The Brown Cow, Mansfield

The Brown Cow is an Everards pub with two bars, so first I tried the right-hand side that was very busy meaning that I had to stand at the counter that runs across the left-hand side of the rear wall where it faces high seating across the front. More high seating is found to the right against raised seating that runs to the right-hand wall. Premium keg was available and a screen displaying the pub’s Untappd menu listed three craft keg, Tiny Rebel’s Clwb Tropica, Reckless Dweeb Brew and Silent Brew’s You’re not Hardcore (Unless you Live Hardcore), which is the longest beer name I think I’ve seen. The eight real ales on were Titanic Plum Porter, Alter Ego’s Klive the Kraken, Adnams Ghost Ship, Tetley’s Bitter, Red Dog Ales’ Beccaroo, Saltaire’s Raspberry Blonde, Two Matts Brewing’s the Audacity of Hops and Everard’s Tiger. My visit was on a recent Monday when cask is 20% off, so my excellent pint of Porter came in at a very reasonable price. The left-hand bar with a very worn carpet was much quieter with only two other customers, who were very old. The available beers are also listed in here, but on an old fashioned chalkboard next to the short counter opening in the right-hand wall. There’s seating across the front wall and towards the rear, and also down some steps to the left in an area that was closed off. There was some low background music playing, which might have also been in the right-hand bar but inaudible due to the chatter. I enjoyed it in here and would have stayed if I wasn’t looking for somewhere to watch the Bees school West Ham.

The Brown Cow is situated just to the east of the town centre across a busy dual carriageway. However, it's worth the effort to reach, as it is clearly one of Mansfield's better pubs. There are 2 rooms, with an entrance doorway offering a choice of left or right. I chose what I believe to be the larger room to the right, which is split-level. A screen showed the beer list via Untappd. Everard's Tiger is the regular beer. Symposium from the same brewery was also on. Guests were Ossett Yorkshire Blonde & Blue Bee Sabro Columbus IPA, a 6.5% beer that I was quite ready for after the disappointment of the Rufford Arms and then checking into my hotel. Ciders were Bottle Kicking Cider Company Scrambler, Seacider Passion Fruit Cider & Snail's Bank Fruit Bat. Craft beers were Siren Soundwave, Everard's Cast No Shadow & Neepsend Coyote. A decent pub, but I had a good reason to drink up and move on.

Situated just outside the town centre on the road to Newark, this is an excellent red brick Everards pub notable for its beer range and the adjoining Cow Shed music venue. There are two bars, one traditionally furnished and one with industrial-type fittings, and an outdoor drinking area behind. Nearly all of the 12 handpumps were in use, offering Everards regulars such as Tiger but also their special brews – on this occasion the SMASH Mittelfruh Single Hop golden ale – along with a good selection from smaller breweries such as Lincoln Green, Abbeydale and Welbeck Abbey. Screens are used to show the list of which ales are on and a few craft keg beers are also on hand but food is not being served at present. Note that cask ales are discounted by 20% on Mondays but beware, they don’t open until 15.00 earlier in the week. Well worth the short walk across the ring road.