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The Duke William, Stourbridge
Stourbridge
DY8 1EP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Duke William
Craddock’s brewpub in an imposing Edwardian building. This is quite traditional with two rooms and bench seating. The main bar is a bit gloomy with a jarring colour scheme of dark red walls and dark green ceiling. It's CAMRA Inventory listed. Seven (I think) cask with four Craddocks and guests in the shape of Hobsons and Titanic. The Craddock’s Gold was in good nick (NBSS 3.5) though like many of theirs I come across it was a poor brew and I instantly regretted my decision to stay low abv rather than hit the Plum Porter. Absolutely rammed on Friday night so the locals like it. We were less taken by it (circumstances?) and we were happy to neck ours and move on.
On 17th January 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Duke William
I met up with one of my Luton Town mates who lives not far away, for a pre-match beer or two before our game at the Hawthorns. He often watches the local non-league team when he can't get to a Hatters fixture, and he describes this as his favourite pre-match pub anywhere. And I can see why - a proper pub with plenty of real ales and a good atmosphere. I'm always a little wary when I see as many as nine hand pumps; in this instance there were seven real ales and a cider. On this occasion my fears were unfounded. Five of the beers were from Craddocks, whose brewery tap this is. The two beers I tried were one of theirs and one from local Froth Blowers, both very good but perhaps a little samey. If we'd had more time I would have liked to try a couple more Craddocks beers - I was back in Stourbridge a few days later and had another of theirs at the Plough & Harrow, and it was spot on. So, a repeat visit here is called for. Pity it's such a long way from home.
On 17th February 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Duke William
Enjoyed our visit to this friendly Craddocks pub with 8 of their ales available. We tried Monarchs Way and CAPRA, both of which were fine. There were some lovely cheese and red onion crusty half bagettes to enjoy with the beer too.
On 10th May 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Duke William
A classic Stourbridge pub that has come a long way from the "old man's pub" I remember from my student days! As noted below, home to Craddock's brewery so a great choice of beers and all excellent. Well worth a visit.
On 1st May 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Duke William
A cracking boozer and well worth a visit. This corner pub is apparently run by Craddocks Brewery, who I'd never heard of so it was good to try their beers. Two roomed with the main bar having a nice curved bar. Approx 9 beers were on and the stout was lovely. Traditional fixtures and fittings. A very good pub.
On 17th November 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Duke William
A warm and welcoming street corner pub which had a log burning stove roaring away on a dismal day with sleet falling. An L-shaped boarded main room with the bar in the elbow, some etched and leaded glass remains and there is some nice stained glass above the corner entrance. Hops run along a couple of beams, there are CAMRA awards framed on a wall and a corner has some bookshelves and a 1970s looking light wood piano of the type I remember from primary school.
A long corridor runs along the rear to the facilities, passing on the way another room which has a hatch to the bar. Further along beyond the kitchen there is a small outdoor area with some cover and old metal advertisements on the brick wall.
Seating is reassuringly traditional with banquettes and chairs at regular tables, other items of interest included a Royal coat of arms above the fireplace and a large ammonite fossil on a shelf behind the bar.
This is the home of Craddock's Brewery, six of their own were on, King's Escape, Troll, Saxon Gold, Capra, River Steam and Crazy Sheep. Between us we sampled most of them and it was agreed all were in great shape although there was a definite bias to light golden beers, nothing dark in evidence. Additionally they had Thirsty Brewers Yule Glow plus English Amber and a cider called Dogdancer. There was also another clip for a perry in the other room. They have a loyalty card system where eight stickers gets you a free pint, this extends also to the pub's Pieminister pie menu. They also had a range of crusty cobs on the bar.
This is a fine homely pub with no distractions from TV or piped music, convivial and full of conversation. The general consensus was that this was the pick of some excellent pubs we visited in Stourbridge, not one to miss if in town.
On 21st January 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Duke William
Nice old corner pub, roomy but cosy. Benches, a piano, real fires & Craddocks beers. Some modern features but still a fine old pub with good beer
On 21st November 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Duke William
A really well done traditional town centre boozer owned by Craddock's who brew on the premises.
Food is traditional pub grub with the emphasis being on pie and mash with several choices of both pie and mash. Prices were under a tenner and portions looked good although we didn't eat here with eyes only for the handpumps.
The pub was staffed by just one barmaid on our Tuesday evening visit who, despite the steady flow of punters, provided very efficient, chatty and knowledgeable service. A perfect example of how to run a pub.
Beers on were all from the Craddock's stable with Bridgnorth now owned by Craddock's as they needed to expand capacity and Two Thirsty Brewers being a joint venture with Sadlers. If the selection here is representative, I can wholly understand the increasing demand for their beers.
Available were: Bridgnorth Head of Steam 3.8% and Kings Escape 4.2%, Craddock's Crazy Sheep 4.5%, Saxon Gold 4% and Troll 5.4% and Two Thirsty Brewers American IPA 4.7%. We tried most of these and all were very good. The house style seems to tend towards pale beers, which suited us on a warm and thirsty evening, with the only beer tending to amber being the American IPA.
A great pub which surpassed all expectations.
On 8th July 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Duke William
A solid Victorian street corner building,this pub was a revelation on the real ale front and a charming place to visit.The entrance gives way to an open plan L shaped bar room with large windows,traditional furniture of both fitted benches and scrubbed pine tables,a wooden floor and a classic raised bar so that the staff can see over the heads of any bar blockers.No need on our Tuesday evening visit,but the vibe was friendly and the service excellent with the charming barmaid offering both samples and knowledge about the hop content of the house ales together with a lot of detail behind the Craddocks and Bridgenorth tie up,with both breweries owned by the same people but with Craddocks beers brewed in the smaller plant on the premises.This is a sister pub of both the Plough and Harrow in Stourbridge (recently acquired) and the excellent King Charles in Worcester.
Food comes from Pieminister with meal deals,while there is a loyalty card of a free pint after a gallon is supped.With the crew in fine form and great ale,several freebies were enjoyed over a heavy session where there was no mention of going anywhere else in town.
At the bar there were 6 real ales,a range of Craddocks and Bridgenorth with a single guest from a collaberation with Sadlers called Two Thirsty Brewers,while two real ciders were also offered.Every pint sampled was spot on ,and several were memorable such as Crazy Sheep ,an excellent session ale.
It's also worth wandering around ,as the internal corridor leads to a back snug with its own bar access and door onto the street,while a charming beer garden is at the end.
This pub ticked all the boxes,and would be my first port of call when back in Stourbridge.It's a top ale house.
On 7th July 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Duke William
A total find, and unexpectedly delightful. I was actually googling the location of the French Restaurant in Stourbridge (nice, but ever so slightly expensive) and this game up in Google Maps as a "Number 1 Real Ale Pub". Well, it had to be explored. Nice corner red brick pub with a single room. Nice fire. But we're here for the beer and there was a great choice of craddocks - 4 - three ales and a stout - brewed on site. I went for the Troll, which was a little light for my tastes, but I will be back to sample the others. Nice atmosphere. Checked out their web site when at home and I applaud what they are doing here - a number of themed evenings - from the usual quiz, to the more esoteric "bring your record collection". Food is offered (Choice of Pies, Choice of Mash and Choice of Peas) and will be back - maybe to combine the quiz and a pie.
They also have the Plough and Harrow in the town, which I popped into last year. Equally as good.
On 5th February 2015
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]