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The Flowerpot, Derby
Derby
DE1 3DZ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Flowerpot
Good sized, and very popular, two-room ale house on the fringe of the city centre. You enter to a bare boarded main bar area with a small, carpeted seating space immediately to the right, full of padded banquettes and with a fireplace on the end wall underneath a plain mirror with various old brewery adverts dotting the surrounding walls. The servery is to the left and has a plain panelled counter and nice old bar back with some cool retro Bass signage and an impressive integral clock. Pump clips cover many of the surrounding pillars and beams and helpful beer boards hang to one side of the bar. The counter runs on into the rear room where loads more seating can be found, although the pub was so packed when I arrived, I couldn’t even get into the room, never mind find a seat. I eventually squeezed my way through to find a large, carpeted room with its own bar which sported an eye-catching bar back covered in sunflowers. Seating is almost entirely in the form of padded banquettes with chairs and high stools in support. Loads of framed photos of various subjects line the walls and I spotted another beer board and plenty of plain mirrors.
The pub has an extensive ale range which was getting a good road testing from a packed house, with options on this visit comprising Oakham Bishops Farewell, Marstons Pedigree, Harrington Whim IPA, Blue Monkey Infinity Plus 1, Abbeydale Restoration Porter, Lenton lane Pale Moonlight and Ampersand Corocan. I took a pint of the latter and spent the rest of my stay wandering around trying to find a seat, but all in vain. There was a riotous atmosphere on a Saturday night and had I been able to claim a seat, I may well have decided to stay here all evening and soak it in.
This seemed like a great ale house, with plenty of interesting, well-kept beer and a cracking atmosphere. It suffered a little bit from its own success on my Saturday evening visit, but I imagine its easy enough to catch it at a more suitable time and enjoy a relaxed pint or two instead. Definitely one of my favourites in Derby.
On 4th September 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Steve C left this review about The Flowerpot
The Flowerpot is a large pub with lots of different seating areas served by front and rear bars. My visit was late on a recent Tuesday so a couple of beers were off, which left Oakham’s Bishops Farewell, Whim Ales’ Hartington IPA, Lenton Lane’s Moonlight and Zoo Not Out, Marston’s Pedigree and Burton Bridge’s Damn Dog as the cask options. Some traditional ciders were also available alongside a craft lager list. The very friendly governor was having a bit of beer chat with a couple of locals at the bar so I decided to stop and listen meaning that I didn’t have much of a nose around the pub. However, there was a lovely strong smell of curry, either the chef is amazing or this pub allows take-aways to be eaten in. I liked it in here and will pop back in when next in the area.
On 2nd August 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Flowerpot
Another pub that I was last in 8 years ago. I remember even less about this one, as it was the pub where we suddenly realised that we would miss our train home, as we hadn't left enough time to get to the station.
This time, being only our 4th pub of the day, we were a little bit more sober. We remained in the area near the entrance. But the room does extend back much more beyond the bar.
Regular ales here are Oakham Bishop's Farewell, Marston's Pedigree & Whim Hartington IPA. 5 guest beers were Lenton Lane Pale Moonlight & Twist and Stout, First Chop Joe, Blue Monkey BG Sips & Whim Flower Power. Some of our party were quite pleased to see a couple of stouts on. I chose the Twist & Stout, which was the better of the two.
Real ciders are also stocked - Lilley's Apple & Blackberry Cider & Bee Sting Perry & SeaCider Bakewell Tart.
With live music also popular here, this is definitely worth including on any pub itinerary for Derby.
On 4th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Flowerpot
A small intamate room at the front of the pub opening out to a larger area at the rear. Had quite a locals feel about despite a beer showcase of eight cask on. My Good Chemistry High Plains was decent and would have stayed for another if time wasn't pressing. It's a 7.5 for me on a brief visit.
On 3rd November 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Flowerpot
Another tick from the 2018 Good Beer Guide. Old school feel inside but opens out to a courtyard with a stage. Live music on a Sunday afternoon for my visit, which was where all the punters were.
As seems to be the norm in Derby - many handpulls on. Unfortunately, I had the worse pint of the night in here - a lifeless Blue Monkey that died a headless death whilst enjoying the band.
Good pub though.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2w1lOlC
On 20th August 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Flower Pot
Oddly shaped bar with stage room at the rear, opened out, carpeted & red paddied benches. Rather average but good ale choice
On 2nd December 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Flower Pot
The Flower pot is not looking its best at the moment as it is covered in scaffolding and stripped back to the brick externally. In fact on first sight when we checked into our digs opposite I thought the place had closed down, but was relieved to see the “Open as usual” sign written in Crayon pinned to the front door.
Internally I was surprised to find a smarter pub than I was expecting from the outside vista, although it is still tradition with a lived in feel as commented by others. And agree the library section at the back is a nice spot on the large sofas.
Fortunately I had given up with attempting to take written notes by this point on the crawl and photographic evidence on my iphone of the chalk board beer list allows me to confirm that Raw Anubis Porter, Purbeck American Pale Ale, Whim Harrington IPA, Frontier Ramification, Black Iris Bleeding Heart and Sunflower, Big Rabbit Wild West Country, Rat Brewery Gunpowder Rat and Ashover Font were available on the pumps alongside Marstons Pedigree and Doombar. And then Whim Flowerpower and Blue Monkey Infinity were available from the cellar.
This pub appealed to me, not least because as also mentioned the Flower Pot is also a leading venue for both tribute and former bands, as both Dr Feelgood and Nine Below Zero are playing in December, to ply their trade.
On 25th November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Flower Pot
I always seem to end up here at the fag-end of a crawl when my notes are sketchy. Anyway there were nine pumps in the front bar, eight plus a cider. My first one, Gunpowder Rat was a bit flat, my follow-up of Ashover Font was better. Four more ales to the rear from Black Iris, the in-house brewery which has replaced Headless since the death of the previous brewer (I forgot to note the blackboard listing all the brews available so missed these as a result). Plenty of breweriana around to keep you amused and I quite liked the ‘library’ area as a seating space It’s a major music pub and inevitably there was some fairly loud modern music going on which wasn’t to my taste. Also worth noting there’s a 20p off a pint CAMRA discount. So still good.
September 2010
An interlinking multi-roomed beerhouse (sort of horseshoe shaped, with a pair of spurs either side) with around 12 ales on. The ones I tried were in very good condition, coming mainly from Micros and the in-house Headless brewery though the Marstons Pedigree was slightly incongruous in its presence on the bar. The brewery can be viewed through a glass wall which is a nice touch. Décor consists of old gig posters and some bottle collections. TV sports available and big on live music, it seemed. Rear beer garden. On beer choice and quality alone, this is a must-visit. Rated 8
On 22nd November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Flower Pot
A popular live music venue,which is also known for a wide selection of real ale.Check out the board listing the choice as some of the real ales arent displayed on the handpumps but come up from the cellar . I missed the opportunity to have a Whim Flower Power as a result !I noted 7 handpumps around the bar,and my Black Iris Bleeding Heart was in good nick.The decor is a bit worn but that is probably the vibe that the owners want to create,laid back and relaxing.Worth including on a real ale crawl.
On 16th November 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Flower Pot
Update – November 2013
Still very much a live music orientated pub, with an apparent emphasis on tribute bands for groups, some of whom even I have heard of – eg The Who, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Slade
Headless no longer brew on site ( brewing is now done by Black Iris ) , but otherwise my earlier review below is still current and the pub continues to offer a good range of real ale which, on my visit, included Whim Hartington IPA ( very moreish ), Blue Monkey, Hobgoblin, Pedigree, Liverpool Organic, Oakham Bishops Farewell and, from the on site brewery, Black Iris Sunflower. It's a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular.
Still worth a look in when in town, irrespective of whether you’re a music fan or not. It’s only a short walk from Ye Olde Dolphin, which is on most people’s list to do.
ORIGINAL REVIEW - APRIL 2009
The Flowerpot is Derby CAMRA's pub of the year for 2007 and is situated on the edge of a busy road junction in the City Centre.
The deceptively small frontage belies a much expanded interior inside.
The pub is the home of the Headless Brewery and rows of beer casks can be viewed through an unusual glass screen in a bar at the back.
Immediately on the right as you enter the pub is an area that looks like it could be part of the original pub. Here are some pictures and framed prints, including one detailing Derby County's football fixtures in 1914/15 when such teams as Glossop, Clapton Orient and Woolwich provided the mouth watering opposition.
Also look out for an amusing framed caricature in another part of the pub of everybody's idea, apparently, of the archetypal "beer ticker".
Regular live music is featured in another room towards the back of the pub.
The pub is a keen supporter of local micros as well as its own on site beers. The imaginatively named King Street Ale brewed on site was a good tasty pint.
In conclusion, unless you're a big fan of live music, The Flowerpot does not strike me as a particularly memorable or inspiring pub, as a pub in itself, but it is certainly worth making the effort to seek out for its splendid beer range
On 18th December 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]