Middle England Beer Travels

 

Quite often I visit my friends Carl and Julia in Solihull, just off the M42.  It seems every time I visit we find yet another classic country pub lurking in the middle of nowhere!!

 

The 300-year-old Case Is Altered (Not the Martha Grimes book!!), near Warwick is wonderfully quintessential and noteworthy for its timeless rural charm. Beer is served through rare beer engine pumps on casks behind the counter.  The pub was formerly known as The Case and situated on Case Lane but not named after it, as the road was built after the pub was built. It was renamed The Case Is Altered after the landlord many years ago extended the pub into 2 neighbouring cottages. A pub for pure conversation and great ale. This has to be one of my favourite pubs ever, certainly a close tie with the Peyton Arms at Stoke Lyne in Oxfordshire

 

 Outside the Case Is Altered

 

*The Navigation Inn at Lapworth can be summed up in just one word - Unmissable. This historic pub is the very essence of the good old rural pub of the highway. Yes, it served the needs of travellers along this old turnpike road connecting Warwick and Birmingham before the canal arrived here at Lapworth in 1815. In fact, the pub is so good it it's feasible that the canal engineers diverted the cutting to take in this excellent old tavern.

 

*The Navigation’s Sign

 

 

 

 

The Coach and Horses at Weatheroak (nr Redditch) has it’s own brewery just yards from the main pub. This Inn is ideal for a sunny summers evening – all the beers from the brewery are impecable and along with Hook Norton and Wychwood ales, it is absolute beer heaven – It is also food heaven, as I once ordered Fish and Chips and found with my eyes popping out that they serve Whale and Chips. I swear the piece of fish on my plate was a foot long!!

 

 

Just recently, my friends (plus fellow mate Syd) thoroughly enjoyed a visit to Harbury Beer Festival, situated in the Village Hall.  All the beers were from Yorkshire and with a choice of around 40 it really was a night to remember (er, pity about the band who were a little dodgy to say the least). Syd finally joined CAMRA on this night, so an excuse for more celebration with an ale or 6!!

 

Hiking Hodge

 

 *Info and picture courtesy of www.midlandspubs.co.uk