Location: Leeds, UK | Find them: Piglove by the River
Piglove by the River is a hidden gem. The brewery itself is located in Cross Green, but this lovely little bar is located on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal (where it joins with the River Aire), about a five-minute walk from The Royal Armouries. It started out as a pop-up bar but has since become a more permanent fixture and is being integrated into the surrounding Citu development. The large outdoor seating area right on the riverside means it’s particularly popular on hot summer days.
About
The large outdoor seating area makes it great for summertime drinking and if you can’t get a bench, there’s plenty of grass to sit on while you sup. And because it’s next to the canal, the view is lovely and there are no busy roads disturbing the peace.
On cooler days, there’s a simple but quirky indoor area where you can keep warm or shelter from the rain.
Each week, they have a different food truck, serving a variety of tasty street food from independent businesses. They also host events with musicians, comedians, and open mic nights.
And of course, you can sample Piglove’s craft beer on draft, along with a range of canned beers, wines, ciders and soft drinks from the fridge.
What we loved
We’ve been to Piglove a fair few times since it opened, so we’ve sampled a good selection of their beers. In April, we popped down for their jazz evening and while we were there we tried three beers – a lager infused with bee pollen, a session IPA, and a red sour made with beetroot.
What we love about this venue (aside from the fact that it’s walking distance from our house) is the chilled atmosphere.
The draft beers change regularly, so there’s usually something new for us to try, whether it’s new Piglove brew or a guest beer.
We recently treated ourselves to a membership – £50 for a £62.50 tab. Once the tab is run down, we get 10% off all beers.
What we drank
Sabana: Almost a Lager 4.7%
Brewer’s note: “Exciting and fresh Lager with crisp, sharp flavours owing to the infusion of Bee Pollen, Pilsner Malts, Hallertauer, and Magnum Hops. A surprising lager made with no chemicals or stabilisers using traditional ingredients to combine the perfect mix of flavour, body and aroma. A very special collaboration between Piglove and Drunk Planet.”
Omnia: Session IPA 4.5%
Brewer’s note: “A smooth, highly aromatic Session IPA, accompanied by the slightly woody sweetness of Palo Santo ‘Holy Wood’ (a special ingredient reputed for its spiritually purifying properties).”
the perfect mix of flavour, body and aroma. A very special collaboration between Piglove and Drunk Planet.”
Cosmovision: Deep Red Sour 6%
Brewer’s note: “A fascinatingly flavourful Deep Red Sour, with Acerola berries, Beetroot, Citra hops and Achiote (annatto), a famous ingredient all around the world, but born in the Amazonian rainforest, used for thousands of years in central and south America for rituals, spice, and is a symbol of divinity and power.”
Visiting
You can access this bar from the canal path – just head south from the Royal Armouries (away from the city centre) and you’ll hit it within around five to ten minutes.
You can also access it from Clarence Road (where there is limited parking). Look out for the entrance as the bar isn’t visible from the road.
Venue website: Piglove Brewing Co
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