Just for our US of A readers today, a spurious Dylan/boxing/Worcestershire canal town mash-up. If Mr Zimmerman lived in Brum he’d no doubt enjoy pensioners days out to Stourport-on-Severn, which looks increasingly like Felixstowe without the sea (and depressed Ipswich Town fans). A great place for wandering along the canal towpath contemplating how best… Continue reading A HURRICANE THROUGH STOURPORT ?
BREAKFAST IN BRUMINGHAM
Because this blog is my diary and doesn’t pretend to be about beer, I can write about what I like as long as I don’t upset Mrs RM. Even breakfasts, which come thick and fast at the moment. This is the Miners Benedict in Dudley, possibly the best thing Spoons have ever done. Paul Bailey… Continue reading BREAKFAST IN BRUMINGHAM
“WHAT’S BIRMINGHAM FAMOUS FOR ?” ASKS JULIA JACKLIN
Day 3 of my 4 day Midlands tickathon ended in east Birmingham, with a gig, a pub and a Chinese takeaway. I know how to live. Cheapest room was in the Ibis Budget, that probably wanted more to park than to stay, so I dumped my Aygo in industrial Balsall Heath and walked. Just… Continue reading “WHAT’S BIRMINGHAM FAMOUS FOR ?” ASKS JULIA JACKLIN
COUGH SWEETS BEFORE BEER
Yes, these little blighters. 60p a packet, and I’ve kept Jakemans of Boston in business these last few weeks. You’ll be pleased to know a morning in Edinburgh New Town with Stafford Paul finally cured my itchy throat (that I don’t like to talk about). I tell you this in advance, so you will understand… Continue reading COUGH SWEETS BEFORE BEER
GIN, PUDDLES & PITCHFORKS AT CRADLEY BROOK
This was a tough one to write. My personal Hippocratic oath is always to tell the truth about pubs and beer, even if it means that the local CAMRA branch don’t tell me the GBG2020 entries in advance. Your pubby health is my No.1 concern. But I’m bound to upset folk with this short report… Continue reading GIN, PUDDLES & PITCHFORKS AT CRADLEY BROOK
LEOMINSTER IS BACK
Of course, if this were BRAPA it would be “Cheese munching spinster, illuminates Leominster” (actually that’s Mark E. Smith) or something. But when you’ve made as many trips to Herefordshire and been disappointed by The Lem’ster as often I have, you’ll know a decent pub in the county’s second town is cause for raising a… Continue reading LEOMINSTER IS BACK
A PEAK INTO PEMBRIDGE
You always get one bit of classic Black & White Herefordshire in the new Beer Guide. Normally a village you can’t pronounce with lots of vowels, cherry blossoms on the approach, dull Wye Valley ales and that tempting sign for Robinsons cider the ticking rules won’t let you succumb to. Pembridge, the half-daytrip for Brummies… Continue reading A PEAK INTO PEMBRIDGE
HEREFORD : NO BULL
The oddest thing. I seem to have lost a few photos from a couple of weeks ago in Hereford. Perhaps they’ll turn up in 2021 and I’ll wonder what they are. Not to worry. I still have the photo of Duncan on his bike admiring the Cathedral while completing the Guide in 1977; As you’ll… Continue reading HEREFORD : NO BULL
A GOLDEN FINISH IN FISHPONDS
And so to my final GBG pub in Gloucestershire. 103 Guide entries, 11 newbies this year, so actually not a lot of churn when you consider that tally includes Bristol, where you expect at least 11 new craft/tap/micros annually. I’d timed my trip to Snuffy Jacks to coincide with a rare Sharon Van Etten… Continue reading A GOLDEN FINISH IN FISHPONDS
NIBBLED IN NORTH NIBLEY
Yes, dogs again. The ones whose owners take them to the pub on long leads that wrap themselves around bar stools. Owners oblivious to folk like me tripping over and getting licked on the way to the bar. You never get that with cats, do you ? Anyway. North Nibley for the first time ever,… Continue reading NIBBLED IN NORTH NIBLEY
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