Our devotion to customer satisfaction is paramount and this is reflected by our highly knowlegable staff, daily variation of our cask ale and extremely high quality standards with respect to the products we sell. From the point of delivery to the point of sale, nothing is overlooked in our ongoing quest to providing you with the perfect pint.
During 2007 we were proud enough to have served up over 680 different guest ales to our discerning punters, a selection to please even the most die-hard of tickers. Whilst we readily admit that not all beers appeal to everyone's particular taste, we also offer a much copied "No Quibble Guarantee" whereby if you are not keen on a certain pint we will happily exchange it for something more suitable. As well as sourcing an eclectic range of traditional bitters, we are also the only establishment in Tyneside (to our knowledge) that can always be relied upon to provide at least one unusual premium stout or porter, and we always endeavour to supply one or more "hard to find" cider or perry from the West country. With the exception of our only regular tipple, the superb session bitter, Caledonian Deuchars IPA (3.8%), all beers are supplied in 9 gallon barrels (firkins) to preserve the freshness and quality of the beer at the tap. As a consequence, some of the most popular are not on sale for long, so don't blame us if you miss out on a long awaited tick. (We have been known to empty a full barrel of Thornbridge's Jaipur in under two hours).  For the less educated of suppers/John Smiths drinkers, we display a chalk board above the back-bar which advertises all beers currently on sale as well as providing a wee insight as to the flavour and characteristics of each particular brew. In addition to the ales on tap, we are also more than happy to oblige you (with the exception of matchdays when it gets a tad busy) with a cellar-run, for a sample of what is tapped and ready downstairs. All we ask is that you do not request a cellar top-up!  Always open to suggestions and advice, we welcome anybody's recommendations when it comes to new products. If there is a certain ale which we have not yet stocked but you believe to be worthy of a place in our cellar, then please let us know and we will try our best to obtain a barrel. Although our enviable range of guest beers remains second to none, there are a selected band of brewers from around the UK whose products are consistently so magnificent, that by popular demand we simply cannot resist ordering them on a regular basis. Following mutual analysis, independent consultation and many dedicated sessions of heavy drinking, Neil, Barry & Ian have compiled their current top 5!! NB - Local suppliers all feature on a following page. CURRENT FAVOURITES  Thornbridge - As if the delectable Jaipur I.P.A. (5.9) was not a good enough reason for all other brewers to simply call it a day and admit defeat, Thornbridge had to go one better and release the most amazing beer known to man, the St. Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout (7.7). Bursting at the seams with chocolate, roast malts and coffee flavours this is a truly unforgettable bevy. A previous tee-totaler & health freak, Neil now quaffs 8 pints of the stuff every morning with his full English. Since their inception in Oct 2004, Thornbridge has won an incredible number of festival awards for such a relative newcomer to the brewing scene. web.mac.com/jaipuripa/iWeb/thornbridge/brewery.html  Dark Star - Relatively unknown in this region until only a few years ago, the Dark Star brews have become an almost legendary feature at the tap of the Newcastle Arms and a few other selected N.E. outlets. Each and every single one of their fine beers are guaranteed to be of a unique standard & quality. Born in 1994 at the "Evening Star" of Brighton these Southern Jessies have a built up a quite formidable reputation for regular thoroughbreds, including Hophead (3.8), Best (4.0) & Original (5.0), but are probably best known for their outstanding seasonal classics such as Espresso (4.5) & the untouchable Winter Meltdown (Barry's beer of the Year 2006).www.darkstarbrewing.co.uk  Marble - If you haven't sampled any scoops from Manchester's finest, then you really are not worthy to be reading this web-page. Being 100% organic, Marble beers are occasionally slightly hazy/cloudy, ie they do not utilise finings (Fish gall bladders to me & you). So the next time your pint appears to be a little off colour, ask yourself "Does this taste ok, or shall I throw in some more fish guts to improve the clarity?" Their regulars include Gould Street Bitter (3.8), Manchester Bitter (4.2), Ginger Marble (4.5) & Lagonda (5.0) and the staff at the Arms have been known to look a wee bit bleary-eyed, each & every time a cask of Marble goes on general release. www.marblebeers.co.uk  Oakham Ales - Oakham were founded in October 1993 by John Wood. A purpose-built 10 barrel plant was commissioned and installed within two units of a small industrial estate in Oakham, Rutland. Popular demand has resulted in continuous expansion and in 2003 the partners invested in a new site in Woodston, Peterborough and set about building a new 75 barrel brewery. Their trusted inventory of J.H.B. (3.8), White Dwarf (4.3) & Bishops Farewell (4.6) always receive a rapturous reception and like the aforementioned Dark Star, the Oakham seasonal brews such as Helter Skelter, Asylum & Inferno can always be relied upon to be of outstanding palate and quality www.oakham-ales.co.uk  Brew Dog - Every now a then a new brewery comes along that simply blows away all competition and the most recent candidate for such praise comes in the form of Brew Dog. Their plant is located in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire and production kicked off in April 2007. Serious dedication from partners (in business)James Watt and Martin Dikie has resulted in such a sublime range of ales that we are lost for words. The fact that they are already exporting gems such as Peroxide Punk (4.0), Punk IPA (6.0), Physics (5.5) & Riptide Stout (8.0) to Japan and the USA speaks for itself. Our first beer festival in June 2007 was one of only a handful of outlets in the whole of the UK to feature an ultra-rare cask of Brew Dog's Paradox whisky stout (10%) which remains a talking point to this day.www.brewdog.com At this point we were going to compile a list of our least favourite beers/breweries but after consultation with our legal advisors have decided that this is probably not a very good idea after all. However we know who you are!! |