After an aborted attempt as an identikit bar, Copper Jacks on Clare Street has relaunched as a craft beer bar and added Crafthouse after its name.
On tap, Copper Jacks Crafthouse currently has the likes of Williams Bros. Caesar Augustus from Scotland, Hardknott Cool Fusion from Cumbria and Tiny Rebel Full Nelson from Newport.
From even closer to home there is Bristol Beer Factory Hefe, Moor So’ Hopand and Wild Beer Co. Put it in Your Pipe.
A glance at the bottles also revealed a South West theme, with bottles from breweries including the splendid Wiper & True, their occasional landlords Ashley Down Brewery and the Cotswold Brewing Co. from Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire.
It’s all extremely promising, and yet Copper Jacks hasn’t quite yet shaken off its former incarnation.
On the Saturday evening when I visited the smell of cut limes filled the air with cocktails rather than beer being the drink of choice.
One solitary bearded gentleman propped up the bar with an ale in his hand, but other than that it seemed business as usual.
The original Copper Jacks only opened in June this year and this entirely new direction may take some time to settle down.
You can’t knock the ambition, however, and once Bristol’s latest craft beer bar finds its feet, it will be the first time in years that a trip to this building will find its way onto the agenda for those whose nights out don’t involve ogling naked ladies or downing triple sambucas.
There are also exciting times ahead, with the bar’s new owners planning to offer food and also utilise what used to be the strip club upstairs into a new live music venue.
Copper Jacks Crafthouse, 30 Clare Street, Bristol, BS1 1YH. 0117 927 6762.
Great bar. Bad owners. They haven’t a clue on how to deal with customers and they are exceedingly patronising and to staff. If they learned some social skills it would be worth visiting…
I was there for the first time last night – I enjoyed great beers & was served by polite & very friendly staff – I can’t wait to go back.