BITE user comments - nomild_walkout_mac
Comments by nomild_walkout_mac
I like this pub but just a word of caution.
On a recent visit (June 24th) the guest MILD was up to the usual excellent standard. However a return visit that afternoon for the regular �Pig on The Wall� MILD resulted in a beer well past its best and with a taste of vinegar.
Perhaps this is inevitable with the focus being on so many �guests� and the risk that the local drink sells more slowly.
Quantity of selection should not compromise quality.
Anyone trying the �Pig� for the first time on that day may have been be put off trying it again, which is unfortunate as this excellent brand of MILD is in my humble opinion one of the best.
The consistently best-kept �Pig on the Wall� remains to be had, in my opinion, at the Rose & Crown, Birchills, Walsall.
19 Jul 2006 17:19
A train ride out from the Welsh Marshes found one in this quaint post-industrial part of Birmingham.
A pub for one to relax in, with the decor and ambience of a bygone and somewhat tranquil and less brutal age.
Sorry chaps, but Chavs, lager louts and the oh so politically correct will be disappointed, so best stay away old beans and not have your sensibilities offended somewhat.
An excellent Churchend Gravedigger MILD on tap.
No doubt the range of bitters were also of top quality for those that like to imbibe that sort of thing.
No danger of one walking out of this pub and one will definitely visit again.
19 Jul 2006 17:16
A classic English boozer, fast disappearing. Probably as it was 40+ years ago. The sort of pub Londoners really want.
A full range of beers for the bitter drinker.
As a MILD drinker pleased to see 2 of these were on tap and at the time of my visit there was Hobson�s Mild from my native Cleobury Mortimer and a delicious Beijing Black (Pig) Mild from Pot Belly Brewing Co of Kettering.
So a good score for this pub on behalf of serious MILD drinkers.
In addition the pub served a range of draught German wheat beers and a range of traditional fruit wines.
Basic and good value food to help mop up a few pints of excellent MILD.
Top of the Shop!
18 Jul 2006 16:20
Callaghan's Irish Bar, Piccadilly
I guess this is fairly typical of what the English think an Irish pub should be.
The stout was OKish but not a patch on what you would get in a proper pub in Ireland.
Moreover the atmosphere is definitely not Irish - too many noisy baseball cap wearing lager louts on the night I was in.
As for a previous poster (Juzza) referring to "plastic paddy pubs", as an Irishman I find such racist comments offensive.
8 Jun 2006 21:00
Sunday evening 4th June.
Armed with a London A-Z and top class navigator, 50 minutes after leaving the Pentonville Road the MLF with stus.search.4.mild and me arrive at the Red Lion. No wrong turns and no cameras tripped.
Who needs a bloody Satnav? - Wimps
LRL is a pleasant enough place; peaceful, quiet and no threatening atmosphere that perhaps reflect the fact that we are now in rather twee St Alban�s. I guess it�s a tad too expensive for the chavs and proles to set up camp in this part of the world.
On the other hand that tweeness could to some be a touch cloying and as such this pub lacks any atmospheric frisson of expectancy. In essence it lacks soul. Cannot be helped one imagines as it no doubt caters for all the New Labour Guardian reading oh so polite elite.
Nevertheless the importance of this pub is that in a MILD desert this boozer has at present a stock of MILD in the cellar waiting to go on tap and so it was that the MLF were able to sample a few enjoyable pints of dark stuff in the form of Maris MILD.
As MILD drinkers we have to be satisfied with one MILD on at a time in view of the dark stuffs lack of popularity. It is a shame that the trendies do not try it for a change. MILD is proper beer (contrary to what some alleged CAMRA people have in the past asserted to us) � it may be dark in colour, not have a pointless name unlike many bitters, but it has flavour and MILD does not necessarily mean weak.
A further advantage is that no matter how many pints you have � no headache the morning after or the terrible gut wrenching indigestion associated with bitter and chemical beers.
The bitter drinkers in this pub we noted, because they have such a range to choose from tend to drink in halves. So for them it must have the feel of a mini beer festival as that is usually the only time the MLF sees men drink halves.
A friendly landlord who also drinks in one of our favourite pubs � The Great Western � on his trips to watch the Wolves play.
All in all a good score from us while all this MILD is being made available.
5 Jun 2006 20:17
Was it just hype?
We had heard much about this pub and so a degree of healthy scepticism was in order. So we were pleasantly surprised when after the long, drink free trek from the Head of Steam via Clerkenwell, the MLF (Stus.search.4.mild and myself) weary, thirsty and with blistered feet arrived at this spot-on classic boozer.
So we spent the rest of the evening here enjoying the Dark Star MILD for May. Plenty of atmosphere with proper folks and no trendies or lager swilling chavs to spoil the evening and a good jazz blues band to round things off.
Friendly bar staff who took the trouble to answer any questions we had about beer, directions or whatever. When the landlord came down later in the evening he joined us for a chat and please note; do not be put off by others who have commented on Annette. She�s a nice lady who if you treat with respect reciprocates.
All in all the Wenlock probably deserves its rating as a top ten pub and for the MLF we take some pleasing.
Tomorrow (Sunday) the MLF heads for the Lower Red Lion in St Alban�s on our way back North to the MILD territories, intelligence reports advise that a cache of MILD is to be found in the cellar.
5 Jun 2006 19:36
The Old China Hand, Clerkenwell
After a long trek from the Head of Steam (and a few NO MILD WALK STRAIGHT THROUGH pubs en route) the MLF on tour arrived at this place.
Not sure if it�s a pub, chinky take-away or meeting place for cockleshell pickers.
Are the previous reviews referring to this dire establishment or somewhere else?
A couple of bitter beer pulls in this grim transport style caf� but no MILD available having waited an age for the staff, who outnumbered the few customers, to bother with us.
So true to our motto, Stus.search.4.mild and I did what the MLF always does � NO MILD WALKED OUT.
Avoid at all costs.
5 Jun 2006 19:30
For the MLF only a pint of MILD will do and after the success of the PORTER at the Euston Flyer, Stus.search.4.mild and I were again rewarded with a most enjoyable few pints of Bateman�s Dark MILD in comfortable surroundings with room to spare.
Lots of railway memorabilia and an impressive 5 in gauge 9F in a case on the wall.
Friendly informative bar staff who took the time to answer our queries of further availability for MILD. No guarantee that on a successive visit we would be successful but for now this pub gets a good score from us and no need to enact our motto of � NO MILD WALK OUT.
After emptying the tanks the MLF prepared for the hike through the nether regions of Clerkenwell. Intelligence reports suggested that the Old China Hand may have some Porter.
5 Jun 2006 19:28
Early Saturday evening, the MLF, with Stus.search.4.mild and I arrive in London and start with this pub in our search for PORTER and MILD.
We were not disappointed and a cracking pint of Fullers London Porter set us up for the start of our London MILD trail.
Quiet at this time of Sat evening, but that suited us and we enjoyed our pint in comfortable surroundings enjoying the bustle of the traffic on the Euston Road.
No doubt the courteous bouncers on the door were a portent of what to expect later if one was foolish to dally too long.
So suitable refreshed the MLF headed over the road for the Head of Steam.
5 Jun 2006 19:26
A classic old boozer with out of tune kareoke singers in the bar. A quiet smoke room. But the main attraction is the MILD. The gaffer keeps an excellent pint of Blackcounrty Breweries - Pig on The Wall MILD and apart from the Wellington in Brum and the Brewery tap in Gornal is the only other pub I know to that has this lovely drink.
Note - watch out for any young inexperienced bar staff, as if you ask for MILD you might get served some dreadful keg Banks's Smooth, so always ask for the Pig.
30 May 2006 21:08
The regular MILD is the very well kept "Pig on the Wall" and this is one of few pubs that will regularly have an additional guest MILD. Recommended.
30 May 2006 20:57
The Duke of Cambridge, Shortheath
After a dire trip to the Stumble Inn on the MILD trail it was a welcome return to this classic old watering hole where the landlord keeps the excellent Highgate Dark MILD.
30 May 2006 20:53
On Walsall MILD trail yet again, this pub featured for 2006. Two attempts to get MILD, both a dismal failure. On the 1st May the place was shut so a return on 27th only to be told "NO MILD its all gone". You can have a sticker (for the trail) and a pint of bitter. Well that just rubs salt in the wound to die hard DARK STUFF drinkers like me & Stus.search.4.mild.
I mean would you go into a butchers for a pound of pigs trotters only to be told "got none but you can have a dozen eggs instead".
When will these publicans learn - give the customer what we want not what you want to sell us.
Nil points for this place and a note to CAMRA - take it off future MILD trails.
Definitely a NO MILD WALK OUT!
30 May 2006 20:19
Last year they still served Brains Dark MILD on draft. Not anymore. The lazy, corby-bothered attitude strikes.
Easier to keep the keg variety even though it�s not a patch on a real cask MILD. Who cares about the customer? The usual excuse is that it doesn�t sell well. Try promoting it then you lazy sods. Why anyone would want to drink something the same colour as what they p*** in the bog baffles me.
Try some of the dark stuff and you may be pleasantly surprised. Just because it�s called mild doesn�t mean its weak. It tastes better is often stronger and doesn�t give you a bad head or stomach.
No alternative then for this pub and I did what I preach: NO MILD WALK OUT.
14 May 2006 20:02
Only keg Brains Dark. Passable as keg milds go.
Otherwise: NO MILD WALK OUT.
14 May 2006 19:59
A popular pub in a quaint little village now popular with the English incomers. The English landlord is friendly enough and having enquired as to whether Brains cask conditioned Dark MILD was still brewed by Brains he commented it still was and last year it had sold like �hot cakes.� So why change it for the usual keg variety?
The draught Bass has now gone (although I am MILD drinker, draught Bass is a drinkable alternative), to be replaced by the Brains Rev James and a guest bitter � �Land of My Fathers�. The trendies seem to like this stuff so long as the beer has a suitable title. I don�t think they bother with the taste and they�d probably drink petrol if it came on a hand pull with a posh sounding label � Milford Haven Old Olefin Special perhaps.
Still as keg milds go the Brains dark is reasonably drinkable. The food is pretty good and the onion gravy with the bangers & mash was a real treat.
Tried a pint of standard Brains Bitter (research purposes only). As expected tasted just like the ghastly John Smith�s. I�ll stick to MILD, PORTER and occasional Bass.
Some points then for a friendly gaffer and no exploitation of Eastern European cheap labour.
Remember the motto: NO MILD WALK OUT
14 May 2006 19:54
An entry in the CAMRA beer guide states �..has a good variety of beers and reasonably priced food.� Well no more.
For the tacky rich and New Labour metropolitan Guardian reading elite, this is now an �exciting restaurant staffed by cheap eastern European labour�. No local jobs for local people in this part of Wales. As for the beer variety � the ubiquitous Rev James & standard Brains Bitter.
I cannot envisage Vinny Jones ever being able to walk into this dreadful place and order �a pint of the dark stuff, landlord!� There is no dark stuff (MILD or PORTER) and the landlord is now a behind the scenes businessman counting the profits.
On asking the young lad behind the bar if he had any MILD (the dark stuff) I was greeted by a blank expression and a strange accent. Turns out that all the staff are from Poland. An old boy in the corner pointed to a beer tap in the corner. Half a pint of keg Bass mild was ordered (purely for research purposes), no alternative for a MILD drinker.
The young Pole proceeded to offer me a continental drink i.e. half a glass of froth. �Top it up � I want a British measure�. Took the young pole an age. �That will teach you not to have a proper MILD on�, sayeth I. Not his fault he and his mates are being exploited on slave wages. At least they were all very polite even if they hadn�t a clue about what they were selling.
So CAMRA get this one de-listed and as for MILD drinkers avoid at all cost.
Remember do as we do: � NO MILD WALK OUT.
14 May 2006 19:49
Goat and Tricycle, Bournemouth
Real MILD ale desert in this part of the world.
CAMRA should re-brand itself as CAMBRA, as they seem to be mostly a bunch of bitter drinkers.
At least the young barmaid in the Goat was honest and she even let me have a sampler of some IPA.
So for that reason alone I will give this boozer a couple of points.
Otherwise do as we do and if you are a serious MILD drinker: NO MILD WALK OUT.
Happy dark stuff drinking.
Sergeant at Arms, Mild Liberation Front.
14 May 2006 19:41
A real gem. You would not know there was pub here, being well off the beaten track about 5 miles south of Fishguard, in the Gwaun Valley off the B4313.
A confession. As a MILD drinker I wouldn�t normally rate a pub that does not serve MILD. This however is an exception.
This is the home of an amazing Welsh old lady, Bessie Davies who must be well into her 80s and has run the pub for best part of half a century. The dog barks to alert Bessie to a customer. The front room is the bar and Bessie appears at the serving hatch and with a kindly welcome in Welsh, draft Bass is served straight from a barrel into a jug.
Please note the Bass is the only beer served at the Dyffryn Arms, and a most refreshing drink at that.
Do not ask for anything else. (And don�t ask for food � take your own sarnies).
It can be a real hoot to see the New Labour hoi poloi turn up and ask for some ridiculous euro-fizz, wine or whatever trendy rubbish is flavour of the month in Islington. Bessie lets them know in no uncertain terms that there is only beer available. This is a local pub for local people, so show some respect.
So, a challenge to all the English trendies currently invading and polluting this part of Wales: If you want to sample some real rustic unspoilt Welsh hospitality then pop into here, sample a pint of Bass and sit up in the beer garden and enjoy the quiet tranquillity of the Gwaun valley.
When Bessie finally serves her last pint this little piece of Welsh history will be gone forever and no doubt the pub will become another English holiday let. So get there while you still can.
By the way, the BASS beer is not flat. This is how beer should be, straight out the barrel, no head and at the right temperature.
An exception to the rule of: NO MILD WALK OUT.
top marks
14 May 2006 19:39
Hadn�t been in here for a couple of years. Supposedly a standard Banks�s house with a decent pint of Banks�s (Original) MILD.
Walked up to the bar to be greeted by the ugly black tap with Smooth emblazed on it.
�We took the real MILD out because it didn�t sell and this stuff keeps better.� blurted the barmaid.
Usual poor excuse. Now just another temple to the chemical-drinking hordes.
Worryingly this is starting to look like a concerted attempt by Wolverhampton & Dudley PLC to destroy serious real MILD brewing. Not a smart move W&D.
Clarion call to serious MILD drinkers: NO MILD WALK OUT.
14 May 2006 19:29
This is the only Banks's pub that will get top marks from me. Tony the gaffer keeps the best pint of Banks's MILD (aka Original to the uninitiated) in the Wolvo area. There is a real skill and art in keeping MILD and Tony has that skill and dedication.
Many publicans can't be bothered prefering to sell the eurofizz chemicals to the dim proles.
On tap today when I called in the Pyle Cock was a lovely pint of Banks's Chocolate MILD 4.2% brewed for MILD in May month.
Just shows W&D breweries can do it when they try.
Food wise - the best traditional pub style cobs anywhere still served in the Pyle Cock. I can still taste em!
Remeber the motto and do as we do: NO MILD WALK OUT.
But doesn't apply at the Pyle Cock.
Ten out of Ten.
5 May 2006 17:12
I'm with you Stus.search.4.mild.
The last time I had a pint of mild in here it was c***.
Nearly put me off Teltey's mild for good till a cracking pint was had in the Blue Bell, York.
The Posada is off my list and advice to any mild drinkers,do as I do: NO MILD WALK OUT.
5 May 2006 16:59
Moon Under Water, Wolverhampton
Sometimes has a MILD, but haven't got a clue how it should be kept.
Remember the mantra: NO MILD WALK OUT.
5 May 2006 16:54
The Great Western, Wolverhampton
The GW is the last pub in Wolverhampton to serve proper MILD.(Banks's might brew MILD aka Original, but they are determined to kill it off by ensuring most town pubs serve keg - yuk! Exception the PYLE COCK, Wednesfield - best Banks's MILD anywhere)
A cracking pint of Holden's MILD in the GW.
No point in drinking anything other than MILD - stronger than many bitters and no headache in a morning.
Remember the mantra and do as we do: NO MILD WALK OUT.
10 out of 10 to the Great Western
5 May 2006 16:51
Thanks to Stu.search.4.mild for locating this only outlet for mild in York.
A cracking pint of Tetley's MILD. Why oh why do the herd proles drink tastless eurofizz when you can drink MILD (which by the way aint weak) and wake up without a headache and ready for more.
A greta landlord who as Stu says takes no messing from the chavs and lager head proles.
Will be back for more MILD in the BlueBell when next in York.
Remember the motto NO MILD WALK OUT.
5 May 2006 15:15
Back to nomild_walkout_mac's profile
The Lamp Tavern, Birmingham
Update to my last post and before the trolls spot it.
It should of course have read in my intro: 'Welsh Marches'.
Damn that MSoft auto spell checker.
19 Jul 2006 17:28