The Vine, Wolverhampton

Splendid, seemingly unspoiled, pub retaining its original public bar and smoke room (with front window glazing to match). Also has another lounge to the rear with the dartboard. All very traditional, but quite rightly popular with the aficionados. Ten handpumps on the main counter, with eight real ales and a cider available when I visited. The two Black Country Ales (BFG and Fireside) were outnumbered by three from Burton Bridge, but I opted for Sherwood from Lincoln Green (£3.10, and in fine form). Well worth seeking out.

Official site of The Vine Inn - www.blackcountryales.co.uk

Official site of The Vine Inn - www.blackcountryales.co.uk

As noted at length below this is a classic inter-war pub which if it was in London would have been trashed years ago. I came here on a Wednesday afternoon. As you enter there are doors on the left and right. I went for the left side which turned out to be carpeted and contained local older folk who all appeared to be discussing a starchy vegetable used in Afro-Caribbean cookery. It was good to see there were no bar stools obstructing the bar here. My only reservation about the place was a TV showing horse racing (not too loud) and a poster advertising an Open Mic Night. The bar has a hand pump for cider and nine for ales which had the three Black Country Regulars, Newark Five Point Five, Plain Ales Innocence, Derventio Gold & Lucretius Cherry Stout, Emal Castra and Quartz Blonde. I tried the Newark Five Point Five and the Derventio Lucretius Cherry Stout both of which were excellent at £3.10 with the Cherry Stout being particularly good. While not as old as some of the area's classic boozers, to me this is one of them and easily the best BCA house visited so far. I loved it.