Windsor Castle, Lye, Stourbridge

The Windsor Castle is the Sadler’s Brewery tap house so unsurprisingly the ten hand pumps supported by the bar were drawing the full Sadler’s range. There is also a limited draught range, but I didn’t see anyone drinking any of it. The staff were friendly but I did have to ask for both of my pints to be topped up, which was done without question. This pub has a modern décor with little character and the menu is gastro with the cheapest main that I spotted coming in at £12. There was some background music playing and the plasma screen was showing a muted black and white comedy film. Live music is advertised for Sunday evenings from 20:00 until 22:00. There is some covered decked seating by the entrance and also a large car park. I enjoyed the Mellow Yellow beer and I’m sure that the others were in top condition, but I didn’t really warm to this pub like I did to the others during my recent Friday afternoon crawl of the extended area.

This Brewery tap was featured on the Oz Clarke and James May Drink to Britain series. As BF comments, there was a lovely aroma of malted barley from their brewing, before entering the pub. Ten ales on handpump, I went for the Red House Mild and the Mellow Yellow. The Mild I found was a tad too chocolatey for me. I found the pub had plenty of space and I would reckon it gets really mobbed at weekends.

Ale Monster's description of the interior of the Sadler's Brewery tap is spot on and needs no embellishment.I was impressed by the range of beer styles that Sadler's dispense from the ten handpumps which included a mild,pale ale,hoppy session ales,a powerful IPA ,an even more powerful Red IPA,a classic best bitter and a stout.It was a brew day when the PuG tour hit Lye,and the smell was distinctive but didn't find it's way indoors.The interior may be modern and a little lifeless but the ale range would tempt me into a much longer stay on my next visit.There is also a Balti "half mile" up the road if you want a ruby after a good quaff.