The History of Batham's Black Country Brewers

[Andy Ven]

I was e-mailed this link to the Batham's website which is a short publication about the history of Batham's Black Country Brewers. Quite interesting, I thought.

http://www.bathams.co.uk/wp-content/...tory-small.pdf

[Al 10000]

I enjoyed reading that as i like to collect books about independant brewers.

During my pub crawling years i have always tried to seek out independant brewers pubs.

I have only managed to visit five Bathams houses these were

Royal Exchange
The Hollybush
The Vine
Lamp tavern
The Britannia

I would like to visit the rest of them some time in the future but dont know when,i did manage to visit all the Donnington tied houses last year though.

[Andy Ven]

Al,

the list is here: http://www.bathams.co.uk/pubs/bathams-pub-list/ - but don't forget the one in North Wales, The Giler Arms!

I have used a chap befeore named Richard who specialises in the Bostin Batham's tour ( http://www.theme-tours.co.uk/ ) but he will take you just about anywhere you ask him within striking distance of the Black Country if you hire him for the day.

Maybe one day I'll organise another Black Country tour but for the PG regulars - say, pick up at the Wellington in Brum and drop off at the Great Western behind the train station in Wolverhampton, taking in Halesowen, Stourbridge, Netherton, Gornal and Sedgley along the way. I'm drooling already!

[Bucking Fastard]

Thanks for posting that article Andy,it was a very interesting read.I never realised that Batham's Bitter only dates back to the 1950's,which just goes to show that the tradition in the Black Country is with MILD.

I have only ever been in three Batham's houses:

Bull and Bladder
Royal Exchange
Plough and Harrow

However my first trip was in 1975

[Bucking Fastard]

Maybe one day I'll organise another Black Country tour but for the PG regulars - say, pick up at the Wellington in Brum and drop off at the Great Western behind the train station in Wolverhampton, taking in Halesowen, Stourbridge, Netherton, Gornal and Sedgley along the way. I'm drooling already!

Andy that does sound like an excellent tour,great ale and wonderful pubs.I would certainly be up for it

[Andy Ven]

Just to flag up that I asked Admin to move the Black Country tour discussion to a new thread under Recommend Me Do and Meet Ups - Best of the Black Country.

The one later post that is relevant to the original thread is here:

Interesting read:it reminded me of my only visit to the Black Country in the late 1970's, when we managed to try beers from Bathams, Holdens and the late lamented Simpkiss (JPS?), as well as Ma Pardoe, both in the famous pub and a modernish one also belonging to her. A good weekend; I also remember going to the Barton Arms in Aston, and having trouble with buses and television sets.