Market Drayton based Joule's Brewery entered the Birmingham footprint last year, opening their…read morelocal flagship location in Boldmere. The Boldmere Tap has refurbished the previous Old Cork & Bottle into a homely neighborhood pub that is one of the most welcoming in Sutton Coldfield.
Joule's is a craft brewery that jump-started a defunct 19th century brand (the first ever trademark in England) in the early 2000's that had been purchased by one of the big macro-breweries. The brewery is an easy one hour journey from Birmingham, and centers on crafting real ale with the local spring waters of Shropshire. The focus on the Joule's brewing legacy has led to the creation of some very well done ales and lagers. The Boldmere Tap is the first pub in Birmingham to be under the Joule's umbrella, and features their full line of beers on tap.
I recently dropped by one afternoon with one of my mates to see what the brewery had to offer. I have previously tried their pale ale at a pub in city centre, and was excited to see the other featured beers. Joule's has four main beers in their stable, which are complemented by seasonal offerings. The mains are their flagship Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk (a malty bitter ale), Joule's Blond (nice and citrus forward), and Green Monkey (their lager). Their winter seasonal, Old No. 6, is a dark ale. All of the brews are available in half or pull pint pours (a half of the Slumbering Monk is only £1.50). If you aren't in the mood for Joule's taps, the pub also provides more standard fare, including Guinness. All of this is on top of their food menu. The kitchen opens at 10AM, where you can start the day off right with a full English Breakfast for £4.95. The main courses at dinner average around £8, with fish and chips at £7.95. For vegetarians, there are four main courses to choose from, including broccoli cheese bake, mushroom stroganoff, vegetable lasagna, and a bean burger, all for £7.25 or less.
The neighborhood feeling that the Boldmere Tap elicits is woven into the very fabric of the building. The pub is decorated with bric a brac of old photos, vintage beer bottles, and a railway sign from the Chester Road station before the branding was refreshed by London Midland. On a cold January afternoon, a stove fire roared near the entrance, heating up the front room. Events are held throughout the week, with a quiz night on Mondays at 9PM and open mic nights on Wednesday. The Boldmere neighborhood, and Birmingham as a whole, are lucky that the Boldmere Tap has been chosen as the flagship Joule's pub for the area. The pub gets all of the benefits that come from being affiliated with a craft brewery, while still maintaining a very old school English pub charm that is increasingly lacking in the city.