Hops

 Evening readers - long time no see, I admit....

But am here now so.....

Hops eh kids? What are they? Like the future, it seems, some people, will never know.....

     last night I was in the Bar Stewards micropub and bottle shop in Sheffield for a CAMRA pub of the month. I got chatting to a bloke have known for well over 25 years, and described to him that I really liked the Gibraltar Triangle - on being asked I confirmed that this was Shakespeares, The Stewards and The Crow.

" you like the Crow then do you ?" he asked. I confirmed. He said he had only been in once and didn't like it as he couldn't find anything he wanted to drink. I assured him that they sold four cask ales as well as kegs and cans just like here - I pointed to the bar and he said " I don't like Abbeydale Heathen - its vile". A bit surprised I asked why. " well its an American style pale" I told him that I had enjoyed the Grizzly grains for three pints and he said it wasn't bad because he hadn't expected to like it because it had Citra hops in it, which he didn't like. He hates Citra Hops. He suggested it was maybe due to Azacca - a hop he had never heard of which sounded Spanish or Mexican......

He also advised he didn't try anything with Mosaic hops in - as he hated them - a trifle surprised at his dislike of one of the original foreign hop brands, as well as his dislike of one of the popular newer hop types I asked him if he liked any Sheffield beers - admittedly a bit of an over-reaction on my part!

He admitted he liked their Moonshine - although that surely has hops init? I asked him what he thought of Abbeydale's 8.5% Rye DIPA in cans and he said "oh no I wouldn't know about that". I found it strange that his principal hatred of any beers featuring Citra or Mosaic and likely also in cans or keg, was based on a lack of tolerance - and perhaps knowledge, of hops.

I worry of course that this maybe my age as am a child like 48, the type of people I go drinking with whom all love hoppy beers or sours ( I din't even bother asking about that !) or whether perhaps my preferences subdued the sensibility of my reaction. But - even though he admitted to being "an old fuddy-duddy about beer" - I couldn't avoid the old fashioned reaction to modern beers.

As I may have told you previously - having met at least three separate CAMRA member reactions to my purchase of " Evil keg" I have received some frankly ridiculous reactions to my buying keg with my own money which is my right - including having blokes I had never met chanting " Evil keg, Evil Keg" at me at an IPA Tap Takeover in Shakespeares,  and being told by a man I had never met at the Bath Hotel on finding out my beer was Keg that he had tasted keg in the seventies and had refused to try it ever again. It was 2016.....

Am not suggesting that my mate or these (and many other keg haters) represent fully the outlook of all  CAMRA members,  but I realise that one of the criticisms agsint them is not only that they appear stuck in the  past, but also that they are full of exclusively old people. The youngest man there was probably about the same age as me. The average age must have been 60. Seems a trifle - predictable?

Even when a man in his late 60s did the description of the pub he only described their 4 excellent cask ales - and then said he wasn't willing to get into an argument about the keg and cans they also sold. What is there to argue about? Surely just list the different reasons people like it? Pretending that a product doesn't exist is not a viable attack on the seemingly ghastly threat of keg on traditional beer is it.....

Sheffield CAMRA of course have a keg bar at their annual beer festival - a brilliant and in terms of previous incumbents groundbreaking change of availability which respected the likes and opinions of every single visitor whilst not in any way undermining the high sale of traditional cask. Of course the team received lots of written abuse from anonymous persons who considered it heresy to invite the vile sewage of future drinks into their glorious beer festival, but hey.......

Despite this odd approach to describing and praising a venue I should say a very well done anyway to the Stewards for their second pub of the month award.

Many congratulations!

Your kindest regards

Wee Beefy

Social to the Royal Cottage.

 Hello all,

            Apologies for the length of time with no blog posts - stuff, never mind things - have happened. Nothing bad I should point out, but still stuff. Not to mention....things.

So using the joy of language, in naming this post as I have I have created an expectation that I organised a trip out to the Royal Cottage. Except I didn't. It's initially quite believable though isn't it?

So on the 19th I was supposed to be meeting up with the wonderful Tash about 1515 for a walk - sadly, this did not happen due to events. So we agreed she would get a bath and head into town later, and meet me there. At this point my lovely new phone had once again stopped recharging, so I headed into town with my old phone, knowing I could use it on Wi-Fi. 

The Social on Snig Hill was my starting place - I had a pint of Serious Bodaceia on cask from the past, along with a pack or two of crisps. When ordering my next at the Bar I asked if they had any WiFi - they said they did, but did not have a password - this explained why , when I checked, neither Tash or Matt had received my messages. After a third of Hophurst DIPA I headed up to High Street, and could not find them.

I thought about popping into the Three Tuns for one but half of it was closed off for a celebration so I headed to my chums at Bar Stewards where I can get onto the WiFi. Here I had a pint of Liquid Light pale - or any other beer, and found I had missed a call from WK. I said he could call me and he suggested that despite it's late notice we could go to the Packhorse at Crowdecote. Having asked Matt and Tash, she was sadly not up to it so WK picked me up after 1800 in his new car, and  hour ten minutes later we were at Crowdecote!

Having ordered food we had a choice of 4 real ales and I went on to two pintts of Storm Milk of Amnesia and a pint of Eyam Golden ale, with Keith on a half of the same. The meal was very enjoyable, although sadly we didn't meet up with the guy who knew my Dad - primarily to confirm his recent passing.

From here we drove up into Longnor - now seemingly supporting just a single pub - and headed across the moors past the mermaid's pool and ahead spotted a light in the difference - stopping soon after we found the unsigned road which leads down the side of the Royal Cottage and to our delight the front light was on!

I will never forget how happy it made us both - the smiles on both our faces - and we parked up directly outside before letting ourselves in. When me and Keith and Carlos had been in the funeral car back in January I had said we ought to pop back to see Cliffe - if nothing else as he would possibly say " a thot tha'd deed". On this occasion,l after saying hello, he simply said " a notice thus only two f yer - whes yer Dad - as ee not med it?". I should point out, that nothing that Cliffe says is ever insulting. It's brusque, yes, but reflective of his location and life. We calmly told him that Wee Fath had been found dead at Christmas.

We only stopped for one in here - a bottle of Old Speckled Hen for me and a bottle of Manns Brown ale for WK. Whilst I was in the loo Cliffe told WK all about his thoughts about the passing of Ken at the Quiet Woman and also how he felt things were progressing at Carl's, the Butcher's at Reapsmoor. Always full of info ais Clifffe, and usually reasonably reliable.

On reflection, its an increasingly sad story re local pubs - two have changed hands and four local hostelries have closed permanently in the last ten years. Thankfully the Ner Inn at Flash and the Packhorse at Crowdecote seem to remain strong, but there's less certainty regarding the Butcjhers and especially the Quiet Woman.

We drove straight home from Cliffe's, arriving back about 22:50 for me, with WK hoping to grab a last drink on Crookes in the Two Sheds. Despite the intention of referencing WF's sad passing, I have to say that this was a very enjoyable night out/

Your very best of health

Wee Beefy

Three new Sheffield brews

 Evening readers,

         last month Beer Central and Neepsend Brew Co along with Roscoe Road Liqour store brewed a West Coast IPA called High Summer, at an acceptable opening strength of what I recall was 6.8%. It was brewed in relation to the Indy Beer Shop day, if I recall, and was stuffed full of fabulous hops. Sean at Beer Central is a fan of traditionally bitter beers and this was certainly on show here - Citra, Chinook,. Idaho 7, Cascade and Falconers Flight gave this an impressive hop and bitterness back drop which I really took to. This was the first of my beers from Sean which I tried this month and I have to say it didn't disappoint. Very well done to all involved!

Meanwehile it was the Bar Stewards 4th Birthday - and they held do's on Friday Saturday and Sunday to celebrate. In respect of this they had brewed two stunning 4.5% beers to celebrate - Rocket Surgery and Brain Science. Of the two, am not sure where they were brewed but the lovely Helen did quickly point out that Rocket Surgery was the most hoppy of the two - I therefore only had a single pint of Brain Science. This alone was a fabulous concoction of brewing flavours. On the other hand I had several pints of the Rocket Surgery - served in excellent Turning Point glasses, cloudy, as all beer should be, and streaming with hoppiness.

Sat in the sunshine on Saturday, this was equally well hopped and bitter, as well as sumptuously enjoyed - it ran out around tea time, and I enjoyed every single pint. If we clearly skip over the nonsense that I brought upon these fabsters on Friday (we will never speak of this), am happy to say that Saturday was a truly fabulous day and night of supping with Gavin Keiron and Dave Unpro and other folks from th world of beers and brewing. Apparently, I got the bus back. So my pockets tell me......

Finally - and not necessarily a new brew so to speak - but I have to mention what I had in the same Bar Stewards last night. Abbeydale Heathen has long been a popular Sheffield brewed beer, along of course with almost all of their output, but I started on and continued with a Dry Hopped version of Heathen - and it was stunning! I had initially said to Nate that I fancied a pint of the Turning Point and he said it was very nice, but also pointed out the Dry Hopped Heathen. It did not disappoint - very clearly hopped with a good bitterness in the aftertaste. Its in some ways a disappointment - since Heathen for all its qualities cannot usually reach those hoppy heights. That said however, points to the fabsters at Abbeydale for pulling this cracker out of the brewery - not sure they will brew it again but this was simply stunning!

I may have sadly missed out on Indie Beer Shop day if am honest - so many apologies if I have to all my fabulous Sheffield freinds whom stumble lovingly through the never ending horrors placed upon their fabulous trade over the last two years - am looking at you Hop Hideout, Archer Road beer Stop especially - your hard work remains very much appreciated!

With warmest regards

Wee Beefy

Other pubs

 Evening all!

     This last week I have gone mad and ventured out to two different pubs, along with a final visit of the month to the fabulous bar stewards. I booked a table for me and another, starting at 1830 on Wednesday at the Dorothy Pax. In order to achieve this I had to join a group or an app called TGINIFY or similar, and through whom I paid a £5 deposit, which upon arrival I would receive back in the form of a token or a discount of £5 on my first purchase. Crucially the Pax said they couldn't supply heaters so I should wrap up warm - so I turned up on Waingate at about 1800 wearing six layers.......

The Pax was quite busy when we arrived. I quickly spotted Dr Johnson and David Major sat under the three nearest covers to the Pax - I later noticed they did in fact have a modicum of heating. Our seat was at a large table next to the canal basin, and sadly I have to admit that I found it cold! Not a criticism - just a reflection of my sadly developing neshness.

I had a pint of Blue Bee Triple Hop on CftP, then another, and he had a pint of Berliner pils and also another. The place stayed busy throughout and two wanders to the outside loos warmed me up quite a bit. I went for a third pint of the Triple Hop but once that was nearly gone I suggested we moved off - we had already overstayed our booking so that was no problem.

We walked to the Kelham Island Tavern, and after spotting Nisha from the Stewards outside, we went in and got a table at the back of the garden. It was noticeably warmer here and although I started with  another pint of the Blue Bee Triple Hop, since it was very nice, I then moved onto a pint of Paranoia, a 6% Black IPA I think, and I have to admit that was delicious. Crucially I was pleased to notice that throughout we encountered no groups of idiots, and the beer was on top form throughout.

On Thursday Robert J Ward booked a table for 6 at the Bar Stewards from 1600. I was a trifle late leaving and so didn't get there until 1745. Finding the door locked, thankfully Nisha turned up and I enquired once inside if everyone was outside. I also asked for a pint of cask from the past as well - which is when I fopund out that they don't open until 1800!

The pint was once again Blue Bee Triple Hop, and having joined Rob, Dan, Vikkie and Matt and also seen Richard Eason, I soon moved onto a pint of the Pomona Island Soylent Green, a fabulous cloudy IPA at about 6%, followed by a half of the Pollys also on keg. We were joined by Katherine (I hope thats correct!) and Anthony and the night got better from their on.

It was the first time the oft regular drinkers had met up since back in October and it was lovely to see everyone of them. As also was the half of Pastore Limone at 2.5% also on keg. Have really fallen in love with Pastore, and their amazing range of beers, and this easy drinking but ludicrously refreshing lemon beer was fabulous.

I had a further half of Soylent Green, which was delicious, before finishing once again on a can of the fabulous DEYA Saturated in Mosaic, or a similar named hop. I had a great chat with Anthony and Richard and left at about ten to 2300 to catch the last Wirst bus home.

I realise its still a while away before we can go inside pubs, hopefully without needing a booking, but its ironic that by the 17th of May the weather will undoubtedly be warmer! Really looking forward to this happening, as am sure lots of you are, and finally being able to gawp, even if not queue at, a pub bar.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Whiplash Drone Logic Simcoe DIPA

 Hello folks,

              now am well aware that some recent posts may worry the less open minded of you that all I drink is marmite and blood orange land bier, and equally, that you may, all you caring bunch, worry that all I  drink is beers above 6% - my usual starting strength. Well in truth as I worry I may have said about 50 times, whilst at home at least less so, but I always like to start on a pint of "cask from the past". Its like the 1860s , when we hde yet to learn that diseases such as cholera were transmitted by mucky water. And therefore we should all the same only drink clear cask ale.....

So to undermine that outlook I wanted to describe a beer from Whiplash brewery, whom I understand are based in Dublin. The chaps at Bar Stewards have been getting Whiplash beers in quite a lot this year and thus far have tried about 6 of their brews. I have enjoyed every one. Unsurprisingly this brew contains oats . When I was a youngster, about  7 years ago, the very suggestion of the inclusion of "modern muck" like oats and wheat malt in the mash, would have instantly made me suspicious and dismissive. But I now realise that in its right place most adjuncts have the potential and in this case the ability, to help dispense tasty beers. Am certain that Arpus from .....um...somewhere Eastern European, (Latvia?)  contain the same. And I love their beers. This one is once again extremely easy drinking.

I have always loved Simcoe hops - am not 100% sure how long they have been around, nor indeed where they might be produced in, but have always loved them along with US cascade and Citra and Columbus and similar. And as you know, I do like an easy drinking beer.

The aroma of Drone Logic is in this case quite yeasty - but that is likely down to my always washing out cans to get the chunks of non dissolved yeast elements and other physical additions mixed into my cloudy beer. The taste is actually quite honest in terms of the yeast - and the Simcoe still provides a delicious background, probably less hoppy in terms of bite due to the collaboration of both oats and wheat.

So far have more or less finished the beer in an hour - but that is related to the amount of time it takes to log onto here!

 I realise that the addition of wheat and oats no doubt is repsonsible for its easy drinkingness but its still incredibly quaffable. I also realise that I have said before that ideally I should want beers to taste of cement or unset concrete, and sadly in the last 30 years a few probably have, but this collage of features is extremely enjoyable. Who wouldn't crave the mix of suppability and hoppy delights? Well, in the absence of any actual answer, the short answer of course is myself. Cracking brew!

Last info is to confirm that tomorrow, which is a day, I will be supping in the niddering cold of the outside of Bar Stewards in the evening! I was very lucky to get a table full stop if am honest. I admit that I probably told a lot of regular drinkers that I wanted initially to avoid my favourite pubs but this is the fourth consecutive day (tomorrow) that many will have been available to us folks.

In the meantime, I may see some of you there , and if so or if not, I wish you the very best of health.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy 

Weekend wanders

Artanoo yall,

        the last two weekends have been a great opportunity to try new places to sup, including Chester, and Nottinghamshire - here are a few scarcely remembered details from the last two weeks....

Last Saturday I joined the lovely Vikkie along with Jill and Rich at the Industry Tap. Sadly I never got when it was owned and run by Lost Industry but they still supply a lot of the excellent beers there and despite the gusting wind it was a glorious place to sit outside in the bright sunshine. I started on a can of excellent Clamp from Sheffield's St Mars and finished on a half of the equally excellent Abbeydale Deliverance DIPA.

From here we walked to the Rutland for my first post lockdown visit and we sat on the last available bench in the beer garden where I definitely had a half of IPA......it was simultaneously busy and well managed and everyone enjoyed the drinks. From here we got two taxi for the four of us to the Crow Inn where I had at least one half, maybe two, of the excellent  BBNO IPA which was on excellent form. Lovely to sit in the garden there for the first time in ages, and to see Paul and Lisa, who may have other names......

We went to Bar Stewards next where I may have had a pint of Cask from the Past, and got a few cans to take out, and we once again enjoyed our drinks sat in the beer garden. We finished our crawl in the mighty Shakespeares where I  had a pint of something whose name sadly escapes me.

On Sunday me and WK went for a walk around Newstead and the related pit sight where there was lots to see, but also alas a lot of rain - and I hadn't bought a coat. Before heading back to Sheffield I popped in the Pit Micropub in the sports hall and had a choice of three real ales, all from Magpie, as well as a keg of Northern Monk. Sadly as I was soaking wet and short of time I didn't tell them the 5.2% Magpie summer ale was at best very tired - and at worst off. So I am both an awful customer and a dreadful blogger. Am surprised nobody else had noticed it but am well aware I should have said something.

Back in fine sunny Sheffield and me and WK popped in the White Lion - although I almost always go for Dancing Duck both me and WK had pints of a Salopian 3.6% session ale which the barman recommended. Am always a fan of their brews and this did not disappoint. We sat in the small room on the right and although we had to get off after just one we enjoyed our sup along with the excellent new exit down the passage at the side.

This weekend me and WK took a surprise trip to Chester - a place which I last went to aged 17 to watch a play with the janitor from Grange Hill in it which was by Shakespeare, but was also a place I have never been drinking in. Having booked last minute accommodation at a hotel about 20 minutes or less walk from the centre we arrived at 1500 and by 16.00 we had wandered into town. Seeing the crowd outside the Lodge on the way down I thought I had wandered into Crosspool, with some well rehearsed toffy-nosedness on display, but then having passed a few outdoor cider enthusiasts I thought I was back in Sheffield city centre - that aside though Chester has an amazing centre and we started our trip at the Old Hawkers Arms by the canal.

From an excellent range of beers I started on a pint of Abbeydale Aftershave at about 4.2%, and followed this with a pint of Hobsons stout - a brewery whose beer I haven't had for years! Whilst here we found out about micropubs and similar places to visit and headed with a mix of success to the 18.00 closing Beer Heroes where we had arranged a table for 17.30. The combination of Google maps and some confusion over the name of separate venues meant wqe got a little lost but Soon found it and WK was on a pint of session ale and I was on a pint of excellent Shindigger, sat on a small table inside. Sadly we only had time to stop for one as we had to leave just after six but from here it was a leisurely walk up  Northgate and just out of the centre to what turned out to be the best pub of the trip.

Goat and Munch was a micropub selling about 5 kegs as well as two local cask beers and we sat in the back room along with regulars and a dog called Rory, with WK on half a Marble stout and myself on a fabulous pint of Kernel IPA at 6.8%. Rory was very well behaved and loved by the customers and the atmosphere was relaxing, warm and friendly. After having got some directions we headed to the Brewery Tap next which I think may have been in a former Linen hall - 6 Cask from the Past by Spitting Feathers along with a couple of keg - I had a pint of the strongest pale on cask and finished on an excellent half of Hacker Pschoor!

After this WK went for some scran whilst I headed own the road to the  Bear and Billet where having given my details I quickly got a pint of Adnams whilst awaiting WK before getting him a pint of Weetwood Eastgate and myself a pint of Okells - another brewery whose output I haven't tried for ages.

Our last stop was the Cellar Bar where WK had a cloudy half of something refreshing and I had a fabulous pint of excellent Manchester Lagonda IPA in a venue where we initially sat outside but were later allowed back in. Excellent end to the night!

Yesterday although we nipped to the Oakwood pub next door for breakfast, we only made one pub stop - we nipped in the Lockkeepers next to the canal and WK was on tea as he was driving and I had a rather dire pint of BrewDog Punk IPA. The staff were nice but overall the visit was quite disappointing, since as well as the garbage selection of beers they also didn't offer the 50% off discount having only opened a week earlier.  We nipped into henious Co-op en route back to pick up the car to get some local take out, and made it back to fine sunny Sheffield in good time - where I had a can of a Northern Monk collab IPA at 7.2% with Alpha Delta and Pomona Island and others which was absolutely delicious!

Overall I continue to enjoy my lockdown drinking and am looking forward to finding some new places this week as am off. And Chester was a fabulous place to go for both cask and keg and scran, along with excellent architecture.

Your very best of health!

Wee Beefy

Oldies and Newbies

Hellall,

      apart from my Derbyshire based sojourn recently I really haven't been out as many times as normal. But this month I have at least tried some venues that are new to me, whilst also trying out some old faves from the past. Here are some memories of such visits that have somehow filtered through.......

Starting on the 30th July (just to undo my previous statement), and myself and my friend Mr G went out for a few boohars starting at the Nags Head at Stacey Bank.  I first went for beer here when I recall it was still a Kimberley's pub when me and our lass were on a CAMRA pub of the month trip to none other than the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires. The Three Stags was as always wonderful, but I don't recall being that impressed with the Nags. Nowadays it does a range of about six beers from Bradfield, sadly including their lower gravity and awful fruit nonsense, but noticably and crucially their excellent Farmers Pale and the Sixer. Once I had provided my details (I think....) I had two pints of the Pale and Mr G a beer shandy followed by a soft drink. We sat outside in the sunshine and chatted lengthily, enjoying our rural location. I then suggested we went somewhere new....

Using a mixture of knowledge and Nav suggestions we soon found our way out of Stannigton and it wasn't long before we dropped into Bakewell. We immediately found the Joiners Arms pub and parked in the yard outside. It was initially busy when we went in but soon quietened down and Mr G had a soft drink and I a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on keg from the future. Once we had acquired a seat at a table we relaxed and spent a good couple of hours in the pub on what was both our first visit's. We got chatting to the lass behind the bar, and found the atmosphere was enjoyable, and crucially they had installed an in one end out the other system along with markings on the floor to keep people apart. I went for a pint of the 6% Peak Ales  IPA on Cask from the Past, and despite being surprised by it's high cost am well aware that Bakewell is an expensive place to rent - and of course, they had been shut for nearly 4 months so needed to recoup some costs. Overall this was a highly enjoyable first visit.  And we still had time to be seated and table served at the excellent Shakespeares in Sheffield en route home, where I had beers, which had names, and everything......

Earlier this month I met up with the excellent Robert J Ward and his mate Mr Pickles in Bar Stewards before we headed for a pop up pub in Neepsend. I started on a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on cftp and then had a can of the excellent North Kveik IPA before we set off. Ace boohars as always here. After walking past the K.i.T and then the Ball Street Bridge bars and the Gardeners we eventually found Heist Craft Brewery's pop up bar set in a car park further along Neepsend lane. Sadly by the time we got there around 19.00 or so they had run out of much of their beers, sadly including their one featuring the wonderful Kveik, but their All Together beer industry IPA was still available in cans, so we had a can each of this whilst sat in the far corner watching people come and go, including a group of six who simply grabbed take out food from the burger van and escaped by taxi! Having never made it Heist's place in Clowne, am really looking forward to them opening their multi kegged tap room next door to the Gardeners in the next year.

Speaking of which, we couldn't get in the Gardeners as it was filled up so we wandered up the hill to the Forest for a pint each, somewhere elese I haven't been for a while. There were three Tool Makers ales on and I had a red one and the other two a pale before we got sat down in the back for a natter and a sup. Robert J Ward (for that is his name) had never been here before but quickly realised its a good friendly boozer.

From here the three of us sat in the Kelham Island Tavern in the back room, after a minor hassle getting in, where I was on a couple of pints of  the Blue bee Confusion Black IPA which was delicious, as we thoroughly enjoyed our Yorkshire Day supping!

The last place I have been for the first time is the Early Bar on Crookes. I had heard a micropub had opened in the former butchers shop at the top of School Road just before lockdown but having closed on 20th March I was worried it may never open again. Luckily, owner Joe reopened quite soon in July and I have now been there twice, including stopping for a couple of pints with WK after our walk up Rushup edge and down into Edale. I was on pints of Abbeydale Orion on cftp, and a keg American IPA whose name sadly escapes me. Before we left we managed to get a seat on the tables outside and sat there watching the last of the day's sunshine. Here's hoping this place stays open and thrives as restrictions are slowly reduced.

The last two gasps from the past were the Old Queens Head, where I went on Friday and enjoyed half a bottle of wine along with three excellent pints of Abbeydale Orion once more - and I hear they are still doing their excellent Garlic soup so it's somewhere I intend to revisit. And the last was the recently reopened Three Tuns on Silver Street Head. My friend Peter Hudson had been in that day and had a pint of Old Peculier on cask for £3.00 a pint, and although it's not as good as it used to be I had a pint of that last night and it was excellent. The pub was busy and playing some excellent music and rumour has it that they may start serving food again so that is somewhere to keep an eye on!

Overall I have really enjoyed my pub visits, and am glad to see that all those visited have installed their own regulations and sensible restrictions in order to try and reduce the spread of Covid-19 whilst allowing safe supping.

Your very best of health!

Wee Beefy  

Libations during Lockdown

Hellall,

          am not going to tell you about each one of the cans and bottles I have consumed whilst self isolating, as I am aware that I have already mentioned a few. I wanted instead to focus on the Fourth of July here in England, a date on which, for the most part, every public house in England which met the stringent arrangements and requirements set out poorly by the government, could once again open their doors. I would be interested to know how your own independent experiences were, dear readers - I heard a lot of talk of misbehaviour and trouble and other details of rambunctiousness in areas such as West Street in Sheffield, a place where one might go if desiring a mob rule, slavvering sump of stupidity, but also that behaviour across Sheffield had mostly been quite good. Here is what I encountered......

So whilst not celebrating independence day from 1776 in the US, I left the house about 14.15 and got straight on a bus to town. Having seen my friend JB starting his day at the Tap House on Alma Street, and realising it was near the two people whom I was meeting later, I went in there first of all. It appears that sending a text message to a new number is neither my quickest or most enjoyable practice, but once done, and inside, I viewed the cask from the past on the bar and decided to sit outside. After a small niggle with the cash machine requiring the whole card number of my non contactless card to pay, I started on a pint of Elland 1872 porter. It was perfectly served, and very tasty - and 6.5%. Nearly finished, I spotted Matty whom had spoken to Diane at the Fat Cat earlier, so I decided to nip in there next, not least because I have known her since 1994. The Tap House is an interesting venue - although they did serve a range of basic keg beers they did state that they were going to concentrate on cask. There was a choice of about five, and on this basis they were well kept. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

I had to sign into a book to get in the Fat Cat - and saw a man I have known for years called Ian, as well as JB. I chose a hoppy pale from somewhere in London which has sadly escaped me, and went and sat at a table by myself in the beer garden. After a quick chat with Diane and a trip to the obviatorium I quickly left, meeting up with Vikkie and Matt outside and heading to a private do at Bar Stewards.....

 So far behaviours had been excellent and this proved to be a feature here, and of the rest of the night. People had reserved seating and were served until 19.00 on tables outside. I started on a can of the excellent Festoon NEIPA from the excellent St Mars of the Desert, featuring grapefruit zest and excellent hops. I then moved onto a marvelous can of Chione from Alpha Delta in faraway Newcastle. It was about 7% and described as a Kveik IPA. It was cloudy yellow and absolutely delicious. As well as finally getting to meet the excellent Robert J Ward, and of course of seeing many regulars and the wonderful Al and Charlie, the main highlight of the three hours was the excellent range of beers. Next up was a can of the excellent Northern Monk OFS004, a Kveik DDH DIPA - and this was amazing. After a can of Pressure Drop Tambourine Mountain sour however my memories became unclear.....I know I ended up with tea at Vikkie and Matt's and slept there.  It was then time to go out again......

Sunday I awoke with a sore neck - and a not that good head - and had a few cups of tea and an egg sandwich before we all headed out for a walk after midday to Gaard coffee hide. Due to their small size once ordered we had to sit outside, but the coffee I had - and the excellent sausage roll, were very enjoyable in the bright hot sunshine in their yard. I also saw and forgot the name of Matijas Kapstien, a name I still cannot properly spell. Finishing our treats we headed to the Gardeners Rest. Matty had been on IPAs the day before and wasn't feeling up to more beer but Vikkie joined me for a half and me a pint of 4.6% West Coast Pale ale. Sat in the beer garden having filled in a form with our details, there were a few others present, and after Vikkie had gone I got chatting to an older couple from Harthill along with a man from Hillsborough who may have been called John, and a youngster from Ull who may have been called Matty.....

Several pints of this and an Empire something beast 5% pale ale were had, along with pickled eggs from the past, before I attempted a frustrating and incredible long winded trip home on the Stagecoach 52 - a very unsatisfactory and expensive undertaking.

Finally, yesterday I traveled up to Crookes after meeting up with Mumraah, and had a couple of beers - the first was a pint of Deception from a reduced range at the otherwise ace Ball Inn, where I once again had to text my details, and the second was a half of a strong pale on keg from Shindigger in Manchester I think, at the never previously visited Early Bar at the top of School road.  It was a lovely place to pop in for a quick half and very friendly - given that they initially opened about two weeks before lockdown forced them to close, I would hope that their reopening creates a surge in much needed trade and profit.

Once in town by the altered 52 route I walked to the Crow Inn on Scotland Street and started on a pint of North Tunnels of La West Coast IPA and then a half of the excellent Verdant pulp DIPA on keg from a choice of 7 or 8 keg and three hand pulled. Alas I had to quickly run to the nearest cash machine to pay for both as their new, and soon to be replaced, card reader, would not accept non contactless payments - this, and the rip off no change on a Stenchcrotch earlier in the month makes me think I may need to ask for a contactless card.....

I met up with good mate Robert J Ward and he had amongst other things a half of the 11% barrel aged sour which was immense, whilst I opted for a half of saison at 5% or thereabouts. Chatting to Ian and vicky (not certain if this is her correct spelling, but to point out hat it was not Vikkie) I also managed to get a pint of Atom stout at a similar strength on cask. We then all left for the Kelham Island Tavern and the wonderful Ed was working and saw us out to covered seating in the garden. Am fairly certain I started on North and finished with two separate halves of the excellent Buxton at 6.8%.  A fabulous day of supping in all four venues.

Overall I have really enjoyed my experiences in the recently reopened pubs in fine sunny Sheffield.  There were a few loud people leaving the Kelham later but overall behaviour and keeping within the rules has been perfect throughout. Lets hope that this continues as more and more pubs manage to reopen their doors whilst the awful pandemic lingers on.

Your very good health

Cheers!

Wee Beefy    

Polly's

Hello again,

        the second of potentially a small number of posts about breweries, whot bruz beer innit. Tomorrow I am receiving a delivery from another local brewery so they may come along next but in the meantime, and without checking my last three years of Faceache posts for details, here are the things I have known, noticed, and, absurdly, actually recalled, about the beer makers of the name in the title.

Earlier I asked folk on Faceache if they could remember the brewery's original name, quicker than it had taken me to do so - since a whole morning of memories was required to confirm they used to be called Loka Polly. Given their Welsh location am guessing that Loka, which I now worry may in fact be Loca, is a word of the welsh language. I understand that whilst distributing beers to a European country (and the name does escape me) they were told that such arrangements could not continue as there was already a massive soft drinks firm in that country with that same name, so they agreed to trim their name to just Polly's. Luckily, the  losing of the first four letters in no way contributed to a decline in quality.

Tonight I am drinking a collaborative brew they did with Big Mountain - at least, am assuming Big Mountain are also a brewery - one surely remembers my mea capra with that Thornbridge beer.....

Luckliy, Big Mountain are based in Chamonix according to the gen on the can, so am happy to continue. This brew, called Oh My, is a truly wonderful, light orangey yellow and fabulously cloudy pale ale at 5.8% and featuring Citra and Sabro hops, Extra pale and Munich malts, oats, wheat and London Ale yeast. As I mentioned on Faceacge earlier, the smell alone made me instantly want to quaff this - but then the wonderful mixture of flavours and desirable smoothness and easy drinkingness has caused me to slow down, and to start writing this. Currently I have a can of their 8% DIPA in the fridge, which I am very much looking forward to supping over the next week....

The beauty of this beer for me is the way the balance unfolds in my mouth - it starts with a good wall of citrussy bitterness but straight away wells up the oat and wheat mixed with the fabulous Sabro hops. I had previously ,mentioned how I had liked all beers featuring Sabro that I had thus far tried and this was no exception -  whether its just that, or the combination of that and Citra, or indeed all of the tastes included, the aroma and taste are of brilliant quality. And at 5.8%, possibly once again related to the Citra and Sabro flavours, its ludicrously easy to drink.

Am thinking now when I first came across this brewery - I am going to boldly claim that it was nearly three years ago, but to be honest I have absolutely no idea. I also can't remember the first place I saw it but I can tell you that back in the early days it took a prominent position in Bar Stewards and has always been a firm favourite of mine in there - even their some times challengingly sour beers which were released last year. That said however I have to say that these latest hoppy beers have been exceptional.

Checking their website here (for the first time ever alas) it states that they launched in early 2018 - at that point I was just getting back to drinking again after my stroke in November 2017 so that is my excuse for misremembering! I can't think of any other breweries from Mold, which we went through en route to Llanfihangel Ng Ngwynfa, obvs, (incorrectly spelled no doubt) but whether I can or not, am perfectly happy that through Alan and Charlie at the Stews I have manged to encounter this fabulous brewery.

Try them and enjoy them!

Cheers!

Wee Beefy  

Salt Beer Factory

Hello,

          after last Friday and Monday's announcements by the government about restrictions on movement and socialising, a point reiterated a number of times since, I thought I might try remembering the sort of things I got up to in the recent past. Admittedly some shops and breweries are doing deliveries but lets be honest, even home delivered bowze comes no where near the enjoyment of meeting up with friends, or strangers, in an excellent boozer and drinking the night away in company. To which end I thought I might try as best as my slightly less effective brain can manage, to recollect those same halcyon days.

Its probably a year or two ago that I first came across Salt Beer. I recall I was in my second home, Shakespeares, and found an IPA or possibly a DIPA from the same on keg, at a very reasonable price for it's strength. Not only that but I was equally surprised by its flavour - well balanced, fruity and hoppy but without any lingering sweetness.

After this episode I saw them a few times more and I may have purchased a can from Beer Central - although I may have not - but despite enjoying the first two I tried I was still somewhat concerned. Am guessing it must have been their residing in Saltaire that reminded me of some of the rather disappointing and middle ground market led beers of Saltaire Brewery, whose brews I had quickly started to avoid for fear of the way their flavour profile had changed. Against this backdrop, I was interested then to see their cans in Bar Stewards, selling at a comparatively low price, and was pleasingly chuffed when I started tasting them.

Suddenly they were launching - or perhaps I should instead claim all along they had been launching, hoppy and fruity beers with sufficient bite and citra notes to blend well with their background bitterness. In effect this describes many of the beer styles that I love, but I was sufficiently impressed to try a couple of IPA's and, if am right, as well as a DIPA.

As my supplies of scran and beer dwindles pre payday, I found that I had two Salt Beer Factory beers left, and last night I tried a can of their Alpaca, a 6.6% DDH IPA with tropical flavours and once again very well balanced by the bitterness. What's more, and I realise I perhaps favour this more than necessary, the beer was unfined and therefore reassuringly cloudy. I still find it disappointing to hear drinkers observing a beer with a sign below, or indeed written on the clip, stating that it is unfined and therefore cloudy, claiming that this fact alone means the beer is off. Sadly that still happens, but luckily this has not dissuaded Salt from encompassing this process, and as a result, their beers are blessedly easy to drink.

During a recent conversation in Bar Stewards it was suggested that a former Cloudwater brewer or other employee had moved to Salt. Whether this is true or not remains irrelevant as, although they might share the latter's reluctance to confirm the hops used, they also share the ability to make excellent beers. And as I have previously pointed out, it had got to the stage in a number of cases where knowing the hops and yeast used perhaps changed the level of enjoyment based on the gaunt spectre of expectation. Their beers are good, tasty, and accurately described. That matters, and is an aptly satisfied desire.    

Once we escape from the stultifying doom of isolation I am indeed looking forward now to seeing their beers both on keg and cask - although, if am honest, am not certain whether they do the latter or not.

Either way, I shall anticipate the next tasting of their brews with confidence.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Sheffield Beer Week

Eefnin,

      I think its fair to say that the timing of this year's Sheffield Beer Week was simultaneously brilliant and horrific - it was especially fortuitous that the event finished on the 15th of March, especially given the horrors announced on the twentieth, but that also represents the worst outcome - the initial closure of all pubs followed by their resounding efforts to arrange collection to take out which has now also been scuppered, is one of the worst things that could have happened to the many excellent folk running many equally excellent boozers. And worse than that it is entirely understandable, hence the finishing date representing such bad news.....

As many of you may know, I have found myself a trifle brassic of late - so I only got to four other Beer Week events in total, three of which alas were just brief stops. And only one was a full on "session" at my third home, details of which will follow on further down...

The first in fact came after I had already been to the Indy Beer Feast at Abbeydale Picture House. I chose not to post about it here since I was blogging exclusively about the festival but afterwards I did have sufficient crumbs to visit the marvelous Jabeerwocky on London Road. I had seen on Faceache that they were having a Wylam tap takeover on that same day so despite aiming to head out for scran I popped into the same to spend a few cohens, as WF would say, on a third - this time of the ace "Its not the end of the world but you can see it from here", an excellent DDH extra pale featuring El Dorado, Idaho 7, Citra and Azacca. I really enjoyed supping this sat at the table on the left and reading the other delights on offer.

On the Thursday, which I believe was the 12th, I headed into Bar Stewards after work for their excellent Pressure Drop and North Brew Co tap takeover. Original plans had been to perhaps set up a bar outside to serve more kegs but as supplies had already been a little low there were only two kegs not on so that idea was scrapped. Some folks did venture outside but I got a seat near the right hand wall and supped my delicious half of 5.2% Pressure Drop Tomorrows World which was an NEIPA. Alas this was simply too easy to drink and it wasn't long before I had finished that and moved on. Up next was a half or possibly two thirds of the North Brew Co Waving Flags which was a 7% DDH IPA, also on keg. This was likewise too easy to drink but I did slow down a little with some scran.

The 5% Voulez Vous saison on keg from Pressure Drop was my next half, an event which co-incided with my bumping into Michelle and her other half Vin for the first time in ages! I got them sat near me and, alas for them, that little fire, and we got chatting. It was great to catch up and upon hearing the maudlin announcement of a quiz, I decided to help us through it with a whole pint of the 8.5% DIPA Big House Waltz from North Brew Co - every bit as wonderful as I had hoped, and went down a lot slower than I had expected.

It turned out the quizzings was about boozers so I would probably have done alright but I persuaded my two chums to head up to the Crow for their last one. Here I had a fabulous half of IPA or perhaps a DIPA also from North, possibly, on keg from the future, and I thoroughly enjoyed it whilst we planned how to get M and V up to the tram to escape home.

Beer finished they headed off and I went back to Bar Stewards to find out that the quiz had finished and to have a couple of finishers, including another half of tomorrows World DDH NEIPA which I sat at one of the tables to drink, and possibly another, before sensibly deciding to head home. Despite not perhaps having much involvement with the Crow's event I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed both events entirely, the Tomorrow World and Big House Waltz probably being my favourite brews of all.

The final event was with Mr Grant on Friday the 13th that same week where we popped into Shakespeares to discover that they had their Collabracadabra on, mostly upstairs. On the recommendation of Jason I started on a fab pint of Shakespeares and Pentrich Brewing IPA on cask from the past and only £3.90 a go! It was a Hazy Pale, assuming, optimistically, that my memory works, and having quickly dispensed that I headed upstairs to grab a Beatnikz Republic US IPA and fetched a half of the Atom IPA for Mr G. It was good to bump into Curtains up there, as well as Dave Unpro and many others, and I followed this with another pint on cask of the Blue Bee pale which, given its appearance was not a black IPA, before I got a last half of Abbeydale dry hopped Voyager. It was great to catch up with the man from Blue Bee brewery - whose name I forgot then so you have no chance! - as well as various folk from Shakespeares including brewing sensation Lucienne Pinglewick to whom a massive amount of credit must be applied.

Thanks once again to the fabulous Jules for organising yet another sensational selection of beers and events and again to all the excellent folk running our cracking Sheffield boozers who made such a huge effort to up their game and provide a scintillating selection of ales for the event.  

Alas I do not know when trips to any of such boozers can happen again but I hope that in the upcoming period of closure we can outstay the COVID 19 outbreak and return, healthily, to trips to the pubs as soon as its safe.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy    

Payday away day

Afternooo

     I once again must apologise about the use of the phrase I have chosen for this post - since, whilst I am treating myself to a trip to York later this month with Tash and Matty, I haven't in the details below, in fact left the wonderous area that I most regularly imbibe in.

So, after getting some fairly crap news at work, whatever that is, I met up with Tash on the 27th and bless her, to cheer me up. she took me out to the Bankers Draft for a curry tea and a drink. That said, although I appreciate the low prices, and sometimes the local ales, I do tend to find all visits to such a place quite a long winded episode with as many lows as highs. This time there were twenty people at the bar, most ordering food, and only one member of staff serving and this explains, rather than justifies, them not turning round the pump clips of the beers that were off, and perhaps also them recommending a gin for Tash that wasn't on the list of free drinks, along with not telling me that the naan bread or another snack was extra. That said I did order it to the wrong number of the table, and it came quickly. And the pint of Pride of Sheffield from Kelham Island was nice.

After seeing Tash off on the tram I wandered down to Shakespeares where they had a Howling Hops TTO and meet the brewer evening on, with the launch of some Yonder brewing keg stuff later. I and many others love Howling Hops beers and we were not disappointed - however, being the day before pay day I only managed to afford two thirds before heading home.

I started on Flashpoint, a 6.2% NEIPA on keg from the future which was excellent. Whilst at the bar I had a quick chat to Sean, who had a surname beginning with G, or any other numerous British letters, who was a sales rep and possibly also a brewer at the brewery. He kindly gave me a taste of his Roll on NEIPA at 7.1%. Both beers were beautiful, and he referenced their tank bar in London, which I am fairly sure is the only tank served brewery tap bar in London, or perhaps in the UK? It was great to catch up with him either way, and having seen Adam and Brett Morgan and others briefly, including a char with Brian who is still "ticking" at the age of eighty, this was the perfect inspiration to get a third of the Roll On NEIIPA next. A fabulous night.

Yesterday, having left work at 17.30. I returned to my second home and had a couple of pints of the excellent Howling Hops XX Pale at 5.2% on cask from the past. Loved a lot by Adam and many others this was on fabulous form, and went down well whilst I caught up with Mizzder Grizzwiggs from work with his three friends, Ian, Dave, and Jordan, whom am certain will be entirely happy with my pointing out, that  reminded me a lot of John Rchardson.

I then had a half of the Neepsend 8% IPA or DIPA Hanuman, which was wonderful, and which I despatched sat round the back of the bar with fellow Sheffield beer blogger Peter Hudson.

After popping across the road to Bar Stewards to make a payment I didn't have time to stop,  and next walked straight up to the Crow where I saw Mizzder Grizzwiggs once again as well as Steve Lycett with a number of folk. Having splashed out on a black pudding scotch egg I joined them at a table drinking a whole pint of North Brewery DIPA on keg from the future, before they very generously offered me a chunk of one of many pizza's they had ordered. As they went to the bar they very kindly bought me a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on cask and I was just supping the same when Chris Grant surprisingly wandered in! As we were both quite warm and it was very busy I went outside to dry a couple of chairs and we sat in the beer garden together finishing our drinks and chatting.

Despite only having had 4 and a half pints I suggested to Mr G that he drove me home, but I did get a take out can of 8% DIPA from a Netherlands Brew Pub called De Krommer Harring. I will be drinking this later today whilst watching the undoubtedly awful football results coming in....

So, despite somethings, its been an absolutely fabulous few days so far, and in the month ahead its Sheffield Beer Week - so have a look at the events and other details on the website here for details on what is happening, when, and where!

Wishing you your very best of health on what is possibly my first ever February 29th blog post!

Cheers!

Wee Beefy
      

New year, new decade, new tastes

Hello,

        so far in this new decade I have tried one or two new styles of beers. In fact, some of them are not my usual favourites of gloopy hoppy pales, although they do feature, but non soupy potions also feature in this post as well.

Not strictly this year but I started the new decade the night before in Shakespeares and Bar Stewards, where I eventually saw in the new year. One of the highlights of the first was a pale ale from Errant Brewery, who may be based in Newcastle - recommended by Jason, I have to say that I really enjoyed this, and had a couple before we headed across the road. And whilst eating at Vikkie's earlier, we tried the excellent St Mars of the Desert and Zapato brew for Indy Man Beer Con, which sadly I missed this year - am led to believe they are fairly rare, and I wasn't disappointed.

Soon after the start of the year I purchased some cheap beers from Asda - and I really enjoyed them. This does not for a second undermine the qualities of sometimes more costly micro and nano brewery outputs, it just serves as a reminder that you can purchase beers in supermarkets that stand up to the quality of ones bought on a smaller scale. The Vocation Life and Death was on at a very low price and still as excellent as I would expect, whilst the Off Tempo cloudy pale at 6.1% from Bad Co was also very enjoyable at very little, along with the Cleanwater Scottish lager.

I also tried a few Lervig beers in the Crow - a collab with Verdant called its not you its me was fabulous, as was their collab DIPA on keg from the future which I have sadly since misplaced the picture of. There was likewise an excellent IPA on at the Wellington as well as a number of excellent beers from Duration Brewery in Suffolk. I tried a can of their 5.5% Turtles all the way down, a pale ale, in Bar Stewards, as well as a third of their 3% Table beer on keg, and even, in a rare event, enjoyed a can of their warm hugs stout as well. Good to see previously rarely seen brewers popping up in the Stewards!

This sudden liking for dark beers probably stemmed from the wonderful Keep it Impe-Real big stouts bash at Shakespeares. I was supping with Tony and we only had thirds, not least because all were strong and only available in halves and thirds. Some of those on offer were very interesting - such as the Alvinne Mano Negra which I thought was a little like wine, and the De Molen and Hel and Verdomenis Gin BA at 10.8% which was just as odd as it sounded. The strongest on offer was an Ultje Staff Sergeant ice distilled Imperial stout at a whopping 18.6% - now lets not get into a discussion about whether ice means a beer is not a beer please - it was our last of the kegs and acceptably tasty, but understandably strong. Meanwhile the best of the show were both on cask from the past - Atom and Northern Monk Neutron Death Star at 12% was ludicrously easy to drink. but the real star was the Boutilliers and Emperor's Leia Cake at 10.8% featuring honey, vanilla and cocoa. It was likewise easy to drink but was probably the most enjoyable of those that I tried.

The final tastes I had were also at the Crow Inn, of Verdant Putty, along with their excellent strong stout and an excellent DIPA at £6.80 or thereabouts on fabulous keg. I have been wanting to try the Putty ever since they first brewed it but a number of reasons means I have always missed out. Although I missed out on buying a can by a few minutes I did get to try two marvelous halves along with a third of the excellent stout. The people I was sitting with agreed that this was perhaps the beer of the night, from an absolutely excellent selection.

Finally, I should point out that I enjoyed a couple of pints of the Anthology Session IPA at 3.9% on cask in Shakespeares. Since the weird tastes and negligence (in some quarters) of the previous below 3% beers push, many small UK microbrewers have taken to perfecting the ideal flavours in lower gravity and now more accurately described session ales on both cask and keg and in can. At the moment with the impact on the trade caused by Dryanuary it is noticable that a lot of low very low and zero gravity beers along with numerous session pales and IPAs have found their way into local bars.

May this interest in providing a full and choice of all gravities of beers long continue.

Your very best health!

Wee Beefy            

Christmas wander

Good afternooo

         apologies for the slightly lame title -I was going to make it even more icky with "Family Christmas Meal Pub Crawl" until I saw sense. This is still a bit weak I admit but its a good reflection of the event that am about to describe....

We were meeting early this year - at noon. Initially this was to allow WF to drive back before 16.00 in the light but in the end WK picked him up in his car before dropping Dad at the pub, driving back to Crookes and walking back to the Sportsman at Crosspool. WF got a taxi later. Admittedly its an Ember Inns pub but they sell a few decent beers and the meal was. in comparison with town based offerings, a bit of a winner for twelve pounds. As always myself Matty and Tash were ever so slightly late - I walked down to Darnall to get twenty pound out and to buy a weekly pass but there was a problem with the cash machine. Although I knew I had sufficient funds in my account I got just two pounds out at the Post office and headed into town after a lengthy wait for 11.50. Luckily Tash and Matt picked me up at 11.58 on West Street in a taxi they had got and we were there by just gone ten past.

Ale wise there was a Black Sheep IPA, Moonshine, Thornbridge Jaipur and the excellent Fyne Ales Jarl. Always a favourite drop I had two pints of this as well as a a pint of Jaipur. all of which were delicious. WF complained about his Jarl to WK who asked me to come and try it - it tasted exactly the same as mine. It was when I told him this that he admitted it was too cold and that he didn't like cold beer. Am sure when he was drinking off Sam Smiths at the Abbey pub outside Derby the temperature hadn't been considered and I have to admit that pale hoppy beers do taste far better with a light chill. Mine was ace! Meanwhile the meal was OK and we were there nearly three and a half hours before M+M dove off  and took the two Wees to WK's house for Dad to wait for a taxi. Me Tash and Matty walked back through the cemetery to Crookes where we popped in the Punch Bowl.

I have been reasonably impressed with its turn around since True North took it over but alas we found that they were trying to sell some rank and off Blue Bee Stout - Matty asked for a taste and pulled a deep grimace as he smelled it and tasted it - he pre-warned me but that didn't prepare me for the vile smell never mind the taste. When I pointed out to the girl behind the bar that the stout was off she didn't taste it instead claiming that "they always taste weird to me". An amazing response, which I would like to think is especially disrespectful to Josh and the others involved with the brewery. I did not check that they had taken it off when I left but am guessing that the person I pointed out the issue to neither cared about her clients or understood beer sufficiently to bother.

Nipping across the road to Two Sheds we bought Tash a couple of glasses of mulled Wine and I had an excellent pint of North Brewing Sputnik Pale, whilst Keet and Matty had the Janet Street Porter. I had two excellent pints of the Sputnik which was on fine form and the others enjoyed their drinks too. Matty and WK nipped back to his next whilst me and Tash headed into Town to pop in Cavells to use the loo, and to get Tash a large white wine and myself a pint of something about 5.5% After a quick catch up Tash got the tram home and I wandered down to Bar Stewards to have another pint of the 5.7% Blue Bee IPA on cask, and kept  perfectly, along with a few halves on keg. As always I bumped into a few mates and caught the bus back at about 23.00. I may even have treated myself to a can of Pressure Drop when I got in, although, as with a number of happenstances, my memories remain unclear....

Overall though this was a great day out and despite the grimness of the Punch Bowl all the pubs involved kept excellent beers. Am out in Crookes again tonight for a couple to catch up with fab folk from the past as well as Wee Keefy and am really looking forward to a return trip to the Hallamshire House.  

Cheers!

Wee Beefy    

The Gibraltar and West Bar Triangle

Hello,

      suffice to say I have been a trifle unclear on what the name of this section of my living actually is. I asked both Lucienne and Chris at the Shakespeares as well as the folks at the Crow and Bar Stewards, what they thought the "scene" thought the area of all three was called. In the end two different answers were supplied, hence the oddness of the title. This uncertainty luckily deprives nothing from my second, third and forth homes in fab sunny Sheffield...

As you all know I have been drinking in Shakespeares on Gibraltar Street regularly since 2011. This was, a few days before the Robin Hood at little Matlock closed, the day the Shakespeares reopened, after Red House Jeff left and William bought it. I met the lovely Tash about two years later and have been going in Shakespeares at least four times a month ever since, including for my fortieth birthday party, with a wonderful cake from Ally. I admit I met someone from the poetry group up at the Cross Keys in there once, and Andy the DJ on the same night, probably about 2009, and I did once pop in with Abz around 1994, but since 2011 it has become one of my and my friends favourite pubs, selling some of the most amazing halves and pints and thirds of excellent ale in cask from the past, keg, bottle, and can, along with a wonderful selection of gins, whiskies and wines, served by some of the finest bar staff I have ever met. This makes me very pleased that it is the longest visited of the three excellent venues on the trail....

Across the road is the Bar Stewards micro pub and bottle bar. Although I missed their opening night I soon went in when the bar was on the left, which may have been in November or so 2016. After many original one off opening nights to sample their original choice of cask ales from the barrel, the bar was soon changed over a month and now appears facing you as you enter with  boards advertising both the cask as well as the keg guests, along with their regular cider and lagers, and which points you to their two fridges containing a frankly mahoosive slab of wonderful IPAs, pale ales, sours, stouts, lagers, DIPAs and other items of wonderment. As a regular drinker in there for a good few years am very happy to find that my third home, complete with excellent bajis and samosas, is the next feature on this wonderful trio of excellent pubs.

The last venue to feature is the newly opened Crow Inn on Scotland street - here is a link to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheCrowInn/  which is one of many sites sharing information on keg and cask ales for you to choose from. Crucially they also serve Kevins pies, which I may have indulged in at the Closed Shop when I used to go in when it was run by Andy Stephens. Sadly, the earlier versions featured misplacement of an apostrophe, but regular readers will know that I am also involved in a lack of knowledge in the same respect so I think I may never have mentioned it....

The pub is owned by Wendy who used to own the Harlequin (I think...) and work at Shakespeares, and is run by Chris Bamford and David from the Rutland and Adam from Dronfiled - since that is where everyone knows he comes from....

There are five real ale handpumps selling a range including Abbeydale Daily Bread plus many locally produced and further afield guests, and it also has ten keg lines, along with a barrel load of excellent cans and bottles in the fridge, to add to an excellent gin rum and whisky list. I admit I went in the former Crown Inn a number of times in the naughties but have never bothered with Sleep as a venue before. I now find myself ordering a range of excellent cask and keg drinks and cans, whilst sitting in the small but wonderfully formed beer garden, often with friends, often in bright sunshine, or being inside enjoying the artwork on the walls in the two seating areas.  

Am pleased to say that three of my favourite Sheffield pubs have been joined in a double named, shape featuring caravan of excellent trade in an area currently changing and improving very well indeed. I know that some people I know well have never visited the Crow so I would strongly insist that you do, and then, hopefully, also attend the other two parts of the triangle, Bar Stewards and Shakespeares, thus enjoying three excellent Sheffield boozers in one go.

Cheers!!

Wee Beefy

Wisewood Wander

Afternoo,

     the first thing I should point out about this post is it doesn't include many pubs in Wisewood. I didn't go to the Castle for example, and in some ways, the first two pubs are actually in Loxley. The theme of this post is therefore deliberate misinformation. I did however, start at the Wisewood Inn.....

I had been to the Northern General to see a man about an issue and had caught the tortuous rambling 97 to Hillsborough and jumped om the 52A. I alighted just off Loxley Road and walked past Christingpher's house up to the Wisewood Inn. I had a pint of Marble Cross Collar on keg, a 5.2% West Coast style IPA made with the assistance of and with hops from Brook House Hops in Herefordshire. Having clambered carefully down the steps from the pool room I was soon sitting by myself in glorious sunshine at one of the tables overlooking the Loxley Valley. It was warm and oozingly relaxing. My second pint was a Wisewood 6 which was also a pale ale, but at possibly 4.8%. As it was reduced in price for the happy hour (I only found this out from the receipt!) it was a bargain at £2.40 a pint. Fabulous beer and scenery as always.

From here I set off on foot to the Nags Head at Stacey Bank, however I did quickly stop off at the Admiral Rodney for a pint of Wainwright on cask. The Roders is not my usual stop for a beer but despite the company of a gaggle of elderly gammons I sat outside in the warm sunshine enjoying my beer and the view very much.

Its not too far along Loxley Road from here to the Nags Head and I arrived about 45 minutes later. Luckily you can pay on card and they also do cashback - seeing as how I had just 5 pence on me after buying an all day saver ticket this was much appreciated. Sadly I have not seen Sixer for a while, and, maybe because all beer from Bradfield costs £2.50 a pint, it wasn't on here. Instead I had a pint of Bradfield Pale Ale, which aside the Sixer is my favourite Bradfield Beer. I sat on a bench outside, in the sun, and asked Matty if he wanted to join me. Several explanations of the times of the 61 and 62 followed as did two or three more pints of the Pale. When Matty arrived 90 minutes later we had just enough time for him to down a pint before walking to the bus stop to move on.

We didn't bother visiting the Horns at High Bradfield, although their beer garden would have been lovely, instead we got off outside the Plough in Low Bradfield and popped inside. I got a 4.2% beer which was either a new Bradfield or a guest, and Matty got something else. Now on my seventh pint I was relieved to find that they serve food all day so we ordered scran - Steak and ale for me and Meat and potato pie with chips veg and gravy for him. The meal came quite quickly and absolutely did the trick, with both plates being returned empty. We finished our ales in the beer garden, now noticeably chillier, before heading to catch the bus.

With funds shortening we didn't stop at the Royal at Dungworth and instead headed all the way back to Hillsborough. We then caught the tram to Shalesmor and popped in the Wellington. Here I had a single hopped pale ale from Neepsend which had a name, comprising of letters. We also bumped into the lovely Vikkie and John Brightmore, who was bemoaning the event of his curry the night before with Davefromtshop and others.

After a single pint in here we walked down to the Bar Stewards where I had a pint of North Riding (or Arbor) and Matty a can of Deya Just a Glimmer Pale ale which we shared. A fabulous hoppy end to a wonderful day of ales pubs and walking.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Bluvver Duck! It's Sheffield Beer Week!

Evenin all,

     I have to admit that I do not know how to spell Bluvver Duck. I mean, I know that duck is correct but it could likewise be Bloover....to those that don't know, which many now include me, the phrase, in my experience, was used by my Belper born Mum instead of bloody. It seemed that during her childhood in the fifties that was too rude a word to espouse, and she used said phrase to avoid contempt. I was going to call the post "Fuck me sideways, its Sheffield beer week!" . And that's swearing. As a former manger used to say. There. Am glad we sorted that out....

Five years ago the wonderful Jules Gray assisted by numerous friends and fellow beer enthusiasts including my chum Clare, set up a celebration of all that is beer in Sheffield, and all that is good about it. This has since grown to include the Fem.Ale  celebration of women in beer along with Indie Beer Feast, a festival of beers and breweries held in Abbeydale Picture House. This year, and previously, numerous pubs have put on showcases of numerous beers from numerous breweries, so here is a flavour of what I have enjoyed this year.

Monday night I headed to BrewDog to taste some excellent Left Handed Giant beers. I started with a half o their excellent Out of Sight, a four hopped 6.6% IPA. I also tried a third of their own Juicy IPA, as well as a third of their Paradox Islay. Its worryingly easy to sup at 14% and the hit of the peat and smoke comes in the wonderful aftertaste. Am not sure if this was in aid of Sheffield Beer Week but it was a great start to the celebration anyway...

On Tuesday I met my friends Vikkie and Matthew in Shakespeares where they were serving the excellent Amundsen Dessert in a can beers on draught. Given that they are all over 10% I only had two, the Coconut chop chip cookie and the pecan and maple pie imperial stouts, in thirds. I also had a pint of the excellent Vision Quest 7% IPA on cask, and a pint of the four way or more way Hop City Colab IPA. I then popped over the road to Bar Stewards to enjoy a pint of a Verdant beer and a beer whose name has since escaped me. Can't think why....

On Wednesday I popped into Shakespeares once again to enjoy a hugely satisfying pint of Turning Point Vision Quest, before meeting Reason, Gazza, Suethebrew and Dave and Patrick in the Bar Stewards for a pint of Loka Polly Spur, and to grab a final bottle of Yellow Belly. This was mostly part of their excellent South West Tap Takeover, although I understand there was a delivery issue with the Deya which may not be on yet...

On Thursday I went to see a gig by a "duo" and popped in the Rutland Arms first for a pint of Blackjack and a ridiculously strong and similarly delicious third of De Molen imperial stout, from a frankly amazing range of beers including Siren Maiden 2018.

My last "do" was at Shakespeares yesterday. Having taken the day off to recover and to arrive early I didn't actually get there until about 13.45, to behold and hugely enjoy the North versus the rest of the world Tap takeover. North Brewing had very kindly agreed to put five or six special keg lines into cask and these were competing with a range of keg lines from a variety of international breweries. I started on a half of the Dots and Loops, a super hazy DDH IPA at 6.5% that woke my palate perfectly. I then risked a pint of one of my all time favourite beers, North Transmission, a fabulous 6.9% IPA on cask at £4.20 a pint. This was despatched swiftly, and was frankly wonderful. After this wonderment I then had further, a half of their excellent Ursa Major, an extremely drinkable and joyously hopped DIPA at 8.1%.

One thing that I did like was seeing the stronger cask beers served in more appropriate, usually keg and can beer glasses - especially sine the transfer from Keg to cask was done so well and with such success.

More Transmission followed, now joined by Tony and Laura, before a final Full Fathom 5, a fabulous coffee and a half on keg of the Fierce and Verdant 01 Citra hop series, which went down far too well.

This was also the last shift at Shakespeares by Adam, very much a man of Dronfield, who will soon be moving up the hill on the other side of the road to the Crow Inn. I look forward to seeing you there soon mate!

All in all I have enjoyed every one of the events I have attended at Sheffield Beer Week 2019 and am now looking forward with just as much anticipation to a similar robust roll call of beery delights in the event next year. Well done to Jules and Will and all their many friends and volunteers in the brewing and pubs sectors who helped to once again make this a fantastic Sheffield Beer Week.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Back in Sheffield

Urllorr,

    I should point out first of all that I haven't drunk much in January - not because of Dry January - regular readers will know that I do not support the idea, even if  potential, of hitting struggling pubs and bars in the pocket harder in what is already their most dismal month of the year. No, instead this was almost entirely down to a lack of funds. So here are details of just two crawls completed this month.

On the first Sunday of 2019 I went to Crookes. In the Two Sheds, Arthur two sheds Jackson (assuming at least part of that is his real name) was not there,  instead it was quiet and calm and filled when I left by happy fellow Scots. I even stayed for two pints of Thornbridge Jaipur, which in comparison to  other offerings was good value at £3.70 a pint.

Across the road the Punch Bowl had just one cask on, and almost no keg. The landlord had enjoyed his Christmas roster of ales but had somewhat fallen out with Greedy King, and so wasn't especially busy. He didn't do pizzas or like the oven, and didn't want ales that GK couldn't sell. Whilst I also dislike Greedy King, I stayed only for a half and left.

Down the hill the Walkley Beer Co was having no such issues. Packed when I arrived, I did get a seat on one of the tables and enjoyed some beer. In the months ahead am sure I will remember what it was. Am going to guess Pressure Drop - no, wait, it was Wiper and True IPA possibly involving the colour indigo and it was about 6.9%. It was bloody lovely.

I finished the night in Bar Stewards, where I had an excellent cask version of the Magic Rock barrel aged Bearded Lady, and in Shakespeares. where alas details are unclear.

On the second Saturday I met up with Vikkie and Matt outside my second home to walk to the Wellington. I started on a pint of Neepsend Amarillo IPA on cask from the past, and also had a half of the Siren Ryesing Tides on keg. Matt had a stout, am certain and Vikkie had a Ryesing Tides and a sour before we headed to our second stop.

This was at the Gardeners. Being virtually next door to the Cutlery Works seems to be helping trade and I had a pint of something pale which I used to be able to remember on CFTP. It was an enjoyable visit but it was definitely very busy.

Off to the Old Workshop next where I had a half of a pineapple and Yuzu IPA from a brewery that may have been in London. Claret had tried a half earlier and loved it so I knew I was making  a good choice. From here we went to a packed K.I.T where I enjoyed a pork pie and a pint of Peach IPA or similar from Blue Bee. Once again the pub was very busy, which is always a good sign at this time of year. Good for Josh and Louise that all seems to be going well!

Back in Bar Stewards I had a half of Lervig Supersonic soundwave or similar, an excellent DIPA, before we finished in Shakespeares where I had a pint of keg - I know this because I took a picture. Alas I don't recall what it was of...

Sheffield continues to do very well in multiple venues at filling spaces and seats with the derrieres of discerning drinkers throughout the year. Hats off to my sunny city for once again reminding me why it is I am so lucky.

Your very best health!

Wee Beefy

Hell's Bellers....

Good morning,

       I realise its Christmas day and I should therefore be wrapped up in bed awaiting Santa to come down my chimney (or something) but am wide awake and the festive mood is making me feel a little mischevious.......

With thanks first of all to Mr Q for the word Bellers, I thought I would share, almost as literally as I can, this run down of all that happened when six or seven corpulent whingers entered a bar popular for its kegs and cans and bemoaned almost every aspect - only for some to stay for more than a pint each.

I was sat near the bar, likely with my friend T-Dawg, but also likely by myself, enjoying a chat with the staff. The unwieldy hills of flesh arrived in a doughy trail and immediately started moaning at the range of beers. "You aven got enni bitter on then?" one asked in a thick West Midlands accent. The barman admitted his failure in life, but pointed the assembled party in the direction of Brass Castle Comet, a single hop pale ale, nearer to the unedifying dullness of bitter than anything else.

One by one the portly complainers tasted the beer and mostly scowled. "ooh, ooh, its gorra twang, its gorra twang this as" said one, about 47 times. "ooh thass oppy innit. Ooh no. Far too oppy....." Much mumbling followed, yet mysteriously, apart from one who had a gin (but was likely not part of the group) all had the Comet, apart from one who had a stout....

We none bellers continued our convivial chat whilst they sat down, saying loudly "iss really disappointing this place innit" and "oi expected a traditional bitter like that Barnsley they ave over the road". Even more perplexing than their choice of venue, was the comment by one that "ooh no, Commit is faar too oppy to be suitible forrah single op beer". As opposed to what? Target? First Gold?

Its important for me to point out by the way that this is not a criticism of their preferred beer style. Not at all. If all they drink is bitter then they probably damn well know a lot about it, and its good to be clear about what you like, and would prefer. My issue is, why come to a bar renowned for its keg lines and range of cans and bottles to drink bitter? They were heading to the Wellington next - and Gav from Neepsend who turned up as they were leaving was quick to point out that Neepsend don't brew a bitter and were very unlikely to have one in at the Wellington.

A couple of rogues in the crew stayed for another pint if memory serves, whilst the majority of the lumpish crowd shambled off with their broken dreams hanging in the air, and their ripe disdain fizzing on the seats they had sat on.

I think that my Dad is very set in his ways when it comes to beer but his main enemy is strength rather than the horror of ingredients or the rueful spectre of interesting flavours dirtying his long loved beers. These guys and girls far outstripped WF in terms of narrowness and determination to not enjoy anything new. And that is saying something.

It's their loss in the end, so I feel sorry for them, but equally there's no need to go round pissing in everyone else's sherbet because the ice cream is too cold. Perhaps its time to lighten up a little?

On a number of levels.

Your very best health!

Wee Beefy

Bar Stewards is Sheffield CAMRA pub of the month for November!

Hullabaloo,

            Its been a long time since Bar Stewards evolved with an invite only, locked door personal party in its then nowhere near ready to open premises. I had been told by Rich Hough that I could join him but it sempt a bit rude and besides, I wasn't 100% sure where it was. Two weeks of guessing which of the recently reopened units followed before I spotted a sign outside. I ventured in on their second or third temporary license opening and had a choice of Blue Bee and two others on cask, served by gravity if I recall (?), or lager, but I liked the place, and soon it grew and improved.

Three visits in and I could remember which one was Charlie and which one was Al and I started to go more often. And then there was a wait for a full license before they opened in July 2017. Rich had a stint doing their quiz and I think they were sometimes joined by the brother of one of the owners (can't remember which!) behind the bar before another period of closure took place whilst they moved the bar from the left hand side to its present location, ordered some fridges and installed some keg lines. With the shackles of restrictive ranges off, the magic balloon of Bar Stewards sailed high into the sky like a soaring eagle. Or something.

Gradually, the hours were extended, Capn Space Maths started doing a quiz, the keg range matured and improved, and the fridge offerings increased in range exponentially. A typical night in the Stews now involved starting on a pint or two of good cask, then hurling myself into a DIPA on keg before finishing on a can or three. Many many nights were spent in there helping to reduce the backlog of suppable soup. Often it was only the pictures on my phone that told me how much I had drunk.....

In July they had their successful first birthday celebration where a fab range of ales including local brewery colabs was on offer, and recently Jay has joined from the Old Workshop, bringing with him a fab taste in music, a wealth of knowledge about beer, specifically beer that I like, a calm influence behind the bar and the ability to deliver his thoughts with a quiet honesty. The final piece of success lego in their castle has been the addition of bhajis and Wateralls pork pies delivered every Thursday.  Now fully fledged, the feathers of the Stews have been recognised and rewarded by Sheffield CAMRA.

I was there with a number of friends and long time acquaintances on Tuesday night. There was a stellar line up of keg cask and can as always and a new staff member called Jonathon who used to work at the Picture House Social. Even former barkeep PJ, AKA Keith, came down to say hello.

Fine free food was available and I drank more than one pint of cask and some hoppy colder soup which tickled my tastebuds perfectly. It was an excellent night with the whole, albeit small, venue absolutely packed out from about 20.00. Well done to Al and Charlie and Jay and the rest of the expanding team at the Bar Stewards for providing a genuine alternative to the busier periods at Shakespeares when its admittedly better to go somewhere else - especially now that the range and quality of ales available matches up so well to the giant goddess og glugging glory across the road.

Huzzaaah!

Wee Beefy