I visited two pubs last Friday and was impressed with the beers served in both.

The first pub is called the Ivy House.  It is a cooperative set up by a group of locals.  I would look at the website for more information on the history and development of this pub: http://www.ivyhousenunhead.com/.

I reached the pub from Nunhead Train Station.  A fifteen minute brisk walk through the impressive Nunhead Cemetery helped develop a good thirst and the pub is close to one of the cemetery exits; the one opposite to the station end.  The beers were very good and the bar staff friendly.  I had a nice pint of Magic Rock Ringmaster Pale Ale and a pint of Pale Ale from The Kernel Brewery.  This was also good if more expensive.  It was described to me as being a keykeg.  It looks as if it is a keg beer because of the tap but it is a keykeg beer which means the beer is in a sterile bag that is compressed out with gas.  The gas does not touch the beer because of the bag.  CAMRA have accepted this as a real ale as long as there is yeast in the keg to allow secondary fermentation.  I highly recommend the Ivy House pub and I will be returning soon.

The second pub I visited was the Montpelier pub in Peckham.  Website: http://www.themontpelier.net/  This is a short walk from Peckham Rye train station.  Do not be put off by the main road that runs to the front of the station.  If you turn to the back of the station you will find a very gentrified part of Peckham with some good pubs and restaurants.  the Montpelier was lively and busy with friendly clientele.  I had a pint of Harvest Pale from the Castle Rock Brewery which was nice but I think it was a blonde beer rather than a pale ale.  There were several good beers on tap including Harvey’s Best for those who like well known traditional real ales.  I highly recommend a visit to this pub.

Going off the beer track a bit.  I found a very nice Indian restaurant close to this pub called Ganapati.  http://www.ganapatirestaurant.com/.  I mention it because the food was different.