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Pennyblacks, Birmingham
The Mailbox
Birmingham
B1 1XL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about Pennyblacks
Canalside pub and it was very scenic on this roasting hot day. It is, however, a sports bar now with plenty of tellies. Inside is a rectangular box with bare brick and stone flooring. 2 pool tables at the front. Sadly real ale has gone so its generic fizzlepops. Oh, and if you drink bitter then you're out of luck as there ain't any here.
On 25th July 2019
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Pennyblacks
Modern bar / restaurant underneath the Mailbox, but in quite a quiet spot beside the canal - or it would be, without the 'background' music (unless you are making use of one of the patio tables outside, if the weather suits). Nothing much to say about the interior, but I did notice that an 'Off the Rails' package in one of the four 'VIP Booths' was available at just £800 - bargain! Beer-wise, there was only one operational handpump of the total of five on different parts of the counter, but I did manage to get a fair pint of Wickwar Gold (albeit at £4.00). You can also get a 'yard of ale' at £16, and it's a long time since I've seen that advertised...
On 26th July 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Pennyblacks
24/06/2015 revisit - Refurbed to a more trendy brash fashion - gone is the wine tasting and emphasis on real ales, but 4 do still remain, just more hidden & less obvious.
The high seating has also gone in favour or leather type arm chairs, sofas and half is given over to large party drinking/food. In my humble, not as good as the original.
21/05/2010 - This pub is actually at the rear of the main Mailbox development and at canal level. Its a purpose built modern unit at the rear of what used to be the Post Office sorting Office, now known as the Mailbox, a mixed use development in central Birmingham.
Its a large open plan room, with the bar running down the left and modern furniture, rustic seats and benches. The bar is copper and clear of pumps which are at the rear, and part of the bar is lower, presumably to accommodate wheel chair users. The floor is stone/wood. Its quite well done and feels modern and airy. The windows open up in summer to bring an open feel. There is also some seating canalside basin at the front and there are views down to Gas Street basin and I believe the building at the opposite end was Duran Duran's former rehersal rooms! The balcony to the right above the stairs is where BBC do the local weather on warmer days, so if you time it right your friends may get to see you waving if they watch the Midlands news!
There is a Waterbus stop directly outside (The Mailbox) though I'm not sure of the frequency.
There are occasional wine tasting events at the barrel at the far end.
Quite pricey for Birmingham, reflecting its location, its £3.10 a pint, but there are 5 real ales, and they are more unual than a number of other real ale pubs in Birmingham, including Church End and Wyre Piddle.
Overall a very pleasant place, especially in Summer, though suffers from being busy at peak times due to the location. Although modern its comfortable and offers a contrast to other pubs in the City Centre.
On 29th June 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Pennyblacks
Apart from a lot of wine and lager flying round, they do serve five rotating real ales, which are always on tap. The barmaid was very helpful when looking for their five handpumps and to my surprise they are displayed and served from the back wall of the bar area, which is a first for me. They can serve it from whereever they like within reason. The only problem I had was trying to read what was on the pumpclip, in order to decide whether I liked it or not. So the barstaff must get fed up naming all the beers out to the likes of me.
On 11th October 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Pennyblacks
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.
On 13th September 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Pennyblacks
On the ground floor in the Mailbox with a few tables outside overlooking the canal,this is a trendy bar which surprisingly offers around 5 ales on handpump.Normally a selection of micro brewery output ,changing regularly and in good condition.It's been dropped from the GBG but I wonder if that has more to do with the surroundings rather than the beer.The furniture is a mix of high tables and stools together with sofas and coffee tables,there is a lot of vertical drinking and the acoustics are poor requiring shouting to achieve social intercourse.Not very relaxing but that has to be balanced against the quality of the totty that call in,which alone can merit a stiff drink.
On 16th February 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Pennyblacks
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.
On 23rd July 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3223 recommendations about 3134 pubs]