City snubbed by ale guide; BEER: Southern discomfort as Cotswolds inn wins 'best Midlands pub'.

Byline: By James Cartledge

IT'S the West Midlands - but not as we know it.

Birmingham's landlords were feeling as flat as an old pint today after the authors of a new beer bible named a Cotswolds village inn as West Midlands Pub of the Year.

City landlords were left to lament their lager and bemoan their bitter when the Good Beer Guide 2007 hit the shelves.

The regional title was awarded to the Norman Knight, at Whichford, in south Warwickshire, despite the venue styling itself as a "traditional Cotswolds village pub" on its website.

The Campaign for Real Ale, which produced the guide, defended the Norman Knight's victory. West Midlands regional director Nik Antona said the group defined the area as including surrounding counties like Warwickshire and even Herefordshire.

"The Norman Knight is as far south as we can go in my region. Each county nominates a pub of the year and they go head-to-head to produce a West Midlands regional winner."

But eight Birmingham pubs were able to console themselves after winning a place in the 2007 guide alongside several old favourites which kept their rating.

Among the new additions was the historic Bartons Arms, at High Street, Newtown, which was described as a "magnificent large pub".

The other newcomers were Pennyblacks, in the Mailbox' the Sacks of Potatoes, at Gosta Green, on the Aston University campus' the Tap and Spile, at Regency Wharf' the Woodman, at Albert Street, opposite Millennium

Point' the New Inn, at Vivian Road, Harborne' the British Oak, at Pershore Road, Stirchley, and the Wylde Green, in Birmingham Road, Sutton Coldfield.

Others which retained their place included The Anchor, in Bradford Street, Digbeth, and the Bell Inn, at Old Church Road, Harborne. The Black Country logged five new entries in the 2007 guide. They were the Foresters Arms at Wollaston, Stour-bridge' Ye Olde Leathern Bottel, Wednesbury' the Tap and Spile, John Street, Walsall' and the Hogshead and the Shoulder of Mutton, both Wolverhampton.

Brum's dry as a desert for brews

DRINKERS who want to enjoy a pint brewed in Birmingham risk dying of thirst, real ale fans warned today.

The Campaign for Real Ale used the launch of its flagship Good Beer Guide 2007 to express its amazement that not one brewer was based in the city.

More than 90 beers will be showcased at Birmingham Beer Festival, which starts tomorrow at Aston University students' guild, but none will have been produced in the city.

Camra spokesman Mark Haslam said: "It is a travesty that the boom i British breweries is passing the city by.

"We believe too many bars and pubs in Birmingham are owned by major chains."

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CAPTION(S):

RATED HIGHLY... The Woodman, Pennyblacks and The Anchor's Gerry Keane, all in the 2007 Good Beer Guide.' TASTE OF SUCCESS... Stuart Day, of The Woodman' and Brum's drinkers are having to look further afield for the best real ale (right). Picture: Jeremy Pardoe' OLD FAVOURITES... Camra lists Birmingham's The Sacks of Potatoes, the New Inn, at Harborne, the Bartons Arms and the Tap and Spile.