Archive for August, 2011
The Fox and Grapes
by stymaster on Aug.13, 2011, under Black Country
Pensnett:
Our last Batham’s house of the day. This is a unusual building. Very friendly barman, excellent beer. Probably our least favorite Batham’s house of the day, but still not bad at all.
The Brittania Inn
by stymaster on Aug.13, 2011, under Gornal
Upper Gornal:
This pub ran The Vine a close battle. It’s quite similar: small rooms again, including a tap room where the is against the wall so the taps face you, cobs and pork pie (Mmmmm, pork pie), history, atmosphere, friendly people, and top beer. Fantastic pub.
The Lamp Tavern
by stymaster on Aug.13, 2011, under Dudley
Dudley:
Not quite as wonderful as The Vine, but a nice pub. It’s suffered a little from the extensions and opening out inside, but there’s a surprisingly good view from the beer garden, cobs were seen, and the beer was excellent. This place is a B&B as well, so if you were needing a place to stay in Dudley you could probably do worse.
The Vine (The Bull and Bladder)
by stymaster on Aug.13, 2011, under Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill:
This is pretty close to pub perfection: It’s big, but has lots of small rooms, tons of atmosphere, outside space, real fire, is near the canal, serves cobs (and other food, at times), and, as if you needed more, it’s a Batham’s house. Friendliest landlord and regulars I’ve seen in a long time too. Why is this not closer to home?
The Spring Cottage
by stymaster on Aug.06, 2011, under Bloxwich, Walsall
Bloxwich:
Just up the road, this was once a William Roberts pub. It could be great, but was ruined by no cask ale, and loud music in a pub mostly full of people 40-50 wanting to talk. Shame really. A bit stripped-out as well.
The Thatched House Tavern
by stymaster on Aug.06, 2011, under Bloxwich, Walsall
Bloxwich:
Grim.
No ale, one room, with lino. The joy of picking the one drink from the pulls/taps you can bear (given a poor choice), to find it’s not available. Outside seemed like a good choice, despite the rain. Staff were Ok though.
The Royal Exchange
by stymaster on Aug.06, 2011, under Bloxwich, Walsall
Bloxwich:
Hadn’t been here for years, and dropped in today. It seems to have been closed and now re-opened with new tenants and a stripped-out, freshly painted interior.
I’m not keen: the tenants and staff were friendly, but the only cask (pedigree) was *terrible*, and the alternatives not good. The interior has lost the character too. To be fair, it had only opened yesterday, so things might improve.
The Beacon Way
by stymaster on Aug.06, 2011, under Bloxwich, Walsall
Little Bloxwich:
This pub used to be a bit of a hole as the Nags Head, and was reborn as The Beacon Way a few years ago, with a no-trouble policy, food, and real ale. We visited before PubBlog existed, and it was the kind of pub you *might* consider a lengthy walk to.
Now? Well, I’m led to believe it has closed and just re-opened. As such, it was OK, but only OK. No real ale, and a slight air of desperation, but a friendly gaffer. No food, but reasonable outside space. It’s a modern pub, a bit soulless, but not actually terrible, just not worth a long walk.
