Stourbridge pubs recognised in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2025

The guide, published annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), is the UK's best-selling beer and pub guide.

The publication lists 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK and is the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints in the nation.

Nine popular watering holes in the Stourbridge area are among 118 in the West Midlands featured in the guide which is collated by CAMRA volunteers who give up their time each year to select the best of the best across the UK.

The Stourbridge area pubs included in the guide are:

Stourbridge:

The Hop Vault

The Hop Vault, Market Street, Stourbridge (Image: Google) Specialist bottle shop selling cans and bottles from all over the country and Europe. A tasting room is now open offering 15 keg taps and three cask beers plus cans and bottles. Extensions to the bar area are planned. The premises used to be a bank vault and more recently the hi-fi shop Music Matters. Closed on Monday. Serves three changing beers.

The Queen’s Head

The Queen's Head, Enville Street, Stourbridge (Image: Google) Bought by Black Country Ales in 2018, a real ale-centric pub with 12 handpulls, a short walk from Stourbridge town centre. At the rear is a comfortable heated smoking shelter, and a separate function room with a newly renovated skittle alley for events and private functions. Regular live music and comedy events now feature. Bar snacks are available. Former local CAMRA Pub of the Year. Serves Black Country Bradley’s Finest Golden, Pig on the Wall, Fireside; seven changing beers (sourced nationally)

The Royal Exchange, Enville Street, Stourbridge (Image: Google) This pub has a busy traditional bar to the front and a newly-extended small, cosy lounge to the rear. The bar is decorated with a small collection of whisky bottles and boxes, pewter tankards and foreign bank notes. A large beer garden to the rear includes a heated smoking area. Bathams XXX is available in winter only. Serves Bathams Mild Ale, Best Bitter

Wollaston:

The Unicorn

The Unicorn, Bridgnorth Road, Wollaston (Image: Google) A former brewhouse purchased by Bathams, the Unicorn has barely altered in appearance since the Billingham family sold up in the early 1990s. It is a traditional two bar drinking house, with a small back room where children are welcome. Fresh cobs – with hot pork and stuffing on Saturday lunchtime are available on request. Bathams XXX is available in winter only. Serves Bathams Mild Ale, Best Bitter

Oldswinford:

The Seven Stars

Seven Stars, Brook Road, Oldswinford (Image: Google) An Edwardian Grade II-listed building, with ornate tiling and timber bar inside. There are two bars with three rooms – lounge, bar and snug – plus a function room, letting rooms, and a garden area to the side and rear. Twenty five handpulls are split between the two bars, featuring both Black Country Ales beers and guest ales with three pulls used for cider. Limited snacks in the week. Serves Black Country Bradley’s Finest Golden, Chain Ale, Pig on the Wall, Fireside; nine changing beers

Amblecote:

The Red Lion

Red Lion, Brettell Lane, Amblecote (Image: Stock) This smart and inviting pub is partly owned by the Furious Pub Company and was refurbished in 2021. It is popular with a wide customer mix and can get busy on Friday and Saturday nights. Full meals and a selection of freshly made cobs and pies are served all day. The bar serves a selection of real ales with two changing guests from small breweries, both local and national. Serves Holden’s Golden Glow; Salopian Oracle, Lemon Dream; three changing beers

The Swan

The Swan, Brettell Lane, Amblecote (Image: Stock) This free house has been totally refurbished by the owners of the Red Lion down the road. Derelict buildings to the rear have gone and a tidy smoking area has been created. Cobs and snacks are available. Serves Enville Ale; Holden’s Golden Glow; Salopian Oracle; Wye Valley HPA; four changing beers

The Robin Hood Inn

Robin Hood, Collis Street, Amblecote (Image: Google) A traditional Black Country local with fine ales and a warm welcome; 2025 will see the pub celebrate 170 years as a licenced house. The front rooms house a wonderful beer bottle collection including international and historic brews. The pub serves freshly made cobs and pork pies and features some national guest ales. The rear outside area has a permanent marquee. Serves Bathams Best Bitter; Enville Ginger Beer; St Austell Proper Job; Three Tuns XXX; Wye Valley HPA; three changing beers

The Starving Rascal

The Starving Rascal, Brettell Lane, Amblecote (Image: Google) Bought by Black Country Ales in 2020 and refurbished during the last Covid lockdown, the bar has a central servery for all areas upstairs.

Downstairs there’s a cosy little room for events and functions and outside there’s an enclosed beer garden. The pub is nationally famous for being reputedly haunted. Serves Black Country Bradley’s Finest Golden, Pig on the Wall, Fireside; seven changing beers.

The Good Beer Guide 2025 is on sale now and is available online from https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/the-good-beer-guide-2025/

The Good Beer Guide 2025 comes with a choice of two covers depicting Emmerdale’s Woolpack Inn and Coronation Street’s Rovers Return (Image: CAMRA) The guide is celebrating its 52nd edition with not one but two covers featuring two of the UK’s favourite locals: Coronation Street’s Rovers Return Inn, and Emmerdale’s Woolpack.

CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said: “The Rovers Return Inn and the Woolpack represent the UK’s love of their local, and to have them featured on the covers for this year’s guide is very exciting.

“CAMRA’s mission is to ensure support from the Government as well as tangible legislation to protect pubs in this country.”