All hail the ale!

Just off the Stourbridge Ring Road, only a minute or two by foot from the main shopping area, lies Craddock’s Brewery.  Yesterday I paid it a visit.

Situated behind a quaint and cosy pub, this brewery defies all expectations, because for all its compact nature, it manages to supply the pub to which it’s attached, and three others owned by the company, with a constant supply of ale.

Now you know me, I don’t drink ale. But I had booked the brewery tour as a present for my partner, and so for that reason, plus the fact that I seldom turn down new experiences, I accompanied him.

To be truthful, I wasn’t expecting much. Our admission ticket included pie and mash at the end of the tour, and prior to the event I thought that would most likely be all I got out of the experience.

I was wrong.

The owner of the brewery, David Craddock, conducted the tour himself and proved to be witty, approachable and exceptionally knowledgeable, not just about the process of making good beer, but the history of it.

Along with the others in the tour I sniffed hops, tasted some of the ingredients used to flavour the drink and asked numerous questions. All were answered with ease and appreciation.

At the end of the tour came the sampling. Generous volumes of ale were handed out and I did take a sip of each one and even as a novice and proclaimed wine drinker, I had to admit that there were subtleties of flavour I hadn’t expected.

And I was particularly interested to learn that David plans to open a bar right in the heart of Birmingham, funded by Crowdfunding, where profits will go to charity. As a true believer in giving back to the community, I think it’s a great idea and wish him well.

So if you like ale, or you’re just looking for a novel day out, take the Craddock’s Brewery tour. Oh and by the way, the pie and mash was great too!

Micro me!

I have been meaning to tell you about this for some time, but until now I haven't managed to get around to it.

I have been making my own wine. Now before you get all impressed about me, let me tell you the reality of it. It's like balsamic vinegar mixed with battery acid - yes it really is that awful. I have made two batches so far, one pink and one white and both are as awful as each other. What this has achieved however, is a growing admiration for the people who really can make attractive, tasty beverages which are actually fit for human consumption.

And so on to this blog post. I have 'discovered' a little gem in Bromsgrove. It's a micro pub and to be truthful it is the weirdest place I have ever had a drink in. The tables are fashioned from beer barrels and the high seating was once a shelf I think [my legs dangle rather a lot from this lofty position] but there is an undeniable charm to the place.

Part of it is its simplicity I think. The ale is good [I am reliably informed] and there is a reasonable wine on sale. There is no menu and no food available other than pork pie and/or crisps and there is only one toilet. In short, it's like pubs used to be before they became all Formica and flat screen TVs.

But what it lacks in amenities, it makes up for in so many other ways. There is no loud raucous jingly-jangly music that makes you want to cut your ears off rather than listen to its foul-mouthed exhortations to 'give it to yo' woman, like she is yo' dawg' [ok I made that lyric up, but honestly it's not far off...]

Instead there is a hum of quiet, friendly conversation, punctuated every so often with easy laughter. Because that's the thing about this place - strangers talk to one another. And in this day and age where we are all so afraid to pass the time of day with each other, lest we are chatting to a suicide bomber or a rapist, it makes a pleasant change.

So give it a try why don't you? Sometimes to go forward we have to take a small step backwards. http://www.bromsgrovestandard.co.uk/2013/10/17/news-Bromsgrove-new-micro-pub-gets-campaign-for-real-ale-visit-87179.html

Carmen.