The Wellington, Birmingham

Back in Birmingham and able to make a long overdue visit to its premier real ale pub. Suitably buzzing with life on our early Saturday evening visit and it did not disappoint in terms of beer quality and choice. Wanting to focus on local beers between us we started with the Black Country Ales Fireside Bitter, BFG and Pig on the Wall, and the wonderfully named Froth Blowers Piffle Snonker before finishing by way of a contrast with the Chocolate Porter from the North Riding Brewery and Oakham Ales Citra, and all were kept in tip top condition. A real destination pub and one that is very hard to leave.

A lovely pub with a dazzling 17 handpumps dispensing 15 ales plus a few others from a t-bar kinda thing. A TV on the wall tells you what's on and what type of beers they are. An excellent pub. The decor? Who cares? But if you must know, its fine.

This is arguably the most famous pub in Birmingham. Looking at all the preceding reviews made me wonder if I was the only person in the UK that had never visited it. From the outside it doesn't look much like a pub, it looks like it may have been a Victorian town house. Unlike the JDW down the road I was the first customer. It is a large carpeted room with the bar on the right as you enter. I attempted to count all of the pumps on the bar and I made it seventeen but may have miscounted. At the back of the bar were another three with cider on. Beers were too numerous to list but I did spot a Tap East offering from my own manor and I got the impression that the guest beers were from just about anywhere. On Saturday at least they do an Earlybird offer of any of the three Black Country Ales for £2.20 from 10:00 I think until 13:00 but it may have been 12:00. This undercuts the nearby Briar Rose. The normal prices ranged from £3.10 to £4.00 depending on strength but all three Black Country ales were the lowest price. I went for their Pig On the Wall which was in excellent condition and went down a treat. This is another great Black Country Ales pub and well worth a visit.

Almost certainly the best pub in Birmingham. Always busy - there is a large downstairs bar, an upstairs bar and some new terracing. You may get somewhere comfortable, if you are lucky. The beer is plentiful (usually around 14 hand pulled) and even if you have never heard of them, they are always in tip top condition. If you are undecided - a TV Screen has details on strength and colour to help you choose.