No Mills & Boon Cask Story At Mill & Brook

This is a pub blog rather than a beer tasting club with accompanying notes about the latest new kid off the block in the beer market.

I’m partial to a pint of most things but I often think the Grapefruit infused 23% caramelised stout at around a tenner a pint (this is of course a mythical beer) is a bit self-indulgent.

(Are you The Brunswick in disguise?)

I’m more of a Clash/Jam/Specials kind of guy where a sub three minute song always beats a Clapton, Baker or Bruce 12 minute solo.

However, I have been waxing lyrical rather more than usual since this blog returned to full working order on July 4 as there has been some corking pints of cask.

(mobility scooter in a race to leave the pub)

But, like all unexpectedly good things such as Aitor Karanka’s appointment at St. Andrew’s as the latest messiah, everything comes to an end.

(and she wins)

So, for that reason, I’m going to focus on what I thought was a vest paying homage to the ex-Sunderland and Albion striker Colin West at 574 – The Mill & Brook NG10 4QB

It’s on the Derby Road in Long Eaton and has a look of Derby’s iconic The Brunswick Inn about it and Long Eaton is the place where LifeAfterFootball’s first ever public vote winner is based.

That’s right, in the darkest depths of lockdown I was desperate for a page filler asked my readership (approximately 3 on a good day) to vote for their favourite Midlands Micro Pub.

As it happened The Sawley Junction, based next to Long Eaton Station, was victorious – read it here – and it’s a real sprawl of pubs around this Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border town.

The Mill & Brook, which was apparently called the Harrington Arms until it had a refurb in 2017 is in an eye-catching building.

It’s a got a couple of rooms and was very much business as usual after Track and Trace sign in with two lively groups in on a Wednesday afternoon.

It’s a two roomer although most of the action on this occasion was in the split level main bar with seats at the Fruit Machines, some top notch drinking and ‘pub bantz language’ as around ten other punters were in.

One group had a girl who was showing Coalville potential in the F*** stakes and enjoying the Dark Fruits after surprisingly snubbing the on offer Foster’s.

The gaffer, who was friendly, poured me a pint from the  hand written pump clip of Harviestoun (Best Bitter) and, at only £3, the cheapest pint Post Lockdown.

(Fruit machines & a chair – the new norm)

It was just about drinkable although it was the first pint I haven’t finished in a while, which is a shame as I liked the pub, and probably should have returned it.  I also tried to look for a Martinesque plant pot for the final quarter of my pint I left but none apparently needing feeding.

Or alternatively, gone for the funky craft taps on the wall, which seemed to be selling the better option and was the choice of the Colin West appreciation society.

 

At least I assumed that’s who the basketball vests were celebrating. The geezer at the bar was having a friendly chat with the gaffer about having returned to the area and how he was going to make this his regular haunt.

Apparently it was for a player called West Coast though so Colin will have to make do with eighties retro shorts instead.

A few nods and acknowledgements as I left and I was still impressed as this building stands out in a long road of shops, which is always a good sign.

The cask renaissance is officially over, long live craft keg and friendly edge of town locals, it’s the way forward.