Snowy Hogsmeade the Home of Hog's Head Pub
It’s where every Wizard knows your name!
Whenever I want to feel magical, I find myself visiting the Hog’s Head Pub in Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando. The pub is honestly a long well themed hallway with a bar and taps next to a few tables. Still, it really does make you feel like you are in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with the moving Boar head behind the bar and the sounds of magical creatures on the second floor. The Hog’s Head is my preferred location to grab a pint.
A Worn and Welcoming Sign
You will be able to order from these Wizard Brews at the bar (in my preference order):
- “Hog’s Head Brew” - The namesake beer which is a nice sweet Scotch Ale that fits the theming.
- “Daisyroot Ale” - A smooth and slightly sweet Golden/Blonde Ale.
- “Dragon Scale” - A reddish beer that will remind you of beer that tastes like beer.
- “Dark Forest Ale” - A brownish pint that tastes more like lager than any potion of this color has the right to.
If one wishes to be adventurous, patrons can ask for a layered beer, including mixing with “Strongbow Cider” to craft very traditional English mixes like a “Snakebite”. Or maybe you want a “Triple Layer Beer” which one should only order by this name!
There are also non-Wizarding beers available. The Hog’s Head is where you can grab a “Guinness” or a “Bodington’s Pub Ale.” If you don’t want a Wizarding Beer, you will find a familiar European import, which still feels in theme. I just don’t know why one would select these when there are very approachable Wizard pints, unless you are looking for a stout that fails to appear among the magical beers. You can also select a glass of wine. Or if you want stronger drinks, there are hard liquors behind the bar like “Fire Whiskey” and gin which continue to tell the story of you being in a traditional English pub.
But what if you wish to avoid booze? You can grab your many varieties of Butterbeer here, maybe with a shorter line than outside. This is the spot where I grab warm Butterbeer! Grabbing a round of Butterbeers for the family permits me to grab a pint! If they don’t want a Butterbeer, you can also find “Tongue Typing Lemon Squash”, “Pumpkin Juice”, and other alcohol-free delights.
Now what the Hog’s Head is not is a place to grab a snack. You won’t find a big pretzel or distinctive pub snack to pair with your pint. For food, you need to go next door to the Three Broomsticks. This is an all-liquid menu.
I do need to throw out some protocol’s here. First, it’s one alcoholic potion per ID. So, you won’t run up to the counter and ask the Wizard or Witch for a round for the whole crew without proper paperwork. Also, if you visit while there is a line, the line starts not at the front door but the backdoor at the patio. It seems like every busy day I’m there, a dark wizard materializes trying to cut the line. However, the bartenders are fully authorized by the Ministry of Magic to redirect you to the queue.
A Magical View!
I’d also say that the Wizards and Witches at the Hog’s Head are always a delight behind the taps. They are always helpful especially guiding Muggles through the menu, providing bad news (like you’re not in line) with a smile, and making you feel like this is your local village watering hole. The Hog’s Head to me is more like BaseLine at Disney, where you can drop in and grab a pint with great customer service, and not like the themed Oga’s where you feel a rush to get out.
For seating, if you want out of the sun, there are some tables inside with not all of them reserved for the Three Broomsticks. But, I like to grab a seat on the patio under an umbrella. But since your pint is served in a plastic cup, you could and maybe should grab one for the wait at Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Sipping a beverage does make a longer line just a little less feel like a curse.
Who Drinks Here? Anyone identifying as a Wizard drinks here. For me, this is the spot where craft beer drinkers who want to feel immersed in the books and movies of Harry Potter grab a pint. It also is the easiest spot to grab a to-go brew for waiting in Hagrid’s line across the street. But it’s also not the place to grab a beer if you want some food. Instead, you will need to go to the neighboring Three Broomsticks where you have the same slate of Wizarding beers to accompany your meal.
You never know, that Hufflepuff you see sipping a pint and laughing with family, could just be Between Pints apparating to a favorite pub to enjoy a “Hog’s Head Brew”
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