Blink and you could miss it – but the Carrington Street boozer did not disappoint

I enjoyed a pint of the How Soon is Now IPA, which was priced at £5.10(Image: Nottingham Post)

The Smiths’ renowned 1984 B-side How Soon is Now leaves the listener in a state of eternal gloom and angst.

Fortunately, the light and fruity IPA of the same name that I enjoyed a pint of on a cloudy afternoon in March had quite the opposite effect.

It was one of many unorthodox and quirky beers on offer at the Barley Twist in Carrington Street.

The boozer is narrowly wedged between Greggs and the Carringtons Fish Bar, and, from the outside, doesn’t give much away.

The trendy micropub, which also doubles as a wine bar, has the charm and Narnia-wardrobe effect of an old-fashioned sweet shop.

That’s perhaps unsurprising as, before Nottingham’s own Castle Rock Brewery took over and transformed the old building in 2017, it sold more lollies than lagers.

Whilst I too enjoy a few rhubarb and custard drops every now and then, I was visiting the pub as part of my quest to try ever boozer within a 10-minute walk from Nottingham railway station.

Yet, despite being only a stone’s throw away from all of the tannoy announcements, fleeting taxis and speedy commuters at the station, the pub has somehow ducked the hustle and bustle.

Instead, fairy lights hang over hand-drawn signs detailing the pub’s expansive wine list and a surprisingly varied line-up of flavoured Scotch eggs and pork pies.

The fridges are full of wacky and wonderful beers from breweries across the country(Image: Nottingham Post)

There is one little clue of its proximity to the station, however, and it’s in the form of a screen that reads the departure and arrival times of all trains, similar to the kind you often find in bars and cafes at the airport.

But, the boozer’s familiarity ends there, as, upon arriving at the bar, I was met with an array of quirky IPAs, sours and ales – including the aforementioned Smiths-themed four-percenter.

Among them was a beer flavoured with Matcha, the trendy green tea from Japan, and that’s not forgetting the nearby fridges stocked with a rainbow of interesting cans from independent breweries far and wide.

But I drink with my eyes and, after spotting the ‘How Soon is Now’ beer – the badge on the pump complete with a black-and-white photo you’d find on the cover of any of The Smiths’ singles – my mind was made up.

The pub is one of a few in the area run by Castle Rock and, as such, the brewery is behind the four percent golden spring ale, which has been made specially for the ‘Glastonbudget’ festival in Leicestershire.

You’ll also find a few usual classics there, including Guinness, Madri and even a few ciders on tap, but they pale in comparison to their more vibrant counterparts.

My pint did not disappoint, nor did the £5.10 price tag. There’s plenty of buzzwords I could use to describe its unique flavour, but on this occasion, I’ll leave it to the barman who explained “it tastes a bit like pop”.

He also explained it had been particularly popular over the past few weeks, with the pub having only just put it on sale ahead of the tribute music festival.

Aside from Guinness and Madri, there aren’t many familiar drinks on offer (Image: Nottingham Post)

Upstairs, a dozen or so separate seats and tables creates a warm and cosy atmosphere. Yet, pint in hand, I head downstairs to the cellar.

I found a dimly-lit room with old paintings hung above Chesterfield Red sofas that felt both nostalgic and timeless.

Funnily enough, I found myself heaping similar praise on another Castle Rock pub only a few minutes down the road, the Vat and Fiddle.

I was surprised by the boozer’s cosy and friendly atmosphere, given its location directly next to HMRC’s huge office block and the tram line – and I feel exactly the same about the Barley Twist.

You wouldn’t expect a tiny pub surrounded by hot-holding cabinets full of £1.35 sausage rolls and cans of dandelion and burdock to be as charming as this.

But my visit to The Barley Twist was easily one of the best during my ongoing quest to try every pub within a brief stroll of the station, and, despite the name of my pint, I was not left with an impending state of doom.

Previous visits on my quest to review every pub within 10 minutes of the railway station:

The Shamrock Social: The city’s newest Irish pub had promised ‘creamy pours’ and ‘great craic’ for months. I think it’s fair to say it delivered.

Hopkinson: Perhaps this quirky pub a stone’s throw away from the station is the only place in the city you can have a pint next to Marilyn Monroe.

Winter Wonderland: I began to sympathise with the Grinch whilst drinking a flat pint out of a plastic cup, but I’ll obviously be back in December.

Fothergills: A beautiful building with a great range of choices, this isn’t one for a casual pint after work, but for special occasions.

O’Neill’s: Past the Guinness posters and lucky charm-green paint, the pub felt more like a Wetherspoon, rather than anywhere I’d visited in Dublin the week prior.

Fellows, Morton and Clayton: Located directly next to the huge Canalhouse pub, this boozer often gets overlooked but after my visit I wished I’d gone sooner.

Vat and Fiddle: This cosy pub is perfect for winter and makes you feel as though you’re sat in the countryside, rather than by the NET tramline.

Brew Tavern: Expecting to find busy commuters, I met friendly regulars at this intimate local boozer that happens to be on the corner of a railway station.