Newbarns Taproom – Simply the best
Reaffirming my view that it's the best brewer in Edinburgh.
Hello, and welcome to another rerun of an early review. This week, it’s one of the first I ever published on Edinburgh Pub Reviews.
I’m pleased to say that my opinion – that Newbarns is producing some of the best beer out of Edinburgh right now – remains unchanged. I’m sure you’ve seen some of its lagers around town, or perhaps the excellent stout.
I don’t know how they do it, but the brewery is unfathomably prolific. Each time I visit the taproom, I’m presented with something new – a brown ale, a heavy, a collab with a brewery I haven’t heard of… they’re constantly producing fresh brews alongside the staples.
But I’ll still start with a pilsner before trying anything else. It’s crisp, it’s cool, and it goes down so, so easily. I’ll practically finish my pint on the short journey between the bar and the seating area outside.
Only one thing has really changed since I wrote the original review, and that’s the fact that Donzoko – which used to brew on the premises – has moved to Newcastle. They are opening their taproom next month.
Here’s the original post:
The chaser
Are we about to see a new swathe of pubs shut down next year? In this piece about what the new government should do to protect pubs, tax consultants RSM UK say increases in the minimum wage for young people might “squeeze margins and potentially derail recruitment plans” for hospitality businesses.
Currently, the minimum wage is higher for over-21s than it is for 18 to 20-year-olds, something Labour has called “discriminatory”. Before the election, they pledged to removed the age bands.
Clearly, I want pub workers to be paid properly. Of course, I would also like pubs to stay open. This shows just how tight margins are in hospitality, and how difficult it is to keep businesses afloat when everyone’s budgets are squeezed.
To be fair to the tax consultants, they’re not advocating for a lower wage. They offer three solutions to help alleviate support hospitality: Overhaul the business rates system, recruit skilled workers (e.g. chefs) from overseas and cut VAT on food and drink sales. Let’s see if any of these will be put in place during this parliament.