20/03/22 - A Hereford Pub Crawl

Pubs - 5

Good Beer Guide Ticks - #654 and #655

The view from a Hereford pub terrace

I must be the man with the easiest attainable bucket list possible. High on the list is "Visit Barrels Pub, Hereford". The reason is as follows;

I live in a small town called Stourport on Severn.  7 years ago, we didn't have a single pub that served a decent pint. The choice was to travel to Bewdley or stay in. Then the Black Star - a previously excellent pub that had been run down into the ground - was taken over by the Wye Valley Brewery. A new landlord/landlord revamped the boozer. They served beer that has continued to annually achieve 100% from the Cask Marque audits, introduced live music on weekend nights and offered good value/quality food. Customers poured back into Town. The Swan - previously derelict - was brought back from a unsightly death. They too joined the Black Star in the GBG Guide.  Micropub Tap Rooms breathed life into derelict shops.  We even have a Tap Room Brewery.

There is no longer any need to travel to Bewdley.  Or Stay in.

And the secret of the Black Stars success? They based the format on Barrels - the original Wye Valley Brewery, before they expanded out to a purpose built facility in Stoke Lacey.

A night in Lenny's Purple Palace and a look around what the City has to offer, beer wise.

The Britannia, Cotteral Street, Wye Valley Bitter

Back Street Boozer

This is another of the three Good Beer Guide Entries in the City. Alas, the Beer in Hand Micro Pub does not open on Sundays.

It's a little out the way from everything else but worth seeking out. Located in a couple of knocked together terrace houses in a back street, its knocked through inside to create an airy drinking space.  Comfy sofas, high beamed ceiling, central bar, a nice patio out back.

As a Wye Valley House, you would expect the WV Bitter to be excellent. It was.

Room for improvement? They neither knew what cobs are or sold them.

View from the Comfy Seats

The Black Lion, Bridge Street, Three Tuns Solstice

C16th Coaching House - The Black Lion

A lot to admire in this ancient boozer, located at one end of the C15th stone bridge.

Mainly setup for dining inside but the drinkers are catered for - with three hand pulls. Two from my favourite Shropshire Brewery - Three Tuns.

A lovely garden patio to enjoy the sun setting on the first day of spring.

The Saracen's Head, St Martins Street, Wye Valley Hopfather

Sign says "Chef off ill (not Covid)"

If it is the first day of Spring, no one told the Saracens Head.  In through the door behind the "Not Covid" sign and you are hit with a blast of heat that can only be described as stifling. They will change their ways when the next EDF bill drops on the doormat.

I order the one handpull on - a good chance I will do the full Wye Valley range tonight - and ask if the door to the river terrace is open.  Landlady looks at me with suspicion saying "it is, but we have the heating on". Things get back on friendly terms when I state I merely want to go through it.

My reward - the view is the photo at the top of the blog. And I completed the Sunday Times Very Hard Suduko, 3 pints in.

Barrels, St Owens Street, Butty Bach and Little Bighorn

Not the Lamb Hotel, Barrels

I can hear the music on approach.  The sound of laughter and general high spirits. Up to now, most of the pubs have been quiet. By the time I leave this place to continue my investigations, the other pubs are either empty or closed early.

Barrels is hoovering up all the City's customers - ranging from students, to cyclists, to rotund beardies who wouldn't look out of place in a certain Viz comic strip.

Multi roomed - with a choice of going left or right through the front porch. It makes no difference - you are served from the same central bar. As you'd expect, the beer is exceptional.

Wonky Donkey shot from the Right Hand Bar

Despite being comfortable, I don't stay inside for long.  The courtyard is where all the action is. The old brewery to the right and a covered stage to the left, where a two keyboard vocalist is having a good go at rock and roll classics. 40 people singing along to Steppenwolf's Born to be Wild, played by a bloke on a Roland is how I want to spend my Sunday evenings, as the spring sun sets.

Get your motor running

Superb.  Everything I expected and more.  May become an annual first day of Spring pilgrimage.

Lichfield Vaults, Church Street, Bass Premium

Former GBG Entry

An C18th ale house, tucked away down a cobbled pedestrian street.  Four other punters and a dog.

Notable for Serving Bass - so of course I informed TheWickingMan on my Untappd checkin. If only I determined if it was a regular or a guest, he could have entered a new Herefordshire Section in the most complete directory of Bass outlets on the Internet.

I'm yet to have a reply to my FB message to make up for my lack of investigative journalism in realtime.

Adjacent Grapes closed at 9pm on a Sunday

The Imperial Inn, Widemarsh Street, Goffs Cheltenham Gold

With the Grapes - the last on my list to visit closed - I use the Cask Marque App to find a last hurrah on the way back to the hotel. Yes, I know, its not a foolproof plan for finding quality beers. It came up trumps tonight - despite everything screaming it wouldn't.

C20th Building - looking more ancient

Not a single other punter in a chainy looking pub.  Surprisingly, four handpulls on - Doombar, Tribute, one unremembered and when the barman adjusted the pump clip to be flush with the customer, a rarely seen Goff's Cheltenham Gold.

I didn't expect much from a place that was showing no signs of real ale turnover but the Cheltenham Gold was in absolutely perfect condition.

A fitting end to a night that held only positive memories from a new City.