26th March - Walsall Beer Festival

Walsall is a beer festival I've not previously visited till now.

Meeting GP and the rest on the platform at New Street sees us head towards Walsall amidst discussions of what to do with broken X-Boxes.

On arrival at Walsall, we quickly revert to type and realise what a wonderful acqjuisition a copy of the A-Z might have been, but nevertheless we eventually stroll manufully toards the Town Hall.

Being part of the Black Country, one would expect that Walsall festival would offer a range of milds and whilst it is true that there were some interesting offerings the number available its was bitter type beers that dominated, a break down being as follows :

• Mild - 8 beers
• Bitter / pale ales / golden / IPA - 57 beers
• Strong ales / premiums - 13
• Stout and porter - 11
• others - 3

The layout of the town hall means that drinks are in three separate areas, with the cask beers down one side of the main room. On the left as I entered I spied the Cider and Perry offerings and having previously decided that I would review thoughts as regards the mid life crisis posting on this blog from last year took the plunge and emerged to various comments of dis-belief with Saxon Harvest Perry - this is not a drink if you like your cider or perry rough and fitted the description of naturally dry and fragrant sweet perry well.

Inspired I went cak to try their Amarena cherry perry but this was sold out so instead Millwhites Apples and Pears.

By this time the sound of pianist was getting in the way of the the conversation so we moved to the room where the bottle beers were offered and found plenty of seating.

Time for some beer and first up was Coastal's Hop Monster at 3.9% followed by a porter from Downton with the apt name of Chocolate Orange Delight.

Something hoppier now so Titanic's RIPA fitted the bill.

I decided that the taste buds had taken a trashing and needed to recover so I asked the others which beer they felt was "the blandlist thing on the menu" - Highgate and Davonports Mild was the unanimous choice so that was next.

The Saxon gold hoard discovery was in the news and Backyard Brewhouse from Brownhills had produced a golden ale called The Hoard which was consumed next.

Drop of the Black Stuff , a porter from Springhead came next.

Also sampled were Heritage Mild from Ironbridge and Wild Mule from Roosters.

All in all and excellent day out and hopefully I'll be able to visit again next year.