Rising From The Ruins In Digbeth

In the spirit of #Tryanuary I thought I would source a new tap house in Birmingham with a new Brewery and I can guarantee it will be in next year’s GBG.

The Dig Brew Company Tap House is definitely open on Saturday’s between 2 an 10pm as it says so on its Facebook page and on the web…

Saturday is a prime time to open up your tap house and only a 15 minute walk from St Andrew’s could probably draw in some decent trade either pre or post match along with ale aficionados.

However, the shutters were firmly down both pre at around 2.15 and post at about 6.30pm meaning its hours are ‘variable.’  Make sure you ring ahead Martin, Dunc and Si when you’re on the lookout in 2020!

However, every cloud… as my pal and I wandered around admiring the street art in Digbeth..

we chanced upon a pub that’s so new that even whatpub? hasn’t got a picture for it yet.

133 – The Ruin B5 5SR describes itself as a ‘quirky take on the traditional pub’ with “it’s messed up decor, industrial nerve-centre computer room, distorted library and a growing selection of other random additions.”

(picture taken from Ruin FB page)

It’s only been open four months on the corner of Floodgate Street and was clearly once a pub but its previous incarnation was an ice-cream parlour and it has taken the distressed look to a new level and has some corking artwork in its courtyard (see picture below and opening picture)

It very much fits in with Digbeth’ s image as the Bohemian quarter of Birmingham and any new openings in this part of the city are a welcome addition.

It is a Grade II listed building and its menu is different to most pub grub with goulash and koftas and it is clearly still getting there in terms of being a destination pub.

I had a belting pint of Citra (Oakham) and it was a chilled place with a family eating food, a couple drinking coffee and another group knocking back drinks with another couple hidden away in one of the other rooms enjoying some cocktails.

This is apparently next door to the British and Irish Modern Music Institute explains the fact it is promoting music and I would expect this will attract people from the nearby Custard Factory, which is definitely a place for hipsters.

A Saturday night in January isn’t guaranteed to be jam packed and at around 6.30 this place wasn’t full by any stretch of the imagination but was definitely ticking over nicely.

(novel lighting, distressed windows)

My pal felt, “they’ve nearly got it right, not quite just yet,” but it is definitely a place to visit and I would  have a pint/food/coffee and relax as there are three rooms and a courtyard so it is a real tardis and nice to see in 2018.

An old pub building, reopened as a pub with normal pub hours in a part of town that has yet to be regenerated, and a genuine Free House.

For those reasons alone, and the fact it serves goulash and a good pint of Oakham Citra, this place deserves to succeed.