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The Swan and Three Cygnets
Old Elvet, Durham
IN the cobbled streets of Durham there lies a hallowed inn where the beer is cheap and even lager tastes of something.
No, it's not a myth – and neither does it come with the associated yobbery all too often connected with low-priced pubs.
The Swan and Three Cygnets, perched at the far end of the Old Elvet Bridge, is owned by the Sam Smith's chain.
While John Smith's hogs the limelight, the brewery once run by his cousin Sam has focussed more, in my opinion, on flavour and purity than widgetry and adverts with Jack Dee.
The cost of your round is the first pleasure that awaits you at the Swan, but I always find my taste buds are more thankful than my pocket.
One thing you do have to sacrifice is choice of brand – you will find no Carling here, as Sam Smith's products make up 99 per cent of the choice behind the bar.
There is, however, a wide choice of in-house offerings: lagers, ale, stout, bitter and even fruit beer.
Indeed, the lager drinker need not be intimidated. This is not an establishment heavy on beards, folk music, real ale and labradors by the fire.
If you like your trendy European lager in fancy glasses then you could do worse than a pint of Pure Brewed, which comes nicely chilled in a tall slim glass containing only water, barley, hops and yeast.
The standard Taddy lager is equally good, but I recommend even the most ale-phobic of drinkers to sample the easy-drinking beers and stout.
One thing I do find the Swan lacks is character – but only in comparison to others in the Sam Smith's chain, and it certainly has much more ambiance than your average Wetherspoons or Yates.
It can also be flooded with students certain nights of the week, but they're the fairly acceptable sort of scholars, and it usually gets a good mix.
But in an age of alcho-pops, flat screen TVs and dancefloors like the last days of Rome, the Swan and Three Cygnets is a godsend to the discerning drinker.
ROSS ROBERTSON
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Friday 10 February 2012
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