We like to offer a mild beer at all times and for our regular choice we stock Hobson's Mild, an ale that was voted the Champion Beer of Britain 2007. Produced in Shropshire, Hobson's Mild was described in the 2007 CAMRA Good Beer Guide as: "A classic mild. Complex layers of taste come from roasted malts that predominate and give lots of flavour." Roger Protz, one of the judges and Editor of the Good Beer Guide said: "It's a great victory for a traditional British beer. It's bursting with flavour and, unusually for a Mild, it's got plenty of hop character. It's great to see a classic copper coloured beer take the top award." Nick Davis, Director of Hobson's said: "What a great surprise! It's a nutty mild and despite being only 3.2% abv it's packed full of flavour."

Our regular bitter is brewed in Yorkshire - and has been since 1822. Tetley's Bitter [3.7%] is still brewed using traditional methods in special fermenting vessels known as Yorkshire Squares. The process is very unusual in that it uses two separate ale yeasts. Best served with a big head, it is a classic Yorkshire bitter and has a smooth hop character and the use of a special type of Demerara sugar makes for a uniquely flavoursome beer. CAMRA's Good Beer Guide describes Tetley's Bitter as "an amber coloured light, dry bitter with a slight malt and hop aroma, leading to a moderate bitterness with a hint of fruit, ending with a dry and bitter finish." Yorkshire drinkers claim that, by using traditional and modern brewing techniques, this is a classic ale.

The beer that is dubbed "probably the best lager in the world", Carlsberg [3.8%] is a superior, well balanced lager with a distinctive refreshing taste. Ideal for every drinking situation, but best enjoyed chilled with friends. Carlsberg was founded by J.C.Jacobsen and his first brew was finished on November 10, 1847.  Export of Carlsberg beer commenced in 1868.  Seven years later, Jacobsen set up the Carlsberg Laboratory in 1875 in order to work on scientific problems related to brewing. The species of yeast used to make pale lager, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, was isolated at the laboratory and was named after it. The concept of pH was developed there as well as advances in protein chemistry.

In addition to Carlsberg, we also stock Carlsberg Export. Brewed to the Danish original recipe Export is a clean tasting, premium lager with continental characteristics. There are noticeable deep malty notes in Carlsberg Export and the beer has a distinct bitterness that generates a full flavoured beer. Carlsberg Export was promoted in the UK with the brand slogan is "So good the Danes hate to see it leave". In television commercials, Danish lorry drivers were being kidnapped en route to prevent it leaving Denmark. We can understand the sentiment because at The Anchor we also stock our very own Irish Quarter Lager which is only available at our pub. So for a unique drinking experience, why not try it out.

We like to stock a couple of draught continental lagers. Our choice from the Dortmunder Actien Brewery is the Original, a superb German beer with a bright golden colour fine bitter taste with an elegant note of hops. The brewery was founded in 1868 by the businessmen Laurenz Fischer and Heinrich and Friedrich Mauritz together with master brewer Heinrich Herberz. The company enjoyed success in their domestic market and started to export their beer in 1879. The brewery was awarded the prestigious Gold Medal at the 1900 Paris World Fair. Following the near-total destruction of the city of Dortmund in the Second World War, the brewery was rebuilt in 1949. DAB Original is now dubbed "A Real Dortmunder of a Beer."

Erdinger Weissbier is not only very popular at The Anchor, it has become something of an institution. We stock the undisputed classic in the Erdinger product range, it is also quite simply the wheat beer par excellence. It is brewed using fine yeast according to a traditional recipe and, of course, in strict accordance with the Bavarian Purity Law. Even today, the beer is still bottle-fermented in the traditional way; it takes three to four weeks for Erdinger Weissbier 'with fine yeast' to mature. Only the finest ingredients are used in its production. Years of experience and constant quality checks guarantee the beer's unmistakable flavour. It is a wheat beer for those who love outstanding and unforgettable wheat beer flavour.

We always have a draught Belgian Ale on tap and also stock a range of bottle-conditioned beers from the land of hops. We update our chalkboard that details these and a range of beers from around the world. The pub's manager George is a devotee of Belgian beer so he will gladly provide some guidance and help you choose a drink to suit your palate. You'll generally find a beer from Italy, Germany or the United States on our beer board - our aim is to provide a unique drinking experience in Birmingham and always strive to offer a diverse range of beers. If you would like to see a particular beer in stock then please ask us - we will try to accommodate any reasonable request. Our continental selection helps to make The Anchor is an exciting place to drink.

As you would expect from a pub located in the old Irish Quarter, Guinness is always available on tap. Guinness is the UK’s best selling black beer. Famously taking a long time to pour, it has an initial malt and caramel flavour and finishes with a dry roasted bitterness. The world famous stout started life at Leixlip, but production was based at Dublin's St.James's Gate Brewery by 1759. The dry stout was based on the porter style of beers that were being produced in London during the 18th century. A distinctive feature of the beer's flavour is the roasted barley which remains unfermented. Medical research has established that the antioxidant compounds in Guinness provide many health benefits. As the famous slogan goes..."Guinness is Good For You".

A strong, dry cider, Strongbow delivers a full bodied punch. The delicious fresh taste has a hint of acidity for clean, crisp refreshment. For years it has been the consumer’s favourite around the world, accounting for over a quarter of all cider sold in the UK annually. Produced with a royal warrant, Strongbow is a Gold Medal winner at the International Beer and Cider Competition, London, voted best tasting cider in blind tastings by a consumer led panel of judges. Strongbow is named after the Norman knight, Richard de Clare, later Earl of Pembroke, who was nicknamed ‘Strongbow’ by his troops for his feats of strength and prowess with the longbow. The ‘thudding arrow’ has been a feature of the brand’s television advertising since the 1960’s.

Thatcher's Gold is an exceptional Somerset cider that is full of flavour. Produced by Thatcher's in its Sandford Mill that sits amongst Somerset cider orchards at the base of the Mendip Hills, Gold is crafted using traditional techniques and expertise gained since 1904, for a smooth crisp and refreshing taste. Thatcher's have made fine cider in Somerset for over 100 years. Crafted using freshly pressed English apples, the company's traditional ciders are based on authentic recipes and matured in oak. William Thatcher first started making cider for farm workers in the early 1900's. The family-run company produce their traditional cider from locally grown apples. Traditional methods, such as conditioning cider in oak vats, give the cider its unique character.

In addition to Thatcher's Gold, we also stock the company's famous Cheddar Valley, a traditional cider served on handpull. The colour of this unique cider gives it a vibrant character all of its own for those who want an alternative refreshing drink with a touch of natural sparkle. Naturally fermented, Cheddar Valley is matured in oak vats to ensure the distinctive full flavour is retained.
In addition to the above ciders, we always stock a cider or perry dispensed by gravity on the backbar. These are sourced by cider expert Jon Hallam. For example, Hartland's Farmhouse Perry is a popular choice with our regular customers. This is produced by a small family-run traditional craft business in North Gloucestershire.