Nottingham week.

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12-10-2010, 20:48
gillhalfpint

Nottingham week.

Went into Nottingham from Arnold today as we wanted to do the 2 pubs in the 2011 Good Beer Guide that we had not done on our last visit. Before going round we popped into the Tourist Information Centre to buy advance tickets for the festival as it fast tracks in. Will see how we get on with them Thursday.

The first pub of the day was the Dragon where there were 3 beers available, 2 from Adnams and 1 Castle Rock. The pub was quite dark as it was quite a long room going back away from the windows to the bar area which was raised. Had Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Adnams Broadside, both in good condition.

The second pub new to us was the Hand and Heart. We really loved this friendly pub, and on looking tound found the back area was cut into sandstone giving it a cellar bar feel at the back. Plenty of ales on here, and we enjoyed Abbeydale Aledritch, Otley 04 Columbo, Full Mash Roundhouse Gold and Full Mash Hand & Heart. There were 7 ales and some ciders too. The food menu looked good.

We decided to go to Beeston as we had not done the pubs there, but called into the Gatehouse on the way down for the bus and had a terrific beer there, Milestone Lion Heart. Lovely flavour and seemed stronger that 4.4%. So good we stayed for their soup and had another beer. Amused by the barman working out the odds for the starters in the snail race tomorrow night!

Had heard comments about the Crown at Beeston so enjoyed the opportunity of trying it, and it is a super pub that deserves its Pub of the Year award. 14 beers available and we had 3 from Leatherbritches (Cad, Scoundrel and Bounder)and one from Blue Monkey 100 Red Baboons. Great pub to wander round as it is multiroomed .

Last one for today was the Victoria where we had Ossett Big Red and Oldershaw Flag Fen. Enjoyed chatting to a couple in the bar in this friendly pub.

Our warm up day for the festival to come went down very well. May have another day tomorrow.

Gill
14-10-2010, 07:17
an_ecumenical_matter

Will be there today Gill. Will say hi.

Any other PUGgers going???
14-10-2010, 08:15
trainman

Quote:

Originally Posted by an_ecumenical_matter

Any other PUGgers going???

'Fest & Beeston tomorrow, more central pub crawl Saturday.
14-10-2010, 09:43
an_ecumenical_matter

Quote:

Originally Posted by trainman

'Fest & Beeston tomorrow, more central pub crawl Saturday.

'Fest AND Beeston! Feck.

Oxford for me tomorrow,and maybe Bath Saturday.
BTW if anyone wants a free gratis for nothing double tonight in Notts Premier Inn PM me.
15-10-2010, 07:55
gillhalfpint

Should have done this earlier, but we did have a second day out in Nottingham Wednesday visiting the Approach, Salutation, Royal Children and Round House. We like the Salutation and the Round House is a sister pub to the Hand & Heart that we enjoyed so much on Tuesday.

Had a brill time at the fest in Nottingham yesterday. Queued from just after 10am and will be doing the same today. We managed at least one beer from the 11 breweries new to us, so achieved our goal yesterday - today will be more relaxed but still have over 60 beers from the newer breweries to find. Naked Brewer Blush was the beer I enjoyed most that I remember - it was the one I marked up anyway, and not struck on the Marlpool Scratty Ratty. Impressed with quality of beers, even those noted slightly hazy tasted fine.

Off for the bus soon.
15-10-2010, 09:22
an_ecumenical_matter

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillhalfpint

Should have done this earlier, but we did have a second day out in Nottingham Wednesday visiting the Approach, Salutation, Royal Children and Round House. We like the Salutation and the Round House is a sister pub to the Hand & Heart that we enjoyed so much on Tuesday.

Had a brill time at the fest in Nottingham yesterday. Queued from just after 10am and will be doing the same today. We managed at least one beer from the 11 breweries new to us, so achieved our goal yesterday - today will be more relaxed but still have over 60 beers from the newer breweries to find. Naked Brewer Blush was the beer I enjoyed most that I remember - it was the one I marked up anyway, and not struck on the Marlpool Scratty Ratty. Impressed with quality of beers, even those noted slightly hazy tasted fine.

Off for the bus soon.

Thats 3 years in a row the quality has been impeccable. The Steel City Master of the Spooniverse was excellent.
16-10-2010, 17:38
gillhalfpint

I can't say how highly I rate this festival. 3 superb days we have had there. Manage to leave when it starts to get manic, but all beers we had have been top notch.
17-10-2010, 08:22
trainman

Friday. Vat & Fiddle, Beer Festival, Roundhouse, Plough (Radford), Crown & Victoria (Beeston, incl jokers).
Saturday. Canalhouse, Fellows Morton Clayton, Hand & Heart, Gatehouse, Lincolnshire Poacher, King William IV, Newshouse.

I, too, thought thought the festival was excellent; well organised, beers in great shape and easily findable - first time I'd seen each cask numbered and so easy to find from the tasting guide, gbbf take note!

The pubs were great too and, like Gill, I really liked the Hand & Heart, my first visit and a new one even to a couple of pals who live in Nottingham! Good selection of ales, interesting 'cave' section to rear, friendly welcome at the bar and an attractive landlady who came & chatted to us about the festival, telling us it was hammered on friday evening but we'd been long gone before any discomfort of numbers. Oh, and the H&H round was £10.20 for 5 pints, unfortunately not my round.
The Gatehouse was one I wouldn't put on-map next time, rather characterless, expensive, and beer too cold.
17-10-2010, 08:26
trainman

Quote:

Originally Posted by an_ecumenical_matter

The Steel City Master of the Spooniverse was excellent.

Yes, I tried that one, very good.
17-10-2010, 16:49
gillhalfpint

Forgot to mention another thing I enjoyed at the fest was that the reserve beers were ready and waiting to be tapped around the correct area of the alphabet, so really easy to look for as they were tapped. The organisation of this massive festival is superb.

We got out when it got too packed to get to the bar - loo - our table etc, but were well satisfied with the 52 different beers we got through between us in the 3 days. Heard on Nottingham radio as we drove home - yes we do get home occasionally - that it was another sellout, so well done Steve and his band of workers.