Boats, beer and number plates

[dave moore]

For many boaters, myself included, there is an affinity between canals, boats and the pubs close by. Living and working in the West Midlands, I’m fortunate to have several local independent pubs and brewers to choose from, all of whom brew fine beers...Bathams, Holdens and Sarah Hughes spring to mind.

The Bathams brewery tap is at the top of Delph Road in Brierley Hill, not far from the flight of Locks. It’s beers enjoy an enviable reputation amongst real ale drinkers. I was driving home earlier when I found myself behind one of their small delivery drays. I was much taken with the personal registration plate that it sported.....

 

[fittie]

The bull and bladder - good beer I seem to remember. 

 

[Victor Vectis]

Bathams bitter is the beer of the gods.

[pearley]

Only been there once. Bloody good beer and big helpings of good food. I had the faggots!

[Tonka]

What about Beowulf Brewing Company by Chasewater reservoir

Beowulf Brewing Company (beowulfbrewery.com)

 

[dave moore]

Good ale. I bought a can of their IPA at the Brownhills festival last year.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I like the Sarah Hughes ‘Dark Ruby Mild’.

But haven’t visited the Brewery, or pub, the Beacon(?)

How far is the canal from it?

Walking distance or a bus ride?

[dave moore]

It’s a bus or taxi from the cut to Sedgeley, I’m afraid. Well worth it for the lovely Sarah Hughes mild....6.2%, if I remember rightly.

[fittie]

Corr blimey, 6.2% isn't very mild. I used to like Davenport's mild and that was more like 3.2%.

 

[Tonka]

49 minutes ago, fittie said:

Corr blimey, 6.2% isn't very mild. I used to like Davenport's mild and that was more like 3.2%.

 

Mild in taste

 

[Tim Lewis]

Hailing from the Black Country, have not lived their since my early twenties but I visit reguarly. My one concern about the likes of Bathams is that in the 40 odd years since I started drinking their beer is that they have not expanded their range at all.  Go to a Black Country Ales pub and you will see a forest of handpumps selling their own and others beers covering the whole range of taste.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Bathams pubs, even though they didn't buy their one in Oldswinford until I stopped living there 😞 but I do like a variety of ales when i go out.

Edited February 25, 2022 by Tim Lewis

[IanD]

10 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Hailing from the Black Country, have not lived their since my early twenties but I visit reguarly. My one concern about the likes of Bathams is that in the 40 odd years since I strted drinking their beer is that they have not expanded their range at all.  Go to a Black Country Ales pub and you will see a forest of handpumps selling their own and others beers covering the whole range of taste.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Bathams pubs, even though they didn't buy their one in Oldswinford until I stopped living there 🙂  but I do like a variety of ales when i go out.

 

I like different beers too -- but I'd rather drink Batham's bitter all night than a variety of most of the other beers on the market, because it's pure nectar 🙂

[frahkn]

Are there still some Bathams pubs in Upton?

[Tim Lewis]

1 hour ago, frahkn said:

Are there still some Bathams pubs in Upton?

 

Not according to their web site

 

Pubs - Bathams Brewery

[JamesWoolcock]

16 hours ago, Goliath said:

I like the Sarah Hughes ‘Dark Ruby Mild’.

But haven’t visited the Brewery, or pub, the Beacon(?)

How far is the canal from it?

Walking distance or a bus ride?

Moor at Tipton and catch a bus to Sedgley. The Beacon is a moderate walk from there. But there are other alternatives on this trip.

1. Stop off at The Park PH at Woodsetton; Holdens brewery tap.

2. From Sedgley, take the Dudley bus and stop off at the Britannia in Gornal; a Bathams house.

Sadly, the Beacon isn't dog friendly, but the others are.

Good boozing is the Black Country!

Edited February 25, 2022 by JamesWoolcock

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

5 minutes ago, JamesWoolcock said:

Moor at Tipton and catch a bus to Sedgley. The Beacon is a moderate walk from there. But there are other alternatives on this trip.

1. Stop off at The Park PH at Woodsetton; Holdens brewery tap.

2. From Sedgley, take the Dudley bus and stop off at the Britannia in Gornal; a Bathams house.

Good boozing is the Black Country.

Great stuff, 3 new (to me) pubs to look forward to. 
😋 😋😋

[IanD]

Of course if you're going up the Delph locks, it would be a crime not to moor in the little arm just above the bottom lock and walk up to the Bull and Bladder... 😉

 

Wouldn't necessarily want to moor there overnight (has anyone done this?) but it's fine for lunchtime. Then after trundling back down the hill to the boat you can pootle along to the Withymoor Island Trust and walk up to Ma Pardoe's for the evening, two classic Black Country pubs in one glorious day 🙂 🙂 🙂

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Moored there at bottom of Delph flight a couple of times over night and spent the afternoon and evening in pub. Good starting point for BCN challenge. 
Not had any trouble mooring there. 
 

[Dave_P]

22 minutes ago, IanD said:

Of course if you're going up the Delph locks, it would be a crime not to moor in the little arm just above the bottom lock and walk up to the Bull and Bladder... 😉

 

 🙂 🙂 🙂

If I did that I'd have no chance of the tackling the rest of the flight.  Better to moor in the little arm just below the top lock.

[IanD]

29 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Moored there at bottom of Delph flight a couple of times over night and spent the afternoon and evening in pub. Good starting point for BCN challenge. 
Not had any trouble mooring there. 
 

Good to hear it's safe. A bit noisy though...

22 minutes ago, Dave_P said:

If I did that I'd have no chance of the tackling the rest of the flight.  Better to moor in the little arm just below the top lock.

That's the other option, depending which way you're going. It was pretty choked up with weed last time I went past it though -- anyone looked recently?

Edited February 25, 2022 by IanD

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

19 minutes ago, IanD said:

A bit noisy though...

Can’t remember, don’t think so. But after a few beers I sleep through anything. 

[dave moore]

The arm below the top lock is well weeded these days. I remember boats tied in there years ago but I’m not sure that you’d get in easily now. I’ve not seen a boat there for years.

[Rob-M]

4 hours ago, IanD said:

Of course if you're going up the Delph locks, it would be a crime not to moor in the little arm just above the bottom lock and walk up to the Bull and Bladder... 😉

 

Wouldn't necessarily want to moor there overnight (has anyone done this?) but it's fine for lunchtime. Then after trundling back down the hill to the boat you can pootle along to the Withymoor Island Trust and walk up to Ma Pardoe's for the evening, two classic Black Country pubs in one glorious day 🙂 🙂 🙂

We moored overnight on Vulpes for a BCN Challenge start, I think it was the same year as Goliath.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

18 hours ago, Rob-M said:

We moored overnight on Vulpes for a BCN Challenge start, I think it was the same year as Goliath.

Yes, I remember 

would have been 2017

[Tim Lewis]

On 25/02/2022 at 09:50, IanD said:

 

I like different beers too -- but I'd rather drink Batham's bitter all night than a variety of most of the other beers on the market, because it's pure nectar 🙂

TBH I find their beers a bit bland now compared with what is available elsewhere ☹️