My first Twissup, by Wee Beefy, aged 38 and a half

Hello boys and girls

    when I first joined Twitter I quickly noticed that Twit-savvy folks were organising meetings, almost exclusively to drink, via Twitter. Being a man of letters (in so far as the postman delivers em and I read em), I was quick to understand that this was a popular phenomena. People were Twissing up left right and centre.

With my recent MeetIRL hobby coming along slowly, and fearing I may have missed out on the rapacious expansion of this practice, I was delighted to be invited to a Twissup with folks from the Internet. So it was I met in the Rutland Arms (where else?) with redpola, nimrod777, FeastAndGlory, and malv173 for a meal, a chat, and beer. Lots of beer.

Having got there a minute early and found everyone seated and slaking, I quickly got myself a pint of actual OnTheEdge brewery beer. For real! It even had a pumpclip and everyuthing, like what actual beer not for sale in a school does. . It was called Sovereign Gold and it was fantastic. I had a good few pints just to make sure. Meanwhile irregular beer slaker F&G was on Ilkley Chief, and some poor soul had bought a metallic tasting thing that I think was returned.

Food was scoffed (although the menu items were being picked off one by one...) and then we went on to far stronger beers - F&G insisted she didn't want anything too strong so malv bought her a Magic Rock Human Cannonball (I think! It was strong that's for certain) and I know that others had the Chief, and me the Raw/Steel City Responsibly, which was on cracking form.

As we neared half ten the Twissup split (is this a twiss out?) and myself, nimrod and redpola went to the Sheffield Tap whilst the others probably had cocktails in the Great Gatsby, I never did find out...

The Tap was once again teasing me with the rumoured "big room" being in existence. I was told on a Friday that it didn't open Friday or Saturday, but then my boss was drinking in there the following Friday, this time, on a Thursday, it was steadfastly closed again. I'm starting to think its not actually there.

I started sensibly with halves of Sheffield Toolmakers Ripsaw, which was weak and watery,  and a refreshing Scottish beer, whilst red and nimrod supped Bernard and Magic Rock Magic 8 ball. This became our combined tipple of choice for the final round, and it still seems to not live up to my expectations. I've never seen it on cask so its not a Keykeg thing, but it seems to lack the balance of that first brew and remains a slightly askew beer fighting to balance its strong flavours out. Still a nice int though despite all that.

Off next to find a pub open late, which isn';t that easy in fine old Sheffield. The Rutland, Henry's and other venues were shut but hats off to the Old House for serving til 01.00. I had a couple of pints of True North(Welbeck Abbey) First Porter in here , and I can confirm that I have precisely no idea what my companions were supping.

What I do know is that this was a great night out, notable because I knew all but malv173 prior to my joining Twitter. Definitely something I'd like to do again, and as long as, like we did, you pick cracking folks to go supping with, I can highly recommend the idea.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy (@WBeefy)