Clifden, Birmingham

Called in as part of our crawl round Brum. Several decent beers on in the back room, including 2 from Blue Monkey. the weather was decent for once and we stood outside on the patio area watching the test match on one of several outdoor screens and taking in the many pieces of art on display. Excellent beer pub, don't let the exterior and the tag as "Art Pub" put you off, well worth a visit.

2011 Good Beer Guide pub, and very popular lunchtime Saturday. Chose Blue Monkey Guerilla and Blackwater Graffiti from the range available and chose to sit out in the garden at the rear. This is fantastic - go through a covered area with TV screens facing to front and side so plenty were enjoying the rugby. There is a bar area and BBQ area set up ready for use if needed. Continue into a walled suntrap with plenty of tables, and a lower tier has a table tennis table with a couple enjoying themselves on it. Friendly atmosphere outside with a good mix of diners, drinkers and sport fans.

Official site of the Lord Clifden, contains menus and event details - www.thelordclifden.com

Perhaps an example of why you shouldn't judge a pub by it's cover. One of the two Urban Art Bars in Hockley. I found a fairly crowded bar at the front of the pub and a larger bar/diner at the rear. We came in from the cold and it was really warm inside. The decor was contemporary with the walls a rustic brick finish adorned with framed modern art. On handpull there was Kelham Island Winter Blues, Six Bells Brewery (Bishop's Castle) Glittery Balls, Wye Valley HPA and Enville Ginger. There was a variety of beers on tap such as Peroni, a couple of Vedett Belgian beers, Liefman, Duvel, Dog Dancer cider, Kirin Ichiban (a Japanese beer) and tucked away up the corner were Carling and Guinness. I tend to feel more at home in the more traditional pub but this was obviously popular, judging by the number of people in there on my visit. GBG 2010 entry.

Official site of the Lord Clifden, contains menus and event details - www.thelordclifden.com

This pub looks nothing on the outside and its on a busy industrial street from Birmingham to the Black Country. However, once you are in here its totally different. There are two rooms and an outside patio area. Its hard to describe as its a traditional working class boozer, but with an arty atmosphere. Its actually the best of both & carries off its re-furb by Urban Pubs without being naff, trendy or pretentious. A real excellent balance. Its something that shouldn't work, due to its age, seen-better-days location but it very does, a lot of effort in what I would imagine a risky venture. It was busy with a very mixed clientelle - black, white, posh, scruffy, male, female. It just seems to have hit all the right buttons for different people. I expect this has built up a reputation quite quickly in various circles by word of mouth. beer quality was excellent, four real ales including Bathams & Wye Valley HPA, but I had an Urban Ales Bostin, which was as different and as pleasent as the rest of the place. Their leaflet inside advises it has 'individual character and quality....without being pretentious'. Exactly right. Excellent.

A small terraced, now cream painted pub, that hides a long, narrow interior. There is a big beer garden that has table tennis and table football. The interior has two rooms, the smaller bar, i never seem to go into. The lounge is where food is served. The decor is grey,black, red and wood panel, with the main decoration being supplied, like its sister pub, the Red Lion, with urban art pictures (things like Churchill with green hair). Service is fine and the place is always buzzing with a mixed clientele. I have eaten here in the past and found it pretty good as well. Beer; tap stuff, with some Continental lagers, with Ansells MILD, On handpull there is Wye Valley HPA, a strange non-Bathams tasting Bathams Bitter, if that makes sense, as well as a few guests; the last i had were Sarah's Rid and Sid Vicious. Another must pub really, the MILD is excellent, as are most other things - its the strange tasting Bathams, one, if not my favourite bitter, which at this place tastes somewhat unique!