Bewdley Bound

In which I explore the Worcestershire town of Bewdley, drink something far too strong in the Brewery Tap, then forget everything about the rest of the pubs I visit.

I took the early train from Oxford - just enough time in Worcester for a Spoons breakfast -  short hop on a West Midlands train - then a local bus from Kidderminster, touring the housing estates on it's 3-mile trip to Bewdley.

A bit of sunshine would have been nice, but never mind

The view of townhouses lining the River Severn as you cross Thomas Telford's bridge is gorgeous.  Just a pity that he didn't design the bridge for 21st century traffic, the over-sized cars whizzing by perilously close to narrow pavements with pedestrian 'no stopping' rules.

My first pub visit of the day, on the town's main thoroughfare, was the Black Country Ales owned Real Ale Tavern...

Real Ale Tavern (67 Load Street, Bewdley, DY12 2AW - web)
I arrived here early doors at 11:50, ambling into an empty pub and managing to startle the landlady who hadn't spotted my entrance.
From the usual extensive choice of cask in a Black Country Ales pub, I picked the Pennine Brewery 'Blackcurrant Porter'.
"Ooo..that's popular today" she said whilst pouring it, which seemed a bit odd looking round at the empty place.  I'm not sure if some folk had been and gone after a really early session, or if the landlady's days were all blurring into one.

What's not to like about the Real Ale Tavern. Beer in fine condition, cheese & onion cob, and an easy-going pop rock soundtrack which peaked with Dire Straits 'Walk of Life'.

Next on the agenda was a visit to the town's brewery tap.  To get there involved a pleasant walk along the riverside past the smart Georgian buildings to Lax Lane. The brewery occupies a Victorian school building...

Bewdley Brewery Tap (Bewdley Craft Centre, Lax Lane, DY12 2DZ - web)
It's a pretty ordinary entrance to the brewery tap, through the car park, round the back of the building, into a concrete yard with a marquee in it.  But reaching the brewery bar it's is a bit of a gem.

There are two rooms, one containing the bar and a little window through which you can see the brewing kit.  Both rooms are filled with lots of old breweriana and railway bits n bobs.

Brewery tap, with the fermentation tanks visible through the window

Items advertising all your favourite beers of the past...
And a fine (complete?) collection of Good Beer Guides...

  

At the bar were five Bewdley cask ales, plus a number of kegs including their own Laxford Lager which most of the locals standing outside seemed to be quaffing.

I went straight in for 'William Mucklow's Dark Mild' without spotting it was 6% until it was being poured.
Cripes, that's Sarah Hughes mild strength.
Lovely, but it did go straight to my head.

Leaving the Brewery Tap, I made my way through the town centre, then steadily uphill on my way to the Black Boy pub.

It's a fair climb, likely to deter many a casual visitor strolling around Bewdley who'll probably be more inclined to stick to the centre.

Black Boy (50 Wyre Hill, Bewdley, DY12 2UE - web)
This is the oldest pub in town, dating back to 1466.  Stepping inside, it's a characterful building with wooden beams, a bit of trad bench seating and a proper pub carpet.
There are three rooms, initially confusing me with the bar fronting onto a more modern extension at the back.  

  

Decisions, decisions, with ales from Three Tuns, Hobson's and Wye Valley available.  But I decided to stick with the Bewdley, my order of 'Worcestershire Way' getting the mumbled approval - "good choice" - from the local sat at the nearest table.

At least its downhill on the way back, this time crossing the river and heading along Kidderminster Road.
The Great Western pub is just beyond the Severn Valley Heritage railway station, so little surprise to find it's decorated with a fair bit of railway memorabilia.

Great Western (Kidderminster Road, Bewdley, DY12 1BY)
The Great Western have elected to maintain 'no service at the bar', so it's a peer at the hand pumps from a distance, with the beer and credit card machine brought to the table.
That kinda curtailed my wandering around the pub and checking out the mezzanine level.

Keeping it local, I sat with my third Bewdley beer of the day, this time 'Baldwin IPA', named after the former PM who was born nearby and served as MP for the town for many years. 

The log fires were burning - the first of winter 2021 - although not strictly necessary as I was still in my summer jacket.

The final Bewdley beer guide entry is a further 0.3 miles along the road.

Old Wagon & Horses (91 Kidderminster Road, Bewdley, DY12 1DG)
This must be something of a Wolves outpost, even though I reckon there's three closer league teams to Bewdley.
There's the Wolves-shirted fella sitting in front of the pub, looking suspiciously at the idiot hanging about across the road waiting for a gap in the traffic to photograph the pub.
And this bit of decoration in the bar...

The beer choice is no-nonsense: West Midlands fave Butty Bach; Shropshire Gold; and (oh yes!) Batham's Best or Mild.
That's a solid range, from which I opted for the mild - a more standard 3.5% strength this time, which was just as well.

Bewdley also has a couple more pubs that looked well worth a visit, but I can't do 'em all.
From the stop near the Waggon and Horses I hopped back on the bus to Kidderminster where I made an ill-advised visit to the Weavers, therefore guaranteeing I'd fall asleep on the train on the way home.

But not before hatching a plan to return to the same train line and visit Stourbridge the following week.  More of which in the next post.