The Ship and Mitre boasts what must be the city’s widest selection of beers – going so far as to regularly stage its own beer festivals. The sheer range of beers on offer at any given time does beg the question as to how one might discern this, however, due to the 15 hand pumps and dozens of bottled beers on offer at any one time. The Ship claims over 200 and CAMRA has recognised it as a Pub of Excellence. Locals will agree readily.
Food is offered during the day (the burgers, scouse and pies made right there and then, are tremendous) – and during the Belgian, German and American beer festivals there’s country-specific food available, but even if there isn’t a beer festival on, you’ll think there is due to the staggering choice of ales, lagers, ciders and perrys.
The Ship and Mitre comfortably straddles the twin worlds of real ale and craft beer. All are well-kept, though there’s always a lingering doubt about a pub that puts so much effort in offering such a huge range of draught beer. Still, no one’s complaining – the Ship is always busy and has a pleasingly buzzy ambiance. Don’t think the Ship is all about the beer either – there are nights dedicated to rum, whisky and gin too.
The Ship’s art deco exterior is stunning; inside it’s clearly been styled to resemble a ship – it’s an odd circular space around a large central bar, but it needs it due to the amount of people looking to be served. Upstairs there’s a gloriously retro bar that you can hire out for dos and events. It’s somewhere between a Victorian parlour and 60’s working-men’s club. There’s also one of the oddest spaces in Liverpool too in the shape of an enclosed rooftop bar.
There’s a regular schedule of beer festivals concentrating on brews from particular parts of the world. There’s also a bi-annual beer festival on the Wirral in beautiful Port Sunlight and similar events at Wallasey Cricket Club. Want more events? What about SciBar, in association with the British Science Association, where a speaker will deliver a talk about their research, work or sometimes their hobby. With beer, obviously.
Missing The Ship already? Never fear – try Ship In A Bottle, a shop in Liverpool City Centre selling over 400 bottled beers for you to enjoy at home.
Visiting The Ship And Mitre
The Ship is a stone’s throw from Lime Street and just along the road from Moorfields for national services, and Wirral and Northern line services respectively.
