Gunmakers Arms, Birmingham

As with the previous reviewer, I made a return visit to the Gunmakers almost 5 years on from my last. The guy behind the bar, who I took to be the landlord was in the process of changing the Hockley Gold when I walked in, which left their standard beer Complete Muppetry as the only cask available across 4 handpulls. For a Saturday, I thought that was a pretty poor offering. It was therefore unsurprising that there were only 3 other customers, 2 of whom appeared to be vagrants! It's quite a traditional interior, if not a little worn. With Riders on the Storm playing in the background, the atmosphere felt quite moody.

A revisit after 5 years and not much has changed. The beer was only OK. I really want to like this pub but I just can't take to it! I will call again but it will probably be a while!

As described below. Quite a plain place, where there's much art on the walls, which is for sale. A fluffy black cat was on the prowl which proceeded to do a poo on the mat; poorly trained, or was this intended to be in keeping with the pub's ethos, a piece of Performance Art? Either way, the landlord took some time to clear it up. My half of Two Towers Chamberlain Pale Ale was a very decent £1.70, but was perhaps a little tired?

A backstreet local just off the ring road which cannot be described as unspoilt as it has been stripped back and 'industrialized', albeit in a slightly amateur way. The plank-clad walls are liberally hung with artworks for sale, which is interesting but doesn't help the general pub feel at all. Out the back is a large drinking yard which also contains the Two Towers brewery in an outbuilding. Beers as described in previous review and the Porter was certainly past its best. A little disappointing.