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View Full Version : Mini Harborne Pub Crawl (19/01/10)



hopwas
20-01-2010, 13:15
Getting fed up staying at home so I decided to hit Harborne (3 miles SW of B'ham) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harborne.. I have heard of famous White Horse and Harborne Stores.

Caught No. 110 bus from Tamworth to B'ham and it was cramped inside the bus with full of OAPS (cos of free bus pass!)..

As it getting nearer to Bham and I was desperate to wee! When I cant stand any longer and it was time to detour. I hopped off by JDW's Charlie Hall, Erdington and had a swift pint of Ruddles Country. Back on bus to B'ham.. short walk to Colmore Row where I caught No. 23 to Harborne.

After short drive, I must admit, despite born in B'ham, I never been to Harborne. Anyway, The White Horse (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/37954/) looks bit out of place on the street as most buildings are modernised. The White Horse is absolute gem and Harborne is very lucky to have pub with at least 10 real ales on sale. Some of you may know The Wellington in B'ham has TV with list of real ales.. well The White Horse does have one! After few mins deciding what to drink, I chose Hanson's Porter which is OUTSTANDING and one of best I had in my life! They have resident cat in lounge and kept came to me expecting me to give the cat a food! Sadly I must leave this superb pub. Just round the corner, Harborne Stores..

Harborne Stores (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/37656/).. well I have heard from people saying it is brilliant and down to earth pub. I went in, very strong smell of stale urine hits me! It was packed with OAPs, jobless and rough looking people. I was constantly stared by locals and I felt like complete outsider. No real ales on ale! I had to order rather bland of Worthingtons but very cheap only £1.80. After quick gulp and I am glad to get out of here.. I felt like in reality show "I am Real Ale drinker and get me out of here" :D Easily worst pub in Harborne. I wont bother to return. Short walk to The Plough..

The Plough (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/37786/) It was advertised in B'ham's CAMRA mag and I thought it must be good.. How I am so wrong! Overpriced and too trendy. Not my liking. Still I have to order drink to tick off. I had Sharp's best bitter for.. wait for it... £3.15!!! :eek::eek::eek: and it was awful. I also asked how much for Dry Roasted nuts behind the bar.. £2 for small bag of nuts! Nice looking pub shame about prices. Only come here if you are loaded. Opposite The Plough, is The Green Man..

The Green Man (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/37639/) Ember Inn pub. Squared room and biggest log fire I ever seen in any Ember Inn pubs. There were two real ales but the clips were turned around. Mild also off. I have no choice but order Brew XI which is quite boring to drink. I sat down by log fire and felt relaxed until strict looking bar woman came.. Woman said something to me like "Get your hat off.. We dont allow it in pub" and boy, she wasn't pleased! I have wore hat in many Ember Inn but that was the first time I had to take off my hat in Ember Inn!

There is around 8 pubs stil to visit but will return in near future (good excuse to drink in wonderful White Horse again :whistle:)

trainman
20-01-2010, 13:44
Not an entirely successful mission then? Thanks anyway, for the heads up on the White Horse - I see that it's recently been freed from previous pubco ownership so I wish it well as a genuine freehouse. Sounds worth a 10min busride & I'll add to my probables for B'ham, if I can persuade the team in that direction some time this year (short list so far was Bull, Lamp Tavern, Old Fox, Prince of Wales, Wellington, Barton Arms).

hopwas
20-01-2010, 14:18
Not an entirely successful mission then? Thanks anyway, for the heads up on the White Horse - I see that it's recently been freed from previous pubco ownership so I wish it well as a genuine freehouse. Sounds worth a 10min busride & I'll add to my probables for B'ham, if I can persuade the team in that direction some time this year (short list so far was Bull, Lamp Tavern, Old Fox, Prince of Wales, Wellington, Barton Arms).

Bull? which one i may ask?
Lamp Tavern.. Great tiny pub hard to find but worth it just for its ales.
Old Fox.. AVOID! Used be great pub but somehow let down in recent years. Overpriced and souless. Something do with JDW few doors down.
Prince of Wales.. Cracking pub. You can have tasters for every ale on sale before deciding which drink you want
Welly.. Greatest real ale pub in City Centre. 15 ales on ale. If you got the time, youc an pop in Old Joint Stock via Welly's back door. Famed for its decor and Fuller's most northernly pub.
Barton Arms.. Miles out of City Centre so best to catch either 907 and 7 on Upper Bull Street. Both will drop you off outside Barton Arms. Oakham owned and full Oakham range on sale. If you feeling peckish, you can eat Thai in next room.

hopwas
20-01-2010, 15:06
Also you can add this into your list..

The Anchor and The Swan, both in Digbeth (around 10 mins walk from Bull Ring). Wonderful buildings and plenty of real ales on offer.

arwkrite
20-01-2010, 15:07
Hoppy , first the cat stares at you, then the old folk stare, finaly some poor woman takes umbrage. It must be the hat which declares to everyone " Look I can afford £3.15 beer and £2 bags of nuts." Its a wonder you got out of Harbourne with your wallet and mobile phone.I guess the hat would be safe.

hopwas
20-01-2010, 15:15
Hoppy , first the cat stares at you, then the old folk stare, finaly some poor woman takes umbrage. It must be the hat which declares to everyone " Look I can afford £3.15 beer and £2 bags of nuts." Its a wonder you got out of Harbourne with your wallet and mobile phone.I guess the hat would be safe.

:D Luckily my hat is safe and well! To be fair Harborne is quite wealthy area and used be Worcestershire villiage until in last 100 years and merged with ever growing Birmingham.. Also it is mere few miles from world famous Cadburys factory and it happened to be the day of Krauft takeover when I visited Harborne! Price difference of pint in Harborne and neighbouring Edgbaston is quite big and can be much as 50p difference..

arwkrite
20-01-2010, 15:24
I know Harbourne pretty well. As you know not far from The Q.E Hospital where Lynne spent some dodgey times at the Renal unit. We would also pass through sometimes on Lynnnes regular meets with the consultants. Thats all over now so it will be doubtful if I have reason to visit that area and a few pubs I became fond of. Prefferred Harbourne to Sell Oak for pubs.

trainman
20-01-2010, 16:07
Also you can add this into your list..

The Anchor and The Swan, both in Digbeth (around 10 mins walk from Bull Ring). Wonderful buildings and plenty of real ales on offer.

Hmm, not quite sure how I missed The Anchor, added now. Are you referring to The White Swan, Bradford St?

trainman
20-01-2010, 16:15
Bull? which one i may ask?
Lamp Tavern.. Great tiny pub hard to find but worth it just for its ales.
Old Fox.. AVOID! Used be great pub but somehow let down in recent years. Overpriced and souless. Something do with JDW few doors down.
Prince of Wales.. Cracking pub. You can have tasters for every ale on sale before deciding which drink you want
Welly.. Greatest real ale pub in City Centre. 15 ales on ale. If you got the time, youc an pop in Old Joint Stock via Welly's back door. Famed for its decor and Fuller's most northernly pub.

Bull, Price Street.
Old Fox, I made the crawl list a while ago, but it's still had decent comments elsewhere in the last yr from respected sources.
Old Joint Stock, probably left 'off-map' as it's Fullers, & I live in London...
PoW, I presume you don't actually taste every ale each visit before buying one...?

hopwas
20-01-2010, 16:58
Bull, Price Street.
Old Fox, I made the crawl list a while ago, but it's still had decent comments elsewhere in the last yr from respected sources.
Old Joint Stock, probably left 'off-map' as it's Fullers, & I live in London...
PoW, I presume you don't actually taste every ale each visit before buying one...?

Ah! The Bull on Price St.. Now I know, its landlady is very pleasant and very eager to help you. Nice pub, not far from Aston Uni. Proper old fashioned pub with old fashioned grub.

it's still had decent comments elsewhere in the last yr from respected sources Trust me Old Fox is rather big let down despite it has been in Good Beer Guide for many years. I have visiited there as recently as last October. I think you will waste your time go there. I have been going to Old Fox many times and getting worse in each visit.

I mean The White Swan! Sorry!

PoW... You can actually taste every real ale in single visit (if landlord can happily allow you to that)

Soup Dragon
20-01-2010, 18:25
I keep meaning to go back to Harborne and have, indeed, plotted a route via bus or train to do so - i just never seem to get around to it - i will do though. Let me know if you are going again Hoppy

I dont mind the Old Fox, but it always seems to never get to where it should do, if you follow

The Barton is class, The Anchor in Digbeth getting back to how it was, The White Swan is really good, The Lamp is a nice little place, Bull (Price St) is good as well - in my opinion

hopwas
20-01-2010, 18:47
I keep meaning to go back to Harborne and have, indeed, plotted a route via bus or train to do so - i just never seem to get around to it - i will do though. Let me know if you are going again Hoppy

I dont mind the Old Fox, but it always seems to never get to where it should do, if you follow

The Barton is class, The Anchor in Digbeth getting back to how it was, The White Swan is really good, The Lamp is a nice little place, Bull (Price St) is good as well - in my opinion

The Sportsman near White Horse starting to sell real ales, I never went there cos it is bit out of my way. Bus is much easier than train (if you are arriving in Brum) as it goes to Harborne every 5 mins or so and only around 10 mins drive.

I dont intend go back to Old Fox unless they improve the decor and quality of beers.

Eddie86
21-01-2010, 23:38
Birmingham is relatively easy for me to get to, I don't suppose anyone fancies a bit of 'group research' at all?


All in the interests of PuG you understand...

Andy Ven
23-03-2012, 21:19
Latest Harborne news: New Inn (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/37742/) Harborne taken over by The Bitters & Twisted group, Sister Venue to The Victoria , Island Bar, Rose Villa Tavern & The Jekyll and Hyde due to open in April

http://newinnharborne.co.uk/holding-page/

DannyO'Revey
26-02-2013, 14:07
Myself & a couple of mates decided to visit Harborne for our quarterly get together last Saturday evening for a quick visit & it turned out to be a real disappointment.

Starting at the Green Man which previously I thought was one of the better Ember Inns pubs, its can now only be described as average and the beer quality was really average.

On to the White Horse this was probably the pick of the bunch though even here my Oakham beer was a little too warm and flat for mme personally.

Then the Proverbial which was just crowded out with youngster at the bar

Then the Junction which was also stuffed so full at the bar you wouldn't stand a chance of getting a drink whilst the back room was alot emptier but had an intence stench of fish, really overpowering, perhaps explaining why most people were at the bar area, but really needs better management.

The New Inn was ok, but because of the main area being food only was again crowded. Also the Magic Rock beer wasn't on top form.

Then the Vine was just desperate! And no real ale.

I wouldn't recommend Harborne on a Saturday night after last weekend. We will try a bus route 50 or Hockley next time!