Red House Boutique, Stourbridge

I wasn’t expecting much from this place because it’s called Red House Boutique and because there was very loud 80s and 90s music intentionally being blasted out of the doors. Making my way into the pub past the high tables that sit under awnings out the front I was surprised to see eight hand pumps. I was even more surprised to see that seven were in use drawing Enville Brewery’s Enville Ale, TT Landlord, Oakham’s Green Devil and Citra, Hobson’s Town Crier, Fixed Wheel Brewery’s Crazy Mule and Thornbridge Brewery’s Fonio African Pale Ale. Standard, premium and craft keg were also available from the polite barmaid. The pub’s split-level interior is L-shaped with a central serving counter that faces the entrance. Seating and a dartboard are found to the left and high tables to the right where an exposed brick chimney with burner sits next to a piano on the right-hand wall. There’s a raised area in the right rear where seating encircles a large travel chest that has been repurposed as a table. A late night high street boozer with an excellent cask selection, first time for everything!

As Quinno says,a lads bar with a few of them drinking at the exterior tables under a shade,inside it is large with high ceilings,a long bar along the far wall,lots of high tables ,a side section with some sofas and a darts board to the left.It's noisy and attract the young,but some old timer real ale types too. Three handpumps with Thorndridge Jaipur IPA,Abbeydale Splendour and Hop Back Summer Lightening (ok but had better,NBSS 3.5).Good to see some strength and the reversed Saltaire Blonde could have been interesting too,so very worth while including this 2023 GBG entry into any crawl around town.

Did this on the strength of its GBG’23 listing. A former Hogshead, this is a ladz bar with the attendant cliches – quite barn-like, dim, high stools and very loud. Dart board spotted. Surprisingly there were six cask ales on including 3x Thornbridge. My McConnel's was in good shape (NBSS 3.5). Not my kind of venue but the cask quality made it worthwhile dropping in.

4 ales on when I called in including Titanic Cappuccino Stout, Oakham Below Zero and Kinver Full Centurion (A whopping 10% beer!) It was a little early for the Centurion so I went for Below Zero which was excellent. Well worth a visit.