Craft beer heaven can be found on the Pershore Road (Image supplied courtesy of The Brewery Bible)
London has the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Birmingham has responded with just over a mile of pure craft beer joy to be found along the Pershore Road. The Stirchley Beer Mile boasts three tap rooms, two award-winning bottle shops, pubs and a multitude of bars. If its brewed with hops and yeast, you can get it on the Stirchley Beer Mile.
Getting there (from the City Centre)
We recommend getting the train to Kings Norton and starting the Mile from the Cotteridge end! But really you can do the Mile in any order you fancy and have an amazing beery adventure.
Nearest train stations: Kings Norton, Bournville
Buses: (from city centre) 45, 47
(from North or South Birmingham) 11C / A
1891 Pershore Rd, Cotteridge, Birmingham B30 3DJ
Having opened just last year Red Beer’d is the new kid on the Mile. Red Beer’d is a quirky little bar converted from a shop with a small space upstairs, which was presumably a living space at one time. The excellent German wheat beet Paulaner is a regular fixture on tap, along with a changing selection of cask and keg offerings.
1825 Pershore Rd, Cotteridge, Birmingham B30 3DN
An award-winning specialist bottle shop and undoubtedly one of the best in the UK, Cotteride Wines stocks hundreds of beers from around the world. Within these hallowed walls you can find the best that American, British and European craft breweries have to offer, alongside a fine selection of traditional German and Belgian beers – all available for a reasonable price I may add. Attached to the bottle shop is a small tasting room where you can fill your growler or stay for a delicious draught beer. If you are just after a quick thirst quencher, there is a well-stocked fridge with session pale ales and craft lagers.
Beer Nirvana: Cotteridge Wines is an award-winning bottle shop located in an unassuming Birmingham suburb.
Unit 6b Waterside Business Park, 1649-1652 Pershore Rd, Birmingham B30 3DR
All of the best taprooms are tucked away in non-descript trading estates and Glasshouse is no exception. Glasshouse has a visiting street food vendor, plenty of outdoor seating and most importantly serves up deliciously hazy beers. If you only visit one venue on the Birmingham Beer Mile, make it Glasshouse and you won’t be disappointed.
A cut above: The Glasshouse Brewery tap room as seen from the canal.
1535-1537 Pershore Rd, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JH
One for the road? Stirchley Wines has been serving the area for over 40 years and functions more like a traditional off-license than Cotteridge Wines, stocking a wider range of drinks in addition to beer. Nevertheless Stirchley Wines offers an absolutely banging range of craft, Belgian and cask-conditioned beers. You can even buy beer on draught to takeaway and the bargain bin is always worth a rummage.
Unit 17 Stirchley Trading Estate, Birmingham, B30 2PF
Birmingham Brewing Company is unique among Brummie brewers in exclusively brewing gluten free and vegan beers. You can take a tour which concludes in a guided tasting session with generous servings. Birmingham Brewing Company brew both cask-conditioned and kegged craft beer. A particular highlight for the Birmingham Beer Blog writers is Blackberry Sabbath, a delightfully balanced and fruity Berliner Weisse.
On the trail: Birmingham Brewing Company is located on the Rea River Trail, making it a perfect stopping off point during a brisk walk to or from Canon Hill Park.
29B Mary Vale Rd, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2DA
Attic Brewery is one of Birmingham’s flagship breweries that is attracting attention beyond the Midlands. Attic specialises in lighter beer styles such as Saisons, Weissbiers, IPAs and even the occasional Rauchbier. There is always a street food vendor stationed outside Attic to help soak up the beers and the tap room is located opposite Bournville train station, making it an ideal first or last stop on the mile.
1381-1383 Pershore Rd, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JR
Fun fact, Wild Cat Tap used to be located slightly further up the Pershore Road but moved to larger premises and reopened in late 2019. Since then they have been serving up excellent cask and keg beer alongside some cider (maybe I can’t say I really notice the fermented apples)! Look out for the vintage beer mats.
1373 Pershore Rd, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JR
This small but perfectly formed bar used to be a butcher’s shop, which is ironic given that Cork and Cage offer a mostly vegetarian menu based around Turkish cuisine and Tacos. You can always be sure to get a good German lager or IPA but what makes Cork and Cage truly splendid is the range of sour beers on offer. Expect to find rare Lambics, Berliner Weisse and other tart-tasting delights.
1364 Pershore Rd, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2XS
This Grade II-listed pub feels like a grand Victorian saloon but it was actually opened in 1926. Here you can find real ale favourites such as Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Titanic’s Plum Porter alongside Tiny Rebel’s juice-bomb Clwb Tropicana. The British Oak serves up classic pub grub and has a huge garden making it an ideal warm-weather drinking spot. The pub has several rooms indoors meaning you can have quiet conversation in a nook or catch the footy in the bar. The British Oak is a fantastic neighbourhood pub which really does have something for everyone.
Disclaimer: It would be of course be irresponsible to suggest that you visit all the above places in a single session. Even if you had a cheeky third in every venue that would still take you wildly over the recommended government guidelines for daily alcohol intake. That said we have arranged the venues that comprise the Stirchley Beer Mile into a logical order that works up the Pershore Road from close to Kings Norton train station to the end of Stirchley High Street.
Words by Andrew Tromans and Adam Collins.
Birmingham Beer Blog 
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