Veritas Ale & Wine Bar, Leeds

Leeds welcomed another set of beer pumps to choose from this week, with the opening of Veritas, situated on Great George Street, just behind the town hall. Market Town Taverns are known for their tasteful and stripped-back treatments of drinking dens, and Veritas follows that blueprint closely.

The paint only just dry, I popped in for a couple of beers. The good thing about MTT pubs is that you sort of know what to expect - no music, some decent bar food, and walls covered in repro vintage beer posters. On my visit, the staff were friendly, the place buzzing along nicely with a lunchtime crowd of suits, and some decent beers to choose from.

Despite being quite Northern-Centric, the range was good - Black Sheep Bitter, Thwaite's Wainwright, Ilkley's Black and Mary Jane, Tim Taylor's Best, Marston's Oyster Stout and Wharfebank Blond adorned the pumps, and there was the usual bottled range including Kuppers Kolsch, Veltins and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout to name a few. In a pale sort of mood, I opted for two new, but tried-and-tested thirst-quenchers; the citrussy Mary Jane from Ilkley and the maltier, more floral Blond from Wharfebank. Both beers were in good nick , and I settled down for a quiet lunch with my head in the sports pages. Which is all I want, really. I'm a simple man.

Veritas seems like a decent addition to the circuit, and forms a nice little triangle in that part of town now along with comrades Foley's and The Vic, just down the road. On a related note, Ilkley wil be launching thier new oatmeal stout, Stout Mary, in conjuction with Market Town Taverns in the upcoming month. Keep an eye out.