A Walk Round Derby

1st October 2011

A visit to Derby was suggested, word got round and on the day ten souls gathered at the station having just watched England beat Scotland in the Rugby World Cup from New Zealand. It was 1st October, so, as you might expect, temperatures were predicted to break all records and most folks were in shorts and T-shirts.

Our first call in Derby was the Brunswick where they had a beer festival on, so plenty of choice here. There were lots of Brunswick beers, lots of local beers, some from Birmingham and some from elsewhere.

From here we walked on to the Smithfield by the river. By now it was so hot we had to resort to staying inside. Again lots of choice on the splendid array of hand pumps.

On again, this time to a new pub to most of us - The Exeter Arms and an excellent choice it was. Six hand pumps in the main bar with a further selection of five beers by gravity in the Herbert Spencer out in the courtyard. An outlet for Dancing Duck Brewery and all in all an excellent pub.

The next stop was the award winning Royal Standard, now the Brewery Tap for The Derby Brewing Co., followed by a stop off at the Babington on the way back to the station.

Derby advertises itself as 'the Real Ale Capital' of the country, a claim that seems to me to be not unreasonable at the moment. The selection of real ales offered in quality drinking establishments really needs to be sampled to be believed.

Words by Alan
Photos by Phill & Alan