The Organ Grinder, Nottingham

This was formerly known as the Red Lion that was purchased, re-furbished and re-opened as the Organ Grinder by the local Blue Monkey Brewery in 2011. Eight different Blue Monkey beers were available on my visit alongside two guests as well as a number of interesting premium keg products and three ‘proper’ ciders. The quality of the two I had was excellent, though the barman was rather stand-offish. The interior is a fairly bland affair with a large bare-boarded floor area by the bar and a couple of drinking zones that lead off it that play host to a few tables and some leather banquette seating; in the left hand area there was a wood-burning stove located in the old fireplace next to a built-in bookcase. Despite the excellent beer I didn’t really warm to this place much (perhaps I was spoiled at the Hand & Heart?). I’d certainly pop back for the Blue Monkey again mind you.

The Organ Grinder opened in June 2011 in the former Red Lion, and became the first pub operated by the Blue Monkey Brewery. You enter into a spacious front room with bare floorboards and some plush curved leather banquette seating. The servery runs along the right hand side of the room with enough space at either end for some seating and a fireplace with a small, lit burner. On the left hand wall there is a large bookcase packed with enough reference books to solve the most heated of pub arguments and the walls have been decorated with several local black and white photographs (and the occasional picture of a blue monkey). The room extends quite a way back to the rear where there are some more comfortable seating options and there is also a decent sized garden at the back with a smoking shelter. The pub still feels fairly new but it also had something homely about it and I enjoyed settling down with a pint, paper and plenty of time on my hands. Blue Monkey beers rightly take centre stage and on my visit I was faced with the tricky task of picking one from Ape Ale, BG Sips, Magic, Guerrilla and Amarillo, not to mention guest ales Liverpool Organic Ale and Iron Man, Batemans XB and Ossett Excelsior. I plumped for the Amarillo, which wasn’t quite up to the standards of other Blue Monkey beers I’ve enjoyed in the past, although it still went down well nonetheless. In my experience, Blue Monkey tends to be a by-word for excellence and in that respect, a visit to this pub should guarantee you quality beer in a warm and friendly environment. A great addition to the Nottingham pub scene.

We visited the Organ Grinder on the opening day of their 3 day Bank Holiday Beer Festival. Arriving at 6, the pub was busy and stayed so throughout the evening but the atmosphere was friendly and everyone queueing at the bar was very polite. This was probably helped by there being plenty of bar staff on, so the wait was short, most of whom were attractive young ladies and all were knowledgeable on the various beers available. On the handpumps were: BG Sips, Guerilla, Infinity and Sanctuary as regulars with the Ape Ale listed having already run out by the time we arrived and replaced with 99 Red Baboons. Additionally, for the festival, there were four specials on handpump including the excellent Organ Grinder. Everything we tried was in tip top condition and flew down. Also available were several interesting keg beers, which I assume are always there, including Brewdog Punk IPA and Magic Rock High Wire. Some 30 beers were also offered upstairs for the festival including offerings from, amongst others, Thornbridge, Magic Rock and Saltaire. The quality of these suggests that Blue Monkey have a lot of confidence in the quality of their own ale and rightly so. My view is obviously taken on the basis of a one off event but I found the Organ Grinder to be vibrant and friendly with a great selection of beers. Not only do Blue Monkey brew some of my favourite beers but they know how to run a pub as well. My first, and probably last, stop if in Nottingham.