The Bird is the word for great ales, say pub regulars

"It's a great pub, absolutely brilliant," says regular Stuart Harris, 57, as he enjoys a pint of Church End Fallen Angel.

"My only criticism is that they serve Carling," jokes Stuart.

"I live in the middle of Stourbridge where I am surrounded by pubs, but I still come here. It's got a great cellar with real beer."

The Bird in Hand, in John Street, Wordsley, is celebrating after being awarded the Campaign for Real Ale's West Midland pub of the year title. The accolade comes hot on the heels of it winning the Dudley and South Staffordshire title for the second time in three years. Last year it was also joint winner of the West Midlands Camra pub of excellence award, sharing the title with The Rugby Tap in Warwickshire.

That is quite a haul for manager Paula Herbert, who took over the pub less than five years ago. And while a new report shows that 28 pubs have been lost across the West Midlands during the past six months alone, The Bird in Hand appears to be going from strength to strength, attracting people from miles around.

On the corner of a quiet residential road in the shadow of the famous Red House glass cone, The Bird in Hand is the type of pub that has largely disappeared from the British streetscape, a kind of Rover's Return of the Black Country.

"It started out as a house," says Paula, "the owner paid a guinea to sell drink from the front room.

"We have dominoes, darts and crib teams, the fishing clubs and golf clubs come in, and we have a pigeon club."

Born in the brewing capital of Burton-upon-Trent, beer is in the blood for Paula, although her tastes used to be somewhat simpler.

"Being from Burton, I was brought up on Bass and Pedigree, that's what I used to drink with my dad," she says.

The pub runs three staple ales, Hobson's Town Crier, Enville Ale, and Holden's Golden Glow, with three rotating guest ales, the present choices being Bewdley's Worcestershire Sway, Fallen Angel from Church End brewery in Nuneaton, and the 6.2 per cent cloudy, tropical-flavoured Elevation ale from Vocation Brewery in Hebden Bridge providing a slightly left-field choice.

"We have the three that we know people will like, and then we can have a bit of a play around with the others." says Paula.

"Some people won't drink a cloudy beer, but there are others who love it.

"I like the darker beers, the stouts and the porters. I'm not so keen on the hoppy beers, but I do have a taste for what people who come in here will like. I can just take a sip, and know straight away who will like it."

Certainly, Paula's taste for ale gets a firm thumbs up from long-term regular Stuart Abbott, who travels from Wombourne to sample its variety of beers.

"I knew this pub years ago, when it would be nearly empty, freezing cold in the winter, and with just a couple of flat beers on," he says.

Stuart, who is 68, says pubs like The Bird in Hand are crucial to the brewing industry, giving new small breweries a chance to demonstrate their products to a wider audience.

Stuart says his choice of beer depends on the mood he's in.

"The Town Crier is always bang-on, but my favourite beer is probably the one that was on yesterday, Three Tuns XXX from Bishop's Castle. The guest beers that Paula gets always seem to be really good."

Paula, who took on the pub after leaving her post at Dudley Council's social services department, says it is also important to adapt to changing trends.

The pub has had to evolve, though.

"Years ago, it would all have been about the workers from the glassworks coming in with their dogs," says Paula.

While those days are gone, the real-ale movement has led to a new generation of more discerning customers, who know a lot more about what they drink than in the past. 'Craft' keg beers have also become increasingly popular in recent years, as have specialist ciders, and Paula has reacted quickly to these changing trends, installing an outdoor bar which will specialise in 'key keg' beers.

Standing in the popular garden is Claire Johnson, who has nothing but praise for both the pub and its boss.

"I think this is absolutely fantastic," she says.

"Paula is the best landlady I've ever known. The beer is really phenomenal, and it's dog-friendly. My old Staffy Bo won't get out the car unless we stop off here," she says.

Stuart Harris likens the garden area to a European taverna on a hot day.

"When it's hot, everybody's out there, it's a real sun trap," he says.

"It attracts young people as well. It's what a pub should be like, no nastiness, just a nice ambience."

One of the younger drinkers in the pub is 23-year-old Tom Moore from Kingswinford, who is out for the evening with his father Brian and friend Mike Lee.

Tom says he likes the variety of different beers, and enjoyed last year's stout and porter festival.

Mike, 36, likes Vocation Elevation: "You don't very often get these in back-street pubs, and certainly not for that price," he says.

Brian, 69, says he cannot fault the pub: "The craft beers are very good, at good prices, the people who work here are great, the people who come here are great.

"I have travelled all over the country with work, but I have never seen a pub as good as this one, by far."

Tracey is drinking a pint of Fallen Angel with her husband Justin.

The couple, who walk across fields from their home in Kingswinford, have been frequenting The Bird since the 1990s.

"I'm normally more of a cider drinker," she says.

"Paula listens to what people like.

"She opened the outside bar for craft beer. I know a cider producer by Bishop's Castle, and she's going to order some cider from him. Long Mynd cider from Hugh Chapman is very good."

Justin, who is 50, says he likes Fallen Angel, Golden Glow, and Hobson's Old Prickly.

Having won the county title, the pub will now go through to the regional final, with the judges visiting incognito.

Stuart Harris adds that the pub has brought him health benefits, too: "Since I've started walking here from Stourbridge, my average daily footsteps have gone up from 3,000 steps to 12,000."