Ale Trip
Nottingham, It's Bin a While
04/11/25 23:19
Haven’t been to Nottingham for a few years so I decided one evening last week to pop over for a few beverages and a bit of a stroll. ‘Twas a good call all in all—despite the periodic torrential rain. After all the pubs largely have walls and roofs and the people/venues/beers pretty fine too.
Lime Street Station. A dry start to the day.
Train beer (a Cloudwater lager) and a book.
Made it to quite a few pubs in the town, but the first one was barely out of the station itself: the Brew Tavern at the southern side of the station on Queen’s Road by the steps to the station. A new pub to me and a great location, akin to Victoria Tap or Manchester Oxford Road Tap; probably closer to the latter in terms of venue size. Had a pint of Green Hop (Hukins Hops Bullion) from Five Points brewery. Think it was actually the most expensive pint of the trip—but I guess that’s down to its Location, Location, Location.
Brew Tavern at Nottingham Station
Next up was the Canalside, which I’ve been to every time I’ve been to Nottingham. It’s quite a cool place on the canal with a barge berth within the pub itself. I had a pint of ‘Mysterons’ from Castle Rock. It was pretty busy for a lunchtime, but some groups had kids I guess (school holidays and all that). The rain started whilst I was in here.
The Canalhouse.
By the time I left to go to The Navigation the rain was purely biblical. It hadn’t seemed like rain was due earlier, and it was a bit of a surprise. Got chatting to the barmaid and she’d been over to Liverpool recently to do a Beatles’ Pilgrimage. She’d loved the place. I asked her to not advertise the fact—we don’t need any more tourists coming over and spoiling the place after all. Good chat though. Ended up with a pint of ‘Weizen Up’ by Brewster’s.
The Navigation.
'Weizen Up!'
The rain calmed down a bit, and I almost dried out, whilst I was Navigating. It was a short walk to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a famous ale pub beneath the castle. Despite the route being a walk on Google Maps it showed me a longer incorrect way to get there, thankfully I can read a map, even if the algorithm can’t. ‘Twas still raining but not too bad by the time I got there.
It was a Brewster again for me here. This time a ‘Decadence’. The pub was busy and I ended up chatting to a few visitors. Some local, some no so.
Umm, Me thinks there may be a shorter way to get there. Google Maps wanting me to get y steps in.
Was another short walk from here, left out of the pub, up the road past the Robin Hood statue to the Crow. After the two Brewsters I had myself a second Castle Rock (I was next to the Castle Rock after all). This time if was a red ale, ‘Preservation’. No chatting here but I did grab myself a nice butty.
Short walk again from here and another left turn from the door. This time to Ye Olde Salutation Inn. An old pub but with more modern music (rock and heavy metal). This was another pub I’d been to before. It was to be my third (and last) Castle Rock pint, this time a ‘Screech Owl’ American IPA.
Next up was the Malt Cross, and you guessed it. Not a long way at all up the road from the Salutation. It wasn’t a Castle Rock or a Brewsters this time. It was a Verdant ‘Fresh Hop - Harlequin’.
I did go to two other pubs but I didn’t write it down or take any appropriate helpful photos (partly due to a flat phone battery). Dang!
I’ll add a map before too long in case you wanna check some of these places out for yourself. All in all a fine trip. Makes me think I should also revisit a couple more midlands cities that I haven’t been to for a while, like Derby and Leicester. Watch this space.
Lime Street Station. A dry start to the day.
Train beer (a Cloudwater lager) and a book.
Made it to quite a few pubs in the town, but the first one was barely out of the station itself: the Brew Tavern at the southern side of the station on Queen’s Road by the steps to the station. A new pub to me and a great location, akin to Victoria Tap or Manchester Oxford Road Tap; probably closer to the latter in terms of venue size. Had a pint of Green Hop (Hukins Hops Bullion) from Five Points brewery. Think it was actually the most expensive pint of the trip—but I guess that’s down to its Location, Location, Location.
Brew Tavern at Nottingham Station
Next up was the Canalside, which I’ve been to every time I’ve been to Nottingham. It’s quite a cool place on the canal with a barge berth within the pub itself. I had a pint of ‘Mysterons’ from Castle Rock. It was pretty busy for a lunchtime, but some groups had kids I guess (school holidays and all that). The rain started whilst I was in here.
The Canalhouse.
By the time I left to go to The Navigation the rain was purely biblical. It hadn’t seemed like rain was due earlier, and it was a bit of a surprise. Got chatting to the barmaid and she’d been over to Liverpool recently to do a Beatles’ Pilgrimage. She’d loved the place. I asked her to not advertise the fact—we don’t need any more tourists coming over and spoiling the place after all. Good chat though. Ended up with a pint of ‘Weizen Up’ by Brewster’s.
The Navigation.
'Weizen Up!'
The rain calmed down a bit, and I almost dried out, whilst I was Navigating. It was a short walk to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a famous ale pub beneath the castle. Despite the route being a walk on Google Maps it showed me a longer incorrect way to get there, thankfully I can read a map, even if the algorithm can’t. ‘Twas still raining but not too bad by the time I got there.
It was a Brewster again for me here. This time a ‘Decadence’. The pub was busy and I ended up chatting to a few visitors. Some local, some no so.
Umm, Me thinks there may be a shorter way to get there. Google Maps wanting me to get y steps in.
Was another short walk from here, left out of the pub, up the road past the Robin Hood statue to the Crow. After the two Brewsters I had myself a second Castle Rock (I was next to the Castle Rock after all). This time if was a red ale, ‘Preservation’. No chatting here but I did grab myself a nice butty.
Short walk again from here and another left turn from the door. This time to Ye Olde Salutation Inn. An old pub but with more modern music (rock and heavy metal). This was another pub I’d been to before. It was to be my third (and last) Castle Rock pint, this time a ‘Screech Owl’ American IPA.
Next up was the Malt Cross, and you guessed it. Not a long way at all up the road from the Salutation. It wasn’t a Castle Rock or a Brewsters this time. It was a Verdant ‘Fresh Hop - Harlequin’.
I did go to two other pubs but I didn’t write it down or take any appropriate helpful photos (partly due to a flat phone battery). Dang!
I’ll add a map before too long in case you wanna check some of these places out for yourself. All in all a fine trip. Makes me think I should also revisit a couple more midlands cities that I haven’t been to for a while, like Derby and Leicester. Watch this space.
Burton on Trent
11/08/25 23:26
On the 9th August I headed out on a CAMRA coach trip to Burton on Trent run by the Wirral CAMRA branch. Along with many I really miss the Liverpool trips that used to be very regular over the Spring and Summer months. Oh the memories. The trip was a fine almost full coach.
The three of us didn’t exactly speed through all the pub options. We arrived at the bus station at about 12:15. We headed first to the Dog, which was the closest to the drop off point. This wasn’t cos I wanted a drink quickly, it was more that I wanted their toilet; I hadn’t felt like using the coach one with my questionable legs—even before the pints).
The Dog was a fine start and I began with a Holden’s ‘Golden Glow.’ We looked at the map we had been provided on the coach and selected the next pub. I wanted to go to the Burton Bridge Inn but my mates thought better of it and plumped for the ‘Brews of the World.’
It transpired they were thinking it was closer and better for my legs. But it turned out that the ‘…World’ was shut and in fact we walked about the same distance after we moved on to the next place, which was Cooper’s Tavern.
The Coopers is a Joules pub and situated right opposite a massive former brewery which is decaying away. To get to it we had walked past the massive industrial complex which is the home of Molson Coors and their brews of Madri (it’s not Spanish, who knew!?), Coors (it’s not Canadian, who knew!?), Atlantic Pale, and Doom Bar (it’s not from Cornwall, who knew!?). Ho hum.
It was a warm, dry day so we sat outside, me with my usual Joules choice of ‘Slumbering Monk.’ Chatted with a couple of people from the coach. The next few pubs were all close together further up Station Street. We trotted on to the Devonshire Arms. Mate fell in love with the place due to the massive hanging baskets (he has a plant fetish). I was soon Jaipur’d up. Next up was the Last Heretic micropub. It’s quite a small place but has a decent outdoors area at the back. Met up once more with a couple of people from the coach. I once more bombarded them talking all things Ren. I need to draft more Renegades. I feel I’m doing them and the world a favour.
It was a short walk then to The Roebuck, where I went for a Batemen’s ‘XXXB.’ I was still keen to get to the Burton Bridge Inn. But we were now quite a walk from there and weren’t sure how long it’d take. Looking it up now I see it was 0.8 miles.I thought I’d look up how much an Uber would cost. Damn, it was less than four quid for three of us, not each! Bargain of the day. We were happy to dive on that and it arrived at the Roebuck in no tine.
We were soon sat outside the Burton Bridge Inn with a pint of ‘Stairway to Citra’. It was well worth making the effort. We even had another. Then it was back to the coach for our return trip to Liverpool. So six pubs, a handy Uber, a coach (and possibly some new Renegades)—a very good day was had by all.
The next Wirral trip is to Stockport at the end of October. I reckon it’s cheaper to do on the train, so maybe I’ll do that instead. But at least the branch are doing coach trips, hopefully the Liverpool trips will come back one day, but it’s been years now..
The three of us didn’t exactly speed through all the pub options. We arrived at the bus station at about 12:15. We headed first to the Dog, which was the closest to the drop off point. This wasn’t cos I wanted a drink quickly, it was more that I wanted their toilet; I hadn’t felt like using the coach one with my questionable legs—even before the pints).
The Dog was a fine start and I began with a Holden’s ‘Golden Glow.’ We looked at the map we had been provided on the coach and selected the next pub. I wanted to go to the Burton Bridge Inn but my mates thought better of it and plumped for the ‘Brews of the World.’
It transpired they were thinking it was closer and better for my legs. But it turned out that the ‘…World’ was shut and in fact we walked about the same distance after we moved on to the next place, which was Cooper’s Tavern.
The Coopers is a Joules pub and situated right opposite a massive former brewery which is decaying away. To get to it we had walked past the massive industrial complex which is the home of Molson Coors and their brews of Madri (it’s not Spanish, who knew!?), Coors (it’s not Canadian, who knew!?), Atlantic Pale, and Doom Bar (it’s not from Cornwall, who knew!?). Ho hum.
It was a warm, dry day so we sat outside, me with my usual Joules choice of ‘Slumbering Monk.’ Chatted with a couple of people from the coach. The next few pubs were all close together further up Station Street. We trotted on to the Devonshire Arms. Mate fell in love with the place due to the massive hanging baskets (he has a plant fetish). I was soon Jaipur’d up. Next up was the Last Heretic micropub. It’s quite a small place but has a decent outdoors area at the back. Met up once more with a couple of people from the coach. I once more bombarded them talking all things Ren. I need to draft more Renegades. I feel I’m doing them and the world a favour.
It was a short walk then to The Roebuck, where I went for a Batemen’s ‘XXXB.’ I was still keen to get to the Burton Bridge Inn. But we were now quite a walk from there and weren’t sure how long it’d take. Looking it up now I see it was 0.8 miles.I thought I’d look up how much an Uber would cost. Damn, it was less than four quid for three of us, not each! Bargain of the day. We were happy to dive on that and it arrived at the Roebuck in no tine.
We were soon sat outside the Burton Bridge Inn with a pint of ‘Stairway to Citra’. It was well worth making the effort. We even had another. Then it was back to the coach for our return trip to Liverpool. So six pubs, a handy Uber, a coach (and possibly some new Renegades)—a very good day was had by all.
The next Wirral trip is to Stockport at the end of October. I reckon it’s cheaper to do on the train, so maybe I’ll do that instead. But at least the branch are doing coach trips, hopefully the Liverpool trips will come back one day, but it’s been years now..