April 2026. Stirchley. Birmingham.
With Attic ticked I could/should have caught the next train to New Street for my second Brum pub, but something was drawing me to Stirchley High Street.
Not the Peanut Butter Jelly-me-up burger on the corner,
but a couple of Untappd check-ins I’d just noticed the gloriously Art Deco British Oak.
A bit too quiet at 4:30,
but that changed over the half hour,
with custom from a diverse mix of Stirchley folk far removed from the fairly blokey atmosphere I recall from two decades ago. My notes say “3 toddlers, 1 soda water and lime, 1 lemonade, 1 purple fruit shoot, 1 Carling“.
A chap comes in for a pint of lager, finds himself a quid short, and as he heads out the door to the cashpoint I give him a quid; it’s like the Good Samaritan. Actually at the bar it turns out I’ve given him a euro, and there’s a slightly awkward pause while I rifle through my yellow purse for some legal tender.
Cocktail menus on the table, craft beers on the bar.
Yes ! Bass alert.
Quite a complex Bass, cool and foamy (NBSS 3.5), but not as complex as the keg from a Bewdley micro, named after a Pub Man from Minnesota who caused a stir in that quiet Worcestershire backwater.
It was magic. But, and I’m not proud of this, it was perhaps a beer too far, too soon, as I go all maudlin when Olivia Rodrigo’s “Grudge” comes on (fantastic soundtrack, again).
“And I know, in my heart, hurt people hurt people
And we both drew blood, but, man, those cuts were never equal“
But the moment passes.
retiredmartin 
That looks like a beautiful pub. The Euro story is a classic.
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I think I was on the Minnesota by then, my 4th beer in an hour, surprised I didn’t give him a polo mint.
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In the past when we visited I had trouble explaining where Minneapolis is located. I’d always have to say “northwest of Chicago by Canada.” It’s going to be weird this trip to say Minneapolis and have people know where it is located. Did the beer use the tagline “from the land of sky blue waters”?
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Glad to see you helping my citizens out in the wallet department. Have seen this pub from the outside only so thanks for the insight.
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It’s classier than you might think from the outside, Lana.
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Pass me the box of Kleenex (again) please.
Actually, you could buy me some with that Euro next time you go abroad.
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Gah! Anonymity strikes again.
sheffieldweeper.
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That was me practicing for tomorrow’s game at Mansfield Town.
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I keep it in my purse for performative acts of apparent kindness.
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The Holdens was drinking well when I last used the British Oak several years ago.
I’m all for “a diverse mix of folk”, but in St Albans yesterday lunchtime that meant a young woman sat opposite me with left arm soon for breast feeding a bairn, right arm for sending a message from her mobile gadget and neither spare for actually drinking !
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It sounds like I missed a fun weekend (my Dad’s house sale dragged on late into Friday so no point heading down with the McMullen Stronghart gone). Was it good?
I had Bass and Bathams in Stockport last night so I didn’t miss out !
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Martin, I’m glad that I wasn’t keeping you waiting and very pleased that the house sale has been completed. You might be able to get round a few more pubs from now on !!!
I was refused a pint of Strongheart in the Members’ Bar, offered a half at £4 and opted for a pint of AK instead. In the adjacent Saint and Sinner I then bought a pint of Strongheart for £6.50 and spent a while with Peter Alexander and Graham Donning.
I thought the Strongheart tasted like a processed beer and was therefore a great disappointment compared to the Prince of Denmark drinking exceptionally well at £6 in the Robin Hood.
My highlight of the “fun weekend” was chatting to Miles Jenner in the Robin Hood. The very few disappointments included “alcohol temporarily unavailable” in the White Hart.
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I’m glad you got to meet Peter, whose company I always enjoy. His branch always puts beer quality first in choosing GBG pubs.
I don’t know about more pubs, but I certainly look forward to be getting a bit further on my travels. I haven’t been to Shropshire for 2 years.
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Yes Martin, and of course we both met him at the other Peter’s funeral three months ago.
It having been a busy weekend is my excuse for Strongheart instead of Stronghart earlier.
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Of course we did, and John Clarke. I would have gone to John’s Cumbrian beer tasting in Stockport last night but it clashed with a football match.
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