The Garrison, Mansfield

I was in at the same time as Will Larter, so can't add much to his comments. However, I made quite an entrance by pulling the door and making enough noise in the process to ensure everyone on the pub was awake! The beer I tried was the Shiny Raccoon, a 4.4% pale which was below the standard I hoped for, and will only get a 2.5 score on NBSS. However, I liked the pub and would happily return, if only to avoid the Spoons round the corner.

This pub is in a converted shop unit, possibly a bit big to be considered a micropub, so quasi-micro it is. When I made it through the door - which opens inwards but has a handle that invites pulling - I found a customer standing right in front of the three active hand pumps who told me it's the best pub in Mansfield. Luckily I didn't say anything about there not being much competition for that title, and concentrated on the beers instead. (He made room for me to get a photo of the pump clips.) A choice from local(ish) Shiny and Thornbridge, plus more distant Ampersand, and I had halves of Crackendale and Mosaic from the last two named. Both were single hop pales, the Thornbridge one being citra and 5.2%. Prices were £4.60/pint on average, and both beers were very good (NBSS 4). Like the previous reviewer I was a little surprised not to see more drinkers in here about an hour before kick off at Field Mill on a Saturday afternoon.

A nicely done quasi-micro (music, pizzas). Peaky Blinders paraphernalia which is a bit naff though the striking black and gold wallpaper makes for a bit of originality. Four cask and a load of cider, very happy with my Dancing Duck Beaky Blinders (ho ho!) an NBSS 4. I'm the only customer though which seems a bit odd at 12.30 Saturday afternoon but then again, Mansfield is an odd place. Anywhere else this place would have been busier! Not GBG listed, which I find surprising. 7.5