Reading may be most famous for the longstanding Reading festival, a three day mud-fest where festival goers can listen to the best indie rock around while swigging on slightly warm, sub-standard beer. A bundle of fun for many people, however the real beer connoisseurs among you know that to find the best beer and bar Reading you must dispose of the wellies and head into Reading town centre.

Despite being an urban hub today, Reading started life as a Saxon settlement. Back then its position between the two rivers made it a fantastic spot for transporting goods, no doubt with many barrels of mead being ferried to and from the Thames Valley. These days Reading’s status as a university town means the drink still doth flow, but fortunately there is a much larger range to choose from and the selection is not limited to mead.

A ramble around Reading

Bar Reading’s grotty student haunts the bars, restaurants and culture in Zerodegrees’ fourth home town have a lot to offer. Reading Abbey, established in 1121 and the burial place of King Henry I, has received Heritage Lottery Funding to restore the ruin to its former glory. The city is also blessed with many museums including the Museum of English Rural Life and The Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology for the history buffs amongst you.

For those who like things a little hotter, 2015 saw the launch of Reading’s own chilli festival! Test your taste buds with the hottest chillies you can handle. If that is all a bit much for you, head over to Picnic, a little Café in Market Place that serves up just two dishes a day – one veggie and one meat. A firm favourite with locals, it is simple, quick, healthy and tasty.

Bar Reading – Zerodegrees

Finally, get yourself down to the bar Reading is (should be) most proud of. Located next to the Oracle Shopping Centre, our microbrewery is suitable for a quick drink with a pal or a shindig for 200. The skylight windows mean you can enjoy a delicious craft beer bathed in light even on the rainiest of days, whilst pondering how far Reading’s beer scene has come since those Saxon days of yore.