The Clarendon Arms, Kenilworth

Tonight I  visited a pub I found out about on Twitter.  For those of you not into the amazing world of Twitter, it is a fabulous marketing tool for all businesses.  Any business not using it needs their head testing.  The Clarendon Arms obviously uses it to good effect and any pub that actively promote themselves must surely be a pub worth visiting.

Kenilworth is situated between Coventry and Warwick just off the A46.  I have visited the excellent castle many, many years ago and as the address of the pub is Castle Hill I was expecting it to be located nearby.  I was not wrong.  I drove through the centre of Kenilworth, a pleasant enough looking town, and headed left up towards the castle.  Following a sharp right turn, the castle looms on the left and a large pub called The Queen & Castle is on the right.  Turning right at this pub you will notice The Clarendon Arms as a tiny narrow pub next to the large car park of the pub next door.  What an idyllic setting this pub has.  With a collection of thatched cottages opposite and the castle across the main road you would think you were in a very English village rather than being on the outskirts of a town.

The front of the pub has a lovely stained glass window.  Entering the door to the left there is a quiet front room off to the right and walking straight on you come to the bar.  It has a modern look but with a traditional feel to it.  Comfortable seating around solid wooden tables on a wooden floor is a common theme throughout.  The pub may look small and it is narrow but it goes back a fair distance.  Beyond the bar there is a further bar/dining area and it also has an upstairs function room.  The available beers tonight were Hook Norton (Hooky Gold), Sharps (Doom Bar), Wye Valley (Butty Bach) and Purity (Mad Goose).  I chose the latter, a pale hoppy brer (4.2%ABV) with a bitter finish. 

I have sampled Purity beers a number of times.  I find them to be quite traditional beers.  All are well-balanced with a bitter finish and very drinkable.  The brewery is situated in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside.  It appears to be a very ethical company with an environmentally-friendly water treatment system.  Their website can give you more information about this.  This USP has probably been a key reason behind their rapid growth as they now supply hundreds of outlets.  You certainly won't have difficulty finding their beers within the pubs of Warwickshire and beyond.

Overall, a pleasant drink in an excellent pub.  The Clarendon Arms is a pub you should visit if you are in the area.  I was not eating tonight but next time I visit I will ensure I am hungry because the menu is very tempting with classic pub fayre.  Tonight was 'pie night' which is a good reason alone for going back.  I'm glad I made the journey out here and you will not be disappointed either.

Happy drinking.