The VillaTalk Good Pub Guide

[AlwaysAVFC]

30 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said:

I used to drink Carling - a lot. Just a wilful disinterest in trying anything else at all. 

I’m still a lager drinker, but it’s typically a premium lager, pilsner or a local produce. 

Anyway, while sitting in The Alb in Shrewsbury one quiet afternoon (nice enough bar, modern setting, not quite hipster), a bloke walks, straight to the bar and looks what’s on offer and asks if they have any Carling. Barman says no but offers a handful of alternatives, including some mainstream Carling-equivalent choices. There is a more than sufficient selection to choose from.

This bloke, who by the way isn’t some kid who might be lacking in experience to move away from Carling - he’s a middle aged guy, mulls it over for about 5-10 seconds, fingers tapping on the bar, then says “Nah I’ll leave it.” turns and walks out the pub without another word.

Me and the barman exchange a wry incredulous look at the display of power Carling has over this near patron.

I'm sure I've moaned about it on VT before but there's something about Carling drinkers that do that. I've worked in different pubs and bars in different bits of the country, some with a great selection of beers and lagers (no Carling). In they come straight to the bar, "a pint of carling please" 

Guiness drinkers aren't far off but I'll give them a bit of leeway as there's often no alternative. Although they still wouldn't have a second glance if there was a Stout or Porter on.

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, Mark Albrighton said:

I used to drink Carling - a lot. Just a wilful disinterest in trying anything else at all. 

I’m still a lager drinker, but it’s typically a premium lager, pilsner or a local produce. 

Anyway, while sitting in The Alb in Shrewsbury one quiet afternoon (nice enough bar, modern setting, not quite hipster), a bloke walks, straight to the bar and looks what’s on offer and asks if they have any Carling. Barman says no but offers a handful of alternatives, including some mainstream Carling-equivalent choices. There is a more than sufficient selection to choose from.

This bloke, who by the way isn’t some kid who might be lacking in experience to move away from Carling - he’s a middle aged guy, mulls it over for about 5-10 seconds, fingers tapping on the bar, then says “Nah I’ll leave it.” turns and walks out the pub without another word.

Me and the barman exchange a wry incredulous look at the display of power Carling has over this near patron.

That is shocking. Must have had his taste buds removed at birth. 

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, rjw63 said:

A few pubs in London I've been in since yesterday serve Neck Oil IPA, I approve

Can't remember the last time I went into a pub that DIDN'T serve Neck Oil. 

It seems to be taking over from Carling as that beer that every pub sells. 

I'm off to (carefully) mooney Beavertown because my money is on it being either a small craft brewer now owned by one of the brewing giants, or a pretend craft brewer created by one of them. 

[Xela]

2 hours ago, sidcow said:

Pleased to report that The Colmore bar on Colmore Row which stocks a large number of craft beers AND real ales was doing a roaring trade last night. 

Purecraft bar was rammed last night as well. I had a few post work scoops in there. Fairly steady at 3:30pm when we got there (well, it is a bank holiday weekend!) but was heaving at about 6pm.

[Xela]

3 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Can't remember the last time I went into a pub that DIDN'T serve Neck Oil. 

It seems to be taking over from Carling as that beer that every pub sells. 

I'm off to (carefully) mooney Beavertown because my money is on it being either a small craft brewer now owned by one of the brewing giants, or a pretend craft brewer created by one of them. 

Heineken or Carlsberg from memory

[Xela]

Guinness is the stout version of Carling. 

[sidcow]

16 minutes ago, Xela said:

Heineken or Carlsberg from memory

Heineken but founded by Robert Plants son. Didn't know that! 

Had to be a big brewer because of how ubiquitous it's become and so quickly. 

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by sidcow

[Xela]

3 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Had  be a big brewer because of how ubiquitous it's become and so quickly. 

Same as Camden Hells. Its on draft in a lot of places. Owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Doombar? Owned by Molson Coors. 

[sidcow]

I think the whole thing with Carling is it was so heavily advertised, and well advertised for a long period of time. 

There is probably 2 generations of people who faced that long first walk up to the bar and blurted out the first thing that came to their mind.... That beer that they've seen on the telly. 

We've done Guinness to death already but I also insist much of its success is down to extensive and excellent advertising. 

[sidcow]

3 minutes ago, Xela said:

Same as Camden Hells. Its on draft in a lot of places. Owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Doombar? Owned by Molson Coors. 

I used to enjoy Doombar in its early days.  Then something unquestionably changed and I can't drink the stuff now. At the same time it started cropping up everywhere. Classic case of a big brewer buying a brewery, taking the beer and changing it completely but marketing it as a brand. 

[Xela]

2 hours ago, sidcow said:

I used to enjoy Doombar in its early days.  Then something unquestionably changed and I can't drink the stuff now. At the same time it started cropping up everywhere. Classic case of a big brewer buying a brewery, taking the beer and changing it completely but marketing it as a brand. 

The first cask ale I remember drinking fairly regularly was Deuchars IPA. You don't see it at all anymore. I don't even know if it still exists. It used to be fairly common though. 

Was always available at Edmunds bar, or might have even been when it was called the Hogshead. 

[blandy]

Just now, Xela said:

The first cask ale I remember drinking fairly regularly was Deuchars IPA. You don't see it at all anymore. I don't even know if it still exists. It used to be fairly common though. 

Was always available at Edmunds bar, or might have even been when it was called the Hogshead. 

Funny you should mention that. I think it was @chrisp65who posted about Embra. It was there that I first came across it. You could smell the brewery as the train went past the Jambo’s ground on the way in, and then drink the lovely stuff in town, there. When it caught on in England, too I’d go for it if it was available. Not seen it for years, now though. I miss it.

[chrisp65]

22 minutes ago, Xela said:

The first cask ale I remember drinking fairly regularly was Deuchars IPA. You don't see it at all anymore. I don't even know if it still exists. It used to be fairly common though. 

Was always available at Edmunds bar, or might have even been when it was called the Hogshead. 

 

18 minutes ago, blandy said:

Funny you should mention that. I think it was @chrisp65who posted about Embra. It was there that I first came across it. You could smell the brewery as the train went past the Jambo’s ground on the way in, and then drink the lovely stuff in town, there. When it caught on in England, too I’d go for it if it was available. Not seen it for years, now though. I miss it.

Well that can go in my little ‘things to do’ notebook.

I haven’t even started looking at record shops yet, so I shouldn’t get bored.

[tomav84]

5 hours ago, sidcow said:

Won't have that problem now with all that keg beer. 

I did pop in yesterday and it was actually pretty busy. The upstairs was open and we got the last table available. 

I ordered a pint of carling as a protest. **** me, people actually drink that stuff voluntarily? It's actually their drink of choice? Are they actually brain damaged? Christ, I'd rather have a bucket of horse piss. I left it on the table as we departed. 

Neck Oil might be completely ubiquitous but in the event I find myself in there again I won't be so stupid and I'll order a pint of that instead. 

the villa tavern has only 2 lagers. carling or stella

it's the only time i ever drink dark fruits...because it's still better than either of those 2

[VillaChris]

On 07/05/2021 at 22:25, Xela said:

End of an era for Birmingham

Had many a boozy karaoke fuelled late night/early morning in there. Last time in there I treated the patrons to a fantastic* performance of November Rain. 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/much-loved-birmingham-gem-tap-20544308

 

 

*I think

Just flicking through this thread for first time in a few years and actually popped into the Tap and Spile yesterday for a late lunch. It had Talk TV on the TV by the bar so perhaps it should've remained shut!

[sidcow]

1 minute ago, VillaChris said:

Just flicking through this thread for first time in a few years and actually popped into the Tap and Spile yesterday for a late lunch. It had Talk TV on the TV by the bar so perhaps it should've remained shut!

How was it other than that? 

[VillaChris]

7 minutes ago, sidcow said:

How was it other than that? 

Pretty busy although I prefer the downstairs section by the canal.

Got a Birthday coming up so was thinking of going to this pub just outside of Kingsbury. Not sure if it's been covered before on this thread but guess @Xela can always help out if he's hungry:

They have a steak night on a Thursday so will try it out in a few weeks.

[Lichfield Dean]

6 hours ago, Xela said:

Guinness is the stout version of Carling. 

My mate used to say that Guinness is to stout what John Smith's is to bitter.

[Xela]

23 hours ago, VillaChris said:

Pretty busy although I prefer the downstairs section by the canal.

Got a Birthday coming up so was thinking of going to this pub just outside of Kingsbury. Not sure if it's been covered before on this thread but guess @Xela can always help out if he's hungry:

 

They have a steak night on a Thursday so will try it out in a few weeks.

I'm not great with pubs out towards Kingsbury / Coleshill way. Its a bit of a blind spot for me! 

You'll have to report back!

[Xela]

22 hours ago, Lichfield Dean said:

My mate used to say that Guinness is to stout what John Smith's is to bitter.

He's not wrong. Nitro keg beers. I don't mind Guinness (or John Smiths / Worthingtons / Tetleys) every now and again. The creamy cool finish is refreshing (kw.jpg)