A STAFFORD (IM)PERFECT 10

7th December 2022.

I enjoyed Stafford, a lot. Ten (10) varied pubs, half of them new, and a sense of getting to grips with the town.

The two Mudgies performed their sacred duty to CAMRA by declaring the Grapes cask-free, so we met up a minute away in the Sun.

Now, pubs called the Sun are usually pretty good, and last year this Titanic house impressed with both beer quality and a level of social drinking rarely seen in smarter pubs in the afternoon.

It’s almost boring to tell you the Plum Porter was as good as it was in 2021 (NBSS 3.5), and the Sun was again bustling with (checks notes) “courting couples”. I have no idea why I thought they were “courting couples”, but my notes never lie.

Or perhaps they do, it was Pub No.9.

Pub No.10, which I’d never heard of before, was a real oddity.

Geared up for the World Cup, obviously.

The Bear & Pheasant had just the one beer, an Abbot not designed for session drinkers but it scored well with me (NBSS 3.5).

 “A pub with character and full of characters” says What Pub, euphemistically. Paul made notes.

Actually, it may have been here that I saw courting couple, and where a bloke tapped my knee. Most excitement I’ve had since 1995.

Anyway, if anyone needs a Cliftonville scarf, you know where to come.

Oddly great end to a great day. Sadly, I still had to change trains in Tamworth.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

22 thoughts on “A STAFFORD (IM)PERFECT 10”

  2. “A pub with character and full of characters” and the first time I’d been in for about eleven years. I thought the Abbot was drinking well but it’s totally unrecognisable from when it was just the Pheasant and kept from 1939 to 1980 by Sid Tomlinson who had no till and until the last few years also had a milk round.

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  3. I am a lurking fan of your beer/pub blog, but I feel obligated to de-lurk to query whether there are in fact two Staffords. With high hopes, my better half and I have just been round five of the town centre’s better beer joints, and we were bitterly disappointed. Some good pubs, some awful ale. It’s been extremely rare in recent years for me to abandon a pint, but 60% of Stafford’s were too poor for me to persist beyond a slurp; not off, but desperately mediocre or “not right”. What is the attraction of this town? (Seriously, not trolling!)

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    1. That’s fair comment, and I’ve certainly been disappointed with beer in Stafford in the past e.g. 3 from 2023;

      COB, PINT OF MILD, FIRE

      Sometimes, one beer is MORE than enough

      BEER v COMFORT

      and I guess Stafford Paul would have some reservations too, but I enjoyed most of the beer the other month though it’s certainly the company that’s the main attraction.

      I note that in general I seem a lot happier with cask quality than the CAMRA members on Discourse, though the August heatwave can can be a challenge !

      Did you focus on the pubs in the GBG ?

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    2. Anonymous’
      If I’d known I could probably have joined you both before heading off to the Great Western.
      You may not wish to name names but I expect your bitter disappointment wasn’t with the best of pubs, such as the Railway Inn, but with pubs offering six or more cask beers.

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      1. I’ve noted the variability of beer quality (some doesn’t sell quickly) in the Black Country Ales pub in Stafford and elsewhere a few times, though it was good enough in the Bird In Hand last time. In those other pubs with too many pumps (unless you’re a beer ticker) you’re best off with, say, the Plum Porter or Joules Pale than than guests.

        Of course, visiting pubs isn’t all about beer, though you’d hope for a decent standard and that’s certainly what I found last time out in Stafford, even if I’d still pick Stockport or Sheffield over it.

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      2. Yes, disappointment in Black Country Ales pubs is hardly a surprise.
        A friend walking past our house today commented that the free house opposite the gaol has too many beers on and I agreed.
        And I had a mediocre pint in the Titanic pub last week.
        – yes, all pubs offering six or more cask beers.

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      3. I’ve had better beer in the BCA pubs this last year, generally by sticking to the Pig on the Wall rather than the unnecessary guests. Why own a brewery and put other people’s beers in your own pubs ?

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      4. Yes, on the few occasions I get in their pubs ( Bird in Hand 6 pints, Shrewsbury Arms 3 pints, this year ) I’ll have the Pig On The Wall unless they’ve got something like Felinfoel or M&B Brew XI on.

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      10. Yes but – shock, horror – in the past week or two I’ve seen a Holdens Citrus beer at Codsall Station or in the Great Western.
        And I remember Donnington introducing Cotswold Gold a dozen years ago.

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      13. I visited the new Titanic (Beacon) in Lichfield this weekend and tried a guest, Fresh Start (forget the brewery) which I thought was apt, and one of their own (Steerage) – drinking very well.

        Although it was Saturday afternoon and a good festival, so probably selling very quickly

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      16. Martin, I wouldn’t have got to Lichfield this January, June and August if it didn’t offer enough good beer in proper pubs.
        Neil, The nights are drawing in now so it won’t be long till we’re looking at NBSS scores for deciding the 2026 GBG entries.

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