The Victoria Hotel (Hands On Pub Co.)
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Visits Details
13 Sep 2008 (Andrew)
Arrived at 4.30 with Cam and got a seat by the window. There were a handful of other people in. Libby turned up about 6.30 as the pub started to fill up and we had something to eat. This is a great pub; roomy and cosy at the same time with great food and drink.
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale | 3.80 | | Light, creamy, flowery, earthy nettley hop finish. Perfect for a first pint of the evening |
Newby Wyke - Summer Session Bitter | 3.80 | | Golden beer with smokey malt and a nettley hop finish |
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Tiger | 4.20 | | Biscuity sweet malt with low hopping. Not quite what I remember for years ago |
Batemans - Dark Mild | 3.00 | | Black beer. Sweet milk chocolate with a hint of bitter. Roasted and watery. |
Caythorpe - Dover Beck Bitter | 4.00 | | Light brown colour. Peaty flavours with a hint of dry sherry. Some woody flavours and a sweet malt body. |
Elgood's - GSB (Greyhound Strong Bitter) | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
Kelham Island (probably brewed by Thornbridge now) - Easy Rider | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Hemlock Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Hop Back - GFB (Or Gilbert's First Brew) (superseded by 3.5% version from about 2010) | 3.80 | Not Tried | ...again, Cam's tasted very nice |
Hidden - Pleasure IPA | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Eagle IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | Cam's tasted good |
Oldershaw - Hoppy Daze | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
06 Jan 2007 (Andrew)
Arrived at 6.30pm and it was almost full. We had to sit outside under the marque trying to get some warmth from the outdoor heaters. A Prince of a pub though!
Oldershaw - Grantham Stout | 4.30 | | Black beer with bald head. Slightly sweet powdery stout with well ballanced milky burntness. |
Distant Hills (was Howard Town) - Dinting Arches | 4.50 | | Thin head on an amber gold body. Hints of orange with a dominant pineapple bite. Good but too much American hops for me really. |
Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Elsie Mo | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Jennings (since closure now brewed at Marston's) - Dark Mild | 3.10 | Not Tried | |
Batemans - XB | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Mighty Oak - Maldon Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Wild Swan (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
Ufford - Red Clover | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
16 Sep 2006 (Andrew)
There are only a handful of pubs I've been to with this kind of atmosphere. It has a feeling of timelessness and carm that made me want to stay all day - that coupled with a 12 beer line up.
Came with Jane and Alison and sat in the side room. I really could have stayed here all day.
What a great pub.
Springhead - Puritans' Porter | 4.00 | | Good coffee cream, lasting, head on this jet black beer. Very burnt acrid plain porter taste with a hint of blackcurrent.
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Abbeydale - Matins | 3.60 | | Very light (in both colour and flavour). Subtle tart elderflower flavours with a soft mouth feel. The finish vanishes as fast as a theif in the mist. |
Saltaire - XB | 4.30 | | Copper coloured beer with strong toasted sugar flavours and a tangy finish. |
Oldershaw - Alma's Brew | 4.10 | | Coppered coloured beer with sweet metalic and sweet bitter finish. |
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Tiger | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Oakham - Bishops Farewell | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Nottingham Gold | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Hemlock Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Burton Bridge - Festival Ale | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
Clark's (sometimes shown as Westgate Brewery) - Ram's Revenge | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
Holden's - Black Country Bitter | 3.90 | Not Tried | Had a sip of Alison's. Pale colour with a syrupy toasted bite |
22 Oct 2005 (Andrew)
Arived about 8pm and it was packed and to be honest I'm not surprised. The interior is atmospheric and the beer range is fantastic.
Tring - Mansion Dark | 3.70 | | Black beer with a good head. Smelt and tasted of toffee. Reminded me of Larkin's Porter but without the complexity. Absolutely lovely |
Distant Hills (was Howard Town) - Wren's Nest | 4.20 | | A pale gold rich bitter tasting of grapefruit. Had a long dry finish. |
Everards (see entries against Joule's & Robinsons whilst its new brewery was being built) - Tiger | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
York (now brewed by and at Black Sheep) - Yorkshire Terrier | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Newby Wyke - Grantham Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
Oldershaw - Newton's Drop | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Broadstone - Black Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | Although I didn't have it, Cam did and it was a black porter with a well balanced hop malt mix. |
Castle Rock - Nottingham Gold | 3.70 | Not Tried | Badged as Ryland Gold |
Batemans - XB | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
Castle Rock - Hemlock Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Banks's - Young's London Original (was Bitter) - previously brewed in Bedford and at Wychwood | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
14 Jul 2005 (Cam)
Officially the Victoria Hotel in a busy yet attractive suburb of Nottingham. A tremendous local reputation and no wonder! The building is late Victorian/Edwardian and used to be a station. A tastefully covered beer garden sits next to the track but far from being a distraction somehow adds charm. An excellent selection of beers on offer that are well kept. Superb selection of Scotch too. Finally, an extensive, unpretentious menu is provided. I am pleased to say that the provision of food does not impede the primary objective of supplying good ale! In for a meal and a few beers in the evening with Andies Chan and McElhone - just got in before the most tremendous cloudburst!
Brewster's - Hophead | 3.60 | | Bright flowery nose with an astringent hoppy flavour. |
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale | 3.80 | | Dry hoppy session beer - beautiful colourful with dry fruity nose and pleasantly hoppy aftertaste. |
Oldershaw - Sunnydaze | 4.00 | | Seasonal summer wheat beer. Easy drinking yet somehow slightly cloudy flavour (not reflective of the way the beer had been kept) - unremarkable. |
Wold Top - Bitter | 3.70 | | Unremarkable nutty, malty session beer. |
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