Bathams Best Bitter at the Vine, Brierley Hill

This pub is hallowed ground. It’s here that one of the Midlands’ most famous beers was first brewed. Don’t let the bright yellow walls put you off; it a genuine atmosphere inside with lots of little rooms to sample. The bar is a simple saloon with a great range of hot snacks, though it only serves two real ales (or three at Christmas if you’re quick enough). The beer here is as cheap and as fresh as you can get it on the planet, though you may have a bit of a wait if there’s a crowd in. In the back is a long corridor with small rooms leading off into other private parlours. In the front room is a large lounge divided into two by a partition and plenty of brewery memorabilia adorns the walls. It’s certainly used as a lounge as many locals like to prop up the larger tables by perusing the day’s news alongside a pint.