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Thread: The History Boys on Tour

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    Old & Bitter oldboots's Avatar
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    Default The History Boys on Tour

    Legless in Derby 1

    Quarter past 12 on a very wet Wednesday in November my phone receives a text “they've got Hobgoblin and Deuchars what do u fancy” followed by the immortal words “I'll get them in”. My stride instantly increased as I texted back “Deuchars Please” . A few moments later I pushed open the door of the Station Inn in Derby to be greeted by the sight of Soup Dragon clutching a pint of Hobgoblin as if his life depended on it and guarding my pint of Deuchars. Initial pleasantries dispensed with we set to on the serious business of the day, a grand pub crawl of Derby's finest boozers - as a grand as a couple of beer geeks could manage anyway. Deuchars is not normally my favourite but in here it was well kept and very welcome after suffering the worst the railways could chuck at me that morning. With only the landlord and his wife in the plain Victorian pub we drank up and went up the road to the nearby Brunswick. First time for both of us in here but as soon as we saw the dark wood, lincrusta and traditional fittings not to mention the 16 handpumps we knew this was a pub in a different league. It is also home to a microbrewery. Much deliberation followed with Soupy settling on two halves, one dark one light, I plumped for the Nethergate Holy Smoke as their beers are usually excellent. Neither of us were disappointed at our first tastes as we made our way to find a seat in one of the many rooms. Stumbling into one with what looked like an old fellers lunch club we made our excuses as we moved to the next room. Seated on proper chairs at brittania tables enjoying some fine beers and admiring the old pub ambience of the place we were reluctant to leave but time was moving on so we did too. Next port of call was the Alexandra just round the corner, then disaster struck – pub closed till 3pm, calamity!! but as resourceful drinkers we soon were off towards the city centre and the Olde Dolphin with the church tower as our marker. Crossing the ring road and passing some interesting and some dreadful looking pubs, Soupy was the first to spot the Old Silk Mill so we instantly decided on a detour across the road as it was open and it would have been churlish not to. Besides which we were both hungry and a nice bite of pub food would be welcome. Another battery of handpumps, eight this time, so there was much debating on which microbrewery to try first. We both decided that a half of this and a half of something else was in order, I told you we are beer geeks. No food on sale so that would have to wait. We both went for the Brentwood Hope and Glory while I had a Blue Monkey Cathedral Quarter and Soupy had Cairngorm Stag Stout. All very good beers, the Hope and Glory especially so, a nice fruity bitter with the Blue Monkey being a Golden Ale in style. I later learned the Blue Monkey is brewed up the road at Ilkeston and the Cathedral Quarter is a special for this pub. Briefly admiring the thirties and Victorian fittings and we were off to the Olde Dolphin a short step over the road. Billed as the oldest pub in Derby it still has a lot of old timber and is dark and low inside. Gently bobbing barmaids and a range of regional ales plus a couple of micros on the eight pulls, another first for me was Morfe's Ales and a beer called Y Not, this was certainly a winner in the taste stakes. No food on sale here until 4 so we still continued to starve and took a seat to discuss our favourite subject, well history rather than beer. One of the locals joined us in our wide ranging discussions, that's one of the great things about the pub, someone will always put you right with their own view of things. Sadly we had to leave in search of the Flowerpot.
    To be continued

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    Old & Bitter oldboots's Avatar
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    Default Legless in Derby 2

    Our two heroes have just staggered from the Dolphin.....now read on

    This was the point when Autoroute let us down, no sign of the pub or even the street, a passing young lady was accosted and asked the whereabouts of King St, blank looks from said young lady, however once the pub's name was mentioned she instantly pondered how she usually got there and pointed us in the right direction, that's my kind of gal . As a bonus we had to pass the Blessington Carriage , specially recommended by Hopwas so we couldn't really miss it out. Only two ales on sale in a more yoof oriented bar, Youngs Winter Warmer and McMullen's Rocket which was my beer of choice and excellent it was too. Swiftly finishing up here we found the famous Flowerpot and relaxed with a couple of pints from the superb choice on offer, so superb in fact that I can't read in my notes the name of the ale I drank; no food and lots of beer were beginning to tell on my constitution. More chat on historical trivia found us in a long discussion with a keen local on the history of Bonnie Prince Charlie, Derby being where he ended his march south before losing the home leg at Culloden. Almost time to catch our trains back so just time for a quicky in the Alexandra, now open, an honest boozer with yet another wide choice of ales on seven pumps. Being a mild drinker Soup Dragon was horrified when I went for a bottle of the Belgian Maradsous but only the 10% rather than the 12% in deference to his sensibilities. And that was it, a fine days drinking in Derby was had by all and we shall return. I would recommend a trip to Derby for any one, plenty of decent ale and decent pubs with usually friendly natives.
    Last edited by oldboots; 21-11-2009 at 11:27.

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    Official JDW Tester hopwas's Avatar
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    Excellent reading!! Bought back memories drinking in Derby. I was suprised you did went to Station Inn! Is their Landlord got white hair and slobbish looking? If yes thats one I had unpleasant experience..

    One thing puzzles me.. you went from Olde Dolphin to Blessington without passing Flowerpot? Actually you can reach Flowerpot from around the corner from Olde Dolphin!

    By the way looking foward to ur second visit to Derby.

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    Old & Bitter oldboots's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hopwas View Post
    Excellent reading!! Bought back memories drinking in Derby. I was suprised you did went to Station Inn! Is their Landlord got white hair and slobbish looking? If yes thats one I had unpleasant experience.
    Short middle aged bloke, a bit miserable looking, no white hair, (gosh that could describe me) I could imagine he might get stroppy, so it may be the same LL with Grecian 2000, beer was fine though.

    Quote Originally Posted by hopwas View Post
    One thing puzzles me.. you went from Olde Dolphin to Blessington without passing Flowerpot? Actually you can reach Flowerpot from around the corner from Olde Dolphin!

    I didn't say we were sober at that point and the map did let us down, thanks to the young lady we didn't lose much drinking time

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    Official JDW Tester hopwas's Avatar
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    lol! U should have go to Smithfield not far from Brunswick. They sell mirco brewery ales. Good old fashioned pub. Bit hard to find but worth it just for ales.

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    Old & Bitter oldboots's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hopwas View Post
    lol! U should have go to Smithfield not far from Brunswick. They sell mirco brewery ales. Good old fashioned pub. Bit hard to find but worth it just for ales.
    The Smithfield, the Brewery Tap, and the Wardwick are all on the list for next time, if I can stay out of the Brunswick long enough

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    I Keep Mine Hidden Delboy20's Avatar
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    Hi there,

    I did a pub crawl in Derby some years ago but for the life of me I can't remember which pubs we went in. We definately went in the Olde Dolphin and the 2 Wetherspoons. Also Jorrocks. The rest is a blur !!
    I really wish I had kept a note of them somewhere !! I'll just have to go again

    Cheers,

    Del.

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    Official JDW Tester hopwas's Avatar
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    Hi oldboots.. Few things to help you on your next visit to Derby

    Smithfelds website.. http://www.thesmithfield.moonfruit.com/

    Brewery Tap (Royal Standard).. http://www.derbybrewing.co.uk/brewery_tap.htm

    Jorrocks.. Grade listed coaching inn and haunted buliding. Usually 2 to 3 casks on ale (normally Young's)

    Picture on Beer in the Evening

    Just for historical looking pub.. The Brick and Tile.. Bit out of way from City Centre http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/7017/
    Last edited by Galore Admin; 22-11-2009 at 12:21. Reason: Stopping bandwidth theft.

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    Sorry had to edit the last post, when an image is embedded in a web page the site that has the image pays for the Internet bandwidth.

    Whilst it is a bit of a non-issue for these forums as it wont produce many views, the image was a Beer In The Evening image, so I felt it polite to change it to a link so that it is clear the image is their work.

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    Official JDW Tester hopwas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Galore Admin View Post
    Sorry had to edit the last post, when an image is embedded in a web page the site that has the image pays for the Internet bandwidth.

    Whilst it is a bit of a non-issue for these forums as it wont produce many views, the image was a Beer In The Evening image, so I felt it polite to change it to a link so that it is clear the image is their work.
    Sorry!

    However Am I allowed to post image from PG through?

    Wont happen again!

    Ian

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