The Globe Pub, Soho, Proper Job IPA and Fyne Ales Avalance

It’d be fair to say that most of the bars in Lan Kwai Fong and Soho tend to focus on pints and pints of macro beers and shots, shots and more shots of spirits. Asahi, Carlsberg, Kronenberg 1664, Heineken, etc dominate the taps and the craft beer culture hasn’t really taken hold here. If you look hard enough though, some hidden gems turn up. You really have to look hard to find the entrance to The Globe, but once armed with the address (45A Graham Street, Central) – it isn’t hard to find. The door belies how sizeable this great beer pub is, which it needs to be as its reputation spreads.

The beer menu is broadest in its bottles (upwards of 75 beers) and there was a random range of brewers and nations offered. I think that the list changes all the time – and the paper menu didn’t list the 4 varieties of Stoke Bomber that were scrawled above the men’s urinal. I hadn’t tied the Smoky Ale before – well worth it. Nothing like a Rauchbier, just a very pleasant lightly smoked flavour balancing good malt. The food menu is pub classics with some slight nods to more modern fare (Pork and Peach something or other). Big pies are a speaciality with about 8 varities being available.

Whilst there are US, NZ, Australian beers available, I think that British beers are the most prevalent. I really love a good British IPA. Proper Job IPA is classic example of a well hopped beer that isn’t squintingly so like its US cousins. The Americans would probably have a giggle at the label – which boasts that it “is a strong golden ale that’s been powerfully hopped”. I’d say exquisitely hopped with a very pleasant light aftertaste that has a touch of sweetness. I’d could see a six pack of this disappearing very quickly. Proper Job IPA is made by St Austell’s brewery, which is located in Cornwall.

Quite unintentionally, I had reasonable crack at a Lands End to John’o’Groats of craft beer with my next selection coming from the north of Scotland. Fyne Ales Brewery is from Cairndow and makes it beer using the waters of and around Loch Fyne. Avalanche is one of eight varities they make. This has a beautiful straw colour and another really pleasant light but well hopped beer. The Globe is definitely a bar that deserves a visit if you make it to Hong Kong. The feed’s great and the beer list is as good as it gets.