20 real ales on sale in late September in Wolverhampton CAMRA's Pub of the Year 2009 - The Vine.   I was in Wolverhampton visiting relatives & it was suggested we go somewhere new rather than the city centre, so we got the bus out to Wednesfield.   The idea was a mini pub crawl from The Vine to The Royal Tiger (Weatherspoon's), The Pyle Cock (Banks') then back into the city for a last drink at The Moon Under Water (Weatherspoon's).

The Vine were having a mini beer festival when we arrived & the beer was so good we just stayed put.   We got chatting to the local CAMRA team who were serving & enjoyed ourselves.   All beers were from within 30 miles of the pub it is claimed.   The beers I tried were;

Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout was a massively flavoured, big bodied, jet black stout. Not very dry like an Irish stout but certainly not sweet either. Lots of liquorice & black malt flavour in this one.

Bewdley, Old School was a regular English bitter.

Cannon Royall, Arrowhead Extra was a good hoppy pale beer.

Highgate, Fury is another English bitter with a good body to it.

Ma Pardoes, Bumble Hole was selling out fast & no wonder - a full bodied golden bitter with a little honey sweetness. Good stuff.

Malvern Hills, Black Pear sounded like a perry, but was a reasonable pale bitter.

Morton, Essington Ale was another pale bitter.

Sarah Hughes, Sedgley Suprise is a good English bitter with a full body & malty taste.

All-in-all a great pub & a good beer festival.