Taking ones own advices

Some while ago I wrote a post about the ideal Birmingham pub crawl - it's here.

Now over the course of the year this has proved to be quite popular (in so far as my blog statistics appear to show).  This post also seems to have had bursts of sporadic popularity, where I am gratified to say, people appear to be actually using it to plan real-life crawls.  So I decided to do the same.

The opportunity throated itself when my long-standing and brilliant chum @joneso76 came a-visiting from Leicester.  He's fairly new to Twitter and had quickly become enraptured by the exciting adventures that the West Midlands beer community always seemed to be involved in.  So, on arrival in Brum he begged for the chance to hit as many hot 'spots' as possible, during his one-day duration. This situation seemed set-up for revisiting as many of the locations on my ideal pub crawl, as could reasonably be fisted into a day.

Before my arrival in the centre, Jones already ticked off Brewdog and walked past Post Office Vaults (2 down).

We rendezvoused in the Victoria, where we were honoured to be the first people in the pub to ever sample cask Magic Rock.  In fact, we were possibly the first people to ever sample cask Magic Rock, in the whole history of Birmingham.  Ku.  dOS.  It was Curious.  It was history.

After the Victoria it was back to Brewdog for some delicious Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast and a chance meeting with two of Birmingham's foremost international beer connoisseurs Hazel and David.  Unfortunately Brewdog didn't have any lager from Bhutan, so they had to drink something nice instead.  Ho hum.

Next up, Citra and delicious Thai grub at the Bartons, having walked through Bacchus en route.  The Bartons never disappoints, although the lack of bottled Green Devil IPA did remind me just how baffled I am that Oakham will no longer be bottling it - madness.

From there to the Lord Clifden, where it was yeasty Budvar and one of the city's most impressive hand dryers.

The LC is an Urban Art Bar, as is the Red Lion, which I'll come to in a minute.  But before that, it was the Drop Forge and a pint of Malvern Hills Black Pear.  What a smart place.

So then, the Red Lion for more lager- this time some Estaminet Pils, which was extremely tasty and served in a splendid, ribbed beaker.  Golf.

Finally, for a quick pint of Bathams (which turned into several), it was to the ever [and always] brilliant Black Eagle.  It has been too long since I visited this esteemed and fabulous location, which seems to transcend the vicissitudes of beer fashion; so I made the most of my stay.  1) Free chips.  2) Bathams served in tip-top condition. 3) Dancing with, and for the entertainment of, an older and surprisingly sprightly clientele (old ladies).

If I say one thing about the above mentioned pub crawl, it is this: it was brilliant.  If I say a second thing, it's that Birmingham has loads of great boozers, and sometimes I forget that.  I increasingly find myself drawn to a handful of crafty joints in the city centre these days, but in order to de-narrow my beerview, perhaps I need to be more stringent in making sure I remember to visit the other venues of legend, in this, the Second City.

~ ~

In the coming weeks, I will endeavour to bring you posts on the following:
i) The greatest beer tasting evening I've ever known
ii) My reflections on a booze-free January
iii) An update on the Birmingham Beer Bash   

The Birmingham Beer Bash, which is a progressive beer festival

This is unusual.  In normal circumstances, when writing a blog post, I just sort of prat around and generally make rather a show of myself.

This time however, I want stroke a differing note.  This time I am reporting on something meaningful, concrete and above all - exciting.

The Birmingham Beer Bash is a festival which will take place on 26th and 27th July.  It has been in the pipeline for a while, but having settled upon a brilliant, city centre location, it now has no choice but to be real.  No longer will it exist only as an abstract possibility; but by sheer force of intent and raging desire, it hath forced itself skywards, screaming for life.

The main thing I'd like to say at this stage is/are theses:

1) Our festival will be a collective effort. 
The organising team are not hardened marketing gurus, or grizzled brewery tycoons - we are beer fans first and foremost.  We (and I include I in this) have sat back watching the craft beer scene bubble and fizz in cities around the UK, wondering when our turn would come.  In the end, we decided to make it happen for ourselves.  In putting this fest together, we are going to utilise hard work, passion and the spirit of cooperation.  We are reaching out to like minded, prospective partners: people who also want to deliver a shed load of the very best beers into the mouths of an expectant Birmingham audience.

2) We love great beer. 
Let's talk about quality.  It's a matter of opinion, certainly; but it's also something tangible and tantalising.  Our team shares an appreciation of what the UK's best brewers are creating right now: a scene stuffed with hops, flavour, wit and style.  We want to bring the very brightest British and World brewers under one roof, (located in a Birmingham postcode), to give the venerable folk of the Midlands, a chance to be a part of this revolution, which is now encroaching upon our beer drinking lives.

3) It won't be much of a festival without you.
 I mean that.  We mean that.  We are bringing the best beer to Brum, so that you can drink it.  We will try to drink it also, but we'll be busy serving you.  So please come. Bring your chums and sample some fantastic brews.  See what the fuss is all about.  Have a ball.

We will keep you up to date via Twitter and Facebook.  Our website will appear shortly.

I will, at some point, introduce you to the team behind the event; a team you can join as a volunteer (which is what we are also).

As for me, I have but a small part.  You may read my words promoting this event, but most of all I hope you will read my passion and excitement.

Until July then.  Let the days count down.   

The Festive Period. An exciting 'round up"

The onset of January, and indeed the onslaught of 2013, recently began in earnest.  Before that becomes a grinding inevitability, let's just take a minute to look back over an exciting December, which turned out to be a month.

As Birmingham residents will be only too gratefully aware, our branch of Brewdog finally opened it's doors on 11th December.  It's opening was met with a wave of people going in and buying beer and then tweeting about how nice it was[is].

I managed to hold back for a full half a day before peeking inside and buying my first ever {Birmingham-based} kegged Brewdog.  It was Movember, a Black IPA and it tasted, like, victory.

Since then I have popped in as often as my wife/wallet/boss/child/slim-fit jeans will allow and even during this short timescale, have already sampled some incredible draft beers, including Cocoa Psycho, Punk IPA, Jackhammer, Hoppy Xmas, Tokyo, Imperial Red Wheat and guest offerings from the likes of Mikkeller, Brodies and Rogue.  Fabulous.  A range which is blatantly of a different order to any other draft offering in the city.

Coincidentally, the opening of Brewdog Brum came just a few days after I visited their Nottingham sister, during a short, punchy crawl of that city.  Nottingham is somewhere that conjures fond memories of Selectadisc, Rock City and massive LCFC victories (cough).  I was pleased to see that its boozers are up to scratch, with King William IV, Kean's Head and BD all brilliant venues.  I supped Whim, Navigation, Brewdog, Castle Rock and Rodenbach; and almost missed my train.

<The second half of this post drags rather.  Thus, to brighten/spice things up, I have changed the text colour. Does this work as a technique?>

In other Brum news, the Christmas period offered the yearly chance to visit boozers whose doors I don't usually darken**:  

Sometimes this is because I am frightened to venture in - like i) the Crown, which I was delighted to find was a beautiful old pub, in great nick.  Terrible beer choice mind, but space to sit down and kegged Brew XI were a compromise worth taking.

Sometimes I assume a place doesn't serve beer and/or I'm not trendy enough to go in - like ii) the Island Bar, which I was delighted to find was a buzzing place, offering bottled Marstons Oyster Stout.

Aside from Brewdog, another regular stop-off during the party season was the Victoria, which boasted 3x handpulls of Thornbridge on the visit I can remember, including delicious (ever-delicious) Kipling.

I also popped into the Old Joint Stock and enjoyed a Fullers Past Masters Old Burton Extra, which was mellifluous malt indeed.

My final note is of brief stop-offs at two of the Shakespeares* in the centre: I quaffed Pilsner Urquell on Summer Row and succulent Jaipur at Lower Temple.  Both were delicious.
 
***

Happy NY.

* There is a third one in New Street station.  You have to have a train ticket to get to it and I certainly would not advise buying one for that specific purpose - it's not a good enough place.
** Because all of my usual haunts are rammed.
*** I also went to Leicester over the holiday.  Lots of Everards Tiger - yum yum.

A Year of Achievement

A short while ago, a colleague was commenting on the massive admiration he had for this blog, given all the successes it's helped to bring about during the past 12 months.  He thought it would be good (and a sort of end of year treat for you all) if I did a quick post summing up some of Mediocre Beer Adventures' successes:

1. Invented a phrase
Back in my earliest posts, the 'stolen crawl' appeared.  12 months later it's a phrase which entered general circulation to such an extent that the OED is set to include it in it's next edition.

2.  Organised a Twissup
Way back in Spring(?) MBA thought it was about time that the various Brum beer Twitter people sat down and looked each other in the eye.  Hence the inaugural Twissup, which took in some prime pubs and cemented several friendships, borne out of a load of blokes saying 'you're me besht mate' over and over again.

3. Named a beer
To celebrate Ian Harrison's 10,000th review on Ratebeer, Steel City kindly offered to brew a beer in his honour.  Stumped for a suitable name, who stepped into the breach?  Yes, Mediocre Beer Adventures.  The name?  Olymp-Ian.  Genius.

4. Became the voicepiece of Industry
In perhaps my most genuine-est piece of investigative journalism, I took a long hard look at the major players in the Birmingham beer scene.  This went up a storm and allowed me to use stake my claim as 'a player' in my own right.  Since that date I am able to walk into any pub in the city and people offer me free beer (in exchange for me giving them money).  But seriously (great album btw) this blog post was a fascinating experience and allowed my readers to see the men and women who control their beer lives.

5. Did a 3-way collaborative blog post
Way back in April, I instigated a beautiful blog collaboration, which saw 3 bloggers review 3 beers, all of which were under 3%.  All the beers were rubbish, but it was a brilliant idea.  Thanks to Simon at CAMRGB and the much missed Richard at Porter Pages for taking part.

6. Carried out 2 x craft beer reconaissance missions
Selflessly I visited both Sheffield and London, to assess their beer scenes and report back to the eager drinkers of the West Midlands just exactly what they were/are still missing.  Namely a Euston or Sheffield Tap, a Craft Beer Co and a Brewdog.  By Wednesday 12th December, we'll be able to scratch one of those from our collective wish lists.

7. Predicted the future
Along with erstwhile blogging colleague David Aleman (of the OthertonAleman blog), I wrote what can now be seen as a prophetic post, outlining exactly what sort of characters were required to instigate a craft beer revolution in our city.  As if by magic, I become a beer maven for a seething mass of drinkers, ready to smash down the doors of perception*, in search of acceptable beer choice. 

8. Built an off-licence map
No one else saw the need for a map of Birmingham off licences.  No one else had the foresight.  I did.  I dared to dream.  Now, every time a fellow beer lunatic drives halfway across the city, to purchase a bottle of rubbish Ukrainian lager, from a East European food shop, they have me to thank for it.  My number #1 ranked post (by page views).

9. Drove the craft beer revolution 
Through constant harrassment of pub chains, landlords and brewers, good beer has seeped into Birmingham like a dyke from which a finger has been removed.  I demanded that Brewdog come to Birmingham - now they are.  I asked for other beer bars - some are on the way.  I demanded UK craft beer choice in our established boozers - it is here.  I don't want to become a victim of my own hyperbole, but as I sit here, fully clothed, it occurs to me that I may just be Birmingham's beer Messiah.  Is this getting too much yet? 

10. Invented novelty beer photography
A good idea was waiting to be discovered.  It was so simple, why had no one thought of it before?  All you need[ed] is beer, a camera and a selection of seemingly random objects...... Behold, a new craze was born.

11. Dominated the local press
Oh, and I was featured in an article in the Birmingham Post, written by a top PR guru.

12. Galvanised, nay initiated a Birmingham Beer Scene
Through my Twissup effort I gathered together the disparate Brum beer strands on Twitter.  I then charmed them at beer tastings and festivals, and, for my pains lent my credibility to beer and brewery launches.  Some thought I was spreading myself too thin, but I just couldn't stop giving.  And now the rewards are clear, as the children of my revolution go out into the Birmingham heartlands, spreading my good words and propelling the Brum craft beer scene into larger and bigger erm things.

13. Generated 18000 hits
Is that a lot?  It sounds like a lot.  Even discounting the number of people who feel obliged to log in, because they know me, that is still a lot of people who have dropped by.  And I'm grateful.  And no, although my Dad is mad keen on MBA, even he wouldn't be prepared to log in 18,000 times, just to pump my ego.**

So there you have it.  What started out as a bit of fun for me, a place to flex my linguistic and punctuational muscles, has turned into a radical, some might say vital campaigning force, which has brought about real change on the Birmingham beer scene.  2013 is lift-off for craft beer in Brum: who knows what we, or rather I will be able to achieve this year.  Let's have, errr, it.

Deluded? Moi? Non.

*a reference which makes no sense.  Whatsoever.
**but I love him anyway

Golden Pints 2012

Hello, yes. 

Last year I sent off my nominations for the Golden Pints awards, even though I wasn't a blogger.  A year on and I am, in the words of my wife "always typing on the ruddy computer", so I feel fully justified in making a proper 'blogger's' response to the 2012 version.

Here are my award WINNERS:

Best UK Draught Beer

Tiny Rebel Urban IPA

Best UK Bottled or Canned Beer

Brodies Hoxton Special IPA

Best Overseas Draught Beer

Ska Modus Hoperandi

Best Overseas Bottled or Canned Beer

Nogne India Saison

Best Overall Beer

Brodies Hoxton Special IPA

Best Pumpclip or Label

Anything from Moor

Best UK Brewery

Kernel

Best Overseas Brewery

Mikkeller

Pub/Bar of the Year

In Birmingham and the Black Country = Windsor Castle, Lye

Nationally = Sheffield Tap, err Sheffield. 

Beer Festival of the Year

Not a big festival fan.  Only been to one in 2012, so it'll have to be Birmingham Beer Festival. 

Supermarket of the Year

Tesco

Independent Retailer of the Year

Cotteridge Wines

Online Retailer of the Year

Beers of Europe

Best Beer Book or Magazine

None

Best Beer Blog or Website

The one and only.... Mediocre Beer Adventures

Best Beer Twitterer

Simon Johnson or Pierre Van Klomp

Best Online Brewery Presence

Brewdog

Food and Beer Pairing of the Year

I don't eat and drink simultaneously

In 2013 I’d most like to...

Visit Birmingham's new range of craft beer bars, on a regular basis

My Best Post of the Year

A typical day in the life of Mediocre Beer Adventures

Now, eagle-eyed viewers will spot that I've adopted a slightly provocative, 'Liam Gallagher' style posture in my nominations.  I'm not sure if I like it, so you may not see this persona a second time.

Love

Dan

Birmingham/Black Country Pub of the Year 2012

A short post this, as I am trying to learn to be conciser that what I have been known to be.

My pub of the year is based on a combination of two things, of which the latter is the subordinate.

First: I look for good beer - either a big range, or a smaller range of good beer.  Ideally a big range of great beer.  Extra points are gained here for uniqueness of the offering.

Second: a like a pub with a nice feel - friendly staff, nice furniture, good music, cool decor et al.

For Birmingham, I believe this year has been a transitional one for pubs: we are betwixt the great craft beer 'lift-off' of 2013, but much {much} better off than the pre-Wellington days of 2004.  In the Black Country meanwhile, the old classics plough on undaunted, even while the next generation of pubs and breweries chomp at the/a bit.

And so, without further ado, here are my Top 3 [Brum/Black Country] pubs of the 2012 year, in reverse order.

3. Post Office Vaults, Birmingham
Loses points for being cramped and very expensive, but gains big points for having a marvellous Belgian range.  To be able to go into a city centre boozer and be guaranteed Orval, De Molen, St Bernardus, Slaapmutske etc is fantastic and not to be taken for granted.  For donkeys' years we have begged for a place like this, and now we have it.  Tiny Rebel on tap, on a regular basis is appreciated also.

2. The Victoria, Birmingham
Scores highly for being a cool place to hang out.  Also garners enormous praise for being the first, and largely the only city centre pub to stock UK craft beer, albeit in bottles.  I love the idea (and the reality) of leaving work, and then 5 minutes later being able to drink Kernel or Red Willow, whilst listening to some cool choons.  The Bitters 'n Twisted pub chain deserves credit for seeking to fill the craft beer gap in Birmingham and the Victoria is a place I enjoy spending time.  Bravo.

1. The Windsor Castle, Lye
A wonderful place.  A short train journey from Snow Hill station brings you to the home of Sadlers, a West Midlands brewery who are absolutely at the top of their game.  This place scores well for cleanliness, comfort, staff and decor, but let's not pretend otherwise - it's the beer range that brings me back.  To be able to walk into a pub and be confronted by 10 or so handpulls devoted to fresh, local produce is fantastic.  Added to this is the fact that Sadlers are churning out big, hoppy beers; more so than any other local brewery.  Hop Bomb is marvellous, but Dr Hardwicke's is the one what does it for me the mostest.  If I can recommend a pub crawl to people in 2013, it is the Number 9 crawl which takes in the Duke William in Stourbridge (for Craddock's beers), the Windsor Castle in Lye and the Waggon and Horses in Halesowen.  Black Country beer heaven - I'M TELLING YOU.

Well done to Sadlers and well done to the Windsor Castle - the Mediocre Beer Adventures Birmingham and Black Country Pub of the Year for 2012. 
 

Brum Beer Fest 2012 + other stuff

Hello yes.

The 2012 version of the Birmingham Beer Festival 2012 took place last week (24th-26th October).  I attended on Friday and here are a few 'observations' (which is a posh way of saying that I'm going to tell you things about it).

First off, it was a massively good chance to catch up with fellow beer lovers from Birmingham and the surrounding sectors; people one regularly converses with on Twitter.  In fact, the Thursday and Friday evening sessions were designated #Twissups, allowing me to check in with a selection of friendly faces.  This was obviously a massive pleasure.



Second, the Foreign Beer Bar being run by Krishan and the Stirchley Wines team was a big plus, offering access to treats such as Emelisse Triple IPA and Duvel Tripel Hop, as well as £5 shots of 32% Brewdog Tactical Nuclear Penguin.

From a very personal point of view, the foreign beer options made up for the rather pedestrian cask beer list, which offered up a series of so-so beers during my foray.  Now, I'm not not trying to be sniffy, but having been denied some promised Summer Wine beers, and with a hugely in-demand barrel of Magic Rock High Wire refusing to clear sufficiently to be sold, I was left slightly disappointed at a lack of cutting edge/well-hopped beers.  Indeed, it was tricky to move beyond standard Bitters or Golden ales, but I did enjoy a Revolutions Paranoid Porter and a Tyne Bank Southern Star.  Sadlers also came up with the goods (as they usually do), with a very nice double IPA entitled Sweet Leaf.  But sadly, there were not many other cask beers sampled by me, which put their bubbly heads above the parapet.

Lastly: music at beer festivals.  What's that about?  By about 9.00 on this Friday evening, the upper floor of the festival venue was 'rocking' to a heavily metal band.  This band may have been brilliant for all I know, but the volume, and my consequent inability to have a conversation with fellow beer geeks, meant that effectively the national beer floor became off limits.  Which was a shame.

Still for all the mixedness of the above bag, the experience was undoubtedly positive.  As a member of the BrumBeerTwitterati pointed out - it was good to feel 'part of something [a community]".  The organisation of the fest was exemplary and the queues outside the venue on Friday evening were clear testimony to the popularity of the event.  It has to be said that I don't really enjoy beer festivals (I prefer pub crawls) but I did enjoy my visit to the Birmingham Beer Festival.

**

The following day, I had another lovely beer experience.  Following an exciting LCFC loss against Crystal Palace, I managed a mini-crawl of Leicester which took in the Swan and Rushes, Criterion, The Pub and the Ale Waggon.


I'm happy to say that the Swan came out on top, by retaining a dynamic selection of foreign bottled beers and by offering bar staff with the wit and knowledge to coherently discuss your potential choices.  Because of the staff intervention on Saturday, I managed to add a DELICIOUS De la Senne Jambe de Bois, to the Kneitinger Bock and Forsting Festbier which I had already necked.  When I was starting my beer journey in the early noughties, it was this pub that grabbed my tackle and got me excited.  10 years on and I still relish every visit.

The Criterion no longer has a bottled range to rival the Swan, but I did pick up a nice bottle of Krusovice Imperial.  The Pub meanwhile had St Feuillien Brune on tap, which was a deliciously smooth Belgian treat.



Finally, after nipping into the Ale Waggon, I managed to grab 3 off licenced treats: Slovakian Saris, UAE Barbican (pineapple flavoured, alcohol free) and Ukranian Obolon.  Cheering indeed.



***

Thirdly.

On the day previous to the Beer Festival (Thursday) I had a super, smashing, great sightseeing trip to London.  Having visited all the 'hot' spots and scoffed a delicious falafel sandwich, I managed a lightning visit to the Euston Tap, which never disappoints, and which didn't disappoint.  3 x halves of Bristol Beer Factory Acer, De Molen Blikken and Blozen and Red Willow Soulless were all extremely well tasty and sent me on my way happily.

More soon.

State of the (Mediocre Beer) Nation - Brum

I have now been writing this blog for around 6 months, which has been a lot of fun.  I have enjoyed writing a load of nonsense about my beer drinking exploits and have tried in my own small way to promote good beer in Birmingham and highlight good practice.

Six months is therefore, probably a good point at which to take stock of where we are; and by 'we' I mean both me and Birmingham (as a whole).  [Due to my garrulous typing, this will be done in 2 concurrent posts].

Part I – Brum

At the start of the year, Birmingham had just welcomed the Post Office Vaults, which is now very well established indeed, with a massive range of bottled beers, great staff and a rising profile.  It is the best beer pub in the City. 

But...... from August onwards Brewdog will be coming to town, which will undoubtedly change things.  Now in many ways this is a dream come true, certainly it's something myself and other Brum beer bloggers and tweeters have begged for.  But could it be the tipping point?  I think 'Yes' is that answer to that one.  Yes.  At last Birmingham beer fans will have some tangible part of the national craft beer 'scene' to cling onto; at last we are being taken seriously, by one of the big players.

I fully anticipate that the arrival of Brewdog will spark the counter-arrival of one or two independent craft beer bars, at which point we really will be in the midst of an upward trend.  Equally, I think it will breed a new err breed of clientele, which will dovetail quite nicely with the fanbases of pubs like the Anchor, the Wellington and the Bartons Arms, which will still have a part to play, along with the Nicholsons and Bitter and Twisted venues.   

Off-licence-wise, Birmingham has also expanded it's waistline, as Cotteridge Wines have popped up to become the first real competitor to Stirchley Wines; having taken note of the quiet revolution which SWS have been orchestrating for over a decade.  Indeed, South West Birmingham has become something of a bottled beer haven.  If only East and North Birmingham could seize the baton in as enthusiastic a fashion: but then again, they are already well served for Polish and otherEast European beer produce, as evidenced by my ongoing off licenceproject.  

It seems strange to think that only 18 months ago, Brum had never laid eyes on a Mikkeller, Kernel, Nogne or Stone, but thanks to SWS, I think we already take for granted our access to these international beer icons.  Indeed, if the Twittersphere is anything to go by, the City's thirst for new national and international beer brands is getting ever more intense.

Talking of Twitter, April saw the first Birmingham Twissup, which was a great event in itself, but more importantly was the genesis of Birmingham’s first ever, (upcoming) Craft Beer Festival, provisionally entitled Brum Craft 2013.  Now this will be a fantastic event anyway, but my feeling is that even in 2013, it will still be the only opportunity for beer fans in the City to sample the UK’s best craft beer on keg and cask.  Whither Magic Rock?  Whither Kernel?  My tongue is already watering.

In short then, the beer scene in Birmingham is getting better and better.  It's still not as good as London or Sheffield, nor Manchester, Newcastle, Huddersfield, Ilkeston, Cambridge etc.  But we are moving in the right direction, and the pace of that movement is picking up (in the right direction of pace).

In my next post, which forms Part II of this State of the Nation report, I will talk about myself*...

*for a change

Brand Focus no.1: Oakham

I sometimes take Oakham for granted.  I think perhaps all UK beer fans do.  They have been doing their thing for as long as I have been rating beers.  Unencumbered by fashion, unaffiliated with 'craft' beer, this Peterborough-based powerhouse have been steadily churning out peerless Golden Ales, with a level of consistency which is breathtaking: to wit, I cannot remember having a bad Oakham. 

When I look back to British real ale in 2003 (around the time I was 'discovering' it) brown bitters were ceding ground to a new breed of well hopped British beers, all golden in hue.  Crouch Vale were there (and still are), Hopback Summer Lightning was an early archetype of the style, Dark Star Hophead was about to land and Oakham JHB was tasting marvellous.  Coincidentally, in early 2004 Oakham opened a pub in Brum - the peerlessly beautiful and carefully restored Bartons Arms, replete with a range of Oakham's best on handpull.  Here was easy access to fresh JHB, White Dwarf and Bishops Farewell.  As I said, marvellous.  But that wasn't the end of it: over the succeeding 8 years Oakham have continued to deliver beer after new beer, all well hopped, flavoursome and with the balance of an Olympic gymnast.  Here are some highlights.

Citra

Supped throughout the evening of Christmas Eve 2010, with my brother Chris, in the homely Black Eagle.  This. Blew. My. Chops. Off.  A hoppy taste yes (I expected nothing less), but oh! what hops.  Like a basket of freshly sliced mangoes tipped down my eager gullet.  So clean, powerful and delicious.  Wow.  It's now a regular at the Wellington, but my first taste of Citra was a beer experience that will be branded on my soul, till my toes turn up.  Terrible headache in the morning, mind.

Hawse Buckler

A bottle purchased from Global Wines not long after the birth of my daughter; this, unusually is a dark Foreign Stout, but is delivered with the standard precision and level of hopping you would expect.  Smooth, flavoursome and with diversely profiled, but equally generous portions of roast and big hop.  I actually believe this was a precursor to Black IPA - a style which is now 'all the rage'.  It disappeared for a while, but I was happy to sample it at the Bartons a couple of months back.

Bishops Farewell

A mainstay of the Oakham range, this one kills it every time.  So rich, so tongue crushingly, unrelenting hoppy, but served in soupcons of such tonsil caressing care, that my heart skips a beat with every swig.  This is the archetypal UK Golden Ale, as far as I am concerned.*

Dreamcatcher

Sampled at the Swan and Rushes in Leicester, just after witnessing LCFC beat eventual Championship promotees Southampton.  This is a big, purple IPA, with an Ikea shelving system full of unusual tastes and flavours, vying for supremacy on one's tongue.  Forest fruit, marzipan, deep radiant, bitter and powerful hops. Big, even by Oakham's standards, and one of the first, and still rare, genuine UK cask IPAs that I have tried/loved.

I could go on and on.  I could wax lyrical about tropical Preacher, super solid Taipan, light, yet merciless Tranquility or bitter, smooth and powerful Green Devil.  But I'll try to wrap up here.  My Ratebeer records show that I have sampled 42 Oakham beers, and the scores I've given show that I've loved them all.  Oakham are masters of producing consistently high quality beers, and if pushed, I might even say that they produce the best beers available on cask in the UK.  Even when pitted against the likes of Kernel and Mikkeller, Oakham punch at and above their weight.**


*Unless I say otherwise at a later date.
**Unless I say otherwise at a later date.    

 

A typical day in the life of Mediocre Beer Adventures

In the period between Christmas and the end of March, I had quite a bit of annual leave to use up, and not much to do with it.  Or rather not much money to do anything with it.

Consequently the long empty hours between delivering and collecting child from nursery, used to stretch like an overextended elastic band.  I noticed that my beer obsessed days were starting to take on a familiar pattern, centred on beer, but not allowing for the actual consumption of it.

For a spoonful of mirth, here is the make-up of a typical day:

7.30 Get up.
8.30 Deliver child to nursery
9.30 Drink first of today's 28 cups of tea, which will become progressively less satisfying
9.45 Turn on computer, log into Twitter to read lots of tweets from a) people who are hungover, b) brewers who are starting work and c) bloggers with posts that sound more interesting than mine
10.00 Check Wellington beer board to see what beers are on
10.05 Log into Mediocre Beer Adventures to see how many people read that article I posted at 11.45 last night.
10.06 Realise that no one read that article I posted at 11.45 last night.
10.07 Retweet my own tweet - the one advertising my latest blog article (the one I posted at 11.45 last night)
10.20 Spend an hour replying to other people's conversation starting tweets, only for them to not start a conversation with me
11.20 Realise it's nearly lunchtime and start thinking about going to the pub this afternoon.
11.25 Check the West Midlands Travel website, in an attempt to calculate travel times between pubs
12.25 Crumpets
13.00 Make a new Google map, showing planned pub crawl
14.00 Check Wellington beer board to see what beers are on
14.05 Tweet new Google map
14.10 Cross reference new Google map with West Midlands Travel website to check whether pub crawl is 'do-able'
15.00 Realise it is now too late to do pub crawl.
15.05 Check Wellington beer board to see what beers are on
15.10 Check the West Midlands Travel website to see whether it would be possible to get to Stirchley Wines, before picking up child
15.30 Realise it isn't possible
15.40 Crumpets
16.00 Notice that Countdown has started, feel physically sick that the day has passed me by
16.05 Read more tweets from beer fans around the world, make a pledge to make better use of tomorrow
16.30 Consider popping into local Ember Inn, on the off chance that a decent beer is on
16.35 Don't bother
16.40 Check Wellington beer board to see what beers are on - realise that a great beer has just come on, but realise that by the time I can now visit (tomorrow) it will have finished
17.00 Check the West Midlands Travel website to see whether it would be possible to go to Handsworth to hunt for East European beers, prior to collecting child (knowing full well it isn't going to be possible) 
17.05. Confirm that it isn't possible
17.20 Collect child
18.20 Start reading tweets from people reporting the great beers they are sampling in a variety of great pubs
19.20 Frozen pizza
20.00 Start writing a blog post, before realising I have done nothing worth blogging about
20.30 Stop writing a blog post
21.00 Examine beer cupboard to plan evening's drinking. Have a cup of tea whilst deciding what to have first
23.00 Start first beer, having consumed 4 further cups of tea whilst prevaricating.
23.30 Realise that there is insufficient time to drink any more beers, as child delivery tomorrow morning will require clearheadedness.
00.00 Watch Family Guy - the same episode which was on yesterday
00.30 Go to bed.

And repeat the next day.  

Twissup: The Aftermath

Saturday was a jolly day indeed, for it marked the first Birmingham Twissup and another positive sign that Birmingham is inching towards a stronger, beefier, more something something beer culture.

As Otherton Aleman has already reported, the festivities started at the Lamp Tavern, before moving through the Anchor to the Post Office Vaults, with an epilogue at the Wellington.

Strangely enough, most of the participants of Birmingham's first Twissup, aren't actually from Birmingham.  We had @19irishdragon (Walsall), @ckdsaddlers (Wolverhampton), @MarbleTim (Manchester), @OthertonAleman (Penkridge), @RobertoRossUK (Halesowen) and @CarlDurose (Birmingham resident, but recently imported from Herefordshire).  Luckily I was there.  I come from Leicester and live in Sandwell.  Errr.

Most of the party met up at the The Lamp Tavern, which is a warm little pub, tucked away on the edge of industrial Highgate.  I chose to start here because I wanted to showcase a hidden gem, a survivor, a pub of principles.  I sampled a Welback Abbey Donovan - a dry golden ale, billed as a Polish pale ale: which was a bit of a novelty.  The Lamp was throbbing with conviviality. 

From heritage and values, we moved on to some solid real ale choice. The Anchor has been the best pub in Brum for ages, and it's still my favourite (shush).  The assembled throng swelled slightly here, with the arrival of our Southern guest @mrdavidj, along with a cameo from one of Birmingham's top pub reviewers ilooklikeme.  Sat in the 'quiet room' of the Anchor, we had a good chin wag and sampled (well I did anyway) a beautiful Stout George from brand new Middlesbrough brewery Truefitt.  Like I said - beautiful.  I also took advice from Twissup's chief brewer and enjoyed a De Ranke Pere Noel.  Microbrewed UK excellence and established Belgian spiciness - a nice blend.

The most exciting moment of the Twissup's Anchor period came when 2x unexpected guests joined us.  Stewart and Kate had learnt of the gathering via, wait for it - social media and allowed their curiosity to get the better of them.  What a massively pleasant boost, to tangibly realise that there are like minded, intelligent beer fans in the city, just itching to be part of the movement towards a more robust beer topography.  In addition to the people who had already arrived, obviously.

From the Anchor, we bolted to the Post Office Vaults for a stint of quality foreign bottles, including Nogne Saison, Rodenbach Grand Cru and a Hellers Kolsch, the latter of which didn't quite meet the standards of the evening.  PO Vaults was as rammed as expected, but we miraculously got some seats and hooked up to the wireless to tweet some photos into the ether.

The Wellington was an extra helping, but by that point, the good work had already been done.  A bunch of friendly, passionate West Midlands beer fans got together, in the name of Twitter and made concrete, a previously nebulous network.

What was the point of Twissup?  Well as far as moi is concerned, it was to put down a starting point, another marker on the route to good beer.  I'm not suggesting that a load of blokes drinking beer in some pubs is in any way an unusual thing, but when a gathering happens in the name of something, then perhaps it means err something.  Our route took us from humming local boozer, to scoopers' stronghold, to our newest beer bar - provider of the best beers from outside our borders.  Perhaps by the next Twissup (or the one after), we'll be able to add an extra venue onto our journey - a bar offering kegged IPAs, the hottest US-brews and a palette of the very [very] best UK microbrewers.

(Oh and big respect to Richard of Porter Pages - Twissup was his idea and even though he couldn't make it, I notionally raised several glasses in his honour on Saturday). 

  

Beer Geek launch

Yesterday was the long awaited launch of Birmingham's newest brewery (which makes three in total).

Beer Geek Brewery touched down at the Post Office Vaults on Saturday 25th at 3.00 and there were plenty of people on hand to show their appreciation.

I had the chance to sample three of their five releases on hand pull.  They were:

Great White Geek - a 4.5% pale bitter, with a dry, salty hop profile.  This was very refreshing and insistently bitter.  Would be a perfect 'mowing the lawn' beer, assuming of course that I am the type of person who mows lawns, which of course I am not.  Would probably work equally well as a beer to watch Ceefax with.

Dark Side of the Geek - a 5.5% dark bitter, which was probably my favourite of the bunch.  Crispy, with prickles of coco pop, a minerally tongue knobbling quality and an easy to drink lightness that belies its strength. Reminded me slightly of a Schwarzbier, or the type of Scottish Ale which pops up in US brewpubs.

Geek Unique - a 4.3% bitter, with a ruddy hue and a couple of fruity, perhaps nutty moments.  Imagine liquid autumn leaves and you won't be far away.  Fizzy and light too.

I look forward to grabbing Geek Chic and Legend of the Golden Geek soon. 

So that's not too bad is it?  The other good, nay great thing about Beer Geek is that their branding and marketing is slap bang on the money.  The pump clips looked a treat - bright, bold, colourful, cool. 

There is now an exclusive club of three Birmingham breweries, but of those, Beer Geek look the most likely to tip the balance in our City.  With their spot on marketing, which skillfully avoids real ale cliche and demonstrates a youthful vigour; they can attract a new audience and (hopefully) start to post regular, challenging and of course, tasty beers for a long time to come...

The other good thing about yesterday, was that the Post Office Vaults was rammed on a Saturday afternoon, despite the weather being glorious and them not having a TV to show the Six Nations rugby.  There was a buzz about the atmosphere, that felt redolent of a subcultural sleeping giant rubbing its eyes and waking up.  I got the chance to meet lots of positive, local beer figures and soak up the feeling that something might be happening.  This year (and next and next) could be the best yet for beer lovers in the West Midlands.  

What is the Tipping Point?

Wow, I read a great book this week called The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell.  You guys and gals have probably already read it.

It's about social epidemics - i.e. what causes clothing trends to take hold, or a book to become a bestseller.  The author cleverly summarises different bits of sociological research, to come up with an overarching theory of what causes epidemics to 'tip': namely i) the Law of the Few, ii) the Stickiness Factor and iii) the Power of Context.

There are obviously lots of applications for these theories (which you'll notice I haven't bothered to explain, principally because I'll make a mug of myself and totally trivialise a great book); but here and now let's use the Tipping Point to examine the possibility of a 'craft'* upsurge in Birmingham.

The Law of the Few

Could Birmingham sustain a craft beer bar?  If so, why hasn't anyone opened one?  Well perhaps there isn't a visible beer geek culture in the City.  And if that is so, how do we turn the current level of interest into an epidemic of beer desire?  Well, we need three people, or perhaps one who can perform three roles:

i) a Connector - someone who knows people. Lots of people.  Someone who not only knows people, but is able to make, wait for it, connections based on the interests, skills and contacts of the people who are 'on their list'.  Perhaps there is someone in the industry who is able to galvanise others and get people excited, or perhaps there is a lucid, focussed, driven person who can flick some switches, fiddle with some knobs and get people to see the great benefits that a new type of bar could bring.

ii) a Maven - someone who is fastidious in their research, who obssesses about being more knowledgable, but who also has an inbuilt urge to share their knowledge and educate others.  I am certain that there are beer Mavens in Birmingham, itching to unload a big wad of beer love/passion/schooling on an unsuspecting public.    

iii) a Salesman - someone with the gift of the gab, who knows the arguments and how to win them.  If people need to be persuaded to sample new beers, new styles, new flavours etc, then a salesman (or woman) is the person to do it.  Money could be a motivator here.

The Stickiness Factor

How enduring a product is beer.  Quite enduring.  But what about new and different (and possibly more pricey) beers?  What will connect an unsuspecting Birmingham populous to these products which thus far have not reached our City?  I don't actually know this one, or at least I don't have anything succinct enough to write here.  Mail me for more details.

The Power of Context

What conditions in the local environment (the Birmingham beer drinking scene) will make it ripe for a 'craft' beer bar/explosion?  Well, my guess at this one is that people need to know what they're missing.  But how can this happen?

More importantly, is this post turning into a massive load of airy fairy drivel?  Don't answer that.

In conclusion then, Birmingham is in need of a tipping point, to start the new beer revolution, which has already happened in Manchester, London, Sheffield, Newcastle, Leeds, Cambridge.....  I promise to do my bit as a beer Maven, but I am unable to open a bar by myself.  Please will all potential connectors please contact me so that we can recruit suitable salespeople, in order to provide products which will become stickier and stickier.

*we won't be getting into what this term actually means, other people have already done that.

A Tale of Two Midland Cities

I live in Birmingham.  I have done for some considerable time.  But I'm FROM Leicester.  And nothing can change that.

So then, how do these two places match up for beer?  Strangely enough, they are very similar indeed.

Let's do this in the style of the final day of the Ryder Cup - you know that head to head, 1 UP, 3&4 type affair.

Pubs

Birmingham's top pubs are discussed here.  Leicester's are shown here.

For beer breadth and quality, Leicester's top spot is The Pub - which showcases great cask and a selection of continental keg and bottles.  It also has the Criterion and its older sister the Swan and Rushes, which is my personal favourite in the City.  Why?  Well, I love the set-up of the 2 rooms, I love the tables, I love the beermat holders and the beer selection.  In fact, the Swan and Rushes holds particularly fond memories, as it was almost the first place in the UK, where I encountered an exciting range of German and Belgian bottles.  Leicester also now has the Salmon.  But I haven't been there yet.  However, the Leicester Mercury informs me that this very weekend, they are holding a beer festival showcasing the work of female brewsters.  It sounds good.

Using the same indicators of quality, Birmingham has the Post Office Vaults, The Wellington and The Anchor, along with the Bartons Arms and the Black Eagle.  Additionally, these offer stunning pub architecture and/or charm, character and warmth.  For touchy feeliness or aesthetic stimulation, Leicester has the fin de siecle Cafe Bruxelles and the homespun Ale Wagon, which is also an outlet for the local Hoskins Bros brewery....

For number of pubs and general quality: LEICESTER 1-UP.

Local Breweries

For local beer generally, [in addition to Hoskins Bros] Leicester also has Steamin' Billy, Everards, Dow Bridge, Wicked Hathern, Parish, Shardlow, Langton; whilst Birmingham has ABC, Two Towers and [soon] Beer Geek.

For numbers alone: LEICESTER 1-UP.
(2-UP OVERALL)

Beer Shops/Off Licences

Birmingham has Stirchley Wines and Spirits, Leicester has The Offie.  The Offie is a splendid shop, carrying a beer range which is remarkably similar to SWS.  SWS has a brilliant, friendly owner, so does The Offie.  If we are escaping from the city centre, then Birmingham (Solihull actually) has Bernies, but Leicester (Market Harborough actually) has Duncan Murray Wines.

No winner here.  Two winners here: HALVED.    
(LEICESTER 2.5 / BIRMINGHAM 0.5)

This post ended up being much shorter than I anticipated, which is probably a blessing for you all.  Leicester seems to have won this beer battle, which is still a bit sad for a second city which is 4 times bigger.  As a general (and slightly bland) final comment, I'll just add that for a city centre pub crawl, I'll take Leicester over Brum.  Why?  Well in Brum, a central crawl would take in number of pubs which MAY or may NOT have good beers on, on a given day.  In Leicester, visits to comparable pubs would yield a much better shooting percentage for pubs with attractive, delicious, desirable brews.

Adieu.

The Top Ten Movers and Shakers in Birmingham's Beer Scene

This blog, obviously, is about the beer scene in Birmingham: part commentary, part rallying cry.  So far all I've really done is report on the situation as is, but how about we do a bit of digging below the surface?  If I don my Famous Five hat and Clark Kent trousers, perhaps I can pretend to do a bit of real journalism and take a look at the movers and shakers on the Birmingham beer scene.  Who runs the show in Brum, and how?  Once we know that, perhaps we can work out an effective brown-nosing lobbying strategy to keep things moving in the right direction.  Here goes then, in reverse order:

10.  Paul Halsey (Managing Director of Purity Brewing Co.)

Purity aren't based in Birmingham, but they may as well be, as their products have an enviable tendency to pop up in nearly every good boozer in town.  Their three beers are consistent and tasty, but just think... if they were to produce a red IPA, a delicious Porter or a super rich Stout they could use their network of clients to stick experimental, challenging beers under the noses of half the drinkers in the West Midlands.  The possibilities are tantalising and intriguing.

9.  Adrian Posnett (Managing Director of Oakham Ales)

Oakham delivered a beautiful gift to Birmingham, back in 2004: The Bartons Arms.  It's a gift that keeps on giving - delicious Thai food, sensationally kept [delicious] Oakham ales and wonderful pub architecture.  Oakham are also the best represented of the UK's top quality brewers, in Birmingham's pubs.  By remaining committed to the Bartons, Oakhams are maintaining one of our essential pubs, a key source of fantastic beer.  

8.  Mark Arnott-Job and Trevor Harris (Co-Directors and Head Brewers at Two Towers Brewery)

Their beers are getting better and now they have their own pub - the Brown Lion.  Brum is not over blessed with microbreweries, in fact with this post being written prior to the launch of the Beer Geek Brewery, there is only Two Towers and ABC.  Two Towers therefore need to keep up the good work and start throwing out some big, flavoursome new beers. 

7.  Bob Ivell (Executive Chairman of Mitchells and Butlers)

M&B has four of its Nicholsons pubs in the City centre, offering good beer, often from some of the UK's best breweries.  If Mr Ivell turned round tomorrow and decided to turn the Old Contemptibles, the two Shakespeare pubs and Bacchus bar into Wacky Warehouses, then as a City we'd instantly be much poorer as a result.  Think about it. 

6.  Mark Delaney (Birmingham CAMRA Chairman)

The results speak for themselves.  Are things improving on the beer front in Birmingham? - Yes.  Do we have more pubs serving real ale than before? - Yes.  As sure as eggs is eggs, the local CAMRA branch must be doing something right.  Plus, importantly, last year's festival was tremendous fun, with an improving range of beers. 

5.  Matt Scriven (Bitters n Twisted)

Bitters n Twisted have four bars in the City, each offering something slightly different: Jekyll and Hyde is a modern day gin parlour, Island Bar is a hip cocktail joint, the Rose Villa Tavern is a beautiful old pub turned gastropub, and the Victoria is a hipster hangout.  Clearly Mr Scriven knows what he is doing and I'm grateful that all of his venues recognise the importance of good beer, offering a smattering of bottles, taps and handpumps.  Now, if they could keep that moving in the right direction and increase the range and quality of the beers, that would be lovely.  In fact if they would like to open a new place, seeking to fill the remaining good beer niche, then they can talk to me and I'll point them in the right direction.  I'm serious.

4.  Graham Smith (Urban Art Bar)

Urban Art Bar has two pubs in the Jewellery Quarter: the Lord Clifden and the Red Lion .  Both places have placed beer at the heart of their appeal and have been important in acknowledging that a cool pub, can and should serve real ale.  Both of these venues were old pubs which were tarted up in a most tasteful way - so that they are both great to spend time in.  Mr Smith - more please. 

3. Gerry Keane (The Anchor)

The Anchor has been in the Keane family for donkeys years.  For all of my time in Brum, they have been offering a fantastic range of real ales, often from smaller breweries.  They were also the first place to offer Erdinger on tap and Belgian bottles.  Regardless of whatever else is happening in Brum, the Anchor remains a reliable oasis of good beer and good cheer. 

2. Krishan Rajput (Stirchley Wines and Spirits)

In 2002 I bought a house, partly because it had easy access to the fantastic off-licence Stirchley Wines and Spirits, with it's range of beers unparallelled in Birmingham.  In the 10 years since then, SWS has gone from strength to strength.  It is now the only place in the City offering access to some of the country's top beers (such as the Kernel) and and the best imports (Stone, Nogne, Mikkeller).  The owners expend a lot of energy in continuing to source new products: every day I get tweets from them, trying to lure me back for the latest unmissable treats.  This year they also ran the Foreign beer bar at the Birmingham Beer Festival, which brought more positive exposure.  They are spreading the good word, giving access to the best beers and opening eyes.  We would be lost without them.  If they opened a pub, they would nick top spot.  

1.  Nigel Barker (The Wellington/Post Office Vaults)

Before Nigel opened the Wellington, Brum relied totally on the Anchor for access to guest ales.  But since late 2004, things have got better and better, as we now have 16 handpulls of real ale, slap bang in the centre of town.  You don't need me to tell you that the Welly does alright - the fact that it is usually packed is a clear indicator.  With fast rotation of ales and regular beer festivals, Nigel gave Birmingham a venue which was essential, not just for Brummies, but for beer fans across the country.  In fact, in 2011 the Wellington amazingly ranked as the 36th best beer bar in the World, according to Ratebeer.  At the back end of last year, Nigel sprinkled some of his magic on the Post Office Vaults, another city centre real ale haunt, this time offering a massive selection of Belgian bottles - something the City definitely needed.  So why does Nigel get the top spot?  Quite simply he altered the direction of good beer in our City, he showed us what we had been missing and raised our expectations.  It should be noted that his arrival in the City also coincided with the re-energising of the local CAMRA branch.  Top man indeed.  

Birmingham's Top 10 Pubs

The Evening, sorry Birmingham Mail recently pronounced it's Top 10 Birmingham pubs and it's a solid list.  Admittedly it's based on unspecified criteria, but this is not intended as a nit-picking blog post, more of a conversation starter and gosh darnit, a celebration of some fine Brum establishments.

The Wellington, The Anchor, The Black Eagle, The Bartons Arms, the Old Contemptibles are no-brainers: places that combine good beer choices with a convivial atmosphere/good decor etc.

For the rest of my five, this is my thinking (in no particular order): 

Lord Clifden
Lovely artwork, good music, ping-pong, a GREAT beer garden and just enough good beer to top things off.  Cool pub.

Post Office Vaults
New kid on the block and already the subject of it's own blog post.  Could be the City's top venue soon enough.

Lamp Tavern
Small, located on an industrial estate, and fantastic. The welcome is warm, the beers are well kept and the banquette seating takes me right back to Syston in 1992. A magnificent survivor.   

The Shakespeare (the Summer Row one, not the Lower Temple Street one)
The Mail chose Bacchus, but I've gone for a different Nicholsons pub.  I love the arrangement of the L-shaped front room, with it's elegant street aspect.  I love the fact that it is Brum's most reliable stockist of Moor beers - this fills me with a deep joy.  This is almost my favourite.

The Brown Lion
This one scrapes in if I'm honest, as it is still a bit underfurnished and not quite lived in, although it is early days.  The beer is what brings me here, because the BroLi is the brewery tap for Two Towers - one of Birmingham's small crop of microbreweries.  At first, even the beer wasn't enough to bring me back regularly, but TT are pulling their fingers out now and I'm becoming quite paternal towards them.

What connects the above five places and the five Mail choices that I agree with?  Well, after a bit of chin scratching I think that it's some ethereal combination of good beer choice and an aspirational outlook.  I want to leave a pub with a good tingle on my tastebuds and a spring in my step.

Birmingham doesn't yet have a proper craft beer bar, but it does have some nice beer venues; and when I think back to late 2004, just prior to the opening of the Wellington, things were really grim.  Only the Anchor was shining a light.  Our City has come a long way.

And my favourite place of all?  Probably the Anchor.  Just.   

Whats your favourite, my beer brethren?

(With apols to the Red Lion, Prince of Wales, Old Joint Stock, the Junction (Harborne)).

Friday afternoon, an early finish, and another stolen crawl

God bless the Wellington for having an interactive beer board which lets you see what is on, in 'real time'.  It's a shame that there aren't more beers 'on', more frequently, which tantalise my tastebuds, but hey ho.  This afternoon though, they had an Allgates and Saltaire, so the chance of a double your money, Brucie bonus beckoned.  Not a roaring success though really:

i) the Allgates Winter Warmer, was slightly akin to licking an over-warmed, honey and rosehip lathered innertube; whilst

ii) the Saltaire Rye Pale Ale had a yawn of balanced, tasty hops, but didn't really turn up to the party wearing its party trousers. Shame.

But still.  Don't be downhearted brethren, for I skipped and gambolled across New Street and down to the Post Office Vaults, the lovely new venture, now occupying the old Royal Mail.  Yes, it smells of paint and yes there was a really annoying customer grilling each person who had the temerity to order a pint, but even so, it was a worthwhile [brief] visit.

I have now popped into the POV about 5 times since it opened in December and my emotions towards it vascillate up and down like a bride's nightie.  What am I on about?  Well I started off with massive expectations as someone mentioned that it would be a 'craft' beer venue :) >>> but then it turned out that they wouldn't be serving kegged ales :( >>> then I realised that it had a fantastic selection of Belgian beers - something Brum has been crying our for :) >>> then I had two horrible halves of Byatts beers (not sure whether this was due to beer quality or what really) :( >>> then I popped in today and had a Thornbridge McConnells Vanilla Stout :) >>> and realised that they are now stocking 2 x de Molen beers :) :) amongst other bottled treats. 

Phew! No wonder I'm exhausted.

On the whole, I think the POV may be on track to dislodge the Wellington in the hotly disputed contest to be the place that offers the best beer range in the City.  Certainly it's too early for them to get cocky (I'm sure they won't), but if you are looking for 6 reasonable ales and 100+ Belgian bottles, in a central Brum location, then you will struggle to find somewhere else called the Post Office Vaults, which is as good as this one.

Once home I had intended to sup a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale tonight also, but on reflection I'll have some chocolate biscuits and a cup of tea instead, because my Fantasy Football team won't choose itself.

Fridays are exciting aren't they?

Birmingham's Top Ten Beers (apparently)

The Birmingham Mail today produced a little article entitled "Brum's Best Beers".

For anyone too lazy to click on the link, they were/are:

1. M&B Brew XI (now contract brewed in Wales)
2. Ansells Mild (now contract brewed in Lancashire)
3. M&B Springfield Bitter (no longer brewed)
4. M&B Mild (now brewed in Burton)
5. Davenports Original (now brewed in Walsall)
6. Two Towers Baskerville Bitter
7. Aston Brewing Company Aston Distressway
8. Silhill 4 Percent (Solihull)
9. Birmingham Mild (no longer produced).
10. Two Towers Mild and Brazen

OK. So of that list two no longer exist and five aren't actually brewed in Birmingham.  Whoops, not exactly a ringing endorsement of the current scene.

Hooray though for Two Towers who seem to be really pulling their finger out now, with tasty beers such as Complete Muppetry and Jewellery Porter, both of which are available at their heartwarmingly spartan Brown Lion tap in the Jewellery Quarter.

Hooray also for Aston Brewing Company (ABC), who I had assumed had disappeared off the face of the Earth, until I fortuitously tried their Dizzy Blonde at the Queens Arms, just days before sampling their festive offering A Berry Christmas at the Brasshouse on Broad Street (of all places).

So brewing in Brum is not entirely dead then.  But... where is the beery guile, the craft brewing inventiveness?  After all, we can't keep living off the glory days of factory workers swigging Mild; I mean, I like a nice pint of Mild as much as the next man, but most days what I'd prefer to drink is actually a pint of Unmild.  Just like Birmingham once revelled in it's reputation as a City of a Thousand Trades, I'd like to see our next generation of microbrewers turning us into the City of a Thousand Beer Styles.

So who is going to pick up this mantel of hoppy creativity?  Well, these lot look promising for a start .... no pressure lads.