The Brunswick Inn, Derby

Not a bad place, but the various rooms seem to have been created from outside areas; there's something oddly artificial about it. On the bar, there's an overwhelming number of hand pumps, though a list on the wall helps with the selection, if you don't want to take up the barmaid's time with a description of all the possibilities on offer. The ale, mostly from the in-house brewery, is spot on and absurdly cheap, so you can't really go wrong here.

Another great pub close to the train station, a large wedge shaped pub, multi - roomed inside furnished with lots of plush leather clad seating. To the rear of the pub is the Brunswick Brewery and about ten of the sixteen beers on offer were theirs, they also brew for Everads who own the pub. I made three visits here over a three day stay in town and beers samples were Brunswick Triple Hop and Railway Porter along with Everads Sunchaser and Wilde Child Clique Fiesta, all were presented in great shape. The best pub I came across in Derby.

With time available between trains and arriving in a rather drunken state, I paid my second visit to the Brunswick last Thursday evening, 6½ years after my first. The main bar area was fairly packed with plenty of locals and visitors drinking. But there are always a few quieter corners to retreat to. Ales on this visit were Bartleby's Wooden Boy, Everard's Sunchaser & Tiger, Brunswick White Feather, Rocket, The Usual, Railway Porter & Black Sabbath, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Rudgate York Chocolate Stout, York Snowflake, Oakham Attila & Hawse Buckler, & Black Sheep Blitzen. Real ciders were Weston's Old Rosie & Rosie's Pig, Thistly Cross Whisky Cask & Newton Court Gasping Goose Perry. I'm fairly sure I had the Black Sabbath and don't believe I had any complaints. A fitting end to a day spent crawling around Derbyshire.

Had an outside table booked yesterday for the beer garden and all covid regulations applied. Beers were their own plus Everards with a Roosters, East London, Taylors and Bass. There were plenty of empty tables for walk ins as it was very quiet but so very cold.

As a previous reviewer has said, this one "gets a super rare 10/10", and I concur. With only a short walk from the station and trains to Sheffield being so frequent, this has been a frequent stop for me over the years. I take others' word for it that there are 16 hand pumps now; a stupendous number, anyway, and always in tip top condition. A choice of several different seating areas, though if Derby County are at home there's precious little chance of a seat at all. This pub is the gem of the railway village conservation area, and it's a sobering thought that not so long ago it was derelict and looking like being demolished. So many beers to choose from: on two recent visits I had their own Brunswick Black Sabbath 6%, Aldwark Arrow Amber 4.1% and then Brunswick Black Sabbath 6% again four days later. A must visit if in the area - if not planning to be in the area, get off your train when it pauses at Derby, get another one an hour later. You won't be sorry.