Derby - a beer festival on every corner

Good evening,

     yesterday I made a late start of my trip to Derby. I usually aim to be there for dinnertime if am planning some drinking but I was preoccupied, mainly with holiday plans, so didn't leave the house til 15.50. I was quite impressed then to arrive at Derby station at just gone 5PM.

I had left Sheffield amidst thunder and lightning but on the journey down all I saw was sunshine so I studiously hid away my coat in my bag before I strode off for the Station on arrival. Unfortunately, it wasn't open (I know the doors are shut when its open as well, but there was no sign of life) so I walked back round to the Brunswick and caught the bus into town. By now it was monsoon rains all the way. Time to unpack the bag.....

Potfest at the Flowerpot

The weather was foreboding as I crossed the market place with the streets running with water and a biblical cloudburst sheeting down gallons of rain in minutes, but it had stopped when I reached the Flowerpot. Inside it was very busy, but that was what I expected, and I quickly sought out a programme and thought about a drink. I started with a  half of Shottle Farm Shottle Cock, 3.6%, and a Black Iris Black Mountain at 5.9%, a single hopped dry hopped black IPA. Overall that's a pint at 4.3% so not as daft or reckless as it sounds. Instead, that description applied to my standing under a parasol between the soaked seats in the beer garden - on the presumption that there would be nowhere to sit inside.

This quickly became a cheerless undertaking and with no sign of a sunny spell I headed inside to scan for seats and to photograph the Black Iris pumpclips. I like the artwork style on them and their effective black and white motifs (although the first time I spotted one it was like where's wally trying to locate the ABV)  and they remind me a little of a friend of mine's artwork which is based on books he has read. This may be a shoehorned and unapologetically biased plug but if you like the below pumpclip you may also like what you find at cloudpine illustrations .

Anyhoo, on with the beer, I found myself somewhere to sit with a couple from Derby and chewed my way through the imposing, black, billow cloud topped lake that was Black Iris Great Eastern Transatlantic Porter. This is only 4.6% but had the characteristics of a much stronger beer and my lengthy tope helpfully applied the brakes o my winged horse to insobriety.

Soon I had the table to myself (the above descriptions do not serve as an explanation for this!) and I went on supping my way through a very good list of beers, including :

Brightside Bitter
Truefitt Ayresome Angel
Northstar Sentinel

The Northstar was a very unimpressive one dimensional beer, and was notably 5p a half cheaper than the others which sold for £3.00 a pint (with the very strong ones £3.20 which isn't bad) but that was the only let down on the Flowerpot list, and it wasn't off, just poor.

I finished on what turned out to be the two best beers of Potfest for me, Black Iris West Coast IPA (6.2%) and Scarborough brewery Scarborough Stout, which at 4.6% was more than a match for the fruity citrus bitterness of the excellent IPA. I had hoped to bump into one of the Black Iris folks but alas they were yomping about the Peak District, but I made the effort to try some of their beers and was well rewarded. I also tried a massive burger (£3.00, cooked on the barbecue (despite the rain) which was fantastic and filled a hole very nicely.

Next I walked to my next festival, stopping en route in the Old Silk Mill. The beer range was OK, but nothing really caught my eye except the Burton Bridge Damson porter. I remembered that the Damson gave a slightly sour sweet edge to the beer but half way down I realised it was not how it should taste, and was in fact grim, especially the aroma. For reasons unknown I took about a third of my half back and explained that having drunk most of it I didn't require a replacement but that the beer was off.  The barman smelt it and pulled a telling face but I didn't hang around to see if the beer was taken off.

Exfest at the Exeter Arms

I arrived at the Exeter Arms, home of Exfest (which sounds like a rather unfortunate gathering of former partners) to find the pub heaving with every handpump in use on the inside bar, and an outside bar serving a range of about 20 on stillage. I had halves of the fabulously rich Dancing Duck Dark Drake, and an excellent new offering from Blue Monkey - Rhesus to be cheerful (groan) but the pun belied the beers excellent taste.

Whilst outside I noticed the new addition to the Exeter, that being the 19th century dwelling adjoining the pub which has been opened out to provide extra seating, and is only open at weekends. The Cottage is apparently an original size early 19th century cottage that stood on Exeter Place. Its minus artefacts which makes sense since its pub seating, and also there appears to be no access to the upstairs but its a unique spot to enjoy a drink.

I tried 3 more beers in here from 3rd pint measures (3 for £3.00) which I had carefully selected from a list and intended to photograph the board advertising them so as not to forget the beers names. Well, the best laid plans and all that, I loved the somebody's California bitter, and the dark one, and the really light one but having forgotten to take said pic am afraid that's literally all I know!

Off back to the Station next to find out the time of the last train. Surprisingly, and frustratingly, its 22.38, which, arriving to check at 22.08 gave me only 30 minutes for a last pint. I rushed round to try out the recently reopened Crown and Cushion on  Midland Road, after reading an advert in Derby Drinker, to find friendly staff and two Marstons beers including their 5 hop which I had a ridiculously swift half of, before allocating 15 minutes to race down a delicious pint of Bass from the jug in the excellent Station, much to Dave's dissatisfaction I am sure, but I didn't want to miss my train.

All in all I had just over 5 and a half hours in Derby and managed to visit 5 pubs and two beer festivals. Not a bad evenings work if you ask me!

Wee Beefy 

Pubs around Trippet Lane, and other news.

  
   Evening,

      I have, as suggested previously, found less time to write these tomes of late due mainly to stuff, not to mention things. In short I have been busy being out, but rarely to the pub. This is a sad but ultimately much cheaper predicament, which I hope will not continue for too long.

That said a couple of outings in the last of the warm weather over the last two weeks have dug up a bit of gen, and an opinion or two, which I will share below.

Firstly, I appear to have been drawn to spend much more time frightening off young folks by standing at the bar looking thoughtful, glaring, and opining on bibulous subjects at Dada. Its testimony to their care in the community credentials and good natured outlook that no-one has sought to politely dissuade me from frightening the more timid customers, either that or no-one has noticed. Either way Dada has been a friendly house to hang around in of late and I like that.

Its interesting based on my experience that the perceived atmosphere and theme, which I myself commented on a few times in the early days, continues to be a gripe with customers of a beery slant who might enjoy the ales. Beer people, whatever the hell that means (!?) seem to be of the opinion that it loses points for its lack of guest ale, and for having a theme, making it instantly pretentious and therefore unwelcoming.

l still think the the theme is obtuse, puzzling and misplaced, but having watched a mixture of confused, enthused, bamboozled, happy and suspicious customers come and go from the bar over the last 6 months I am certain that the warm welcome isn't in doubt. Admittedly its not traditional bar fly territory, since punters, mainly groups or couples, retire to the furthest corners (and more than two stood at either bit of bar is just impractical), but if you take the time to hang around and talk to the staff, I think you'll find the banter is good. Ergo, the atmosphere is good.

There are two regulars who go in on a Tuesday which is my default visiting day. I feel I should know them because I have seen them in the Dog and Partridge, Red Deer and Bath Hotel for as long  as I can remember. The above list of boozers has little in common with Dada so its testament to the qualities mentioned that they seem to be  as happy as me sitting at the bar and enjoying good conversation.

Beer recently spotted includes Thornbridge Kipling, Bradfield Stout and they have been having beers from Sheffield Brewery. There has also been some decent Keykeg choice, if such things float your boat, such as Nogne O barley wine, Magic Rock High Wire and on my last visit the excellent Schlenkerla Rauchbier. And for those unsure, Steph, Emily Jamie and James know their stuff when it comes to the beer. Its a shame their aren't more guest cask ales but I suspect this is out of their hands, thus more a blot on Thornbridge's copybook. If they could just sell less of my "sigh beers" Brother Rabbit and Sequoia, I'd find it hard to stay away.

Other pubs do exist of course and on a recent unexpected visit I found that the the Wig and Pen still sells real ale (and not a bad price). I say this because it was starting to get a bit grim and I wondered if the expensive tastes of their clientele might see it stop being sold. Admittedly it was only Wentworth, WPA and a Wentworth guest on Tuesday, but it means a drop of the real stuff can be found to accompany the food if you are there for snaffling.

Its interesting though that I am now in a position where I feel the need to say "only Wentworth". When it was launched and for years after it was reliable stuff with Oyster Stout, Gun Park Dark and WPA standing out. WPA used to have a big hop finish, lots of grainy dry bitterness that realy hit the spot. However, I don't think I've had a good Wentworth beer in years. WPA now tastes like a beer of 3.0% and more malty, with almost no hoppy bite in the finish. Is this a case of familiarity breeds contempt or have they changed the recipes?  Either way its a groan beer  Which is a shame.

Talking of not exactly renowned venues for real ale, I was in All Bar One (not by choice) the other day and noted they once again only had 1 real ale on. I get the feeling two is unsustainable. This time it was Black Sheep, and to be honest its difficult to decide which is the more average of the two offered across their estate (the other being Doom Bar) - perhaps the Sheep edges it for being independent. And, even having said all that, contrary as I am, I didn't even try the real ale!

 Instead I had a pint of Rothaus wheat beer, and was quietly amused by the barmaid telling me when I asked for a drop more that the line was a pint - I could see the beer was well below and after my top up it settled just on, meaning my request was perfectly judged. The thing is, the line is on my side only, so how would she have known it was already at the line? I've moved on now though....

In developing news, as I think I mentioned previously, the Dog and Partridge finally closed in July but to continue my Kevin Keegan-esque predictive talents, is now set to reopen under the management or potentially ownership (a bit fact light I'm afraid this particular segment) of those running the Sportsman in town. I hear they intend that the venue will operate along similar lines,and they are hoping to sell good value beers. I couldn't be sure if it was open when I went past earlier in the week, so will update you when I know more.

Finally, this weekend (23rd to 26th August in fact) sees Potfest held at the Flowerpot at Derby. The idea of a beer festival at the Flowerpot is a bit like a sand festival at a beach, since there;s always a festival sized selection of beers at any given time. Expect an emphasis on the excellent Black Iris brewery output and guests from Yorkshire and Lancashire, and also perhaps the sight of a lesser spotted blogger or two. Well worth a visit.

Thats all I have for now, hopefully the last week of the month will herald some further beer adventures.

Wee Beefy.