Hello!
thank goodness, regular readers must be thinking, at least Mr Beefdozer isn't going to report half remembered details of some beers he tried recently, or ages ago, or last night. No, this is going to be a forthright and informative post about that stalwart of the bar, the good old beer engine, tirelessly taking beer from cask to glass for centuries. Of course, that would be an erroneous expectation. This is a post about a pub. And the half remembered details of some beers I tried recently, or ages ago, or last night.
I first went to the Beer Engine in 1994. It was expensive. It was £3.00 a pint for Orkney Raven. Actually, no, it was £2.30 a pint. A fortune in 1994. I went in twice, and never again. I never visited Dulos, so don;t know anything about it, but I did visit Delaneys a few times, and now am becoming a regular at the all new Beer Engine.
The pub has a large comfy beer garden, a bar, tables which attract debate and posts on Sheffield Forum, very tasty food, 5 or 6 real ales, key keg guests and regulars and bottled beers. I rather like it.
Having visited on its reopening day I was quite taken by the place, and went back soon after with Tash. I have visited with Mr P, and also with J9, on the day before my birthday. I've never had a bad beer in there and particularly appreciate the range of beer styles available - bitters, red ales, pale ales, stouts, sours, saisons, imperial IPA's. imperial stouts, wheat beers - you name a style and I reckon they will have had an example of it. There is also a good mix of local brewery fare, as well as interesting producers from further afield, such as Crate brewery in London, Bad Seed in Malton and others that, in a change from previous posts, I can't remember.
I can also recommend the tapas - its about £4.00 a dish but you seem to get plenty, and every time I've tried it I have gone for the chorizo, served with horseradish sauce, and the delicious patatas bravas. I realise there is a fear that tapas is pretensions and over priced - goodness knows I've had some that fits that description, but not at the Beer Engine.
Recent treats beer wise have included the Neepsend Brewing Co Pale Ale which featured Brewers Gold and Mosaic, Magic Rock Rapture, Hand Drawn Monkey Orange Cream Soda, Pioneer Special Edition Double IPA, Beavertown Red Rye IPA, Dark Star Revaluation and many more. As usual, the above claims are made on a mixture of guesswork, memories and a quick look at their Twitter account. I remember the Pioneer best as I had it last week....
So, if you haven't popped in yet I suggest you give it a go. Tom is in charge and likes beer and food, and many of the staff will be recognisable to Sheffield real scene drinkers. Its also a good finish to a London Road or Heeley Triangle crawl - the starting point to 2 of my last 3 visits.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Beer Engine Cemetrey Road. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beer Engine Cemetrey Road. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 June 2015
Sunday, 5 April 2015
Two new pubs and a club
Greetings,
I said on Friday that I wasn't going to drink. This may seem an implausible statement to make, but I meant it. I had said it Thursday morning as well - any FB followers will have recognised an emerging pattern of determination to remain sober when, in the end, the slightest test of my strength, or indeed, a day at work, send me into a spiraling oblivion of libation. Anyway, with that in mind, soon after waking up I spotted two adverts from chums on Faceache regarding beer and pub type-a-things. And so, once again, I decided to ditch my temperance plan....
Old people will remember that in the 1990's there was an "ale house" on the bottom of Cemetery Road, behind what is now the Chinese fireworks place, called the Beer Engine. I remember it for two reasons: 1. It was like an ale house, but not as good as the Ball on Crookes (then called the Ale house) 2. It was very Whitbread inspired expensive. It wasn't, to be fair, very good. It closed, and became amongst other incarnations, Dulo (s?) bar and Delaneys.
On Good Friday at midday it reopened as the Beer Engine. Run by Tom Harrington and with Alice from the Brothers Arms and other staff previously incumbent at the Sheaf View, the pub is returning to its former name and role of purveyor of ales. There are 6 handpumps, 4 permanent keg lines and 3 guest keg pumps along with handpulled and Aspalls cider. There will very likely also be food such as Sunday lunches - but not today.
The venue has three rooms, one on the right as you come in with books and a fire and lovely new wooden tables, one on the right towards the back, with the spacious bar area on your left, sporting a lovely looking bar. When I arrived, to find myself the customer behind Andy Cullen, the place still smelled of paint and varnish. There is something lovely and evocative about this smell. The sun was trying to shine. The music was grand. The staff were friendly. The beers were good.
To note which, I tried a half of Exit 33 Thirst Aid or similar, a quaffable hoppy starter, and followed this with a Bass. Tom asked me what it was like and I said it was OK, and it was. Maybe not as good, in fact not as good, as that at the Station in Derby, but it was a pleasant quaffable beer. I was joined by Angie and we sat and chatted, with her on Aspalls, and then I got a pint of Buxton Axe Edge on keykeg. It was £5.25 a pint and that is probably about right considering its 6.9% and from Buxton and on keg. And this was a fantastic finisher!
Up the road next and I made my first visit to the Picture House Social. About the time the Beer Engine was first around Bar Abbey opened. I went to see Spithead there, with their tracks such as "Call the Police" and "Skascraper". I was young, skinny and in good shape and walked home half undressed after 3 hours or more of dancing to ska punk. I don't, however, remember much about the beers. Or indeed much else....
The bar is downstairs and features 3 rooms. The main room is larger and the bar is down the right, selling 3 real ales. to the end are the stairs up to the gents and an original Czech Staropramen advert, and there is a seating area and the kitchen. Immediately left is the room where a man from a cocktail bar was manning the festival bar. The Social club is, as far as I can work out, a pub. I don't think you can join, you just visit. The atmosphere as friendly, the lighting was subtle, and the food smelled amazing.
The pub had very helpfully printed a list of beers, which I have somehow contrived to retain. Since I wasn't drinking, and was meeting Tash off the coach a few hours later, I decided to have just a few beers. I started with Hawkshead NZPA at 6%. This was a little less hoppy than I had remembered or expected, but it was also a little young so would probably be perfect now. I also tried a half of the collaborative Blackjack and Arbor "Live long and prosper" a strong pale at 6.1%. They guy serving me said "of course, you know why its called that don't you?". Alas, the answer he gave me when I admitted I did not was not written down on the beer menu. Its something to do with a film. or TV show. or something...
I finished on a Fyne Ales and Siren Wee Milky Way milk black IPA - at least, there is a tick by it on the list. In fact, I actually finished on a 3 way collaboration, which therefore would heave been on keg. In reality, I have no idea hat I finished on. I bet it was nice though.
Yesterday Wee's B K and F along with Matty, Tash and Mum and Martin congregated in Crookes for a double birthday meal. Afterwards we were attending a wdding do at Whitley Hall near Grenoside - for info, no real ale, and Farmers Blonde a whopping £4.95 a bottle - prior to which Wee Fatha drove us across the back lanes to Oughtibridge and onto Wortley.
Wortley Mens Club is the recent recipient of an award from the CAMRA for being good at being a club selling real ale. WF had forgotten to bring the article with the address on but Wortley isn't a big place so we thought it would be easy to find. Having driven down every street and not found it or a soul to ask we gave up and turned up the side of the Worth;ey Arms - and there the club was! Seemingly built onto the back of the pub (but am thinking its not) the beautiful and unusual building houses a friendly club with good beer. So we went in.
The book to sign is behind the bar - WF is a CAMRA member so can sign in, but me and Tash were allowed to be signed in with him as his guests. There were three real ales on - Landlord, Butcombe Bitter and Help for Heroes. WF had a half of the latter and myself and Tash pints of the Butcombe. The small wood panneled bar area was busy so we went and sat at the end of the large high ceiling room, behind which is the snooker room and the gents. The Association Football was on, and the beer tasted lovely.
As Tash pointed out, this was the most attractive working mens club she'd ever been to, and it was mine as well. Although we didn't have long to stay as we had to get off to the do, it was a really pleasant place to sit and relax and savour some quality beer. I understand they have a beer festival on the 18th and 19th July - check their Facebook page for details soon. It is a members club, but CAMRA members can sign in and they seem quite relaxed about who can visit, so it may be worth getting in touch for more details.
So rounds up details of 2 old but new and one entirely new venue, visited s far this Easter. Time for a rest methinks......
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
I said on Friday that I wasn't going to drink. This may seem an implausible statement to make, but I meant it. I had said it Thursday morning as well - any FB followers will have recognised an emerging pattern of determination to remain sober when, in the end, the slightest test of my strength, or indeed, a day at work, send me into a spiraling oblivion of libation. Anyway, with that in mind, soon after waking up I spotted two adverts from chums on Faceache regarding beer and pub type-a-things. And so, once again, I decided to ditch my temperance plan....
Old people will remember that in the 1990's there was an "ale house" on the bottom of Cemetery Road, behind what is now the Chinese fireworks place, called the Beer Engine. I remember it for two reasons: 1. It was like an ale house, but not as good as the Ball on Crookes (then called the Ale house) 2. It was very Whitbread inspired expensive. It wasn't, to be fair, very good. It closed, and became amongst other incarnations, Dulo (s?) bar and Delaneys.
On Good Friday at midday it reopened as the Beer Engine. Run by Tom Harrington and with Alice from the Brothers Arms and other staff previously incumbent at the Sheaf View, the pub is returning to its former name and role of purveyor of ales. There are 6 handpumps, 4 permanent keg lines and 3 guest keg pumps along with handpulled and Aspalls cider. There will very likely also be food such as Sunday lunches - but not today.
The venue has three rooms, one on the right as you come in with books and a fire and lovely new wooden tables, one on the right towards the back, with the spacious bar area on your left, sporting a lovely looking bar. When I arrived, to find myself the customer behind Andy Cullen, the place still smelled of paint and varnish. There is something lovely and evocative about this smell. The sun was trying to shine. The music was grand. The staff were friendly. The beers were good.
To note which, I tried a half of Exit 33 Thirst Aid or similar, a quaffable hoppy starter, and followed this with a Bass. Tom asked me what it was like and I said it was OK, and it was. Maybe not as good, in fact not as good, as that at the Station in Derby, but it was a pleasant quaffable beer. I was joined by Angie and we sat and chatted, with her on Aspalls, and then I got a pint of Buxton Axe Edge on keykeg. It was £5.25 a pint and that is probably about right considering its 6.9% and from Buxton and on keg. And this was a fantastic finisher!
Up the road next and I made my first visit to the Picture House Social. About the time the Beer Engine was first around Bar Abbey opened. I went to see Spithead there, with their tracks such as "Call the Police" and "Skascraper". I was young, skinny and in good shape and walked home half undressed after 3 hours or more of dancing to ska punk. I don't, however, remember much about the beers. Or indeed much else....
The bar is downstairs and features 3 rooms. The main room is larger and the bar is down the right, selling 3 real ales. to the end are the stairs up to the gents and an original Czech Staropramen advert, and there is a seating area and the kitchen. Immediately left is the room where a man from a cocktail bar was manning the festival bar. The Social club is, as far as I can work out, a pub. I don't think you can join, you just visit. The atmosphere as friendly, the lighting was subtle, and the food smelled amazing.
The pub had very helpfully printed a list of beers, which I have somehow contrived to retain. Since I wasn't drinking, and was meeting Tash off the coach a few hours later, I decided to have just a few beers. I started with Hawkshead NZPA at 6%. This was a little less hoppy than I had remembered or expected, but it was also a little young so would probably be perfect now. I also tried a half of the collaborative Blackjack and Arbor "Live long and prosper" a strong pale at 6.1%. They guy serving me said "of course, you know why its called that don't you?". Alas, the answer he gave me when I admitted I did not was not written down on the beer menu. Its something to do with a film. or TV show. or something...
I finished on a Fyne Ales and Siren Wee Milky Way milk black IPA - at least, there is a tick by it on the list. In fact, I actually finished on a 3 way collaboration, which therefore would heave been on keg. In reality, I have no idea hat I finished on. I bet it was nice though.
Yesterday Wee's B K and F along with Matty, Tash and Mum and Martin congregated in Crookes for a double birthday meal. Afterwards we were attending a wdding do at Whitley Hall near Grenoside - for info, no real ale, and Farmers Blonde a whopping £4.95 a bottle - prior to which Wee Fatha drove us across the back lanes to Oughtibridge and onto Wortley.
Wortley Mens Club is the recent recipient of an award from the CAMRA for being good at being a club selling real ale. WF had forgotten to bring the article with the address on but Wortley isn't a big place so we thought it would be easy to find. Having driven down every street and not found it or a soul to ask we gave up and turned up the side of the Worth;ey Arms - and there the club was! Seemingly built onto the back of the pub (but am thinking its not) the beautiful and unusual building houses a friendly club with good beer. So we went in.
The book to sign is behind the bar - WF is a CAMRA member so can sign in, but me and Tash were allowed to be signed in with him as his guests. There were three real ales on - Landlord, Butcombe Bitter and Help for Heroes. WF had a half of the latter and myself and Tash pints of the Butcombe. The small wood panneled bar area was busy so we went and sat at the end of the large high ceiling room, behind which is the snooker room and the gents. The Association Football was on, and the beer tasted lovely.
As Tash pointed out, this was the most attractive working mens club she'd ever been to, and it was mine as well. Although we didn't have long to stay as we had to get off to the do, it was a really pleasant place to sit and relax and savour some quality beer. I understand they have a beer festival on the 18th and 19th July - check their Facebook page for details soon. It is a members club, but CAMRA members can sign in and they seem quite relaxed about who can visit, so it may be worth getting in touch for more details.
So rounds up details of 2 old but new and one entirely new venue, visited s far this Easter. Time for a rest methinks......
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
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