The Best Part of Derby

Work is done.  It was a good day, and it rare that our debrief would include the GM (coincidence only, but I’m glad I wore my tie).  We were looking forward to going out and relaxing at one of my favorite restaurants, the Cooper’s Arms.

The Cooper’s Arms (http://www.thecoopers-arms.co.uk/) was introduced to me several trips back, and I’ve always made it a point to go back there since.  Jenn liked it, and we wanted to share the experience with Karen.  I found out that they offered a vegetarian option, but I wouldn’t recommend it.  The place is known for being a carvery, a place to go and get your choice of meats and side dishes, sort of like dinner at grandmas on Sunday.  I got the Coopers’ Choice, their roast rump (sounds attractive) of beef, and loin of pork served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, and homemade stuffing (really too dry for my tastes).  It’s really tasty, with a horseradish sauce and bits of cracklin’ (you got to ask for this) to go with it.  Their house ale is brewed by Leatherbritches (what a name), a local Ashbourne brewery, and had their pale ale named JB (someone’s initials?).  It was a good start to the evening, and so we headed down the road to my favorite pub in the area.

The Harrington Arms in Thulston is the local pub for some of my friends in England, and they boast that it serves the best Bass in all of England.  It was dark out when we arrived, and the pub was lit up so beautifully that it just shouted of welcoming (shame I didn’t get a picture).  We met our friends there and I had to agree that the Bass was quite good.  They also offered Bass by the jug, skipping the tap lines and getting it straight from the cask (a jug since it is caught in a jug and poured for the customers).  It was flatter, and a bit cloudy, but still delicious.  So we decided to create a new beer book category, and until I find another, Bass will be the only beer that I have listed “from the jug.”  The conversation was wonderful, so much so that I stayed long enough to try the Blue Monkey Dark Blue Bitter (a quite good beer from Nottingham).

It was a great last evening in Derby, but we had to turn in relatively early to make it on the road in the morning.  Jenn and I were heading off to Wales together, and were looking forward to being able to spend some time alone so we could explore it together. - 6000/12159

“A good local pub has much in common with a church, except that a pub is warmer, and there’s more conversation.” – William Blake