A Real Ale Pub Crawl of Leeds

The best real ale pub crawl in Leeds starts at The Brunswick on North Street, heads down New Briggate to North Bar, cuts through to Whitelock's in Turk's Head Yard, then works south to Mill Hill and finishes by the canal at The Midnight Bell on Water Lane. It is about eight stops, all walkable, with Kirkstall, Timothy Taylor's, Ossett and Leeds Brewery beers along the way. Pace yourself. Halves are not a sign of weakness.

1. The Brunswick, North Street

The Brunswick, at 82 North Street (LS2 7PN), has five cask lines and nine keg lines, and the beers change almost daily, often with Yorkshire breweries like Ilkley alongside Belgian and Danish guests. It is calmer than the city centre, which makes it the right first stop. If it is a Sunday, the roast is excellent.

2. North Bar, New Briggate

North Bar, at 24 New Briggate, is one of the first craft beer bars in the country, with over 150 beers available and eight real ale pumps. The group behind it has been pouring since 1997, according to North Bar. North Brewing Co beers feature heavily. Leeds-List rates the Seasons Reverse bitter, and there are imports from America, Japan and Australia in the fridges if you fancy a break from cask. Ask the staff what else is good: they know.

3. Whitelock's, Turk's Head Yard

Head down to Briggate and duck into Turk's Head Yard for Whitelock's, trading since 1715 and the oldest pub in Leeds. There are ten cask hand pulls, usually with Timothy Taylor's, Kirkstall, Five Points and Ilkley. It is featured in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide, and if you only do one pub in Leeds, make it this one.

Optional detour: Kirkgate

If you have the legs, Kirkgate has three good stops close together. The Duck & Drake at 43 Kirkgate pours Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Theakston's Best. Wapentake at 92 Kirkgate has eight rotating Yorkshire cask and keg lines with a Kirkstall house pale. And The Angel Inn, in Angel Inn Yard off Briggate, is a Samuel Smith's house with Old Brewery Bitter at one of the cheapest prices in town.

4. Tapped, Boar Lane

Tapped, at 51 Boar Lane, is an American-style brew pub with up to ten cask ales and eleven keg beers on at once, including its own beers brewed in view of the bar. Order the Dea Latis Pale or the Mittle Pils, and if you are flagging, the pizza has beer in the dough.

5. Mill Hill: Bundobust and The Head of Steam

Turn down Mill Hill. Bundobust at number 6 has permanent taps from Kirkstall and North and its own Peela pale ale, and the vegetarian Indian street food is the best soakage on the route. The Mango Lassi pale, made with Northern Monk, is the one to try if you are bored of bitter. A few doors down at 12, The Head of Steam has rotating cask and keg and a strong Belgian list, with Timothy Taylor and Camerons on the pumps.

6. The Brewery Tap, New Station Street

Round the corner at 18 to 24 New Station Street, The Brewery Tap still has Leeds Brewery brewing upstairs. Order a Leeds Pale or a guest ale.

7. The Hop, Granary Wharf

Head under the station to the Dark Arches, where The Hop, run by Ossett Brewery, keeps ten pumps going under the railway. Yorkshire Blonde and White Rat are the house beers, and the pies are the move. Next door on Granary Wharf, SALT pours Ossett's Yorkshire Blonde and its own Jute Session IPA.

8. The Midnight Bell, Water Lane

Finish at The Midnight Bell, at 101 Water Lane in Holbeck, a rustic, old-school pub next to the canal. It is a Leeds Brewery pub, so Leeds Best and Hellfire are on, with guests. Order a Leeds Best and congratulate yourself.

Out of the centre

For a second crawl, Kirkstall is where the brewery is. Start at The Cardigan Arms on Kirkstall Road and end at Kirkstall Bridge Inn on the River Aire with a Virtuous or a Dissolution IPA.

How to do it

Start around 2pm on a weekday or Sunday, avoid Friday nights in the city centre, and eat at Bundobust halfway. Most of these pubs rotate their beers, so names change, but the breweries stay. The full route is in the Leeds-List real ale trail, and the Leeds-List craft beer guide has more on the bars.