May 2025. Derby.
The BIG unofficial Derby pub crawl went off-course immediately on leaving the Brunswick, our group deciding that no, they couldn’t wait 13 minutes for the Alex to open,
so over the Derwent, looking all pastoral and romantic,
until Paul brings my attention to the abandoned shopping trolleys on the left.
This crawl, sorry curated survey, takes a fairly well-trodden trail of the Derby classics, and the Smithfield is very aware of its classic status.
Classic photo of a random arm, too.
Seven blokes standing at the door at 11:58 counting out coppers; they opened early.
Reader, NO-ONE had a pint of the Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby ! Wimps.
Some of the Magnificent Seven skipped the Bass, too, despite this being a pub paying homage to the red triangle.
The clock says 12:46, so we must have had a good natter. My notes say….well, not a lot, since who goes to a pub to take photos and play on their phones ? Perhaps Sir Humphrey is right.
Just look at that benching, all the way round the wall, filling up within half an hour. A wonderful pub.
The Bass was OK, just not as fresh as you’d hope (NBSS 2.5*), and when there was a cry of “New barrel of Bass just gone on lads !” I was almost tempted to stay for a second, but you know what sticklers for timetable compliance these CAMRA types are.
*Bit disappointing, and prompted a discussion about how many beers is too many, though frankly the trade at the Smithfield seems 90% cask and it’s the choice that draws folk here. Tough one.
retiredmartin 
This would be one area where I’ve definitely come round to a “less is more” approach, and besides, how many pubs nationwide have the turnover/cellarship to handle >8 cask taps? Kelham Island Tavern an obvious one, and I think the various Pivovar Taps as well, but over the last year, it’s generally been diminishing returns once a pub has more than four cask beers on.
Alex
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yup, I went to the Pen & Wig recently, a pubby pub on the fringes of the city centre, bordering on studenty Cathays. They have about six different casks on, but I had two disappointing pints from two local breweries I like (Twt Lol and Tomos & Iford), and put it town to lack of turnover. From now on, if I see a guest beer on
a pub’s Untapped three days ago, I’m not going to assume/hope they’ve changed the cask by my visit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pen & Wig is one of the pubs in Cardiff I’d expect to be able to sustain half a dozen beers, too.
LikeLike
Like you I also look at how long ago and Untappd check in was, Rhys.
LikeLike
There was quite a bit of “less would have been more” on this Friday, Alex. Some of the pubs felt unusually quiet.
LikeLike
I was tempted to give the Smithfield a bit of benefit of the dount as that Bass was being changed and it had the busiest trade of the day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will drank half of it didn’t he?
LikeLiked by 1 person
He does that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Had forgotten quite how big that Bass sign was!
LikeLiked by 1 person