Ah Easter weekend. Where else would I be going but a beer festival? And not just ANY beer festival but one at my mate’s pub in Harborne, which I hadn’t visited since my surprise leaving party ahead of my relocation to The North in 2019/20.
It was a beautiful day on Good Friday as I skipped to Blackpool North station. This was going to be an epic – I could feel it in my bones. I love feeling EXCITED heading out on a trip. This something I haven’t felt watching Blackpool for a while. Watching Chase, yes (more of that and WHY in my next blog). And heading out to meet pals for beers on a sunny day? Yes indeedy.
As I approached the station, I realised I’d forgotten my cereal bars for Breakfast #1. Hmm. I could pop to Sainsburys and grab some fruit and eggs? I just about had enough time. Didn’t I? Hmm. I didn’t know my way around the supermarket and it was BIG. We’re talking even more MASSIVE than Sheffield Wednesday. Nah fuck it – I’ll just grab something from the refreshment kiosk on the station concourse.
As I sat on the concourse consuming the above, I was asked if I wanted to buy any raffle tickets. I enquired after the prize, which was Easter eggs, and I politely declined on the basis that I didn’t want the temptation of chocolate, which I’m currently not eating (obvs). If I had chocolate in the house, I’d eat it. I’m trying to get smarter and remove such temptation. Obvs it’s not always easy when I’m on the road (tracks?) and temptation is everywhere, but I try my best. I’m even doing my grocery shopping online now so I’m not subject to temptation in supermarkets.
Southbound
My southbound journey was, as usual, spent writing and reading.
On the first leg of my journey, there was much smelly food being consumed by a group of young girls. It’s refreshing to see more groups of girls on the move on a Saturday these days. Anyway the aromas took me back 20-odd years to when I used to get a lift up to matches with Gareth. Steve (in the back seat) would always come armed with a packet of crisps and me and Gareth (in the front) would play ‘guess the flavour’ from the smell of the crisps. It was a great game and I enjoyed playing it again on the train today. Hmm a hot dog for breakfast?!
A woman was concerned that there were no trains to London today so didn’t know how she was going to get there. I suggested a change at Birmingham, where she could get the Chiltern line from Moor Street, before leaving her in the capable hands of the train manager as I was about to disembark at Preston (where, in fact, she should have been getting off really but ain’t nobody got time for that).
At Preston, I took a seat in the waiting room and buried my head in my book to forget where I was, whilst at the same time conscious that I needed to keep an eye on the time so as to not miss my connection.
On the train to Birmingham there was a woman laden with Christmas presents. I was impressed with her forward planning until she announced that they were belated presents from LAST Christmas.
Happily my train arrived in Birmingham New Street on time. As usual, I got lost trying to find my way out of the station (despite once commuting to and from the station five days a week) before eventually emerging on Stephenson Street.
The Trocadero
A controversial first pub of the day today for my rendezvous with Wendy but the reason was BREAKFAST. As we were off to a beer festival, it was important to get some proper food down us beforehand. A full English is SlimmingWorld friendly and this one looked a good deal.
It was only 1030 so we made sensible drinking choices, too. I went for a tea – controversially NOT Earl Grey and with milk. I had a ‘proper’ brew in a caff recently and enjoyed it so I’ve invoked the fuck it and started having it with my breakfast.
It was a decent breakfast and there were a good few others dining in here this morning. I visited the facilities but didn’t take any notes (or photographs) so nothing to report here other than they were downstairs and it was warm down there.
Wendy announced that she was hoping to complete the Black Country Ales Real Ale Trail. This is a trail of the 51 Black Country Ales pubs across the Midlands. If you visit 25 of them, you get a prize (a polo shirt and a case of beer). My old local, the Black Country Arms in Walsall, is in this chain and, back in the day, I went on coach trips from the pub to tick off other pubs on the trail. Anyway, Wendy asked if we could visit a couple of BCA pubs while we were in town. Of course I’m a sucker for a quest – and I’m NEVER going to pass up an excuse to go to the Welly – so off we headed on a mission.
The Wellington
I must point out here that the plan was to walk from the centre of Birmingham to Harborne (where the beer festival was) to factor some exercise into our day and limit our pre-festival drinking. You will already note that this plan is beginning to fall apart, having arrived at the Welly and commenced drinking at 1120.
If you know the Welly, you’ll know its a pubcat pub (one of its many attractions).
At first glance, I thought that was a shiv on the chair above. It does look awfully sharp.
We took a seat at a table in the rear of the pub and took to nattering about whatever it is that Wendy and I natter about (probably SlimmingWorld and beer). I noticed something over Wendy’s shoulder and felt an urgent need to communicate this to her discreetly. I dropped her a text message and asked her to check her phone. In short, the man at the table behind Wendy had five beers lined up in front of him. I’m guessing he was a ticker but it was quite the impressive sight. I’ve sat with a flight of three thirds in front of me before as a solo drinker but five was a cracking effort.
Wendy then revealed something shocking. Her dad (named Tom Jones but not that one) has taken to drinking (are you sitting down, dear reader?) MILD SHANDY. I was flabbergasted at this news. Wendy went on to explain that the preparation process involved pouring in the lemonade and then whisking it. If I worked in hospitality I’d steadfastly refuse to serve such a drink. It’s plain wrong. I mean, mild is so lovely and fluffy – just WHY?! His reasoning, apparently, was to reduce the strength as he was beginning to feel the beer. But mild isn’t a strong drink. Alternate with glasses of water or eat more or drink less…anything but this.
I needed another drink after this news but we needed to get moving on (a) our walk to the beer festival and (b) to take in another pub on Wendy’s ale trail. What we had failed to take into account was that our route was taking us past what is fast becoming our favourite pub in town. And it would be rude to walk past it, right…?
The Colmore
Usually, this place is heaving when we arrive but it was still early (noon). It was still bustling around the bar but we got to enjoy the pub in its full glory and even had a choice of seats as opposed to frantically scouring the room for a free table. But first to the bar!
This is one of those ‘kid in a sweet shop’ places where there’s just SO much to take in, it’s quite overwhelming. There’s the cask pumps here, there’s keg here and here and behind the bar too…and then there’s the fridges. Oh it’s DEFINITELY too early for fridges. We’re not even meant to be here, we’re supposed to be walking into Harborne right now. How has this even happened? I blame the mild shandy episode.
Thank goodness for Wendy, who is far more capable and focussed than me in such situations. I just photograph the pump clips but Wendy actually studies them and it was she who clocked the amaretto beer which obvs I was all over. At 6.5% it was stronger than I would have liked for this time of day but fuck it we had a long walk ahead of us so it would be fine.
We also plumped for a sharer from the back wall (seemingly a new tradition after last time) as we couldn’t resist the New Bristol Espresso Martini Cinder Toffee Stout. OHMIGOD IT WAS SENSATIONAL!!!
This is right up there in my top ten (five?) beers of all time. Do not miss out if you ever see it. In fact, order it from the brewery right now if you can. You won’t regret it, dear reader. I don’t even like coffee and I loved this.
I should mention the food here too.
Obvs we’d just eaten but I must try the pizza in here one time. Not sure Paddington would approve, mind…
This is one of those pubs where you could stay all day, only the strength of the beers makes it impossible. Besides, we had an ale trail to continue and somewhere to be (Karina is chasing us at this point and we have to confess we’ve been, er, waylaid).
Prince of Wales
This pub is in a weird location such that you have to know it’s there really. It’s tucked away behind Symphony Hall. You wouldn’t happen upon it by accident. I’ve visited before once or twice pre-theatre but not since it’s been taken over and revamped by Black Country Ales.
There’s almost a little hill at the door as you enter this pub, which now looks like, well, every other Black Country Ales pub.
I actually went for a Diet Coke in here to help me survive the day (remember we’re off to a beer festival and this is our fourth pub before we’ve even got there).
In here I was pleased to see former Walsall CAMRA chairman John Morgan, who I’d not seen for yonks. He was also undertaking the ale trail.
Right, shall we actually get walking to this beer festival finally…?
When I’d been looking at the route to walk from the city centre to Harborne, seeing it would take us to the top of Broad Street, I’d earmarked a couple of pubs that we might take in along the way (yes, yes, I know we’ve done four already and are we EVER going to get there?). One was the Canalside Cafe, a quaint favourite that I used to pop into for tea en route to my Russian class back in the day. My Birmingham geography is a huge failure these days (I’ve been away five years now) so we somehow managed to walk past it. Further down the road, I did remember my turning to the Brasshouse Language Centre (RIP), formerly the largest language school in Europe, but knocked down years ago (although not before I got an A* in my Russian GCSE).
I’d spent much of the day so far trying to think of the name of the former Highgate Brewery (RIP) pub just off the top of Broad Street. Highgate was my local brewery when I lived in Walsall and I could smell the beer brewing and it was good. Wendy was no use here and surprisingly nor was John. I did recall reading recently that SOMETHING was happening with this pub but couldn’t remember what. Thus we simply HAD to take a diversion so I could have a nose.
The Physician
We were getting into posh, big house territory now but pubs are for everyone and there was one here. I had thought this was related to The Botanist and The Alchemist, but research reveals otherwise (this is Brunning & Price).
The glasses station really made me chuckle. This put me in mind of a restaurant in Ventspils where there was a magnifying glass in with the condiments ‘to make sure you can read the bill.’
You might think I’m having the Plum Porter here but remember I have my sensible head on today (yeah yeah fifth pub before the festival but I know what I’m doing). Instead I opted for this.
As it was Wendy’s round, I left her at the bar with my order while I traipsed off in search of somewhere for us to sit. I couldn’t see any menus on the tables but I scanned the room and spotted some on the bar, so I returned there to grab one. Wendy was here and she’d found a dog to fuss.
‘Do you mind if I pet your dog?’
Cue dog woofing madly. Not sure it was a fan of Wendy but perhaps it was just saying hello. I don’t get dogs.
Anyway, that menu:
We weren’t eating here because we were already much later than advertised in meeting Karina (it’s 2pm now and the festival started at 1pm). Plus this was expensive, although I’m sure the food would have been delicious. Had I been eating, I’d have gone for the Chicken Liver Pate (I can never resist chicken livers or pate) followed by the curry. And oh those puddings! It does take a very alluring pudding menu to tempt me but this was one and I’d have gone for the Pina Colada sundae. Hmm or the Key Lime Pie…
Beer duly supped, it was time to head onwards to Harborne. Mercifully the rain held off until just before we got to Marks & Spencer, where we arrived in haste to grab some healthy food to soak up the beer we were about to have. I had some sort of harissa chicken salad thing I think and possibly some fruit. Can’t remember, no photos, too ravenous.
Hop Garden
Finally at our destination pub, we received a warm welcome from our hosts and good friends Brendon and Karina. We were shown through to the back room and seats found for us around a table with friends we were about to meet and enjoy beers with.
Ah the beers?
You’re going to ask me what I went for now, aren’t you? Sadly (or happily for socialising purposes), I struggled to get on t’internet in here so my Untappd checkins were limited. However it informs me that I had the GlassHouse Painting Silhouettes, New Invention (Walsall brewery) Blueberry & Vanilla Pale Ale and the Vault City Strawberry Sundae, which I definitely had more than one of. I love how Brendon seeks out beers and breweries I’ve never heard of. Indeed it was Brendon who got me into dark and craft beers back in my Birmingham CAMRA days. If it wasn’t for Brendon I may be a Bass drinker now so I’m eternally grateful.
I demanded that Wendy confess to our hosts about her dad having lemonade in his mild – fully expecting Brendon to be flabbergasted and appalled like everyone else. His response? He actually suggested this might work better if the head of the tap was unscrewed. Yes, dear reader, Brendon was thinking of a practical way to facilitate the preparation of a mild shandy. Now I was the one flabbergasted and appalled.
I was given a tour of the outdoor seating area, which had been massively revamped since my last visit and proved a massive hit during those weird lockdown days. Apologies for lack of photos here, bit lashed by this point.
What I can confirm, however, was that this was an absolutely belting day, with good beers and good friends. If you’ve never been to the Hop Garden, do get yourself down there. It’s not far out of Birmingham (as evidenced by the fact that we walked it) and it is well worth the effort. Indeed, I can’t think of anywhere better if you’re looking for a beer garden this summer.
Birmingham: thank you and I’ll be back very soon.
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Next Up: Stalybridge Celtic v Chasetown.
