On Thursday, The Swan on Pelsall Road in Brownhills reopened after being purchased and renovated by Black Country Ales. On Wednesday evening there was a launch event which some members of Walsall CAMRA were invited to.

I left work and caught the no 10 to Brownhills. I had a rough idea where The Swan is, but wanted to make sure as I wasn’t feeling ambling along aimlessly in the cold dark miserable evening. As you’ve seen on previous blogs I don’t like asking strangers for directions. Oh if only I knew people in Brownhills. Hmmmm Colin and Teresa who own The Jiggers Whistle. I could go in there and ask them. I accidentally got off a stop early, standard behaviour on my behalf but I was soon there.

The Jiggers Whistle has just won the Walsall CAMRA Cider Pub Of The Year award again so to mark this I had a pint of Lilley’s lemon and lime whilst gleaning the directions. I didn’t bother taking my coat off. I knew the cider was going to be good and not taking long to polish off, and so it transpired. I popped to the loo and as I made my way back the classic song by The Smiths “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” came on. This almost made me take my coat off and stay for a second but it was best to press on.

As mentioned The Swan is now a Black Country Ales pub and you know what you are getting in their houses. A homely comfortable feel, great range of ales and decent cobs. Existing BCA pubs in the borough are Black Country Arms and Pretty Bricks in Walsall Town Centre, Robin Hood in Willenhall and Duke Of Cambridge in Short Heath. All very worth a visit.

The pub was already busy upon arrival with the Walsall CAMRA delegation of Gary, Bob, and Ray already enjoying the hospitality with Martin soon joining us to complete the party. They had Salopian “Lemon Dream” on. My favourite ale. What a way to launch a pub and earn brownie points. It was very good.

The pub used to be a two room venue with a central bar but it is now all in one with the bar to the right. There was a brand new dartboard without a prick hole in it (I checked). I could have thrown nine darts and it would have remained like this, though the wall around it may not have been so lucky.

Munchies were provided with the coated prawns being divine. I turned my nose up though at the tart like things that were Shropshire Blue cheese and caramelised onion. I’ve never wanted blue cheese and I can take or leave onions despite my French heritage. I relented though and tried one in the name of research and it was delicious. Sometimes I enjoy having to put my investigative journalist hat on.

The room continued to fill. It was really was a well attended launch night and I was delighted for BCA head honcho Angus (who I met for the first time on this night) and the licensees and bar staff. It was good to see Kim from Black Country Arms and Bar from Pretty Bricks in attendance too.

Next up was a couple of pints of BCA’s BFG (Bradley’s Finest Golden) which was excellent. It was then time to check out the loos. These were all new as well and I immediately wondered if anyone had had a dump in the toilet yet. Pub had been open over an hour so I guess someone had.

In the toilets was an advert for the in house coffee with a big slogan saying “too cold for a pint”? I’ve got to say that during the recent Walsall v Bradford City match is the coldest I have been for a good while and I still fancied a pint after that so the coffee was on the back burner this time.

It was an excellent evening, big thank you to Black Country Ales for the invite but it was time to head back to town. I was delighted to learn that there was a no 8 bus stop just down the road and that turned up just a minute late. We stopped off at the Black Country Arms before we went our seperate wys.

Good luck to the Swan, it’s going to be a great success.

Episode 3 of The Long And Shot Of It is now out. Sean says this is his favourite so far.