On Wednesday 26th June 2024 Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA members presented the Summer 2024 Pub of the Season Award to Doddy and his staff at The Hop Monkey, Hipperholme. The pub is situated on the crossroads of the junction at Hipperholme between Halifax, Brighouse and Bradford and re-opened in a building previously occupied by The Whitehall Pub in August 2022. The focus at The Hop Monkey is on real ale and there are ten handpumps on the bar. On the day of the presentation seven beers were served on handpump and the breweries represented were Nightjar (Rave Racoon), Phoenix (Wobbly Bob), Salopian (Port in a Storm), Vocation (Bread and Butter), Yorkshire Heart (two beers – Hearty and Blonde) and the Hop Monkey’s house beer (Hoppy Pale Ale). The Hop Monkey also has 16 keg lines and serves a range of lagers, ciders, wines and spirits. Bar snacks are also available.
In his speech Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA Branch Chair Richard Lee praised the bar staff for their friendliness and welcoming attitude, the range of cask and keg ales (which always included pale ales, bitters and a dark) and the ambience and rustic feel of the pub. He stated that The Hop Monkey was a welcomed addition to the Halifax real ale drinking scene and a big asset to outer Halifax.
The Hop Monkey is well worth a visit and can be reached by catching 548, 549 and 255 buses from Halifax, 548 and 549 buses from Brighouse and the 255 bus from Leeds. There is a spacious beer garden at the back of the pub, a quiz on Wednesday, music on Sunday (5-7pm) and music occasionally on Saturday evenings.
The Hop Monkey’s sister pub, The Hop Monkey Music Bar, is situated in Dean Clough, Halifax and also has a focus on real ale, but please check opening hours before you visit.
