04/02/23 - The Good Beer Guide Pubs of Blackheath and Rowley Regis

The CAMRA Good Beer Guide delivers two Britannia's and a Micro

Good Beer Guide Ticks - #792 to #794

As a navigational aide, the Good Beer Guide is fairly hopeless. The two closest recommendations to Rowley Regis railway station are sectioned under Blackheath. The furthest away, Rowley.

The three pubs detailed within a short stagger, do show the bible's strength. All quite different, some unexpected surprises and I am not going to argue with their inclusion. Quality booze in each.

My first is an unexpected JDW - The Britannia. Unexpected? Well, its not an imposing former bingo hall, just a converted 1950's pub, formerly the Traveller's Rest.

Need to look closely for the JDW clues

Saturday afternoon and it's fun. All walks of life. Sartorial Pensioners in trilbies. Families having a mixed grill eating competition. Lads, lads, lads.

A battle to get served at a packed bar - I should have used the app - and an unexpected drink to enjoy.  LocALE, 6.5% and just £2.47.

Couldn't have enjoyed a rarely seen Enville Blizzard any more.

Will bring Mrs M back for the Valentines day offer.

From a community local to a micro. You knew it was coming. The Cyder and Cobb ticking all the classic micro boxes. A converted shop, next to a nail bar.

Classic Micro

My pub scoring system - for which I have given a lot of consideration - includes a category "Unexpected Surprises".

I think we can file bar mounted demijohns of 14% cider in that category. We can certainly file a bar mounted cake stand, with perspex dome cover. Especially when it is chock a block with a selection of pork pies. I chose well with my thick wedge with a boiled egg.  A trio of middle aged ladies commented they had "pork pie envy".  A true gentlemen would have returned to the bar, purchased the stand and seen how the afternoon progressed from there.

I felt the ciders may have been a mistake on a Saturday afternoon session that had already seen a (double) margarita. Hop Back Summer Lightening a sensible and fine choice.

Uphill to another Britannia - this time with the suffix, pub and brewery.

How I loved this place. Outdoor gaspers stopping my own photo, so one lifted from Google Maps.

Beer.  Food.  Music.

Looking at their facebook, they seem to be a massive success. Different entertainment options on each night. Photos of packed rooms for pub quizzes. Live music in the conservatory. Cheeseboards, in front of coal fires.

Once the blog is complete, I'm onto Rightmove.

Yet, I cannot help but think they could be even more successful if they advertised. No website. No Twitter. Even UnTappd has little information about their house brews, with no art work.

I used my usual experimentation technique of going for the strongest ale and this was a Working Mon's Dark. Untappd tasting notes..... "Yeasty".

Now I am having a fine day in the Black Country and I am known for hyperbole but it was the best pint in the world.

Worthy of a before and after photo to show you the lacings.

Going, Going.....

.... Gone

My untappd checkin ports to Twitter..... Mrs M's response had my friends texting me the number for Relate.

What a joy. This is better than my house. Real fire and Chesterfields 🤣 - Drinking a Working Mon's Dark by Britt Brewery @ Britannia Inn — https://t.co/a3sw4YPluR

— Mappiman (@Mappiman1) February 4, 2023