There are quite a few pubs that fight for the claim of being England’s oldest, and it’s a hotly disputed title. The Bingley Arms in Leeds is said to date from 954 and was even mentioned in the Domesday book. In the South, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans is older still, first appearing in 793.
Nottingham’s claim to this throne is the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. Although The Trip, as it’s locally known, is a little more modern – it first appeared in 1189 – it does take the title of ‘the Oldest Inn in England’. Sitting beneath the cliffs on which Nottingham Castle stands, its name comes from the fact that it was once used as a pit stop by crusading knights, and it is said that Richard the Lionheart and his men congregated here before journeying on to Jerusalem.
It’s almost like drinking in a cross between a pub and a museum, with each snug in its wonky network of rooms is filled with antiques and curiosities. In fact, part of it is an actual exhibition. You’ll find the Museum of Nottingham Life within Brewhouse buildings adjacent to the Trip.
It’s an intriguing place to visit. Walk around the maze of rooms and you’ll find that some are built directly into the cliff face, with the cellars burrowing deep into the sandstone, like many of the city’s 800+ caves, where they once were used to store ale. While you’re down there, you may even come across the old cockfighting pit and Castle gaol.
The truth is, The Trip may not even be the oldest pub in Nottingham. This title could belong to the Ye Olde Salutation Inn, a Grade II listed building in the Old Market Square Conservation Area, with parts dating from around 1240. However, much of the historic stone-floored and oak-beamed pub in its current form dates from the 17th century.
It’s more than likely that the Bell Inn has the most legitimate claim, owing to the fact that the mid-15th century building has been in use as a pub since the 1630s. The cellars of the Bell Inn are even older still, hand carved into the sandstone in the 12th century by Carmelite Friars, and extend in a honeycomb-like network of passageways and caves, that extend far beyond the cellars of the Bell itself.
There are thought to be around 800 caves cut into the rock beneath the city with even more lying undiscovered. This labyrinthine underworld is as much a part of Nottingham’s brewing heritage as the pubs and breweries that lie above it; As well as housing workshops, homes, and tanneries, they were used as beer cellars, brewhouses, and even watering holes.
Nottingham’s modern breweries are slightly less subterranean. With the craft beer and real-ale boom of the past few decades, small scale producers have sprung up throughout the city and now occupy pubs, warehouses, and industrial units, creating everything from traditional ales to more experimental brews that are at the forefront of the craft beer movement.
Nottinghamshire was once famed throughout the land for its ale and beer and award-winning breweries such as Blue Monkey or Castle Rock and those with a cult-like following such as Neon Raptor and Black Iris, are continuing to carry the torch for the region.
The Best Breweries & Taprooms in Nottingham
Like any city with a reputable brewing history, Nottingham has seen a boom in craft breweries over the past 20 years. Although a fair number of breweries have come and gone in this time, new venues and producers are popping up all the time, ranging from microbreweries in pubs create traditional ales, to hip hangouts in stylish neighbourhoods where innovation and creativity is the order of the day.
Most breweries listed here are in the city centre or just a short tram ride away, meaning they can generally be visited in a day if you’re willing to commit yourself to a fairly gruelling pub crawl (trust me, I managed to do it myself).
Neon Raptor Brewing Co.
The incredibly cool Sneinton Market area has a rich history of cultural significance to Nottingham. It has been a hive of commercial activity since it was first constructed in the 1930s to house wholesalers and despite dereliction at the end of the last century, funding from the European Regional Development Fund means that these narrow avenues of one-storey buildings and workshops gained a new lease of life in 2015 and now play host to all manner of creative and independent businesses.
There is all manner of hidden gems tucked away in these colourful avenues, from artists, makers, designers, creatives and it’s here that you will find Neon Raptor Brewing Co.
Despite being one of the city’s most well-respected and innovative breweries, they came from humble beginnings, starting life by creating small batch brews on a simple, shop-bought brewing kit on the kitchen hob of their founders. After entering and winning a homebrew competition in 2016 and a few years of gypsy & cuckoo brewing, the brewery gained enough of a following that they were eventually able to move into their own space in Sneinton.
Neon Raptor brews five core ales. They are Naughty Luggage, a flagship New England IPA, Retro Racer is the name of a pale ale, Crushing Blows, a Session IPA, Clusters, which is peanut butter and chocolate stout and Ford Lauderdale, an orange sour beer. Alongside this, expect a lot of creative, one-off experimental beers and plenty of dinosaur and retro video game references.
Where: Sneinton Market, Unit 14 Avenue A, Nottingham NG1 1DT
When: Thursday & Friday 4pm to 10pm; Saturday 12pm – 10pm; Sunday 12pm – 8pm
Black Iris Brewery
Drink Beer, Hail Satan. That’s the slogan adorning tote bags and t shirts that hang on the wall of the Merch section of Black Iris’ bottle shop and taproom. The beer-meets-metal theme is one that runs throughout the brewery’s aesthetic, with the black-and-white labelled cans depicting all manner of ghouls, cryptids or demons (the fantastic artwork is crafted by Kev Grey) and going by names such as ‘Sleigh’d to Rest’, ‘Bitter As F*ck’, and the aptly 6.66% West Coast IPA with the not-too-appetising title of ‘Meandering Streams of Murkey Blood’.
Thankfully, this isn’t a gimmick or a case of all style of substance. Black Iris have been in the brewing game for a long time, first at the Flowerpot in Derby way back in 2011 before relocating the Basford area of Nottingham and taking over the old Shipstone’s Brewery premises in 2014.
It may feel like Basford is quite a trek from Nottingham’s centre, but Black Iris’s taproom is worth a visit. While, unlike many other taprooms, you can’t sit amongst the fermentation vessels and tanks, they have created a lovely beer garden in the yard in front of the brewery’s shutters with 12 different rotating taps that change weekly (3 Cask and 10 Keg).
Where: Unit 1 Shipstone St, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 6GJ
When: Friday 4pm to 8pm; Saturday 12pm – 8pm
Liquid Light Brew Co.
There’s an illuminated sign above the bar at Liquid Light stating, “Just the beer light to guide us”, a quote from David Bowie’s seminal 1979 song about his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. While I’m unsure of the meaning behind the quote itself, the theme of 60s and 70s music runs through this brewery and its taproom.
In fact, the name of the brewery itself was inspired by the artform of Liquid Light projection. After watching a Pink Floyd documentary, with liquid light projections displayed behind live performances, they decided that it was an apt moniker for a brewery that brings together the owner’s two main passions, beer and music.
Like most craft breweries, Liquid Light started life in a garden shed, brewing on a nano kit and selling small batch brews in bottles, until they were given the opportunity to cuckoo brew at Magpie Brewery. Soon, demand outstripped supply, and they eventually purchased their own 2000L fermenting vessel.
Nowadays you’ll find the 22HL brewhouse and taproom on a small industrial in Sneinton, which they’ve occupied since 2021. However, the cavernous space hasn’t watered down the brewery’s unique aesthetic and style; the warehouse is adorned with vintage 70s furniture and art from the era while classic rock continuously emanates from the speakers.
Where: Unit 9, Robin Hood Industrial Estate, Alfred St S, Nottingham NG3 1GE
When: Friday 5.30pm to 10pm; Saturday 2pm – 9.30pm; 2pm – 8pm
Castle Rock Brewery
Castle Rock brewery, while still relatively small compared to the multi-national producers, is a behemoth next to the likes of Neon Raptor and Black Iris. Formed in 1977 as ‘Tynemill’ by former CAMRA chairman Chris Holmes to combat an industry dominated by monopolistic brewers, they started life as a single-pub operation – Old King’s Arms in Newark – with the brewery opening 20-years later.
Catapulted into the spotlight when Harvest Pale was crowned Supreme Champion Beer of Britain, Castle Rock soon grew from a mere 30 barrels a week operation to the large, 65HL brewery site that you’ll find just south of Nottingham’s train station.
From just one pub, there are now over 20 in the Castle Rock extended family, made up of an eclectic mix of venues across the East Midlands. They vary widely in atmosphere too, from city-centre craft beer bars, traditional country pubs, and community-led pubs.
The closest you will come to a brewery tap is the Vat & Fiddle, a 1930s art deco-style building sits beneath the iconic blue tower of Castle Rock Brewery. It’s a beautiful traditional pub comprised of multiple cosy areas with the adjoining Golding’s Room and Visitors’ Centre, while the beer garden spills out into the brewery yard. Here you’ll find Thirteen cask beers, showcasing the best of what Castle Rock has to offer, joined by guest beers from a mix of local and national breweries.
Where: Queensbridge Rd, Nottingham NG2 1NB
When: Friday 5.30pm to 10pm; Saturday 2pm – 9.30pm; 2pm – 8pm
Magpie Brewery
Given the fact that Magpie Brewery takes its name from the sobriquet of local League Two side, Notts Country, it makes sense that the brewery and taproom (known as the Crafty Warehouse) sit in the shadow of Meadow Lane.
However, the rough-and-ready bar that’s only open on matchdays isn’t purely the reserve of County fans. As it is just a 10-minute walk from the City Ground, you can expect to see Nottingham Forest fans gather here too to sip a couple of pints amongst the stacks of casks and kegs.
They brew a core range of traditional British ales, as well as a hop-forward Wanderlust series, and a seasonal Counting Crows range. At the Crafty Warehouse, you’ll find 2 cask lines and 6 beers on keg which are all available to drink at the brewery or to take-away either in bottles or growlers.
Where: Ashling Court, Magpie Brewery 4, Nottingham NG2 3JA
When: Bottleshop is open Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm; The Brewery tap is open on all Notts Country and Nottingham Forest Matchdays
The Angel Microbrewery
Once known as The Old Angel, a pub has stood on this site in Nottingham’s Lace Market since at least the 1600s. With its age comes quite a storied history: The grade II listed building has had two contradicting former lives as both a brothel and a chapel and was the site of two murders in the 1700s, leading to the story that it is haunted by the spectre of a sex worker. The old chapel is still there and is now a popular gig venue.
The pub’s history doesn’t end at ground level. Deep down in the cellar you will find caves that are hollowed out in the shape of a crucifix.
It’s hard to miss the small brew kit in the corner of the Angel’s main bar, where they brew their very own Angel Ales, a selection of ever-rotating beers from session pales and rich chocolatey porters to exciting NEIPAs and single hopped casks.
Where: 7 Stoney St, Nottingham NG1 1LG
When: Sunday to Thursday 12pm – 1am; Friday & Saturday 12pm – 3am
Brewhouse & Kitchen
I was in two minds about including Brewhouse & Kitchen in this article. As a purist, this chain of brewpubs with 19 venues scattered across the country is a little out of place when listed against so many wonderful micro or nanobreweries and the venue itself screams ‘corporate venture’ rather than a small-scale operation running on the passion of its owners and brewers.
Although there is a shimmering copper brew kit occupying on corner of the pub, I’m unsure if it’s used other than on the pub’s experience days where punters can get a hands-on experience with the beer, and the interior decor screams of a copy-and-paste style that is brainstormed to make the place look quirky and hip.
However, the completionist in me decided that if the beer is, in fact, brewed on site, then it should be included. The beer isn’t too bad either, despite not quite being in the same league as some of the others I have previously mentioned. On the taps you’ll find a west coast IPA, stout, IPA, tropical IPA, Kolsch, Pilsner and lager as well as 3 cask lines featuring a bitter, an IPA, and one seasonal offering.
Where: Trent Bridge, Nottingham NG2 2GS
When: Monday to Thursday 11am – 11pm; Friday & Saturday 11am – 12am; Sunday 11am – 10.30pm
The Best Craft Beer Bars & Pubs in Nottingham
Aside from the half a dozen or so brilliant breweries that dot the city, Nottingham’s craft beer scene is booming thanks to the huge number of pubs and bars that support locally produced ales and independent breweries from throughout the UK. From historic watering holes to stylish hangouts, here are some of my favourite drinking spots.
The Barrel Drop
Hidden down an alleyway known as Hurt’s Yard, just a short walk from Nottingham’s Market Square, this quirky micropub has been in operation for around a decade and remains one of the city’s finest.
Split across two levels in a fairly distinctive U-shape, it’s a cosy and friendly place to enjoy a drink or two. It’s a building with history too, dating back to the 1800s with a cellar extends to Angel Row and into the Nottingham Cave system. It’s closely affiliated with Magpie Brewery, so you can expect to always find at least one of their beers on s Barrel Drop’s 17 cask, keg and cider lines.
Where: 7 Hurts Yard, Nottingham NG1 6JD
When: Monday to Wednesday 4pm – 11pm; Thursday to Saturday 12pm – 11pm; Sunday 12pm – 9pm
Partizan Tavern
The key to finding a good pub, an underrated gem in the beer scene, is to ask local beer aficionados where they go for a pint. While having a conversation with the taproom staff at Black Iris, they waxed lyrically about Partizan Tavern and it’s a name that was mentioned numerous times in passing. I had to check it out.
Opening in 2021, this small micropub is one of the latest additions to the growing beer scene in the city’s cool Sneinton Market area and strangely, takes its name from a Serbian football club that the landlord has a particular fondness for. You’ll even find Partizan Belgrade memorabilia adorning the walls.
Where: 15 Manvers St, Nottingham NG2 4PF
When: Sunday to Thursday 4pm – 10pm; Friday & Saturday 4pm – 11pm; Sunday 12pm – 11pm
Malt Cross
You can’t enter the Malt Cross without the building’s rich history leaping out at you. Originally built in 1877, the Malt Cross was carefully restored in 1997 to be closer to its former glory and is one of the few venues of its kind in England to still be serving its original function – providing food, drink and live music.
Now a not-for-profit bar and event space operated by the YMCA Robin Hood Group, a further injection of funding from the National Lottery in 2014 has allowed them to make full use of this piece of Nottingham’s heritage. The caves beneath the pub have been opened up for tours, and the venue also has an art gallery and sound recording studio. The beer list is not to be taken lightly either. Expect to see lots of local and UK-based craft beers on tap.
Where: 16 St James’s St, Nottingham NG1 6FG
When: Monday to Thursday 11am – 11pm; Friday & Saturday 11am – 12pm; Sunday 11am – 6pm
Totally Tapped
This off-the-beaten track micropub may be a little too far out of the city centre for most people, but those that are willing to take a tram ride over to Beeston will find a hidden gem in Totally Tapped.
It’s a small and intimate space but don’t let this pub’s diminutive size fool you, they are seriously stocked with great beer; seven on keg and five cask ales as well as shelves and fridges stacked with cans and bottles.
Where: 104 Chilwell Rd, Chilwell, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1ES
When: Tuesday to Thursday 2pm – 11pm; Friday & Saturday 12pm – 11pm; Sunday 12pm – 9.30pm
The Kilpin Beer Cafe
Found in Nottingham’s fantastic Lace Market Conservation Area, the pub formerly known as the Herbert Kilpin is named after the Nottingham-born lace worker that was one of the football pioneers who founded Italian club AC Milan in 1898.
I’m not sure if the building in which this pub sits has any connection to the man himself, but the continental link is there; this cosy beer cafe has a drinks list brimming with European brews. Expect Belgian saisons, wits and Trappist ales alongside a good selection of German Lagers. While you’re there, make sure to try their house beer – the light and citrusy Kilpin Pale – brewed by Black Iris.
Where: 10 Bridlesmith Walk, Nottingham NG1 2HB
When: Monday to Thursday 12pm – 11pm; Friday 12pm – 11.30pm; Saturday 12pm – 12am; Sunday 12pm – 8pm
Junkyard Bottle Shop & Pour House
You will find Junkyard right next door to the previously mentioned Kilpin Beer Cafe. In fact, as well as sharing ownership, the two venues also have a shared outdoor courtyard, meaning that you can easily hop between the two.
While the Kilpin has the atmosphere of a traditional pub, its neighbour has a more modern, hip aesthetic along with 15 lines and fridges packed with cans from UK and international breweries.
Where: 12 Bridlesmith Walk, Nottingham NG1 2FZ
When: Monday to Saturday 12pm – 1am; Sunday 12pm – 12am
Cock & Hoop
Even as someone who spends a lot of time frequenting hotels, I can probably count on one hand the number of times that I have found a hotel bar that is well-stocked with fantastic beer rather than the usual, big-name, mass-produced lagers. However, the small and cosy bar at the Lace Market Hotel is an exception. These guys go big on ales, featuring cask and keg brews from many of the independent breweries in the East Midlands as well as a wide range of over 50 cans of craft beer.
Where: 25 High Pavement, Nottingham NG1 1HE
When: Monday to Friday 12pm – 11pm; Friday & Saturday 12pm – 12am; Sunday 12pm – 10pm
The Barley Twist
Nottingham’s largest brewery, Castle Rock, has more than a handful of pubs dotted around the city (I put it at around 13, but I may be a little off in my counting). However, my favourite of the bunch is the Barley Twist, just a short hop from the train station on Carrington Street and housed in a former sweet shop.
It is only fitting then, that any ardent beer snob will feel like a kid in a candy store here. As well as featuring a selection of Castle Rock’s own beers, the beer mat-covered bar serves up brews from some of the UK’s best breweries as well as natural wines and rare sharing bottles.
It’s a lovely space to drink in too: On the light and airy ground floor, you’ll find a one-room bar featuring original brickwork walls and high ceilings while the cosy cellar bar is the perfect spot for an atmospheric date night.
Where: 91 Carrington St., Nottingham NG1 7FE
When: Monday 12pm – 9pm; Friday & Saturday 12pm – 12am; Sunday 12pm – 11pm
Bunker's Hill
You’ll find Bunker’s Hill just a stone’s throw from Nottingham ice arena in the city’s up-and-coming Hockley area. Being so close to both Neon Raptor and Liquid Light’s taprooms, it makes a good stop off on any pub crawl that is winding its way from Sneinton Market towards the centre of town.
The pub has a good reputation for having a well-curated tap list. On the bar you will find 5 cask taps, 10 keg lines, and a craft fridge full with beers from around the UK. It is also known for its live music, with acts such as Adele, Vampire Weekend and Mumford & Sons all gracing the stage of the upstairs function room at one point.
Where: 36/38 Hockley, Nottingham NG1 1FP
When: Monday to Thursday 4pm – 11pm; Friday & Saturday 12pm – 12am; Sunday 12pm – 11pm
Nottingham Beer map
Whether you are planning a Nottingham pub crawl or just want to locate one of the breweries mentioned above, this map includes all the best brewpubs and microbreweries that were covered in this guide.
Using this map: This map shows both the city’s breweries (red icons) and craft beer bars (orange icons). The list can be seen and filtered by toggling the icon on the top left-hand-side of the map, and each location can be explored further by clicking them. Expand the map by clicking the icon on the top right-hand-side.
Ale Trails in Nottingham
Alongside its fantastic craft beer offering, Nottingham is well-known for its abundance of real ale pubs that go hand in hand with the city’s rich history. To showcase them all, seven ales trails were created that weave their way through the city centre, taking in a mix of modern watering holes and traditional boozers, each named for a friend or foe of Robin Hood.
If you’ve already had a pint at all of the pubs listed above and would like to explore Nottingham’s pub culture further, take your pick from one of the following trails.
Robin Hood Trail
- Fothergills
- The Malt Cross
- The Taphouse
- The Cross Keys
- Cock & Hoop
- Kean's Head
- Annie's Burger Shack
- Angel Micro Brewery
The Sheriff Trail
- The Sir John Borlase Warren
- The Whistle and Flute
- Mist Rolling Inn
- The Dragon
- The Barrel Drop
- Three Crowns
- The Stage Pub
- Yarn
Maid Marian Trail
- Lincolnshire Poacher
- Rose of England
- Six Barrel Drafthouse - Victoria
- Rescue Rooms
- Horn in Hand
- Lillie Langtry's
- Hop Merchant
- Tap & Tumbler
Will Scarlet Trail
- The Castle Pub
- Ye Olde Salutation Inn
- The Southbank Bar
- The Bell Inn
- The Loxley
- Jamcafé
- Bunkers Hill
- Bustler Nottingham
Little John Trail
- Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
- Navigation Inn
- The Southbank Bar
- Via Fossa
- Beer HeadZ (now closed)
- Cured
- Barley Twist
- The Newshouse
King John Trail
- Brew Cavern, Flying Horse Walk
- The Kilpin Beer Cafe
- Junkyard Nottingham
- The Curious Tavern
- Rough Trade Nottingham
- The Lord Roberts
- Liquid Light Brew Co
- Fox & Grapes
Little John Trail
- Copper City
- The Roebuck Inn
- Lloyds No.1
- Six Barrel Drafthouse, Hockley
- Neon Raptor Brewing Co
- Binks Yard
- Vat & Fiddle
- Canalhouse
