The Fountain, Walsall

Backyard brewery’s tap lurking on the northern edge of the town centre. Two bars, a snug and a taproom to the right off the entrance vestibule, the taproom is larger and I preferred it due to the bench seating option, in spite of a bench along the counter front which seems daft. It also covers up some nice decoration on the counter front, repeated above. The snug is mostly tables and chairs and houses a piano. The central servery has two lots of triple kegs plus four hand pumps in each bar face, different beers in each so check the blackboards, two of their own beers, two from Three Tuns, one each from Green Duck and Castle Rock. Green walls and red upholstery decorated with arty photos in the main, there are bookcases at the back of the taproom.Worth a walk and afterwards keep going over the dangerous ringroad for the Pretty Bricks. GBG 2023 listed and beer quality up to scratch.

The Fountain Inn has a central bar counter that serves the Tap Room to the right and Snug to the left, although I wouldn’t personally describe the left-hand side as a snug. In here seating to the front is faced by a coal fireplace that sits on the left-hand wall adjacent to a piano. At the rear is a tall fridge stocked with craft cans. The bar counter supports four hand pumps on each side. This is the brewery tap for Backyard Brewery so their Blonde, Jigger Stout and Hoard were available alongside Burning Soul Brewing’s Little Dank Age, Derby Brewing’s Mercia, North Pier Brewing’s Midas, Green Duck’s Foam Party and Byatt’s Brewery’s Karma Rama. Premium and craft keg is also available and the food stretches to cobs and pork pies. I ordered my pint in the Tap Room, but there was nowhere to sit, so I ended up in the ‘snug’. The service was very friendly and the lack of music or television meant that the atmosphere was generated by people chatting. Worth a look.

Well used local pub on the edge of town. 3 Backyard beers on - Blonde, Hoard and Kris Kringle. Also 4 guests including New Invention Tropical pale which was excellent. Well worth a visit.

In a decaying part of town,don't be put off as this is the lively brewery tap for Backyard Brewery.There is a two room set up served from an island bar.The right side is larger and has a wooden floor ,some bench seating around the walls and a mix of cheap looking pine tables and chairs with some bucket seats in light leather.Unusually furniture,art and bric a brac is on sale ,mainly at the rear of this room and there is a good collection of books to browse.The left side feels quieter and more of a lounge,but there is an upright piano at the back. Five ales were offered on my trip from various handpumps dotted about but noted on a board.Backyard Lionhart,Citra,Blonde (good nick,£2.75) and Black Raven with a guest in Kinver Noble. With a drop down screen,quiz night and occasional live music ,this is a lively community boozer and should be included in any real ale tour of town.