BITE user comments - dableywolf
Comments by dableywolf
Recently visited on a weekday lunchtime with six others. 9 ales, 3 Belgians, 2 ciders and fruit wines on. Oakham Citra and Evan Evans Summer Ale were excellent. Seven meals were ordered and served with a smile. Good home-cooked Black Country fare, special mention must be given to the choice of 10 speciality sausages and 10 types of mash and gravy. Reasonably priced in a relaxed setting, two large rooms and a dining area. Previously came here on a session when the place was rammed on a Saturday night, and was not disappointed either. Will definitely return.
21 Aug 2010 20:50
Super pub for that special occasion meal alongside a good pint, Salopian ales and Jennings. Quite simply the best steaks and mixed grills in Shropshire. Varied menu, huge portions. Attractive, spacious interior on two levels. Excellent service, especially barman Mike.
4 Jul 2010 21:10
Nice one RobthePrinter, I was merely quoting Orwell's timeless words! I would indeed prefer to drink rather than wear my Dabley, at the CAMRA pub of the year for Telford and East Shropshire no less.
16 May 2010 12:40
The All Nations - with apologies to George Orwell�s original �The Moon Under Water� from the London Evening Standard, February 1946 in which he describes his ideal pub:
�My favourite public house, 'The All Nations', is only a few minutes from a Gorge Connect bus stop and a world renowned open air Victorian town, but it is on a side-street, and drunks and rowdies never seem to find their way there, even on Saturday nights.
Its clientele, though fairly large, consists mostly of 'regulars' who occupy the same chair every evening and go there for conversation as much as for the beer.
If you are asked why you favour a particular public house, it would seem natural to put the excellent Dabley Ale, brewed on the premises, first, but the thing that most appeals to me about 'The All Nations' is what people call its 'atmosphere.'
To begin with, its whole architecture and fittings are uncompromisingly traditional. It has no glass-topped tables or other modern miseries, and, on the other hand, no sham roof-beams, ingle-nooks or plastic panels masquerading as oak. The grained woodwork, the relics of yore behind the bar, the cast-iron fireplace, the ample beer garden, the photographs of yesteryear above the mantelpiece, � everything has the solid comfortable ugliness of a bygone age.
In winter there is generally a good fire burning in the bar, and the lay-out of the place gives one plenty of elbow-room, except on quiz nights and during the Six Nations rugby, where the action takes place perched atop two barrels (get there early). There is a single public bar, and an outside serving hatch for those who are too bashful to buy their supper beer publicly.
Games are only played with cards or dominoes, so that you can walk about freely without constantly ducking to avoid flying darts. Dogs are welcome, as long as they remain on a lead and help to lap up superfluous crumbs.
In 'The All Nations' it is always quiet enough to talk or read the newspaper. The house possesses neither a radio nor a piano, and even on Christmas Eve, New Year�s Eve, international rugby victories, music quiz rounds and such occasions the singing that happens is of a decorous kind.
The bar staff and landlord (a genial cove) know most of their customers by name; they do not pamper a select few, but take a personal interest in everyone. They are attractive people; �some of them, who still possess hair, have it dyed in quite surprising shades �and they are polite to everyone, irrespective of age, sex, country of birth or allegiance towards a particular football team. (Pubs where the barmaid calls you 'Ducky' always have a disagreeable raffish atmosphere.)
Unlike most pubs, 'The All Nations' sells eggs as well as mixed root vegetable crisps, and it also sells chocolate and pickled eggs, and is obliging about ordering you a taxi home late at night when excess alcohol has rendered one incapable of using a hand-held telephone.
You cannot get dinner at "The All Nations', but there is always the snack counter where you can get ham, cheese, beef and bacon sandwiches, cheese and black pudding toasties (a specialty of the house), pasties, pork pies, pickles and those large bags with edible misshapen pig skin in them which only seem to exist in public houses. You can get a good, solid lunch, for example, a cut off the joint and a locally baked floury bap� for about forty three shillings.
The special pleasure of this lunch is that you can have home brewed draught stout with it, as well as Dabley Gold, a guest ale or cider. I doubt whether as many as ten per cent of pubs serve draught stout, but 'The All Nations' is one of them. Coalport Dodger is a soft, creamy sort of stout, and it goes better in a pewter pot.
They are particular about their drinking vessels at 'All Nations' and never, for example, make the mistake of serving a pint of beer in an inappropriate receptacle. Apart from glass and pewter mugs, they have some of those pleasant china ones which are now seldom seen. China mugs went out about ninety years ago, because most people like their drink to be transparent, but in my opinion tea, from a kettle boiled on the stove, tastes better out of china.
The great surprise of 'The All Nations' is its garden. You go through a narrow passage leading out of the saloon, and find yourself in a fairly large area with assorted tables with iron/wooden/plastic chairs round them. Up at one end of the garden there are chickens and a downward grassy slope for the children to roll down.
On summer evenings there are family parties, hog roasts or live acoustic music, and you sit under the patio heaters having beer or draught cider to the tune of a delighted pub dog yelping. The prams with the younger children are parked near the gate.
Many as are the virtues of 'The All Nations' I think that the garden is one of its best features, because it allows whole families to go there instead of Mum having to stay at home and mind the baby while Dad goes out alone.
And though, strictly speaking, they are only allowed in the garden, the children love to seep into the pub and even to dream of fetching drinks for their parents. This, I believe, is against the law, but it is a law that deserves to be broken, for it is the puritanical nonsense of excluding children �and therefore to some extent, women �from pubs that has turned these places into mere boozing-shops instead of the family gathering-places that they ought to be.
'The All Nations' is my ideal of what a pub should be, �at any rate, in the Telford area. (The qualities one expects of a pub showing wall-to-wall soccer, pumping out ear-splitting aural assaults and encouraging consumption of vast qualities of tasteless binge-bilge, resulting in uncontrolled emissions of various bodily fluids and aggressive or lascivious behaviour are slightly different.)
But now is the time to reveal something which the discerning reader will probably have guessed already. There IS such a place as 'The All Nations'.
But, to be fair, I do know of a few pubs that almost come up to 'The All Nations'. I have mentioned above the qualities that the perfect pub should have, and I know of one pub that has eight of them. Even there, however, there is no draught stout and no mugs of tea.
And if anyone knows of another better proper pub that has draught stout, great home brewed ale, a relaxed atmosphere, an open fire, cheap and filling rolls, a garden, a good smoking area, motherly barmaids and no radio or TV (except for important international rugby games), I should be glad to hear of it, even though its name were something as prosaic as 'The Red Lion', 'The Slug And Lettuce', or �Le Brasserie de Coq.�
27 Apr 2010 18:52
RobthePrinter and beerbiker are spot on. Equality1st appears to be in the minority and is about to look very silly indeed, as the knowledgeable quaffers of CAMRA have just selected this magnificent community pub to receive a prestigious regional award, beating off the challenge of other excellent local hostelries who have a greater desire than the All Nations for self-promotion.
Best pub in the area - official.
Mine's a Dabley Ale...
27 Apr 2010 18:28
Pleasantly surprised on my recent visit with five mates on a Friday night. JohnBonser has described the interior well and the quality of the Batham's was excellent. The staff were polite and quite happy to make cups of tea as well as serving good quality ales. Minor struggle negotiating the roomful of bored toddlers crawling and playing in the way of the door to the loos - well past their bedtime! - but they were no problem. Good beers, good atmosphere.
4 Feb 2010 20:55
Huge Wetherspoons cavern, alternating between coffee shop, breakfast bar, chav creche, cheap senior citizen's eatery, refuge for early morning alkies, heaving hordes of clubbers tanking up before a night out in Wellington or sensible beer drinkers like you and I. The food is always acceptable and reasonably priced - you know what to expect. The best choice of ale is usually "coming soon", but there's always an option other than Ruddles/Pedigree which are of varying quality. Good bottled beer selection at the moment - Kozel, Tucher weissbier. Friendly service despite the usual Wetherspoon lack of staff on the bar. Tables beginning to look a bit shabby and the toilets need some attention, but this is the only place for a pint in Telford shopping mall, so it serves its purpose.
4 Feb 2010 20:47
Excellent real ale pub right on the seafront. Cosy lounge area and upstairs room with sea view! Four top notch Lancaster beers - I can never resist a Blonde - aswell as two guests and draught Regent lager when I visited. Excellent Belgian hot chocolate/coffee/tea for the drivers.
16 Aug 2009 19:17
Great beer - delicious home brewed golden yeast beer. Super surly waiters try their best to dissuade you from drinking a wonderful brew.Grab a corner of a bench, drink deep, then leave.
16 Aug 2009 19:11
U Fleku is now starting to disappoint me. Their unique dark beer is the only reason to visit. It has turned into a tourist rip-off. 59Kc and rising for a short measure. Have a couple of beers for posterity and leave the oompah bands and the Becherova shots to the Germans.
16 Aug 2009 19:08
Good local back street pub. Sports memorabilia, signed tickets and football scarves on the walls. Great Pilsner Urquell and Kvasnicove pivo (yeast beer) on tap. Friendly place for a beer nightcap.
16 Aug 2009 19:04
Bustling brewpub, with magnificent deep, gold, yeast beer and classic Czech dark (try the mix). Set below the Czech Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, a recommendation if ever there was one. Food's not bad either. Tried 40 different brews in the city recently, and this beer's in the top 3 in my opinion.Essential Prague beer stop.
16 Aug 2009 18:59
Klasterni Pivovar Strahov, Prague
Superb home brewed St Norbert dark and amber beers served in beautiful surroundings. Brews are pricey by Prague standards (about �2) but unique and well worth it. Must do venue for serious beerhunters.
16 Aug 2009 18:20
The Queen Adelaide, Kingsthorpe
Lovely pub, low beams (duck or grouse if you're a six-footer like me), hops over the bar, rugby shirts on the walls. Good friendly service, excellent choice of beers. I enjoyed well kept Adnams bitter and the star of the day, a golden summer ale from the Copper Dragon brewery in Skipton. Good parking, beer garden at the rear and two tables at the front of the building facing on to a quiet backstreet. Great chill out after the cricket.
30 Jun 2009 22:19
The Coach and Horses, Shrewsbury
Lovely back street corner pub, a short walk up the hill from the main shops. Wooden beams, cosy front bar, snug and dining room at the rear with good carvery.Friendly locals, good service, perfect pints of Wye Valley HPA and tasty sandwiches.
17 Jun 2009 23:54
Huge, spacious, rustic barn of a place, like an old library with beer! Very good range of local ales. Enjoyed the Three Tuns XXX, Hobson's and Wye Valley HPA. Expensive place to eat, but excellent beers.
17 Jun 2009 23:50
The Prince of Wales, Birmingham
Traditional boozer, ideal for good ales near the NIA and ICC without taking out a second mortgage for a pint. Lively mix of punters, reasonable service and good choice of beers. The TT Landlord and Brains were very agreeable.
17 Jun 2009 23:46
Quiet location by a canal bridge, only popped in for a quick one, but initial impressions were scruffy, hot, but well populated with escapees from Broad Street who wanted a quiet pint. Brownie points for draught Old Peculier.
17 Jun 2009 23:43
Why on earth is this place in the Good Beer Guide? It's a pleasant, stylish bistro for business types, but only one ale? The TT Landlord was acceptable, if a little lively, but this is not a proper pub.
17 Jun 2009 23:39
One of the best Wetherspoon's I've been in. Relaxed atmosphere, attentive staff, tasteful African themed decor and good Davenports guest ales. The Summer Telse took the prize for best pint of the night, aswell as best name.
17 Jun 2009 23:37
I wasn't expecting a Good Beer Guide entry by the Mailbox alongside the canal inside a wine bar/barn decked out like several lounges, but gave it a go. The ales were well hidden at the back of the bar, and difficult to discern. Without assistance from the clueless barmaid, I peered through the gloom and made out one of the pump clips, What The Fox's Hat, and a very good pint it was too, supped by the canal on a table outside. An interesting find for a quick pint, but I wouldn't be tempted to stay.
17 Jun 2009 23:34
Despite reservations about the service, the general atmosphere of gloom and being allergic to cats, I cannot fault the quality or choice of ales.Anywhere in Birmingham city centre that can offer 15 ales including the nectar that is Wye Valley HPA can't be bad. Couldn't fault the beer - reservations about the pub itself have been well covered by previous reviewers.
17 Jun 2009 23:25
What a superb pub, visited after the recent Stourbridge beer festival. A bit of a mixture of old and new, with beer barrels and sofas alongside each other, but what a choice of ales! As featured on Oz and James' Drink For Britain programme recently. A beer festival in one bar. Choice of ales - Jack's Ale, Mild, Greenman, Worcester Sorcerer, Stumbling Badger, Mellow Yellow, Mud City Stout and Randy Otter, all beers of different character and strength according to your taste. The Badger and Sorcerer were particularly excellent.Will be back soon.
6 Jun 2009 21:42
The Red Cat Hotel, North Wootton
Stayed the night for a nearby party. Room was clean and pleasant, with a huge bathroom. Single ale was Adnams bitter, but very more-ish.Decent breakfast. Mummified cat in a display case in the bar to ward off evil spirits. Dunno about the spirits, but the beer was excellent!
6 Jun 2009 21:06
Huge, sprawling, timbered Wetherspoons lodge/pub. Fabulous beer garden leading down to a small terrace with a view across the river.Sunday carvery excellent value. Good value guest ales Moorhouse Black Cat and Stonehenge Eye Level well kept. You know what to expext from Spoons by now - one of the better ones.
6 Jun 2009 21:02
If you are visiting the Robin2 for music, then drink here beforehand. A mini - beer festival is guaranteed on any given day - 12 real ales on offer on my last visit, including bitters, milds, porters,microbrews and some 8% Fullers product that should have come with a danger sign on the pump clip! The carvery also looked bostin'!
26 Apr 2009 22:06
Top quality Timothy Taylor Landlord was my choice, but I could have chosen from seven other ales including Sharp's Doombar. Small and friendly. Tasty pork pies. Probably the best real ale pub in Shrewsbury.
26 Apr 2009 22:00
What a pleasant surprise. Bathams and other guest ales including Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild, along with a selection of Belgian beers. Sky Sports and sofas, and within two minutes walk of the bus station.
26 Apr 2009 21:57
The Castle Hotel, Bishop's Castle
Excellemt beers served in a lovely setting. Big Nev's, Goldings and Hobson's bitter on tap.Tastefully decorated interior with a working bar billiards table. Opens at 12 for food, but beer is available earlier on request. I have not eaten here, but the menu is extensive, not cheap, but comes highly recommended by friends.The beer garden is quite wonderful, lovely views, a curious selection of seating and a giant foot appearing from under a tree. Or had I drunk one beer too many?
26 Apr 2009 21:53
The Three Tuns, Bishops Castle
Excellent ales brewed in the adjoining brewery that has been on site since 1642. Cleric's Cure, XXX, 1642 bitter and a seasonal brew Solstice were all sampled. The XXX is the best of a tasty selection of light,hoppy beers.4 pint jugs are available.Two large rooms, and the dining area overlooks the brewery. All in all, a very pleasant experience.
26 Apr 2009 21:47
Having a full command of the rudiments of the English language such as the correct use of apostrophes, proper nouns and the word "I", I feel in a better position to comment upon this fine establishment than the previous reviewer.This is a very welcoming pub, with the landlord and staff striving to create a friendly, relaxed environment for drinking and topical badinage. The pub is of such a compact size that it would be impossible to be ignored for any length of time before you were served with a pint of foaming Dabley and a delicious roll. The landlord's obvious commitment to quality and imagination was demonstrated recently during cask ale week with a chance to quaff Blue Anchor Spingo, Ma Pardoe's Entire, Three Tuns XXX and the house brew - ales from the only four original surviving brewpubs in the 1970's.The lack of music is one of the very reasons that this pub is an oasis of quality in the current desert of oafish chavs quaffing Stella whilst baying at Sky Sports. Background music would be like a broken pencil - pointless.Great pub, and credit-crunch busting value for money.
21 Apr 2009 22:42
The Giffard Arms, Wolverhampton
Definitely different. Drank here when it was an average smoky boozer 10 years ago, but you now have a very different experience indeed. A dark, moody, Goth/rock experience, coffin tables, spiked throne, skulls, air guitar rostrum and pretty good beer if you like Speckled Hen or Hobgoblin. Opinion on this place is divided, but once you've been in, you won't forget it.
7 Mar 2009 20:20
The Pheasant Inn, Linley Brook
A gem of a pub with character and potential, but with a welcome that was as chilly as its back room despite the log fires.Well kept beer, but just a single choice on offer.What a tragic waste.
7 Mar 2009 20:10
The Station Inn continues to outshine its neighbour across the road with better beer choice and quality, and a pleasant welcome without the self-congratulatory trappings.On offer was excellent Shropshire Gold, Holden's Mild and the entire range of brews from the Pictish Brewery, Rochdale. Imaginative choices of ales, all above 4%, aswell as a choice of Dutch Jenevers and BOGOF coffees for the ladies. Give it a go.
7 Mar 2009 20:03
My previous review extols the virtues of this fine hostelry, but the level of service at this lovely pub is giving cause for concern among my fellow beerhunters lately. The Golden Glow, usually faultless, was distinctly average. The food, if a recent hot pork bap is anything to go by, was frankly awful, and I worry when opening a box of crisps appears to be more important than serving customers.Get it sorted. This is a fantastic little pub in really unusual setting. It deserves better in our opinion.Currently 5/10.
1 Mar 2009 21:15
The Great Western, Wolverhampton
In the nanny state enforced beer desert that is Wolverhampton city centre on a late Sunday morning, when the authorities order an early kick off for a Wolves football game, one pub defiantly stays open. Packed to the gills with black and gold beerhunters, quaffing fine Bathams and Holdens beers and demolishing hearty breakfasts. Well done the Great Western.
1 Mar 2009 21:06
Beautiful, unspoilt cafe bar off a quiet back street, the oldest in Bruges (1515).Up a couple of steps into a light, spacious room, wood panelled throughout, decorated with images from Bruges' past, and furnished with long sturdy wooden tables. Locals gather to play board games and gamble for fun beside the huge range. A good range of beers served - I went for Westmalle Tripel, and the bonus of good, inexpensive food too. Outside loos in a lovely beer garden.Perfect for a lunchtime break from walking the cobbles.
1 Mar 2009 20:53
Superb pub. Two rooms, waiter/waitress service, knowledgeable, helpful, courteous. Stunning beer list. Memorabilia adorning the walls. Quiet conversation, smbient classical music. Fascinating beer book. Try St. Bernadus, a worthy substitute for the Westvleteren. Also does a mean spaghetti bolognese! A brilliant place.One of the two essential pub visits in Bruges (with de Garre). Enjoy.
25 Feb 2009 20:45
Beer heaven. In a simple setting, so close to the tourist throngs, down a tiny alley off Breidelstraat by the Markt, marked with a sign bizarrely advertising a restaurant called Cookies, lies the Holy Grail of beerhunters. Venture up a few steps into another world. Wooden beams, characterful brickwork. Classical music drifting through the quiet buzz of intelligent conversation.A real fire flickers quietly in the downstairs room, or wind upstairs to avoid the smoke. Settle into a seat.Thumb through a selection of fine, fine beers to choose from in a terracotta book crammed with alcoholic delights.De Witte Van Celis and Gulden Draak on tap. 80+ beers, Trappistes, Guezes, fruit beers, two dozen 750ml beers(for sharing, yeah right), and a good range of hot drinks/non-alcoholic beverages for the unitiated.Yet look no further to start than the De Garre Tripel en vat.The friendly, knowledgeable, courteous and diligent waiter will welcome you ("Is it your first time?") and offer a smooth and warming amber nectar, expertly poured, with a dish of cheese chunks to compliment the fine brew, served with all the ceremony of a fine wine. Have another. And one more. It doesn't get any better. Yep, I quite liked the place.
25 Feb 2009 20:33
Top quality Batham's bitter and mild. Cheese and ham cobs. A very pleasant lunchtime, good service, friendly atmosphere.
31 Dec 2008 14:55
The Crown has recently won another regional award, which will probably make the landlord even more smug than normal.My experiences of this hostelry are mixed. An often bewildering array of beers and ales, regular hand pulled beer festivals organised with military efficiency, permanent Hobsons and Budvar, what's not to like? Then there are the patronising comments, the barely adequate toilets and some of the frankly undrinkable novelty beers. You pays your money and takes your choice, I suppose.Don't forget to pop across the road to the Station if you want quality ale and an even more unpredictable host.
27 Sep 2008 21:51
A maze of rooms, traditional, welcoming and full of character. A rich variety of regional ales such as Golden Glow or Bishop's Farewell are guaranteed. Recommended.
27 Sep 2008 21:40
Proper pub. Relax in the back room and take yourself back into a time warp, where photos on the wall remind you of a bygone age. Perfect Batham's beers are served from the hand pulls and even brought direct to your table on Friday nights. There are many choices in this little corner of beer heaven for a superb pub crawl, but you might just want to stay in the Britannia.
27 Sep 2008 21:36
The Great Western, Wolverhampton
Reports of the demise of this bostin' backstreet pub are greatly exaggerated. The regulars have obviously been listened to, and the intrusive football music on match days has been dropped.The beers are on top form - imperious Bathams, Holden's Golden Glow and Black Country Special rule the roost, but guest beers also vie for your attention. The conservatory has been a welcome addition to the legendary interior crammed with railway ephemera, and the Sky Sports News screens are not intrusive, blending in with the Wolves memorabilia. Good food is now being served at different times to accommodate early and midweek kick off times for the Wolves. Only six or seven minutes stroll from the railway station too, now that the walkway behind the station has reopened. Buy the polo shirt aswell - the Great Western; it's chuffin'great!
27 Sep 2008 21:25
The Queens Head Hotel, Alnwick
Safe, friendly,inoffensive, sport on TVs, purveyors of bottled Alnwick Ale and one real ale in the side bar. Perfect for a quiet pint by day slap-bang in the middle of the High Street.
3 Aug 2008 21:03
Chain pub, long bar with steep steps leading down to the rear, friendly staff, Theakston Dark Smooth was acceptable, decent food, quiet by day, brimful of top totty on weekend evenings. Very silly name.
3 Aug 2008 21:01
The Falcons Rest/Bar Zanz, Alnwick
Serves its purpose in keeping the rougher elements of Alnwick away from all the decent pubs. They have somewhere to fight, the other pubs can breathe easy. Awful.
3 Aug 2008 20:58
The Schooner Hotel and Restaurant, Alnmouth
Sadly, I have to agree with the majority of other comments. This was probably the worst service I have ever encountered in a hotel, and this was typified in the bar. Too many complaints to go into, suffice it to say that here is a pub/hotel with massive potential in a beautiful location, but it is just plain awful. Avoid.
29 Jul 2008 22:42
The Tap and Spile, Wolverhampton
No frills old style city centre boozer, spoilt only by unnecessary big screen plonked in a corner.Excellent choice of beers for all tastes - Holden's Golden Glow, Hop Back Summer Lightning and Ludlow brewery ales when I visited, usually a choice of Shropshire beers, often Titanic beers. Impressive selection of bottled ales hiding in the fridge too - Hobgoblin, Bishop's Tipple and many more. Traditional fruit wines for the more adventurous. Popped in here before a Wolves game once - never made kick-off.
28 Jun 2008 22:56
The Vine (Bull & Bladder), Brierley Hill
Nectar of the Gods. "Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale" says the Shakespeare quote on the front of the building. The Two Gentlemen Of Verona knew their ale.A fitting tribute to one of the finest pints in the Midlands. Leave the kids at Merry Hell Shopping Centre and partake of the Bathams.Good food, great beers. Simple but brilliant. I don't care if the landlord's an Albion fan. And now you can buy the polo shirt too.Just do it.
26 Jun 2008 21:27
A tree in the middle of the lounge. Great selection of real ales. Incredibly cramped toilets with a sliding door. Who cares - great beers. Free balloons. Good beers. Friendly atmosphere.
26 Jun 2008 21:20
Wonderful back street pub with a lovingly kept selection of ales, including Belgian beers and a shelf full of whiskies. Order a Kwak in a wooden coach-horse glass, mind the air bubble, then work your way through the wealth of eclectic beers on offer.Avoid the numpties - settle down in the John Bull and drink yourself into quiet oblivion.
26 Jun 2008 21:16
Fantastic, unique, dark beer. Overpriced, but it's worth it. Sit in the courtyard, politely refuse the Becherova (learn "no thankyou" in Czech). Order another. And another . Keep count of the tally marks on your paper. Order more. Pay. Sleep. Go back again. a must-do pub in Prague. Great memorabilia aswell.
26 Jun 2008 21:09
Good brewpub, relaxed atmosphere, excellent dark or light brews and a choice of experimental sample beers if you're feeling adventurous, although the nettle beer was - interesting! Good goulash to soak it up. The "giraffa" is recommended for a session!
26 Jun 2008 21:03
Marvellous hostelry. Catch the train along the main Wolverhampton/Shrewsbury line and off you get straight from platform to pub! Railway memorabilia abounds in this converted station waiting room. Holden's beers, very well kept, Budvar and frequently changing guest ales.The Golden Glow is the nectar of the Gods.Reasonable food compliments the excellent beers.Don't miss the Holden's Old Ale in the Winter months, or the Summer beer festival.Use your mobile for text alerts to time the arrival of your train to the sinking of the final pint! Bostin'!
26 Jun 2008 20:59
An absolute gem and a little piece of restored Telford history.One of the original four brewpubs remaining in the 70's. Unspoilt, friendly local for conversation and good home brewed ale. No games machines, no Sky, just chillout. Now the home of the Worfield Brewery, Jim, Rose and the staff will always have a warm welcome waiting for you. The Dabley Ale is an excellent session beer. Also served are Dabley Gold (5%), Coalport Dodger Mild, seasonal home-brews, usually a guest beer, often a porter, Budvar, Amstel and a choice of ciders. Single roomed interior is small and cosy, with a roaring log fire in winter. Dogs are welcome, as are Welsh rugby/Wrexham fans. The ham/cheese/beef/pork/bacon/black pudding rolls are legendary. Turn up on Mondays for a lively quiz, or pop in for occasional live music at weekends. Excellent provision for smokers. Six Nations Rugby - but only rugby - is available to watch on a TV perched atop two barrels, but otherwise there is no TV or background music to disturb the flow of intelligent conversation and satisfied supping.
21 Apr 2008 15:48
The Heartland Brewery (Empire State Building), Manhattan
After a long trek up the Empire State, a man needs a beer, or several. Heartland is a refreshing antidote to all the mass-producer big brand lagers. I opted for the "voyage of discovery"- several 1/3 pint samplers of house brews served in a round wooden holder. Indian River Light and Indiana Pale were deliciously refreshing, with an orangey tang. Empire Premium was strong and tasty. Farmer Joe's Oatmeal Stout hit the spot and Cornhusker was a refreshing change in a city full of Blandweiser.Bavarian Black was agood dark lager and Grateful Red just had a terrible pun of a name, but was agood ruby ale.Went away with a t-shirt and glass too from the memorabilia case. Too far to make it my local, but 5 stars for beer variety.
21 Apr 2008 15:28
The All Nations, Madeley
The All Nations recently hosted a 12 hour 25th anniversary party on a Saturday as well as catering for the usual Saturday quaffing. Over 70 people were well looked-after and marquees, a bouncy castle and a barbecue serving locally sourced meat were laid on. As the balmy summer day turned to evening, the local band provided an excellent rhythmical backdrop to satisfied supping and good conversation. A perfect day.
21 Aug 2010 20:58