09/08/18 - Three Good Beer Guide ticks in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter

The Bible has this area down as Hockley, but for me it's the Jewellery Quarter.  Much has changed since my last visit.

The Jewellers Arms has been taken over by Black County Ales. The Lord Clifdon served a dodgy pint of Bathams (the horror, it may have been someone's first taste and they would have wondered what the fuss was about).   The Rose Villa Tavern are now charging £4.60 a pint.

Which is where we start blogging.

Rose Villa Tavern, 172 Warstone Road, Purity Longhorn IPA

Apart from the prices, nothing has changed.  Still one of the most gorgeous pubs in the West Midlands.

Rose Villa Tavern in all its Victorian Glory

Beautiful Windows letting in little light

Tonight's clientele covered the full range - men in workgear, the elderly - rearranging the furniture with disregard to the screech of tables on tiled floors and hipsters with trousers that we noted for both their tightness and shortness.

Much to admire, not least an unusual Purity brew not seen before - Longhorn IPA.

Onto the new pubs in the area, via a rather nice Turkish Restaurant over the road.

1000 Trades, Frederick Street, Rock and Roll Bitter

Not much to look at from the outside, but so hipster inside, the first thing you notice are the twin DJ decks in a little booth.

We don't have those in my local.

1000 Trades - next to the Scaffolding

The beer menu is chalked up on a board and I choose wisely by taking the house bitter - this is an outlet for the Rock and Roll Brewery.  If I'd come ticking on a weekend, I could have added the Rock and Roll Taphouse to the list of ticks.

The beer was fine and checked into UnTappd with a comment about my love of The The's "This is the day" that causes Mrs M to have a singalong.

The The "This is the Day" to accompany a decent pint. Hope the hipsters arent classing this as retro. - Drinking an 1000 Trades Bitter by @RocknRollBrew at @1000tradesjq — https://t.co/s1Tw2UmHT7

— mappiman (@Mappiman1) August 9, 2018

They reply that The The are big favourites in the Brewhouse.   I think we will be coming back.

The Red Lion, 94 Warstone Lane

Poor Camera Phone Photo

Back with the Bathams but it wasn't a good idea to slag off the bad pint at the Lord Clifdon.  Firstly, they admonish me for using the "C" word and then reveal that this is their sister pub.   All friendly banter.

This is a gem of a pub, managing to maintain both a traditional pub feel and be quirkly decorated with pop art.   A central bar splits a front bar and rear lounge.  Just like it should.

Beer was prize worthy.

Pride of place on Mappiman's Mantelpiece

Super Area, The Jewellery Quarter Hockley, I'd recommend over the City Centre for putting a good pub crawl together.