Flying Killer Cobzillas From The Planet Bathams
(or..... A Day Trip Drinking in the Black Country)
‘Black Country Rock’ Bowie. (Click the hyperlink for a listen!)
In March 2020 the world stopped. We were all separated, kept apart. Struggling for some sense of normality, contact.
We got that via Google Meets, then Zoom. My friends and I would meet online every Friday, have some beers, shoot breeze, make plans for those glorious days when we could be together. Great plans…..
One of those, was a trip to the West Midlands. Historic pubs. Mythological beers. Legendary, prehistoric Cobs.
Cobzilla.
The sandwich of dreams.
3 years after the first suggestion, 6 of us finally met up. In The Colmore on Colmore Row in Birmingham City Centre, for a pint, in the most beautiful Thornbridge pub.
This was a quick pint. A beautiful Redwillow Faithless (somebody said “Centennial”…..) then we were off. To Snow Hill Station. And the train to Stourbridge.
Green Duck Brewery Tap (Gainsborough Industrial Estate, Stourbridge)
About a 10 minute or so walk from the station, we found ourselves at our first destination.
(Cobs are a thing around here…..)
After the stunning pint of Mild (cask) - which was absolutely delicious - the first thing that struck me here was the sense of space. Such a brilliant space. Loads of room without looking TOO big.
There was a community feeling to the Taproom, something unforced. Simple things done right. Some lovely artwork too…
Had an excellent “Tongue Tied” American Pale after the beautiful Mild, another beer that hit the spot, tasty and refreshing.
Lovely place is this Taproom. From a Brewery whose beers don't get into the Manchester area much. (Leave that one with me…).
Nice to chat with Alex (brewer) and get an impromptu Brewery tour. It's an impressive set up, the brewery being compact (loads of tanks!) leaving lots of space for the Taproom.
Beers consumed, the 142 to Brierley Hill - taking us to our next stop - was due. The winding bus journey depositing us close to our next port of call….
The Vine (aka The Bull and Bladder)
This pub is the home of Bathams Brewery, a legend in these parts. And not the only legend in this place.
Pints of Bathams (“don't ask for ‘Bitter’, ask for Bathams!” I was commanded…) and a cheese and onion cob (aka the legendary “Cobzilla”) secured, I could start to appreciate this stunning pub.
Let me be clear. I adore modern beers. (Never liked the term “craft”) I organise ISBF for Pete's sake - lucky Pete - but my abiding love, is pubs. Beautiful, old, multi-roomed pubs.
And The Vine is all that. And more…
The detailed wall tiling is a thing of beauty
I was (still am) smitten. If I had only come to visit this pub alone, I'd have left happy. It's beautiful.
Cask Mild being on offer alongside the Bitter, I had to, didn't I? A lovely, slightly sweet and nutty beer. Right up my strasse. And absolutely impeccably kept.
4 distinct rooms. Each a thing of beauty.
As I said earlier, if this was the only place we visited, the trip would have been worth it. It should be a Bucket List tick for anyone who truly appreciates pubs. The beer was really good. But this pub is spectacular, in an understated way. Worth the journey.
But we had to move on. One or two stops on our way back to Birmingham (I *may* have purchased an additional “Cobzilla” for the train home….) and to get to our next venue, we ditched the idea about public transport for a cab. To…
Fixed Wheel Brewery (Long Lane Trading Est. Blackheath)
Bailing out of the cab, entering the brewery, this reminded me of the way taprooms were way back when. Simple, community led, quite homely.
Single space, with the brewery clearly visible to the left of the entrance, we settled in for a beer or two (no notes, but the beer was impressive enough for me to invite them to ISBF!)
I found my beer straight away. an ultra-pale session beer on cask. It was a sharp and hoppy treat
Nice space, friendly and with excellent beer. There was a community feel here that you don’t get everywhere. Another place I could happily return to (and another Black Country trip is needed), it was that good. And - like I said - the beer was that good, I invited them to supply a beer to ISBF (we had Blackheath Stout - it was delish)
Moving on, back closer to New Street Station for my train home, we headed to another brewery tap…
Burning Soul - Mott St, Birmingham
Everywhere was new to me today (other than The Colmore), this taproom was to the front of the brewery making excellent use of the space. Again, excellent beer (I had a “Pulling Down The Sun” Session IPA I think - memory getting hazy by this point!)
All keg here. 9 or 10 lines with the unusual feature of a POOL TABLE! Which was unfortunately busy whilst we were there. In a great location, within easy walking distance of New Street & Snow Hill stations.
It was that time of day that the weird snack combos started to appear…
As I said, the beer was excellent and - even at this late stage - sliding down far too easily, but time was passing (and I had a train to catch!)
We stopped off at another bar (The Wolf), but by that point I was more focused on catching my train than anything else! once I’d left, the others were heading off to a Barrel Store for sleeping draughts.
All in all a belting day out. 2 exceptional pubs, 3 tap rooms and a bucket list tick (The Vine).
Birmingham is often overlooked in favour of places like Manchester and London. There are some lovely pubs and bars in the city now - the late and Great Birmingham Beer Bash (one of the great Modern Beer Events) seems to have left a mark and pointed the way to a better beery future.
But it’s not just the future. There is some beer history close by. There is a reason that people seek out those Batham’s Pubs, Holden’s too. Keep your “Draught Bass” & Landlord. I’ll be eternally content with a Pint of Batham’s Mild and a Cobzilla to keep me going.
Thanks due to Tim for organising this trip. And to Chris, Shaun, James & Jock for the exceptional company.
Anyway, speaking of Cobzilla, where’s my train “snack”?
Ah. That’s better!
Back soon. Be kind to one another.
Jx