Plough & Harrow, Stourbridge

Cracking little pub. I like Craddock's beers and there were 4 on offer alongside Titanic Porter and HPA as guests. I had the best pint of Crazy Sheep I have ever had. Well worth a visit.

I’m not a massive fan of Holts beers, so as I approached my heart sank a little as I noted the Holts sign on the exterior of the Plough & Harrow. However, my mood was lifted when I realized that Holts had been and gone, and the range on the bar was actually interesting for an out-of-towner. There are actually two bars, both of which were very busy early on a recent Friday evening. The left hand bar has seating under the front windows and up the left either side of piano that sits beside a fireplace with burner. The L-shaped serving counter supports standard and premium keg alongside three hand pumps that were drawing St Austell’s Tribute, Wye Valley’s HPA and Craddock’s Saxon Gold. The serving counter continues into the right hand bar where three more hand pumps were drawing Craddock’s Crazy Sheep, Troll and Monarch’s Way. In here is a dartboard and an interesting fireplace with cast iron fittings. In the right rear is a snug and out the back is a large split-level garden that was also very busy. With the Waggon just up the road the local residents are spoilt for choice.

Official site of Plough & Harrow - www.craddocksbrewery.com

Official site of Plough & Harrow - www.craddocksbrewery.com

I was recommended to try this pub after getting into conversation with a chap in the Seven Stars. I'm very glad he did, because apart from the fact that the pub's original many rooms have been opened out over the years, this is very much a proper pub, run by a man who knows what he's doing and supplied with beer by a brewery ditto. All the beers were from Craddocks, except Timothy Taylor Landlord and Titanic Plum Porter; there was also Old Rosie cider. Three hand pumps are on the bar, with two pairs in addition on the bar back. The landlord took time to talk to me, an obvious stranger, about beer, pubs and football - we'd both been at the Hawthorns the previous Saturday, though supporting opposing teams. I've now done nine pubs in Stourbridge in two brief visits and hope to do a few more soon - when I do, I'm sure this one will be on my revisit list. An excellent pub.

Very traditional ex-Holts pub, now run by Craddock's Brewery. Seemingly unaltered layout of various semi-open rooms arranged on three sides of the compact central servery, and lots of interesting pictures about the walls. Pleasant side beer garden, part covered under three shelters with the central section having artificial grass but otherwise a generous amount of real greenery. Three of their own ales - Saxon Gold (£3.20), Crazy Sheep and North Star APA - plus Purity Mad Goose as the guest on the four handpumps. Their Wasted is also available from the keg taps.