Arriving at 2pm, the plan was to just have a couple of quick drinks nearby before the Travelodge check-in time. But it didn't quite work out that way, as we headed up to Beer Guide entry The Good Fellow George.
This is a ground floor bar on the curved 60's building which sits alongside the junction of Ilkeston and Alfreton Road. It used to be a branch of the Nat West bank, the night safe on striking red wall by the door providing a glimpse of the past.
We were served by a fantastically friendly and chatty barman. Within a couple of minutes I'd not only learnt what he'd done for for Christmas but also his detailed mince pie preferences.
I opted for an easy-going pint of Lenton Lane 'Pale Moonlight', from a choice that included another Lenton Lane beer, Timothy Taylor 'Landlord', plus Vault City and Neon Raptor as the most tempting of the keg picks.
We took drinks to the Chesterfield sofas of the snug, with a birds eye view of proceedings.
A Christmas tree? Does it really take me that long to write this rubbish?!
Top marks for the Good Fellow George soundtrack, which a staff member cranked the volume up on midway through our visit prompting half the customers to leave. The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains selection seemed to have been tailor-made for me to reminisce about early 90's nights spent just around the corner in Rock City.
Next up was a quick revisit to the nearby Sir John Borlase Warren...
Next up was a quick revisit to the nearby Sir John Borlase Warren...
Sir John himself was born in 1753 in the suburb of Stapleford (where you'll find a Wetherspoon's named after him too). He had a successful career rising through the ranks of the navy, tried to sort out the aftermath of the French Revolution, and acted as MP for Nottingham for 12 years.
The pub that bears his name sits in a prominent position on Canning Circus, now run by the local Lincoln Green brewery.
With a large range of their ales on offer, I picked the 'Hood' best bitter, taking this to a table by the roaring fire in the front room.
Next stop, just a few minutes walk away, was the Organ Grinder.
Two A-boards to trip over the pavement...
Two A-boards to trip over the pavement...
And look what the first board is advertising:
NEW BEER
LIMITED EDITION
CHIMP
AGNE
13%
Ordering that would be really silly. So of course I did.
"What measures do you sell that in?", I asked, honing in on the yellow pump clip.
"I can do in any measure", the young lady behind the bar replied. 'Any' is probably incorrect, as I'm pretty certain they wouldn't offer me a litre or gallon of this stuff.
Hand & Heart (65 Derby Road, Nottingham, NG1 5BA)
This is a bit of a special pub. You wouldn't guess from the frontage on a busy main road that the depths of the Hand & Heart stretch into Nottingham's sandstone caves.
The building on this site became a brewery in 1866, utilising the caves to store and mature the beer. A Victorian shop front was added to enable it to sell its wares, until brewing ceased in 1933. It was later tied to Bradley's Brewery, then Shipstones, before closing down and looking lost and derelict. New owners stripped back an 80's refurb, smartened it up and reopened the Hand & Heart in 2008...only be dealt a fatal blow by covid and lock downs.
So what a delight to see it given a new lease of life. After 15-months empty, it has been restored to former glory, opening the doors again in 2023.
And doesn't it look great?...
Mist Rolling Inn (78 Derby Road, Nottingham, NG1 5FD)
This city centre micro pub has been open since 2016, previously called the Good the Bad and the Drunk (hmmm...) and the Room With a Brew (a bit better), before taking on its current identity in 2022.
As the name is a play on Mull of Kintyre, played at kick-off at Forest, I figured this was going to be a football-orientated micro. But the Forest flag over the bar is all you get.
The cask selection featured Thornbridge 'Astryd', Shipstone's 'Nut Brown', and Hollow Stone 'Oligo Nunk'. I went for the one with the funny name, then regretted not picking the Shippo's as we didn't see it anywhere else over the weekend.
CHIMP
AGNE
13%
Ordering that would be really silly. So of course I did.
"What measures do you sell that in?", I asked, honing in on the yellow pump clip.
"I can do in any measure", the young lady behind the bar replied. 'Any' is probably incorrect, as I'm pretty certain they wouldn't offer me a litre or gallon of this stuff.
What I really wanted to know was that I could have a third of it.
Which I could, and it was marvelous!
The Organ Grinder was the Red Lion in a time gone by, prior to Nottingham brewery Blue Monkey turning this into their flagship pub. For those looking for slightly more sensible options another six hand pulls served up the core range of the breweries beers.
There's a front room with a wood burner - taken over by Notts County fans, the Magpies playing at home that evening. And an additional area up a couple of steps, plus high stools next to the bar which we settled on, entertained by another quality alt rock soundtrack.
Which I could, and it was marvelous!
The Organ Grinder was the Red Lion in a time gone by, prior to Nottingham brewery Blue Monkey turning this into their flagship pub. For those looking for slightly more sensible options another six hand pulls served up the core range of the breweries beers.
There's a front room with a wood burner - taken over by Notts County fans, the Magpies playing at home that evening. And an additional area up a couple of steps, plus high stools next to the bar which we settled on, entertained by another quality alt rock soundtrack.
After a 13% strong ale it was pretty essential to procure some food.
For that we made our way to the Hand & Heart which I'd been reading about in the local CAMRA mag.
For that we made our way to the Hand & Heart which I'd been reading about in the local CAMRA mag.
This is a bit of a special pub. You wouldn't guess from the frontage on a busy main road that the depths of the Hand & Heart stretch into Nottingham's sandstone caves.
The building on this site became a brewery in 1866, utilising the caves to store and mature the beer. A Victorian shop front was added to enable it to sell its wares, until brewing ceased in 1933. It was later tied to Bradley's Brewery, then Shipstones, before closing down and looking lost and derelict. New owners stripped back an 80's refurb, smartened it up and reopened the Hand & Heart in 2008...only be dealt a fatal blow by covid and lock downs.
So what a delight to see it given a new lease of life. After 15-months empty, it has been restored to former glory, opening the doors again in 2023.
And doesn't it look great?...
And they've got Bass!
As well as Castle Rock, Tiny Rebel, Thornbridge, and Shiny ales, for those not instantly convinced by the red triangle.
We got a warm welcome, some filling food, and a quality pint in wonderful surroundings.
As we were directly across the road from it, we felt we should really call into the Mist Rolling Inn...
As well as Castle Rock, Tiny Rebel, Thornbridge, and Shiny ales, for those not instantly convinced by the red triangle.
We got a warm welcome, some filling food, and a quality pint in wonderful surroundings.
As we were directly across the road from it, we felt we should really call into the Mist Rolling Inn...
This city centre micro pub has been open since 2016, previously called the Good the Bad and the Drunk (hmmm...) and the Room With a Brew (a bit better), before taking on its current identity in 2022.
As the name is a play on Mull of Kintyre, played at kick-off at Forest, I figured this was going to be a football-orientated micro. But the Forest flag over the bar is all you get.
Music-wise, this micro was stuck firmly in the 80's - not a bad era to be stuck in as a Forest fan.
We got Wham, Tears for Fears, and Fleetwood Mac entertaining us whilst sat in the window seat of the inn.
We got Wham, Tears for Fears, and Fleetwood Mac entertaining us whilst sat in the window seat of the inn.
Our little trek into this northern corner of the city centre had proved to be a bit of a winner. Five good pubs within a few minutes of each other, quality beers in one and all.
And then we remembered we still needed to check into the hotel.
Crikey, we'd got a bit carried away.
I'll leave you with a picture of Winter Wonderland in the market square.
Mrs PropUptheBar would later make me sit on that big wheel on a freezing cold drizzly night as punishment for making her drink too many beers before our late lunch.
And then we remembered we still needed to check into the hotel.
Crikey, we'd got a bit carried away.
I'll leave you with a picture of Winter Wonderland in the market square.
Mrs PropUptheBar would later make me sit on that big wheel on a freezing cold drizzly night as punishment for making her drink too many beers before our late lunch.
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