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The Great Western (Holden's)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Holden's - Old AleExcellent2
Holden's - Black Country MildExcellent4
Sarah Hughes - Dark RubyExcellent2
Bristol Beer Factory - IndependenceExcellent1
Holden's - Black Country Special BitterExcellent1
Batham - Best BitterExcellent3
Holden's - Black Country BitterExcellent6
Castle Rock - Screech OwlExcellent1
Loch Lomond - Lost in MosaicGood1
Holden's - Golden GlowGood1
RedWillow - WrecklessAcceptable1
Millstone - True GritNot Tried0
Blue Monkey - Ape AleNot Tried0
Camerons - Shotgun WeddingNot Tried0
Sarah Hughes - SnowflakeNot Tried0
Salopian - FlashbackNot Tried0
Enville - Ginger BeerNot Tried0
Bristol Beer Factory - TalismanNot Tried0
Neepsend - WendigoNot Tried0
Elland - 1872 PorterNot Tried0
Ossett - Excelsius (was Excelsior)Not Tried0
Picture 1. The Great Western, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Picture 2. The Great Western, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

Visits Details

21 Sep 2019 (Magnus Greel)
Mid evening fairly busy as expected in this superb station waiting room (well nearly) worth allowing time for a visit before one's train departure time.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Castle Rock - Screech Owl5.50ExcellentOoh I do enjoy dangerously drinkable ales and this golden honey and mandarin ale didn't disappoint in any aspects, superb!
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40GoodEarthy with raisins and berries
Batham - Best Bitter4.30Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Special Bitter5.10Not Tried
Ossett - Excelsius (was Excelsior)5.20Not Tried
13 May 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Return visit mid evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Batham - Best Bitter4.30ExcellentIn lovely smooth nick
Sarah Hughes - Dark Ruby6.00GoodWorthwhile nightcap (traincap) to power the journey back south
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90GoodDistinctly better than at lunchtime, no idea why, perhaps a new cask on
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Not Tried
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Special Bitter5.10Not Tried
Castle Rock - Screech Owl5.50Not Tried
Elland - 1872 Porter6.50Not Tried
13 May 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Lunchtime visit. Circumstances conspired to me eating 2 large hot pork baps with gravy and apple sauce.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90AcceptableIn not very inspiring condition on this first visit of the day
Sarah Hughes - Dark Ruby6.00Not Tried
Batham - Best Bitter4.30Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Not Tried
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Special Bitter5.10Not Tried
Castle Rock - Screech Owl5.50Not Tried
Elland - 1872 Porter6.50Not Tried
23 Jan 2019 (ChrisE)
Afternoon visit and welcoming. I treated myself to a bowl of grey peas (pronounced gray pays in here) which were delicious. It was nice to see the real coal fires warming the bars on a cold day.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Excellent
Holden's - Black Country Special Bitter5.10Excellent
Batham - Best Bitter4.30Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90Not Tried
Castle Rock - Screech Owl5.50Not Tried
Bristol Beer Factory - Talisman5.00Not Tried
Neepsend - Wendigo5.00Not Tried
29 Nov 2018 (ChrisE)
This was supposed to be the starting point for a mini-bus trip to a selection of the finer West Midlands pubs and finishing off at the Dudley Beer Festival. Unfortunately Network Rail had imposed a blanket 50mph speed restriction on the West Coast Main Line because of extremely high winds, a great pity as there did not appear to be anything more than a gentle breeze. Almost two hours late in to Wolverhampton, I had well and truly missed the bus so I decided to have a couple of pints in the Great Western where it just happened that I knew the majority of the customers that were in here, so a couple of pints became a bit of a session. A really superb boozer but not as busy as it used to be when people were allowed to have a beer during their breaks from work. Service was excellent.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Sarah Hughes - Dark Ruby6.00ExcellentFantastic pint. I had planned to visit the Beacon Hotel today, so I took advantage of the fact that this beer was available here.
Batham - Best Bitter4.30ExcellentA good traditional black country pint. Good value at £3.20 per pint but a bit of a surprise after paying £2.70 for Holdens, but this is a Holdens pub.
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90ExcellentA superb pint and only £2.70 per pint.
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Excellent
Enville - Ginger Beer4.60Not Tried
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40Not Tried
Bristol Beer Factory - Talisman5.00Not Tried
28 Jul 2018 (ChrisE)
The subway form the railway station is temporarily closed as part of the station rebuilding works so we had to find an alternative route (exit the station and turn left past the new taxi rank). Busy as usual and good service with great beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90Excellent
Loch Lomond - Lost in Mosaic5.00Good
Batham - Best Bitter4.30Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Not Tried
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40Not Tried
14 Feb 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening's last venue. THE Wolverhampton haven (admittedly after the Wolves football home match had started). Roasted myself by the coal fire whilst musing on today's love's labour's lost (Jeremy Corbyn not part of it) and the cheese and onion baps, in no particular order!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90ExcellentPerfect starter before the Old Ale storm
Holden's - Old Ale7.20ExcellentOne slowly drifts from reality until the reality of a train to catch dawns
Sarah Hughes - Snowflake8.00Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Not Tried
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Special Bitter5.10Not Tried
Castle Rock - Screech Owl5.50Not Tried
Salopian - Flashback6.00Not Tried
24 Jan 2017 (ChrisE)
My favourite place for missing trains, and I missed at least two of them while I was in here. A good session with a few friends in a good comfortable atmosphere. I purchased a healthy beef with onion and lard cob for the journey home.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Batham - Best Bitter4.30Excellent
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90Excellent
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Excellent
Holden's - Old Ale7.20ExcellentTruly superb strong old ale. Delicious.
30 Jul 2015 (HSB)
16:00 Last stop before train home. Fairly quiet. As I do every visit I enjoyed a dish of black peas and bacon.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Bristol Beer Factory - Independence4.60ExcellentAn excellent version of an American Pale Ale.
RedWillow - Wreckless4.80AcceptableDisappointing. Bit tired.
Batham - Best Bitter4.30Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70Not Tried
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Special Bitter5.10Not Tried
Camerons - Shotgun Wedding5.10Not TriedPumpclip says Camerons Craft. Chinook, mosaic and El Dorado hops.
27 Nov 2014 (ChrisE)
I arrived at 11:01 expecting to be the first customer of the day, but at least four others had beaten me to it.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Holden's - Black Country Mild3.70ExcellentVery good indeed.
Millstone - True Grit5.00Not Tried
Batham - Best Bitter4.30Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Bitter3.90Not Tried
Holden's - Golden Glow4.40Not Tried
Holden's - Old Ale7.20Not Tried
Holden's - Black Country Special Bitter5.10Not Tried
Blue Monkey - Ape Ale5.40Not Tried

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About The Great Western

The pub sign. The Great Western, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent30
Good6
Acceptable2
Poor-

The pub is found in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 0DG.

Located "underneath" Wolverhampton railway station on the corner of Sun Street and Corn Hill. Traditional back street Holden's tied house that has remained unchanged for years apart from a sympathetically designed modern extension, retaining a plethora of railway artefacts. Good value food and guest beers alongside the Holden's range and Batham's Bitter all pulled through 8 handpumps. CAMRA National Pub of the Year 1991. In winter the roaring coal fire can turn you into a human BBQ.

We have visited this pub 17 times, seen 29 different beers and tried 14 of them.

Map location

Postcode: WV10 0DG