Wednesday, 25 February 2009

Friday February 13th - Birmingham pub beer fests

The easiest way to summarise this session was that it had potential for a sing song and some ping pong but ended with shuttlecock deplomacy ahead of possible ding dong.

Anyway GP offered the chance to eat first at the Big Wok and that invitaiton was taken up especially given their early day all you can eat rate. I took up the challenge and did indeed eat all I could but didn't leave space for beer (lesson for next time) meaning I took the healthy half pint option for the first hour or so.

On to the beer.

First port of call was the Anchor in Digbeth. They were holding one of their beer festivals and not surprisinging the theme this time was Valentines Weekend. Some 14 specials were on offer namely

Archers Cupid's Arrow
Bartram's Love Hearts
Beowulf Love Juice
Birmingham Brewery's Lovers Pale Ale
Coastal Brewery Wild at Heart
Dark Star Big Gary's Birthday rew
Dow Bridge Pucker Up
Holden's Passionate Monk
Kinver The Beautiful Mrs Doyle and Kiss me Honey
Ludluw Hearty Stout
Penzance Potion No 9
Rowton Cupids Comet
Weatheroak Golden Valentine

In additon there had several other non-festival beers available including

Thornbridge Halcyon
Penpoint Nonnas and Roughter
Old Cannon Black Pig
Salopian Gurka
Cathedral Golden Imp
Red Rock Rusy Mere Organic
Holden Golden Glow
Ellard Silver Lining
Empire Golden Mist


Moving on we headed of foot to Lamp where I sampled Stanway Bitter (only place in Birmingham you can get it I am told which means I usually drink this here but always wonder why) Church End Gravediggers Ale, Pictish Brewers Gold, Bazan's Jogon and Everards Tiger.

Stroll to bus stop but we appear to have broke with some unwritten rule as we ended up in a taxi on route to the British Oak in Stirchley for the second beer fest of the evening. The specials here included

Oakleaf Hole Hearted
RCH Pitchfork
Roosters White Rose
Iveralmond Trippledouser
Hanby Old Wemian
Ossett Silver King
Thwaites Nutty Black
Batemans Jester

Also avaulable form the bar were offerings including Hooky Gold, Black Sheep and Reverend James. Along with DP some success was had on the quiz mahine whilst GP re-aquainted ghimself with an old friend. DP also continued the previous outing's food debate mentioning the problems he was having getting a pork derived Domino's pizza (a story which made the national press here, here and here for example - mind its not a first for this chain see here. )

Back into a taxi that happened to be passing and into the Jewerally Quarter for two stops, the first being the Lord Clifton - come outside said GP so we did and were met by an unusual site, outdoor (in February!!) table tennis and table football in full swing (don't spin the players, its illegal!) All this eh sporting activity lead to teh DP badminton challenge of which no doubt more in due course.

Beers on offer here were Brains SA, Bathams Best Bitter and Sadlers Golder Gem.

Down the road to the Church Inn where there an unpatrionised karaoke, and Brains SA and Youngs Bitter available.

Into another taxi and back into the centre of B'ham to the Joint Stock who were offering as always the full range of Fullers Beers including London Porter before heading off homeward via a savelloy and chips.

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