the English are. I also went to Euston Tap, and that place is great. It is right outside of Euston Station, which is on several Tube lines. They have a righteous draft selection, and they were really nice, even whilst busy. Anyway, scope it out for yourself. The public transit is great, and there are a million places to go.

[JoeBeer100]

Update from London:
This evening, I went on an audio tour of Old London via a Rick Steves podcast. Two of the stops were the Old Bank of England Pub and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. The pubs are on Fleet Street right in the heart. Both pubs had such a great atmosphere, and I highly recommend them. It was funny, though, at the Cheese, I ran into 2 American groups (and overheard a third group), so the word is out. But the place is so rustic (dark, wood creaky floors, deep cellars, no f-ing TV's, etc.), that it was quite a surprise to see Americans like myself in there. And the beer was great. Fullers at the Old Bank, and Sam Smith's at the Cheese. Both poured to perfection.
Cheers!

[Ozwald]

But the place is so rustic (dark, wood creaky floors, deep cellars, no f-ing TV's, etc.)

My dream bar! Super jealous.

[JoeBeer100]

Thursday in London:
Hit The Red Lion after the conference today. Don't ask me where it is, but it was crowded and they pour a good pint. From there I proceeded onward.

Took the Tube to Camden Station, where the Camden Market is, and all kinds of supposed great pubs. We went to several, and I was not impressed. We walked down a road lined with pubs and restaurants for quite a way. Each pub was...ok. There was a decent place called The Hawley Arms, but it didn't blow me away (supposedly Amy Winehouse hung out there before, well, you know). Something about a lot of hand pumped beer in this town is that a lot of them have a cider tinge to them. Maybe better luck tomorrow.