Hot News !!!
11 November 2006: Black Country Coach Tour.
Allan B gets to know the bar staff at the Old Bull in Lower Gornal!
17 October 2006: Old Codgers' trip to The Black Country.
As a "prequel" to this year's annual Black Country Tour, an advance party of dedicated Old Codgers, led by the indomitable Pete Martin, made a trip by public transport to the Black Country to assess half a dozen GBG pubs. A good time was had by all!
Allan B makes friends with Sally at the Britannia in Upper Gornal!
18 July 2006: Old Codgers' trip to BRISTOL - visiting the Orchard Inn, the Old Duke, the King's Head and the Knights Templar (Wetherspoon's).
A very enjoyable day was spent by half a dozen "old codgers", including a boat trip on the Bristol Harbour and an excellent lunch at the Orchard Inn. We were disappointed to find that the Cornubia had closed down, but the Knights Templar provided a welcome, air-conditioned alternative on a very hot afternoon!
Alan C makes friends with the bar staff at the King's Head in Bristol!
Another very successful Old Codgers' Trip took place on Tuesday, 6 December 2005. The destination this time was BROMSGROVE, where the three pubs listed in the 2006 Good Beer Guide were duly visited.
First port of call was the Hop Pole in Birmingham Road, a short taxi ride from the station.
The selection of splendid ales on offer included their regular tipple - Worfield "OBJ" (ABV 4.2%), Caledonian "Deuchar's IPA" (ABV 3.8%), the ubiquitous Greene King "Old Speckled Hen" (ABV 5.2%) and finally Moorhouse's "Pride of Pendle" (ABV 4.1%) - which had travelled well from its Burnley home and was voted our favourite at this hostelry.
Following a first-class lunch at the Hop Pole, we embarked on a gentle stroll to the second inn on our list, the Red Lion in the pedestrianised Bromsgrove High Street.
The Red Lion is a very old, single-room town centre pub with an interesting history which is documented in detail on a free pamphlet available at the bar. Richard and his staff made us very welcome and we were able to sample several ales from the Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries, plus a couple of guest beers. Various members of our group tried the Banks's Bitter (ABV 3.7%), Banks's Original (ABV 3.35%), Hanson's Mild Ale - rarely found this far south (ABV 3.2%), Jennings "Cocker Hoop" (ABV 4.6%) and guest offerings - Darwin "Andy Capp" (ABV 4.5%) and Hidden Brewery "Hidden Pint" (ABV 3.8%). It was reported that the Hanson's Mild and the Andy Capp especially tickled the palate!
Our final destination in Bromsgrove was the Ladybird Inn, conveniently adjacent to the station and well known to regular Old Codgers from previous short visits on homeward journeys from "up north"! The always-on-tap Sharp's "Doom Bar Bitter" (ABV 4.0%) and Batham's Best Bitter (ABV 4.3%) rounded off our Bromsgrove Experience very nicely!
Allan seems to be enjoying the "Happy Hour" at the Ladybird Inn!
W.D.
15 November 2005: HEREFORD and MALVERN - visiting the King's Fee, the Barrels and the Nag's Head.
The intrepid explorers holding up the bar at The Barrels in Hereford.
An even more intrepid explorer holding up the barmaid at The Barrels in Hereford!
John breaks the news that the train to the Nag's Head has been delayed for yet ANOTHER hour!
W.D.
[Special thanks to P.M. for the photographs]