Off to the heart of the Black Country this week. Beer was incidental; I was collecting my Dad's birthday present (if you're reading, Dad, then get back to work!)

Never been there before, so it's always fun to find out some decent pubs and enjoy some local beer.


Armed with my usual scruffy notes out of the Good Beer Guide, scribbled onto a poorly-photocopied map, I set out to find the first pub on my list, Arbor Lights.


With a Cask Marque plaque outside, I knew what I would get - cold beer. And the pint of Summer Lightning was indeed on the chilly side. Still, it was still a damn fine pint. Everyone else here seemed to be drinking coffee... but it was only 10:15 in the morning.

Arbor Lights is a good-looking place, inside and out; it has that smart bar-diner feel, smooth tunes in the background, comfy sofas, large street-facing windows. The beers were fine; oversized brass beer dispensers for Leffe as well as the chilled lager swill and a selection of real ales (the aforementioned Lightning, Adnams and one other that I, er, can't quite remember)

Suitably refreshed, it was a short walk back across town to the next pub. On the way, I looked through the window of a fading back-street boozer and spied some interesting pump clips; Allgates, Acorn, E&S.... I noted the place as a possible stop on the way back to the train later.

So, over to the Lyndon House Hotel.


In through the main hotel entrance, you turn left into what I now know is the Lyndon Bar. The woman behind the bar was happy to serve me, but pointed out that they didn't actually open for another six minutes. Ah, it must have been the open door to the bar that confused me...

Anyway, the bar itself is pleasant, albeit in that slightly forced 'Olde England' way; lots of china plates, hanging brass, exposed brick, stained glass etc. Regional radio provided the background music.

But I'm here for the beer; they have three main beers and three guests. Always on are Abbot, Theakstons Best and Highgate Dark Mild - it was the latter that I was particularly keen on trying.

And it was excellent; deep dark fruits in there, enough body for a mild, a creamy feel with just that right hint of sourness to make you smack your lips.

With the Global Star group buying out Highgate recently, it looks like their beers may reach a wider - and deserving - audience.

Just enough time for another here - in fact, another Highgate's beer, Davenport IPA. And what a beauty; full of fat pineapple flavours and a perfumed nose. In fact, I almost began to wonder if it was a little too full-flavoured, a bit artificial? Nah, it's a good, well-bodied, full-tasting beer It's not really an IPA of course, but let's leave that rant for another posting...

With time against me, I legged it back to the pub I'd spied pumpclips in before. This was the Victoria, a no-nonsense boozer of the woodchip and formica fraternity. Some interesting beers on offer including potential scoops by Acorn and E&S. But.... I'm the Reluctant Scooper so I plumped for Allgates Bright Blade, one of my favourites.

And, by gum, it was rank. Warm, sweet... you could have passed it off as a bad farmhouse cider. Served in a warm Carling glass. Without a smile. It sounded from the stream of telephone calls he took that the licensee had a number of problems to contend with after returning from his holidays.... it has to be said that the beers clearly suffering too.

Beating a retreat back to the railway station, I arrived just in time to spring gazelle-like onto a Birmingham-bound train. With the score at one good, two great, one minging, the Walsall beer quality average wasn't too bad. Even my scoop count stood at 50%. Plenty of chances to up those percentages, though, on the journey home, which will force me into three of my favourite pubs. More of which will follow in the next post.