Eh oop,
despite living only twenty minutes away. the following is a description of only my first and second visits to this excellent new brewery and tap room situated in Attercliffe on Stevenson Road, near the seals and bearings factory, and other names. On pay day I walked to the cash machine and caught a bus to the second stop in Attercliffe, crossed what was Carlton road, and headed long Stevenson Road until I spotted the brewery and its wonderful tap room in a small building at the back of a yard next to a learning centre.
The tap room is exactly as excellent as it looks on their website, which is perhaps better represented by an Instagram link at https://www.instagram.com/beerofsmod/ . Three to six beers are available all on keg with many available to take away in cans. Being an author, or whitterer at least, I started on a pint of their excellent 3.5% beer, which had a name, a fact my handful of photographs fails to remind me of. It was a wonderful yellow orange and was served in a fab branded glass, and was pleasurably cloudy.
Many of the features of their beers may come from their use of a Coolship, a drinks storage and cooling vessel which Andy Cullen and others may have written about. This partially inspired my next choice, along with an excellent pork pie, and sat on one of the tables close to the bar. Again, another gloriously soupish beer, possibly called Bam Bam, 5.5% and featuring, I think, olicana hops. But what are facts anyway? Like birds, we will never know...
Koel it followed, as did a visit by Ted from the Itchy Pig in Broomhill with his son, and I continued to enjoy the hoppy wonderfulness of their wares whilst Dan and Martha, or people with other names, continued tending their brewery and beers and tap room. I got chatting to the owners and ordered another pint of Bam Bam. Dan is an American chap with brewing experience, Martha is an English lass who moved to the US years ago before meeting Dan and travelling with him at first to France, and them to the wonders of beer in Sheffield, late last year. I think both consider that opening in January or February was perhaps the wrong time of year, but they became involved in Sheffield Beer Week in March, and things have moved on ever since. I first saw some pics of the taproom in February from friends on Faceache and things have gone from good to better there after.
I returned at 12.00 or so on Saturday, once again supping Bam Bam, along with their 7.8% or so porter called Barbar papa, and sat outside in the warm sunshine meeting visitors from near and far. This included a young couple with a kid whose wedding party I had been down from in Shakespeares, and a couple from Manchester who had names, one of whom was from Cornwall, with whom I discussed the Indy Man Beer Con. On a better still note I met up with my friend Michael, and we had an excellent catch up and a chat about his walk to the tap room along the canal, which am told is not that far away.
Despite receipt of recently ordered labels I did not treat myself to any cans of take out but I did stop for a number of enjoyable drinks in this fabulous Sheffield bar serving excellent pints and scran. Wishing the folks of the desert the very best for the future, and I will see you soon!
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Sunday 23 June 2019
Saturday 22 June 2019
Fathers day wander
Urllor,
last Sunday it was Fatha's day so myself and Wee Keefy treated dad to a trip out to one of our favourite pubs and a look at one of his favourite places. We originally aimed to go out for a wander a drink and an evening meal but WK picked me up at 12.30 and by 14.30, following finding a frustratingly close road closure, and an amble down a track, we arrived at our destination.
The Yew Tree is at Cauldon in Staffordshire near Waterhouses, and we have been going for fifteen or so years. Our first visit was following a meal in Elton and a drive through the Manifold Valley to find the pub packed - with both customers, and a frankly huge range of unspoilt antiques. Run by a gent called Alan, a number of visits followed, including many a pork pie, many a photograph (with his permission) and numerous playing and research into the many Polyphones. Alan used to provide pre decimal coins to slip into the ancient machines, and to step back and enjoy the process of their workings. I will always remember seeing Alan doing this by himself, with an almost child like smile on his face.
Beers wise it used to be Burton Bridge - it still is, Bass, and a mild. There were two beers on when we arrived and we all went for Burton Bridge best bitter. There was also a strong pale ale called something beginning with W, I think, and along with the two pints of Burton Bridge the ale was once again fantastic. The pub also serves food until 8 or 9PM, and although WF had a large pork pie myself and WK treated ourselves to large dinners, which we scoffed whilst sitting in the room with the pews on your left.
About five or more years ago I understand Alan became quite unwell, indeed, apart from our last visit a couple of years ago my recent visits had found the pub closed. A revisit with Wee Fatha found the pub once again open and being run, it seemed, by Alan's daughter and her husband. This time he was likely in the kitchen, but it was great to see Alan back behind the bar serving beers and taking orders. After a lengthy chat about routes with a local resident from Foxt, we finished our drinks and headed up the road to his village and then down into the valley on the other side of the hill.
Froghall is a small village in the Churnet Valley and after a brief trip to the railway station we parked up in the car park where the lime kilns and tea shop were, before taking WF for a wander around the canal in his wheelchair. The canal can be followed to a tunnel and the track then veers off so we turned round then, but not before a slow trek round some large and relaxing pools, before WF headed to the loos and we made plans to head off.
Heading back up the hill we drove through Foxt once again before heading for Grindon, now no longer visibly having what may have been called the Cavalier or loyal trooper, before heading down into the Manifold Valley and up to Wetton and down again, before coming out at Hume End and driving through Hartington. We finally stopped in Youlgreave, and decided that despite having already eaten we would make a first time stop at the Farmyard Inn.
We left WF in the car whilst we checked they were serving food before pushing him through the car park and along the road before getting in and taking a table in a small room on the right. Me and WK were both on pints of Landlord if memory serves, from a range of three beers, only one of which was a Greedy King ale for one of their pubs. Following our recent Greedy King disaster at the Phoenix am pleased to say that we enjoyed our visit, the ale and the food very much. Strange that so many such pubs find politeness and availability of beer and food so very complicated.
We got back to WFs about 21.00 and dropped him off before heading to our homes having thoroughly enjoyed our lengthy day out in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, in two cracking boozers. Long may the quality of both stay around for many more years!
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
last Sunday it was Fatha's day so myself and Wee Keefy treated dad to a trip out to one of our favourite pubs and a look at one of his favourite places. We originally aimed to go out for a wander a drink and an evening meal but WK picked me up at 12.30 and by 14.30, following finding a frustratingly close road closure, and an amble down a track, we arrived at our destination.
The Yew Tree is at Cauldon in Staffordshire near Waterhouses, and we have been going for fifteen or so years. Our first visit was following a meal in Elton and a drive through the Manifold Valley to find the pub packed - with both customers, and a frankly huge range of unspoilt antiques. Run by a gent called Alan, a number of visits followed, including many a pork pie, many a photograph (with his permission) and numerous playing and research into the many Polyphones. Alan used to provide pre decimal coins to slip into the ancient machines, and to step back and enjoy the process of their workings. I will always remember seeing Alan doing this by himself, with an almost child like smile on his face.
Beers wise it used to be Burton Bridge - it still is, Bass, and a mild. There were two beers on when we arrived and we all went for Burton Bridge best bitter. There was also a strong pale ale called something beginning with W, I think, and along with the two pints of Burton Bridge the ale was once again fantastic. The pub also serves food until 8 or 9PM, and although WF had a large pork pie myself and WK treated ourselves to large dinners, which we scoffed whilst sitting in the room with the pews on your left.
About five or more years ago I understand Alan became quite unwell, indeed, apart from our last visit a couple of years ago my recent visits had found the pub closed. A revisit with Wee Fatha found the pub once again open and being run, it seemed, by Alan's daughter and her husband. This time he was likely in the kitchen, but it was great to see Alan back behind the bar serving beers and taking orders. After a lengthy chat about routes with a local resident from Foxt, we finished our drinks and headed up the road to his village and then down into the valley on the other side of the hill.
Froghall is a small village in the Churnet Valley and after a brief trip to the railway station we parked up in the car park where the lime kilns and tea shop were, before taking WF for a wander around the canal in his wheelchair. The canal can be followed to a tunnel and the track then veers off so we turned round then, but not before a slow trek round some large and relaxing pools, before WF headed to the loos and we made plans to head off.
Heading back up the hill we drove through Foxt once again before heading for Grindon, now no longer visibly having what may have been called the Cavalier or loyal trooper, before heading down into the Manifold Valley and up to Wetton and down again, before coming out at Hume End and driving through Hartington. We finally stopped in Youlgreave, and decided that despite having already eaten we would make a first time stop at the Farmyard Inn.
We left WF in the car whilst we checked they were serving food before pushing him through the car park and along the road before getting in and taking a table in a small room on the right. Me and WK were both on pints of Landlord if memory serves, from a range of three beers, only one of which was a Greedy King ale for one of their pubs. Following our recent Greedy King disaster at the Phoenix am pleased to say that we enjoyed our visit, the ale and the food very much. Strange that so many such pubs find politeness and availability of beer and food so very complicated.
We got back to WFs about 21.00 and dropped him off before heading to our homes having thoroughly enjoyed our lengthy day out in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, in two cracking boozers. Long may the quality of both stay around for many more years!
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Monday 17 June 2019
Cross Keys reopens, and other news.....
Hulloo,
the first thing to tell you is I have been in hospital, for just over 4 weeks, following a serious hypo and fall. Suffice to say I was quite unwell, but now escaped am finding that things are getting better. It isn't something I want to go through again however, and am now checking my blood sugar more carefully and eating more healthily.
About three months ago I overheard a conversation in a pub, and another on the bus into town, suggesting that the recently closed Cross Keys on Handsworth was to reopen, as a pub selling real ales and kegs. I have been going there on and off for twenty years so I was interested to find out more, although I have to say I found it surprising, Handsworth has had some good pubs, and still has the Old Crown heading down the hill, but in all my time there I have never thought of it as a place to go out trying different beers.
I found a link on Faceache showing purchase or takeover of the pub by Chantry Brewery, a Rotherham based operation whose beers I first tried about four years ago at the Rutland Arms. Work was done sorting out the interior and Chantry beers were chosen and appeared to sell well when they opened a month or more ago. With this in mind I decided to pop in for one last night.
I first went in the Cross Keys in 1999. It was a tidy traditional pub selling two or three beers, one of which was Taylors Landlord and the other Stones, if memory serves. The pub closed in the noughties following a landlord being beaten up and the pub trashed, and then it was taken over by a bloke who may have been called Carl - he was there for a few years and reintroduced real ale before leaving, and another few couples have tried keeping the pub since, presumably with some success. Myself and Tash often went in on a Sunday and it was usually busy, and I also went in a few New Years Eves. What would the now named Chantry Inn do?
Arriving after 18.00 there were 4 or 5 real ales and 4 kegs including two lagers, Lawless Village IPA (gluten free methinks) and Tiny Rebel Tropicana IPA. I had a pint of Kaldo at 5.5% and £3.00 a pint and sat down in the room where the main bar is. The pub was not too busy, the beer was well kept, and there were people sat in all three rooms. The Kaldo was also easy to drink and didn't last long, so I went for half a tiny Rebel which is a fiver a pint on keg, and a packet of bacon fries.
I left after this short visit, but I intend on going back. This is the best selection of beers I have seen in Handsworth, and the prices are very reasonable. The pub looked clean and was welcoming and the whole visit was enjoyable - well done to Chantry for reopening and revitalising a traditional Handsworth Boozer....
The other thing to tell you is that I went out for a walk on Bank Holiday Monday with WK, and afterwards we picked WF up to take him for a meal. Knowing as we do the potential horrors of pub openings and treatment of whether bank holiday Monday is that, or a Sunday, or neither, we did not expect much success, and despite ringing the Old Poets Corner in Ashover (hopefully with the right number) a number of times we got no response. That said, I checked their website and they did seem to do food Mondays, so it seemed like the trek out there may be worth it - I am happy to confirm it very much was.
Arriving just after seven we parked in the back and I headed to the bar to enquire - alas, I accidentally trod on a dog's paw en route, so I was probably quite unpopular, but took more care coming back to the car to inform the food details, before coming back to order drinks for myself WK and WF and to grab a menu. Once WF had safely arrived we sat at a table near the front door and looked at the Monday menu before making our order. I was on Oakham Citra and it was fantastic, WF was on a Titanic porter and WK a single pint of the Ashover. We ordered three as it turned out gigantic meals before I got another pint and a half an Ashover whilst WK transferred to soft drink.
Its fair to say that WF is a slow eater these days so even though he left through the front it was nearly 21.45 when we finally left, but this did not spoil our visit one bit. One thing that is also worth pointing out is that my dad approves of company, especially dogs and owners, and he was once again listened to and treated with respect by all those he encountered. We probably only go to the Poets twice or three times a year but this was yet another example of why we keep going back time and time again.
Well done to both venues for providing an excellent place to visit, eat, and supp in.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
the first thing to tell you is I have been in hospital, for just over 4 weeks, following a serious hypo and fall. Suffice to say I was quite unwell, but now escaped am finding that things are getting better. It isn't something I want to go through again however, and am now checking my blood sugar more carefully and eating more healthily.
About three months ago I overheard a conversation in a pub, and another on the bus into town, suggesting that the recently closed Cross Keys on Handsworth was to reopen, as a pub selling real ales and kegs. I have been going there on and off for twenty years so I was interested to find out more, although I have to say I found it surprising, Handsworth has had some good pubs, and still has the Old Crown heading down the hill, but in all my time there I have never thought of it as a place to go out trying different beers.
I found a link on Faceache showing purchase or takeover of the pub by Chantry Brewery, a Rotherham based operation whose beers I first tried about four years ago at the Rutland Arms. Work was done sorting out the interior and Chantry beers were chosen and appeared to sell well when they opened a month or more ago. With this in mind I decided to pop in for one last night.
I first went in the Cross Keys in 1999. It was a tidy traditional pub selling two or three beers, one of which was Taylors Landlord and the other Stones, if memory serves. The pub closed in the noughties following a landlord being beaten up and the pub trashed, and then it was taken over by a bloke who may have been called Carl - he was there for a few years and reintroduced real ale before leaving, and another few couples have tried keeping the pub since, presumably with some success. Myself and Tash often went in on a Sunday and it was usually busy, and I also went in a few New Years Eves. What would the now named Chantry Inn do?
Arriving after 18.00 there were 4 or 5 real ales and 4 kegs including two lagers, Lawless Village IPA (gluten free methinks) and Tiny Rebel Tropicana IPA. I had a pint of Kaldo at 5.5% and £3.00 a pint and sat down in the room where the main bar is. The pub was not too busy, the beer was well kept, and there were people sat in all three rooms. The Kaldo was also easy to drink and didn't last long, so I went for half a tiny Rebel which is a fiver a pint on keg, and a packet of bacon fries.
I left after this short visit, but I intend on going back. This is the best selection of beers I have seen in Handsworth, and the prices are very reasonable. The pub looked clean and was welcoming and the whole visit was enjoyable - well done to Chantry for reopening and revitalising a traditional Handsworth Boozer....
The other thing to tell you is that I went out for a walk on Bank Holiday Monday with WK, and afterwards we picked WF up to take him for a meal. Knowing as we do the potential horrors of pub openings and treatment of whether bank holiday Monday is that, or a Sunday, or neither, we did not expect much success, and despite ringing the Old Poets Corner in Ashover (hopefully with the right number) a number of times we got no response. That said, I checked their website and they did seem to do food Mondays, so it seemed like the trek out there may be worth it - I am happy to confirm it very much was.
Arriving just after seven we parked in the back and I headed to the bar to enquire - alas, I accidentally trod on a dog's paw en route, so I was probably quite unpopular, but took more care coming back to the car to inform the food details, before coming back to order drinks for myself WK and WF and to grab a menu. Once WF had safely arrived we sat at a table near the front door and looked at the Monday menu before making our order. I was on Oakham Citra and it was fantastic, WF was on a Titanic porter and WK a single pint of the Ashover. We ordered three as it turned out gigantic meals before I got another pint and a half an Ashover whilst WK transferred to soft drink.
Its fair to say that WF is a slow eater these days so even though he left through the front it was nearly 21.45 when we finally left, but this did not spoil our visit one bit. One thing that is also worth pointing out is that my dad approves of company, especially dogs and owners, and he was once again listened to and treated with respect by all those he encountered. We probably only go to the Poets twice or three times a year but this was yet another example of why we keep going back time and time again.
Well done to both venues for providing an excellent place to visit, eat, and supp in.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
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