Pennyblacks, Birmingham

As Danny's and BFs excellent reviews say, this is a ground floor unit within the Mailbox complex. I remember it in the 70s/80s when it was the Post Office. Has a canal-side view and patio. The interior is an open plan room, with undressed brick supporting columns. The serving bar is long and to the left on entry, culminating in a wine display. The decor is brick and some red, with a mix of stone flag and wood floor. There was a distinct lack of pictures, or ephemera, making the most interesting feature the air-conditioning plant. Seating is a mix benches, high and comfy chairs, with sofas and wood tables. The service was fine, the clientele mixed, the music mixed and at a decent level and there were big screen TV's with Sky Sports on. They served food but i didn't eat, so can't comment on that. Beer; tap stuff with 5 real ales place at the back of the bar, in two banks of four so some there is some duplication. Cottage Planet Ale (well kept, but not up to Cottage's normal standard as far as i was concerned), JW Lees Strawbeery (this was off and changed without quibble), Slater's Tipsy Tiger (OK beer, well kept) Hydes Summer Time Blue (OK beer, well kept) and a decent Church End What the Fox's Hat. Dull as ditchwater as an iterior, but nice view of canal through large windows and the beer choice was good and well kept, though not always to my taste. There are far worse places to spend you time - but being a traditionalist, i can only stop for a few halves.

Nice enough new build pub if you like huge drinking barns, this one is a better class than many of the others though. Copper bar but at table level with all the handpumps etc at the back of the bar. Strange idea that as I hadn't brought my reading specs so I had trouble making out what was on the pumpclips. The answer was Backyard Blonde, Oldershaw Mowbrey's Mash, Cottage Whippet Gold and Wye Valley Butty Bach. Not a bad selection at all. Had a Backyard and an Oldershaw, both were fine if not totally top notch. The back wall is covered with a massive wine rack, so plenty of choice there as well. I'm not too sure about this place really, it's not my sort of place, but the other half would love it.

Official site of Pennyblacks, contains menu - www.pennyblacksbar.com