There is something in the water in Bristol at the moment. And that water also contains barley, yeast and hops.

The Royal Navy Volunteer on King Street has reopened with an emphasis on craft beers and ciders from only the UK.

It follows hot on the heels of the Beer Emporium almost next door and the Crofters Rights on Stokes Croft.

Then there are the more established Beerd and BrewDog, with The Small Bar on St Nicholas Street due to open in October.

But back to the Royal Navy Volunteer, perhaps the only pub in Bristol that has been known to add “famous” before its name for no reason other than being quite old, dating from around 1665 and designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building.

Its other unique characteristic is its name – which is the Royal Navy Volunteer to some and the Royal Naval Volunteer to others.

Coming soon here are a quiz on Tuesdays, beer and burger night on Wednesdays, and live music on Saturday and Sunday.

The food menu aims to be as British as the beers, with the pick of the options a new take on pub grub of a Scotch egg, pork pie, fennel-cured pork scratchings with purple pickled eggs for £11.

But it’s the beers that will attract the majority of the punters. Served in either a one-third, half or two-third glass, this is the only pub in Bristol where you can’t order a pint.

Going on name alone from the 16 beers currently on keg or cask, there is Why Kick a Moo Cow from Bristol’s own Arbor Ales and Kelpie seaweed ale from the Williams Brothers Brewery in Alloa, between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The four ciders on tap when I visited were Polgoon Original, Fosseway Somerset Glory, and Burrow Hill Medium and Dry.

Then there are the bottles, with local breweries Bristol Beer Factory, Wild Beer and Wiper & True well represented among a list of more than 50, from a cider aged in a rum cask to a beer blended with organic apricot juice and another described as tasting like liquid Christmas pudding.

The Royal Navy Volunteer, 17-18 King Street, Bristol, BS1 4EF. 07960 187944.

Website: www.navyvolunteer.co.uk
Twitter: @tfrnv