IT’LL BE ALRIGHT WHEN IT SETTLES. BASS IN DERBY PART I.

November 2024. Derby.

Arriving back in Sheffield from 3 weeks in Waterbeach the only thing I wanted to do on Saturday was get out. Yes, yes, six GBG ticks is fun, but only one was needed to complete Derbyshire and, joy of joys, it’s a brewery tap in an industrial estate.

Half an hour on the train then 10 minutes on the bus (ugh),

but that gave 20 minutes spare and you can’t come to Derby and not drink Bass. I believe Samuel Johnson said that. Or possibly the Wickingman or Life After Football.

And besides, I’d actually pre-emptively ticked the Vic last year so it’s always good to revisit when your pre-emptive makes the Guide.

Only a table of steam punks and a lone Guinness drinker (on his 3rd as I leave). With no music, it’s too quiet, like Derby feels on a non-match day.

They’ve added Bass to Leatherbritches, but now it’s one of nine (9) pumps, which is stretching ambition a bit.

And the Bass plonked of me looks, er.

I’m almost tempted to say “Is it meant to look like that ?“. But I’m too scared.

I’m just writing “NBSS 2, no 2.5”,

when it starts to clear a bit. That happened in Uttoxeter, too.

How does this happen ? Had I dropped whatever’s the opposite of a pork scratching in the top ?

Nope, but by the end I was thinking “Mmm, it’s a 3, at least“.

How on earth are experts supposed to decide what’s a “good beer” ?

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

6 thoughts on “IT’LL BE ALRIGHT WHEN IT SETTLES. BASS IN DERBY PART I.”

  1. I had a pint of Brain’s bitter like that a while back. It cleared to crystal clarity and was fine. The barman chuckled at me for doubting his word too.

    Sometimes my cold tap makes a whistling sound, and when it does the water comes out looking milky. That clears too. It’s just very, very tiny bubbles I guess. But it does look worrying.

    It’s good that we’re taught to be patient though.

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  2. Bass was drinking quicker than normal yesterday afternoon. That’s with me only learning of the Potteries Branch Fiftieth Anniversary Party after it had started. Mrs SP kindly gave me a lift to the Gaol Square bus stop, then it was SIXTY-TWO MINUTES on the 101 bus before alighting at the Cherry Tree bus stop for the Castle Mona long after it was a Wem pub.

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      1. Yes, and I could have got from the Great Western to the Bull and Bladder in that time, and probably will early next month for the Holdens Old Ale and Bathams XXX.
        Mrs SP offered to drive me all the way to Newcastle-under-Lyme, which she’d have done within half an hour, but I declined the offer as she’d got a busy day.

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