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.
You’re spot on about goulash, a great thing to have on in a pub. Looks really good, surprised I didn’t notice it on my Digbeth walk. Good to see Brum opening hours remain as inconsistent as everywhere else.
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“this place deserves to succeed.”
Agreed. 😉
I don’t think they’ve adjusted for DST on the non UK clock locations.
Oh and I’d be leery of the Hungarian meatballs. It comes with bread but it’s gluten free? 🤔
Cheers
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Gluten free bread? Good spot on the clocks!
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No offence intended mate. But, having policed Birmingham fans at Elland Rd I know why they are shut pre and post match. Leeds played B’ham in a cup tie back when LUFC were in the premiership. I was not at all impressed with their behaviour and ordered the bars under the South stand (away fans end) to be closed to prevent further disorder. My abiding memory is hordes of them demanding, ‘why can’t we have a tot Boss?’ If only they’d known about Jimmy Saville then!
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I accept behaviour hasn’t been great so it’s a good job Leeds supporters are paragons of virtue!
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If I’m honest, part of me used to hate working at Elland Rd, the atmosphere was always intensely hateful, whoever Leeds played. I can’t remember the last time I went to a game. I’ve missed very few Rhinos matches in the last 15 years though – better game, proper supporters, brilliant atmosphere, reasonably priced.
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I have to agree with Martin I’ve never been involved or threatened at any games as not looking for trouble…each to their own but I find football far better to watch although non league far better priced. I prefer league to union buy cricket trump’s both… percentages say that so many people watch football that it will have some trouble 😀
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Love footy, love cricket, love most sports but RL is the ultimate. What annoys me about football is all this clutching their faces and writhing about on the floor when all they’ve had is a knock in the ribs or summat. Absolutely pathetic. For 20, 30, 50, 100 grand a week or more I’d stand and let most of these modern day pro footballers throw their handbag at me all day and night, and it’d still be easy money! And I’d get up the next day and do it again.
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Some of the behaviours of some of the players some of the time is ridiculous but the game, when played properly, is top notch… having said all of that I reckon I’d be sent off around 25 times a season now!
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You might be ok in the Championship. Refs seem a bit more realistic but then again they change their way of interpreting the game at least twice every half!
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If I’m not mistaken, I believe that back in 1998 (when I did my first photo shoot of Digbeth pubs) this was Horan’s Tavern, but when I returned i9n 2011 it was very much closed. This is my blospost on it from back then – http://pubsthenandnow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/068-horans-tavernfloodgate-tavern.html
Last time I was on Floodgate Street I did notice that it had been resurrected. Hopefully, it can make a go of it.
As it is 20 years since I first photographed almost all of the pubs in Digbeth, I intend to redo them all and report back on them in the coming months.
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I will check that later Pete but all sounds very plausible to me! Great to see it rescued and open 👍
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I’ve just read that blog Pete and great to see pictures of it in its former glory… hopefully new owners can make a go of it
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Pete’s contribution explains why I’ve missed The Ruin; it was Horan’s when I popped in (in the Beer Guide shortly, trad Irish music I think).
On football hooliganism, in 40 odd years of attending games I’ve never actually seen it. Worst thing I saw early on was a Wolves fan nicking an Ipswich Town scarf off a young lad as we left the ground. I guess if you wanted to find it you could.
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Agreed no trouble unless you look for it. That could explain it re the Ruin… Definitely used to be a pub and Pete is s guru on Brum pubs so I’m going with him
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Sadly, I was paid to look for trouble and deal with it.
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Fair point! If it’s your job then you’ve got to go looking for it 😵😵
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I’ve always been pretty good at finding trouble too!
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That I can believe! 😉
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Looks like a really interesting place, with all that wall art– many hours of work on display, just in those photos you took. Hope they’ll be able to stay in business for years to come; the idea of some new owner coming alomg and painting over all that is just heartbreaking!
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I knew a connoisseur like yourself would appreciate that Mark!!! How long do you think a piece like that takes?
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Actually I think Martin’s the real connoisseur of wall art! I’ll bet those took at least 10 or 20 hours– looks like real painstaking work to me.
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As I was browsing t’internet, I found this link on Closed Pubs – http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/warwickshire/birmingham_b5_whiteswan.html
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Great find pal – That’s definitely The Ruin now..hopefully it will last longer than some of the previous…
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