Open from 11am, the bar has been home to some of my favourite cask ales and keg lines over the years as the rotation is rapid. You can keep things affordable here by sampling thirds or stretch all the way to a pint depending on your budget.

A tipple or two later, I’d certainly recommend venturing to The Sparrow or Peacock on the same stretch of the road for more craft beer kicks. The former is owned by Kirkstall Brewery with a wide range of Leeds brewed flavours, whilst the latter serves an impeccable Lilley’s Mango Cider for anyone who prefers something a lot sweeter.

If you’re still sober enough at this point, waddle on to The Exchange Craft Beer House at The Wool Exchange on Market Street for more alcoholic adventure where you’ll be spoilt for choice with plenty of curated beers for you to enjoy in the venue’s basement. It would be foolish not to nip next door to Pizza Pieces to soak everything up with a few slices.

No Bradford visit of this kind is complete without venturing to Jacobs Well at the foot of Bradford Interchange. The landlord is a longstanding CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) member and punters like ourselves won’t be disappointed having one last pint in here before venturing over to Farsley, a suburb in Leeds surprisingly packed with craft beer.

Saint Jude, Amity Brew Co and The Constitutional are the trinity of Farsley watering holes to embrace from late afternoon into an early evening. I’d then recommend venturing to Against The Grain Bar at Swinnow Grange Mills in Bramley, a newcomer to the scene that’s a bit off the beaten track but well worth the detour alongside Raynville Superstore, also in Bramley with over 900 cans of stout, IPA and many more varieties to choose from in its fridges.

For those of us still standing, a sobering walk will eventually lead you to the Kirkstall Brewery taproom, you could nip into Headingley for a pint at Arcadia or venture straight into Leeds.

Here I would enjoy horseshoe shaped like bar crawl, starting at Assembly Underground on Great George Street, then hitting Foleys Taphouse on the Headrow, SALT BAR on East Parade, The Brew Society, Northern Monk Refectory, North Taproom, Bundobust, The Bankers Cat, Friends of Fam, Tapped, Beer Hawk before landing at Brownhill & Co.

Drink sensibly in the lead up to Christmas but what a time to be alive for craft beer fans!

Words: Damon Cooper

Photos: Salt Beer Factory, Kirkstall Brewery, Amity Brew Co