Bar review: Northern Monk Refectory, Holbeck

The rise of the craft beer and real ale scenes have added to the diversity of places to actually imbibe a pint. More and more breweries, buoyed by their successes, have opened up their premises as a drinking venue in their own right.

And such is the model at Northern Monk in Holbeck Urban Village where its converted, old flax store home has a tap room of its own above the brewery.

These bars make for a great showcase of the brewery’s range of beers. Here in Northern Monk, you are greeted by a low-lit room that smacks of industrial reclamation cool. A black paved stone floor gives rise to exposed brick and white-washed walls to a ceiling crisscrossed by pipes. Sleek grey lampshades hang nimbly over mostly long tables and benches which are set out canteen or bierkeller style, with smaller tables against the walls on the perimeter.

A coat rail in the middle of the room reminds me of the likes found in my old primary school cloakroom.

Easy-listening modern vocals sound out over the speakers at a gentle level. In one corner there is a glass wall which acts as a partition to brewing equipment displayed beyond and where some of the brewery’s merchandise is hung on hangers - t-shirts and tops.

Above the glass and the four-step journey of the brewing process is simply told with illustrations from hot liquor tank to fermentation vessel.