September 13, 2007
First visit to this JDW which my dad raves about. Certainly not your typical Wetherspoons this had a tremendous selection of Real Ales and all the ones I had were very good indeed. Staff member I chatted was pleasant but did come across ’I know more than you do’ when talking to me about their beers, and he probably did as there were a number of local beers on offer but bit annoying. Thought that the electronic display for beers was interesting and helpful. An enjoyable pub but as others have said it is in the end its a JDW so atmosphere will always lack compared to other establishments.

August 26, 2007
As people have mentionned, this is very likely to be the best Wetherspoon in the UK, with an astronomic 17 different casks including a very, very varied range of breweries and changing frequently thanks to a generous affluence. The service is of course not the best, understaffed and not very personnal. + the seem to be fading out the third of a pint glasses these days, so that may belong to the past when you visit. Great looking rear area with the book shelves that build up most of the palce’s character. Very large room, lots of seating area. Still, an absolute must if in Derby. ordinary food though.

February 12, 2007
A fabulous selection of cask ale; but in the end it’s a Weatherspoon’s - no atmosphere (certainly on a Monday night).
The beer was well kept and unusual - I seem to have picked two that aren’t listed (yet), and well priced. The food was the usual JDW fayre - accedtable, and very reasonably priced. I need to go back to get the full details of the beers I tried - but it’s not a place I’d go out of my way to visit again.

February 27, 2006
I’d heard many good things about this forward thinking and most innovative of Wetherspoons pubs. As soon as you walk through the main doors you see on your right a large blackboard advertising future beer events for the coming months, various brewery themed weekends etc The selection is impressive with 17 taps dedicated to local and national micro breweries. The turnover here is pretty rapid and the clientele range from locals to beer lovers from far and wide.

November 25, 2005
Dissapointing after the hype, it is still a wetherspoons drinking barn. A mass of handpumps, mostly serving Archers Beers of the day on our visit, but this isn’t enough to make a place good. Some service would help, 2 people behind that bar was stupid. Not impressed.

July 14, 2005
Outwardly, this looks just like any other city centre Wetherspoons. When you first step inside, it looks like any other Wetherspoons. But once you get to the bar you realise what an Aladdins cave this place is. They were having a Church End festival (OK not my favourite brewery) and had at least a dozen of their beers listed, plus another four or five handpumps in use. Service was quite efficient (for a Wetherspoons) but it wasn’t packed. The usual cross section of humanity that you get at a JDW, which makes it all the more creditable that they put the effort into catering for beer geeks. Didn’t eat, but has the usual JDW fare that is adequate for some quick sustenance on a crawl.

February 26, 2005 [ Updated March 12, 2006 ]
EDIT, has added 5 more pumps (making 17) the "regular" beers are on the new 5 & the remaining 12 are now dedicated to the Guest Ales Probably the best Wetherspoon in the country, certainly for beer range. Ever changing guest ales, if your in during a busy period they will probably change a few beers over whislt your in. Each weekend sees a range of beers form a single brewery & a different brewery every week. Plus more ales to make up all 12 hand pumps. Usual Wetherspoons low prices & food menu. An interesting atmosphere due to the amount off different kinds of people who frequent the place.

February 24, 2005
Based in an old furniture shop, it lacks natural lght and can get hideously smoky but it’s redeemed by the outstanding beer range; always has Marston’s Burton, a couple from Wyre Piddle and a Falstaff ale followed by at least eight guests, good rotation, they feature a different brewery each weekend and showcase up to ten of their beers, usual JDW food (though its often better at the other JDW in Derby, The Standing Order), several festivals a year not affiliated with the JDW ones although every weekend is liek a mini festival. Well worth a trip.