On Saturday 24th January I travelled to the Hyde vs Tamworth footbal match (that's soccer for any Americans who happen to venture into this part of the blogosphere) which meant that there was the chance to revisit The Sportsman situation on Mottram Road. Links - http://www.myspace.com/sportsmanhyde and "The Bevvy Almanac" Blog
Faced with an excellent select of ales including the full range of Rossendale beers from the Pennine brewing company (see Beermad's page). Given the lack of time and faced with six ticks (help, I'll be train spotting next), my decision was initially to acquire pairs of halves but once I'd tasted the Pitch Porter (excellent value at £2 a pint), that plan went out of the window. Their beers which were available were...
Railway Sleeper
Pennine Sunshine
Pitch Porter
Rossendale Ale
White Owl
Hameldon Bitter
NB - the above from memory and needs to be checked.
Other real ales available include Black Cat Mild, ?? from Plessey, etc.
Also worth visiting is the Chinese take away just up the road for their excellent fish and chips!
Monday, 26 January 2009
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Four Oakes / Sutton Coldfield - Friday 16th January
The monthly Friday night trip with a group I first met up via a mutual aquaitance some 3 or so years ago now - as always an excellent opportunity to try new pubs.
Tim chose this time and suggested the area near the Cross City line north of Sutton Coldfield.
As a change from custom and practice this time we met at the Wellington in Birmingham. Beer choice on the TV screen / menu was :
At the station we managed to convince the ticket seller that we weren't going to dash to the platform but would wait for the 6.35 when our cheap ticket became valid. So,e stayed on the platform, others secumbed to thirst and went for a swift half in the Skakespear on the concourse.
The train journey passed with conversdation around converting vinyl to CD (don't know why 've added this bit but it happened so I am including it until we got to Butler's Lane, waklked up the ramp and decided we didn't know where next. We chose to head left the correct choice but what some thougth was a pub, others a tyre sales place turned out to eb a hospital but at least we were definitely heading on the right road up the hill and eventually arrived at the White Lion.
A Thwaites's pub, the choice was Original and Bomber (both in good form). Note to self, the food looks good here so may return.
Next we strolled, then walked then thrudged then yomped till we got to Mere Green and due to it pouring we called in at Barley's - no real ale so it was lager or keg or shandy interspeared with conversations on podcasts, etc. Some thought there were other pubs in the aera but alas none immediately apparant so onward to the Half Way House whixch was busy but a good choice of beers (Deuchers IPA, Brew XI and Wyre Piddle's Piddle in the Hole) made the wait to be served worthwile (good value - 6 pints for £15.10.)
From there it was back to the train and onto the next stop at Sutton Coldfield where we visited another Thwaites's pub (the Three Tuns with choice as above nb karaoke on Fridays) and then to the excellent Station where the choice was TT Landlord, Blacksheep, Fullers Chiswick and Dr Okells IPA.
Back into Birmingham for the end of trip pub (the Shakespear - not the one on the station) where my choice was a swift half of Batemans Santa's Tipple before heading off for the train home and research which showed that a kebab is indeed best served after beer.
Tim chose this time and suggested the area near the Cross City line north of Sutton Coldfield.
As a change from custom and practice this time we met at the Wellington in Birmingham. Beer choice on the TV screen / menu was :
- Wye Valley HPA
- Oldershaw's Alchamy
- Blackboard Country BFG and Pig on the Wall
- Purity Mad Goose, Pure Gold and UBU
- Derby Pale Design and Cool Yule (these were the ones I sampled)
- Burton Bridge Top Dog Stout
- York Centaurion's Ghost
- Morgan's Christmas Cracker
- Stumpy's Drunken Dog
- Warwickshire Golden Bear
At the station we managed to convince the ticket seller that we weren't going to dash to the platform but would wait for the 6.35 when our cheap ticket became valid. So,e stayed on the platform, others secumbed to thirst and went for a swift half in the Skakespear on the concourse.
The train journey passed with conversdation around converting vinyl to CD (don't know why 've added this bit but it happened so I am including it until we got to Butler's Lane, waklked up the ramp and decided we didn't know where next. We chose to head left the correct choice but what some thougth was a pub, others a tyre sales place turned out to eb a hospital but at least we were definitely heading on the right road up the hill and eventually arrived at the White Lion.
A Thwaites's pub, the choice was Original and Bomber (both in good form). Note to self, the food looks good here so may return.
Next we strolled, then walked then thrudged then yomped till we got to Mere Green and due to it pouring we called in at Barley's - no real ale so it was lager or keg or shandy interspeared with conversations on podcasts, etc. Some thought there were other pubs in the aera but alas none immediately apparant so onward to the Half Way House whixch was busy but a good choice of beers (Deuchers IPA, Brew XI and Wyre Piddle's Piddle in the Hole) made the wait to be served worthwile (good value - 6 pints for £15.10.)
From there it was back to the train and onto the next stop at Sutton Coldfield where we visited another Thwaites's pub (the Three Tuns with choice as above nb karaoke on Fridays) and then to the excellent Station where the choice was TT Landlord, Blacksheep, Fullers Chiswick and Dr Okells IPA.
Back into Birmingham for the end of trip pub (the Shakespear - not the one on the station) where my choice was a swift half of Batemans Santa's Tipple before heading off for the train home and research which showed that a kebab is indeed best served after beer.
Wear to go in Durham
Recently back from trip to Durham.
Went to Woodman - but found it was shut (later enquiries revealed it may be no more).
Dun Cow - traditional haunt for this trip. Interesting blurb on wall in passageway as to why it is so called and where the name Durham derives from.
Victoria - interesting tradition back street local - real fires (a blessing on the night) added to olde worlde feel. Good range of beers from the NE e.g Hexhamshire
Half Moon - last time in here they had just found Sadam - excellent White Friar? from Durham brewery
Wetherspoons (need to digout name) - another Durham beer sampled
Other pubs to be added....
Went to Woodman - but found it was shut (later enquiries revealed it may be no more).
Dun Cow - traditional haunt for this trip. Interesting blurb on wall in passageway as to why it is so called and where the name Durham derives from.
Victoria - interesting tradition back street local - real fires (a blessing on the night) added to olde worlde feel. Good range of beers from the NE e.g Hexhamshire
Half Moon - last time in here they had just found Sadam - excellent White Friar? from Durham brewery
Wetherspoons (need to digout name) - another Durham beer sampled
Other pubs to be added....
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