retiredmartin

August 2025. Birmingham.

I should have been at the Great British Beer Festival on the Wednesday, bringing you tasting notes from the No/Lo Alcohol bar and telling you how the Rolling Stones tribute was worse than the real Oasis.

But Father-in-Law’s emergency treatment took precedence, and deferring the Brum trip a couple of days had the joyous bonus of Mrs RM joining me at GBBF, along with a SURPRISE GUEST !

Mrs RM had finally got her travel blog up and running, keen to add Brum to Transnistria and Tromso, and had focused on the Black Sabbath trail for her influencer focus.

I’d been out to Halesowen and back for my GBG newbie while Mrs RM toured the rag market, meeting up outside “Ozzy the Bull“.

Other Brum bulls are more colourful,

but Ozzy is the star attraction in New Street station.

I had exciting news. “Brew Dog are selling pints for a quid* “.

I expected Mrs RM to say “But they’ve been cancelled ?” instead of “Where is it then ?“

Well, just behind the station, once visited by Old Mudgie, and not exactly heaving under the weight of folk seeking their £1 pints.

I’d say that of a dozen customers at 14:40, all bar one were our age (youthful middle age, since you ask) and all on Wingman for a quid.

Except me. I had to have a third of the Fierce. At £21.45 a pint.

The best thing I can say about Brew Dog is that the naff (Killers etc) soundtrack was played at a decent volume. But my goodness Wingman is a dull beer. Never mind the interminable fuss about the founders, Brew Dog once made great cask, and their bars had interesting food, too. How the mighty fall.

And then, suddenly, a commotion at the door.

An attempt to give away free (gratis) cans in Brum central foiled by a spoilsport council, the staff getting shot of cans at the door of their bar.

And they weren’t even cold.

Still, Mrs RM filled her boots, or at least her backpack.

*Just send them your e-mail address and promise to “keep it punk”.