Hello,
I have started doing overtime again, so am now to be found around 16.00 on a Sunday in the Shakespeares. No change there you might say, but crucially, and even after the superlative excess of the Stupidly delicious beers tap takeover, I was overjoyed to find good old Kernel on my Kernel line. Which, as I have previously mentioned, I own.
This time the Kernel in question was their Citra IPA. It had no strength, which am guessing is an oversight, but we think it was about 7.0%. It tasted amazing. When I first tasted a single hopped citra beer years ago (am thinking 2011 or 12) I was blown away by it. Since then however, Centennial, Simcoe and of course Mosaic, have bitten their way into my life, tantalising my palate with every citrussy hop drop, and I kind of lost track of what Citra tasted of. The Kernel Citra IPA reawakened my appreciation of this fantastic and sometimes under appreciated hop. I have used all of the last of my money this month supping Kernel Citra. It was (and remained as of earlier), absolutely amazing - Adam even ordered two kegs of it in, one imagines, direct homage. Or a numerical anomaly.
I also recently went on a birthday beer crawl. Just a short one with Tash and Matty. We met in the Grapes, and Tash had a wine and me and Matty pints of excellent Abbeydale Moonshine - kept in perfect condition as always. We enjoyed them sat in the sunshine out the back, and then walked up to West Street, spotting that Fear and loathing had closed, and caught the bus up to Nether Green. We alighted at the wrong stop and walked for a short while before arriving at the Rising Sun.
Being a Monday perhaps explains why their keg range was depleted. The bar staff told us that the keg they had on wasn't very good - some excellent if perhaps too honest appraising there - and when Matt asked for a taster the beer was in fact water. No wonder they didn't rate it. None of the recent special Abbeydale brews were available and I didn't fancy the guests so myself and Matty had pints of Absolution at something like £3.40 a pint, which is a decent price. I got us a seat outsode in the last of the sun and we enjoyed our well kept wares by the road.
Tash meanwhile had a pint of Aspalls cider on keg for £4.00 a pint. Mainly after being told that the Happy Daze which may be from Black Dragon or Gwynt Y Ddraig, cask cider, was an eye watering £5.20 a pint.
Am glad we were forewarned but am unable to work out why this drink cost so much. I thought you paid significantly less tax or duty on cider which is why its such good value for money for strength? I remember going to a beer festival years ago at a pub where the Westons Vintage (7.2%?) was £3.00 a pint, making it by far the most expensive drink. When I asked why this was they said it was higher priced to put people off because it was strong. I never went there again. I may have my facts wrong about cider duty but it put a real dampener on our visit, and we only stayed for one.
We walked to Endcliffe Park next and stopped for a picnic and then went to the Beer House. The Magic Rock High Wire was £4.20 a pint in here but I know they have put their prices up. It was also on top form. I had a pint of this and Matty a pint of another beer which had a name and a price and came from a brewery. The magic of facts, once again, lacking from my writing.
Tonight, after yesterday gorging on Kernel Citra as well as a third of the Founders KBS stout at 11% in Shakespeares, I have had my final birthday present, which was a can of Magic Rock half cut DIPA at 8%. This beer is right up my street. Gloriously bitter, hoppy, cloudy, citrussy, brilliance in a 500ml can. It features Citra, Mosaic and Denali hops along with KBC 438, Amarillo and Magnum T90. For even more detail there is a link here to their website. The Half cut was a wonderful opaque, hoppy end to the day before pay fay and my birthday month of June.
Here's to another lovely luponic year ahead.
Huzaah!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Beer House Sheffield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beer House Sheffield. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 June 2017
Sunday, 14 February 2016
Two short Sheffield pub crawls
Art-noo,
in the last week I have been out a few times. Well, to be fair, its more than a few. I remain, as well as have been, a very thirsty chap lets face it. Here though are details of two recent such ventures in libation, in sunny, snazzy Sheffield.
The first starts at a micropub. The Beer House on Ecclesall Road was Sheffield's second after Crookes Ale House and then Walkley Beer Co, and is very much symptomatic of its environs. That isn't a criticism, since Walkley Beer Co is as well. If anything its complimentary to recognize that a micropub manages to stick within the unwritten micropub "rules" as well as being popular locally. On this visit I had a pint of Bad Co Ace Gravity IPA and listened in on the conversations around me. Always a nice place to pop in, despite their Twitter claim of being Sheffield's first Micropub.....!
I walked from here towards town and then up to the Bath Hotel, where I met Tash. I bought her a pint of the Hopjacker Steel City Brewing collaboration End of Days, an American Sour Brown. It was odd. Not as sour as I like it, but not as sweet or malty as a brown. Tash liked it more. After trying a pint of Blackjack which was quite tasty I tried the Jaipur on Keg - it tasted of paracetamol and soda water so I swapped it - very generously for a pint of Cloudwater Porter at 6.5% which was lovely. Any ideas what has gone wrong with Jaipur?
We caught the bus to Walkley next and went to the Closed Shop for food. We had pints of Blue Bee Ginger for Tash and Into the Void for me and both got Fish and Chips. Absolutely cracking! The tastiest fish I have had for a long time, lovely and tender with thrice cooked chips and mushy peas. Went down perfectly.
We finished the crawl over the road in the Hallamshire House. We had pints of Thornbridge Melba and Crackendale, and sat on a table with young persons in the back. We also tried a half of Thornbridge Jaipur X, no doubt expertly kept aside for months by the Man of Ash - this proved that despite experiences in 2016, not all Jaipur now tastes woeful. We finished on a bottle of Cloudwater IPA that I espied in the fridge - it may have been a bretted version, I couldn't read the label, but it was still lovely. A fab end to the night.
The next crawl started in Shakespeares - why of course! Myself and Tash were on pints of the ultimate sour beer, the Celt Experience Llamass Harvest at 5. something and £4.20 a pint. We thoroughly enjoyed it taking the enamel off our teeth and making our jaws and palates ache - and that isn't sarcasm.
Off for a change to the Ship Inn next, we haven;t been there for a while so it was nice to have a revisit. The pub no longer does food, or pork scratchings so the only sustenance is crisps - a pack of chorizo each followed with our pints, BrewDog Punk IPA for Tash and a Titanic White Star for me. Not as busy as previously, although January and February weeknights are notoriously quiet, I was a little underwhelmed by the experience. I also didn't rate the beer range, as is often the case. A few older customers came in later and that livened the place up a little, but I think the next 6 months will be key for the Ship. Best of luck!
We went to the Kelham Island Tavern next and took advice on what was best and/or hoppiest. In a recurrent but unsurprising outcome I can't in fact remember what I had! It was however delicious. After I repeated Tash's pint order and we had devoured some delicious scotch eggs, we finished on a pint of the Kernel Simcoe Pale Ale on keg which was everything we hoped it would be. Fine hoppy goodness.
The above demonstrates the range of real ales and keg beers of all kinds available in just seven pubs in Sheffield, and we didn't even venture further than Ecclesall Road. Just a lovely way to spend a few hours each time chatting and catching up and generally putting the world to rights.
More information coming soon about a Saturday spent whiling away the hours in other Sheffield boozers.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
in the last week I have been out a few times. Well, to be fair, its more than a few. I remain, as well as have been, a very thirsty chap lets face it. Here though are details of two recent such ventures in libation, in sunny, snazzy Sheffield.
The first starts at a micropub. The Beer House on Ecclesall Road was Sheffield's second after Crookes Ale House and then Walkley Beer Co, and is very much symptomatic of its environs. That isn't a criticism, since Walkley Beer Co is as well. If anything its complimentary to recognize that a micropub manages to stick within the unwritten micropub "rules" as well as being popular locally. On this visit I had a pint of Bad Co Ace Gravity IPA and listened in on the conversations around me. Always a nice place to pop in, despite their Twitter claim of being Sheffield's first Micropub.....!
I walked from here towards town and then up to the Bath Hotel, where I met Tash. I bought her a pint of the Hopjacker Steel City Brewing collaboration End of Days, an American Sour Brown. It was odd. Not as sour as I like it, but not as sweet or malty as a brown. Tash liked it more. After trying a pint of Blackjack which was quite tasty I tried the Jaipur on Keg - it tasted of paracetamol and soda water so I swapped it - very generously for a pint of Cloudwater Porter at 6.5% which was lovely. Any ideas what has gone wrong with Jaipur?
We caught the bus to Walkley next and went to the Closed Shop for food. We had pints of Blue Bee Ginger for Tash and Into the Void for me and both got Fish and Chips. Absolutely cracking! The tastiest fish I have had for a long time, lovely and tender with thrice cooked chips and mushy peas. Went down perfectly.
We finished the crawl over the road in the Hallamshire House. We had pints of Thornbridge Melba and Crackendale, and sat on a table with young persons in the back. We also tried a half of Thornbridge Jaipur X, no doubt expertly kept aside for months by the Man of Ash - this proved that despite experiences in 2016, not all Jaipur now tastes woeful. We finished on a bottle of Cloudwater IPA that I espied in the fridge - it may have been a bretted version, I couldn't read the label, but it was still lovely. A fab end to the night.
The next crawl started in Shakespeares - why of course! Myself and Tash were on pints of the ultimate sour beer, the Celt Experience Llamass Harvest at 5. something and £4.20 a pint. We thoroughly enjoyed it taking the enamel off our teeth and making our jaws and palates ache - and that isn't sarcasm.
Off for a change to the Ship Inn next, we haven;t been there for a while so it was nice to have a revisit. The pub no longer does food, or pork scratchings so the only sustenance is crisps - a pack of chorizo each followed with our pints, BrewDog Punk IPA for Tash and a Titanic White Star for me. Not as busy as previously, although January and February weeknights are notoriously quiet, I was a little underwhelmed by the experience. I also didn't rate the beer range, as is often the case. A few older customers came in later and that livened the place up a little, but I think the next 6 months will be key for the Ship. Best of luck!
We went to the Kelham Island Tavern next and took advice on what was best and/or hoppiest. In a recurrent but unsurprising outcome I can't in fact remember what I had! It was however delicious. After I repeated Tash's pint order and we had devoured some delicious scotch eggs, we finished on a pint of the Kernel Simcoe Pale Ale on keg which was everything we hoped it would be. Fine hoppy goodness.
The above demonstrates the range of real ales and keg beers of all kinds available in just seven pubs in Sheffield, and we didn't even venture further than Ecclesall Road. Just a lovely way to spend a few hours each time chatting and catching up and generally putting the world to rights.
More information coming soon about a Saturday spent whiling away the hours in other Sheffield boozers.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 31 October 2015
Portland House Micropub
Hello,
on Wednesday I was invited to the soft launch of the new Micropub in Sheffield on Ecclesall Road. I was invited by Tom who worked at the University Arms for six years - I claim to have only just fund out that he is called Tom. This is a recurrent theme in this and most other posts.
The Portland House micropub is at 288 Ecclesall Road in a former Cooplands shop just up from the Nursery Tavern. I can tell you from personal experience that its a good ten minute walk up Ecclesall Road to the Beer House, Sheffield's second Micropub. The Portland has a more modern interior and settees at one end, with benches and chairs and modern tables - one thing I was asked to point out was that the table we sat at was wonky - I hope that's not the floor!
On the first night they Had Henrietta, Portland Black, Red Feather and Harley on from Welbeck Abbey and Saltaire Citra, and Arbor Half Day IPA on as guests on cask, with Wild Fresh on keg at £4.50 a pint. Tom tells me there's a keg of magic Rock in the cellar and other delights awaiting, which is good for me, since I do like a hoppy beer. However, what I do like about the pub is that it admits that not everyone likes a strenuously hoppy beer, so the Welbeck are the more traditional beers with the guests providing the hops.
The first pint was Henrietta for me and this was interesting - I personally think Welbeck are much less hoppy and punchy with their beers now, and this was a great example - a pleasant soft pale with little hop bite - is not how I remember Henrietta. The second pint was of Arbor Half Day IPA - this was more of a red ale than a pale but was very pleasant, if not actually very IPA-y, which is a word.
The pub will also serve food and at the moment they have pork pies and pork and black pudding pies from Wateralls as well as meats and cheese and breads from Welbeck Abbey producers. The olives and sour dough and olive bread on the first night were excellent - I can, assuming these are from the same, see myself popping in for a bite to eat once the food gets off the ground.
I bumped into Nick Wheat and Andy C whilst there - Nick is someone I have known, but never met, for a few years. He was there with his Dad who runs an architects firm nearby - it was he who asked me to mention the table. It was interesting to meet and talk to Wheaty and his Dad and to Andy and Tom - good to catch up with Sheffield beer news.
Bt comparison, after my visit I went up to the Beer House. It was rammed, with Mr Hough doing the quiz. I had a few pints of a lovely hoppy ale which has unfortunately slipped form my memory, and I got sat with Ben and Paula who I impeded in the completion of the quiz. Two thoroughly lovely people who kindly paid off the tab I accidentally created when I discovered the Beer House doesn't have a card machine - the Portland House does!
Sheffield now has three micropubs and all are different in subtle ways. Am looking forward to revisiting all of them, including Walkley Beer Co, sometime in November. Best of luck to Tom and his team and Welbeck Abbey Brewery with Portland House as well.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
on Wednesday I was invited to the soft launch of the new Micropub in Sheffield on Ecclesall Road. I was invited by Tom who worked at the University Arms for six years - I claim to have only just fund out that he is called Tom. This is a recurrent theme in this and most other posts.
The Portland House micropub is at 288 Ecclesall Road in a former Cooplands shop just up from the Nursery Tavern. I can tell you from personal experience that its a good ten minute walk up Ecclesall Road to the Beer House, Sheffield's second Micropub. The Portland has a more modern interior and settees at one end, with benches and chairs and modern tables - one thing I was asked to point out was that the table we sat at was wonky - I hope that's not the floor!
On the first night they Had Henrietta, Portland Black, Red Feather and Harley on from Welbeck Abbey and Saltaire Citra, and Arbor Half Day IPA on as guests on cask, with Wild Fresh on keg at £4.50 a pint. Tom tells me there's a keg of magic Rock in the cellar and other delights awaiting, which is good for me, since I do like a hoppy beer. However, what I do like about the pub is that it admits that not everyone likes a strenuously hoppy beer, so the Welbeck are the more traditional beers with the guests providing the hops.
The first pint was Henrietta for me and this was interesting - I personally think Welbeck are much less hoppy and punchy with their beers now, and this was a great example - a pleasant soft pale with little hop bite - is not how I remember Henrietta. The second pint was of Arbor Half Day IPA - this was more of a red ale than a pale but was very pleasant, if not actually very IPA-y, which is a word.
The pub will also serve food and at the moment they have pork pies and pork and black pudding pies from Wateralls as well as meats and cheese and breads from Welbeck Abbey producers. The olives and sour dough and olive bread on the first night were excellent - I can, assuming these are from the same, see myself popping in for a bite to eat once the food gets off the ground.
I bumped into Nick Wheat and Andy C whilst there - Nick is someone I have known, but never met, for a few years. He was there with his Dad who runs an architects firm nearby - it was he who asked me to mention the table. It was interesting to meet and talk to Wheaty and his Dad and to Andy and Tom - good to catch up with Sheffield beer news.
Bt comparison, after my visit I went up to the Beer House. It was rammed, with Mr Hough doing the quiz. I had a few pints of a lovely hoppy ale which has unfortunately slipped form my memory, and I got sat with Ben and Paula who I impeded in the completion of the quiz. Two thoroughly lovely people who kindly paid off the tab I accidentally created when I discovered the Beer House doesn't have a card machine - the Portland House does!
Sheffield now has three micropubs and all are different in subtle ways. Am looking forward to revisiting all of them, including Walkley Beer Co, sometime in November. Best of luck to Tom and his team and Welbeck Abbey Brewery with Portland House as well.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 22 August 2015
Mad Hatter on cask, Shakespeares, Indy Man Beer Con 2015 and other news.
Hello,
apologies for a lack of writing this month - have lacked time, inspiration, clear memories, time, inspiration....
Anyhoo. in no particular order, here's a round up of some fantastic ales I have drunk in the last 3 weeks.
The day before pay day I was sat by myself in the clock room at Shakesepares. On the bar was an absolute crascker of an ale. Mad Hatter brewing's Toxteth IPA, on cask, at 6.5% and £3.90 a pint. Rather good value am sure you will agree. As I was taking it easy I only had two and a half pints but they were nectar - slightly fruit, citrussy and bitingly bitter hops in the aftertaste, but still well rounded and easy to drink.
I was in the Closed Shop recently supping Blue Bee Reet Pale and another delicious offering from Tynebank. Was good to bump into Mr Ransome and his other half whilst having a relaxing sup and a catch up. Across the road, the Hallamshire House has been a bit hit and miss of late but the Marble Pint (I am not sure about this...!) and the dry hopped Siren (or Cloudwater) Berliner WEiss on keg was a perfect combo. Apologies for fragmented memories of this session!
Sunday saw me and Tash in the York in Broomhill. The excellent Roosters Jasmine Green Tea IPA was on as well as couple pf their other brews, some True North and a red ale called Zakos or similar from Crate Brewery. Sat outside by ourselves we had a couple of pints each, 3 of them were the Green Tea IPA.
Down the hill we also visited the Beer House. Two ales stood out, both from Tiny Rebel. It seems their Cwch has won at the GBBF and Tash had a pint of that, whilst I enjoyed a pint of their Billabong Pale. The pub is quite barren in the back room when its quiet, but at least we had chance to catch up and keep an eye on the time. We had a second round of the same before leaving.
Last night in the Three Tuns we missed the Dark Star Hophead but enjoyed 3 pints each with Matty of the excellent Mallinsons Topaz single hopped ale. Not seeing Mallinsons as much these days so this was a lovely treat, and the hop, and indeed the beer, had a very distinctive and refreshing flavour.
We finished the night in Shakespeares with Rachael and Ade and Cayti and others, drinking pints of North Riding US Session IPA and the amazing cask Mad Hatters Mild, at a whopping 7.4%, and still only £3.90 a pint! Having tried their Dark Hares Black IPA at 7.0% the day or two before I have to say I am very impressed with Mad Hatter brewery beers, having first tried them in Liverpool at their bar last year.
Finally, a quick mention about the Indy Man Beer Con 2015, which rakes place in October from 8th to the 11th at the wonderful venue of Chorlton Victorian Baths. There is a link here to the website for details of tickets. I loved the event last year but have been quite late requesting tickets fr this year's event so may not get to go - not because I don't want to pay, but because there are very few tickets left!
For a taste of how the festival works and the amazing range of ales on in the frankly sumptuous venue, here is a link to my blog post from last year. If there are tickets left I highly recommend a trip.
That#s all I have for now am afraid, but will hopefully blog again before month end.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
apologies for a lack of writing this month - have lacked time, inspiration, clear memories, time, inspiration....
Anyhoo. in no particular order, here's a round up of some fantastic ales I have drunk in the last 3 weeks.
The day before pay day I was sat by myself in the clock room at Shakesepares. On the bar was an absolute crascker of an ale. Mad Hatter brewing's Toxteth IPA, on cask, at 6.5% and £3.90 a pint. Rather good value am sure you will agree. As I was taking it easy I only had two and a half pints but they were nectar - slightly fruit, citrussy and bitingly bitter hops in the aftertaste, but still well rounded and easy to drink.
I was in the Closed Shop recently supping Blue Bee Reet Pale and another delicious offering from Tynebank. Was good to bump into Mr Ransome and his other half whilst having a relaxing sup and a catch up. Across the road, the Hallamshire House has been a bit hit and miss of late but the Marble Pint (I am not sure about this...!) and the dry hopped Siren (or Cloudwater) Berliner WEiss on keg was a perfect combo. Apologies for fragmented memories of this session!
Sunday saw me and Tash in the York in Broomhill. The excellent Roosters Jasmine Green Tea IPA was on as well as couple pf their other brews, some True North and a red ale called Zakos or similar from Crate Brewery. Sat outside by ourselves we had a couple of pints each, 3 of them were the Green Tea IPA.
Down the hill we also visited the Beer House. Two ales stood out, both from Tiny Rebel. It seems their Cwch has won at the GBBF and Tash had a pint of that, whilst I enjoyed a pint of their Billabong Pale. The pub is quite barren in the back room when its quiet, but at least we had chance to catch up and keep an eye on the time. We had a second round of the same before leaving.
Last night in the Three Tuns we missed the Dark Star Hophead but enjoyed 3 pints each with Matty of the excellent Mallinsons Topaz single hopped ale. Not seeing Mallinsons as much these days so this was a lovely treat, and the hop, and indeed the beer, had a very distinctive and refreshing flavour.
We finished the night in Shakespeares with Rachael and Ade and Cayti and others, drinking pints of North Riding US Session IPA and the amazing cask Mad Hatters Mild, at a whopping 7.4%, and still only £3.90 a pint! Having tried their Dark Hares Black IPA at 7.0% the day or two before I have to say I am very impressed with Mad Hatter brewery beers, having first tried them in Liverpool at their bar last year.
Finally, a quick mention about the Indy Man Beer Con 2015, which rakes place in October from 8th to the 11th at the wonderful venue of Chorlton Victorian Baths. There is a link here to the website for details of tickets. I loved the event last year but have been quite late requesting tickets fr this year's event so may not get to go - not because I don't want to pay, but because there are very few tickets left!
For a taste of how the festival works and the amazing range of ales on in the frankly sumptuous venue, here is a link to my blog post from last year. If there are tickets left I highly recommend a trip.
That#s all I have for now am afraid, but will hopefully blog again before month end.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
New pubs in Sheffield
Hello,
for the title of this post, it maybe worth thinking of phrases such as selling coal to Newcastle (mow maybe Eastern Europe), ice to the Eskimo's, and new bottled beer to Asda at Handsworth - all of course, seemingly pointless exercises. However, despite already having a burgeoning throng of frankly excellent and often Nationally renowned boozers, there is, of course, nothing better about real ale than choice. So, why not extend that choice further with some new venues?
Lets start with not a new pub. Yup. It was previously the Sportsman. So why is it in you may ask? Well, to fulfill a journalistic intent. And also because it has changed hands and owners. The pub, on Cambridge Street just off Barkers Pool, gas been reopened following a sensitive but limited refurbishment, as the Tap and Tankard. I haven't checked, but the bar and rumour suggests that Kelham Island Brewery are the new owners.
Visiting a pub for the first time, on a Saturday night before Christmas, is perhaps not the best idea, since it will likely be full of drunk persons and fans of association football, with short tempers. That said, it stood out quite well. On my first visit I was only in for 15 minutes, supping a delicious pint of Pale Rider at £2.90 a pint. My second visit the day after, was less successful. Myself and Miss N went in and she had her all time favourite real ale Pedigree, and I had something from Harthill Village brewery that I liked. The Pedigree, when I finally tried it, was odd. Very odd. Very sweet and thick, like beer concentrate, with none of the sulfurous tones it should display.
I wondered if, since I haven't had any Ped for ages, they had changed the recipe or brewing methods, but I also thought that the sweetness, almost caramelised in taste, was probably a sign of an infection. By this time the pint was almost finished so when we left I mentioned that it didn't taste right. The staff didn't seem confident in defending it, but opted to keep it in, saying I had obviously drunk more Pedigree than them - which I think I have - but then saying that they thought it should taste like that. It shouldn't. This is a new venture and likely just finding its feet but I think I will try it again in the new year to see how things are going.
Next up is an actual new pub. A building that wasn't previously a pub but now is. Its The Beer House, Sheffield's first permanently open micro pub. Its on 635 Ecclesall Road and sells beer. And cider, and some spirits and soft drinks, and Space Raider crisps. Its really quite good.
The former e-cigarettes store has two small rooms, the first housing the small bar with 6 handpumps and a couple of kegs including Stancil Lager, and the second is through a wide opening behind. Admittedly there is also a cellar and access to the toilets. If you want to be precise, you could drink in these. But you wouldn't....
There were four beers on when we arrived, and unfortunately the Marble Pint had run out, but in a rather lengthy wait to get served we spotted the Orchard Gold from Sheffield brewery Fuggle Bunny and had a pint each of that at £3.20. We crammed onto chairs next to a large table at the back and started to look at the pictures, old photographs, and soak up the atmosphere - which is conversation based. And enhanced. Entirely.
Next up we had a half of the FB Russian Rarebit, a stout made with pale malt which was lovely, another half of the Orchard Gold which is made with honey and spice but subtly, and a fantastic pint of wheat beer from Harthill Village Brewery. Hirsche Hugel Bier has a lovely refreshing flavour of, well, wheat malt but also banana and subtle spices. It was very easy to drink and had a lovely smooth but not overly velvety taste. It was so good we had two more pints to finish.
Overall we stayed a couple of hours in the pub and really enjoyed it. I heard rumours they were doing cocktails, and, admittedly that seems non-micropub-ish, but then its not set in stone _ I think - and crucially, I didn't see any evidence. Keep up the good work!
Finally a new pub that might nor exist. You may remember, or I may remember intending to tell you, that the Bell Jar on London Road appeared to have closed. After a few weeks without signs of ;life a large banner has appeared over the door stating "Free House The Albion Real Ales". I don't know any more to be honest, nut it seems a bit too ironic to be a tribute to what, in terms of the Albion, I understood was a resolutely keg only Stones pub for many years. Obviously, when I hear any more I will let you know.
All that remains for me to say is do go and try the new and potentially new pubs out, and more importantly, have a fantastic Christmas and a very happy 2015.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
for the title of this post, it maybe worth thinking of phrases such as selling coal to Newcastle (mow maybe Eastern Europe), ice to the Eskimo's, and new bottled beer to Asda at Handsworth - all of course, seemingly pointless exercises. However, despite already having a burgeoning throng of frankly excellent and often Nationally renowned boozers, there is, of course, nothing better about real ale than choice. So, why not extend that choice further with some new venues?
Lets start with not a new pub. Yup. It was previously the Sportsman. So why is it in you may ask? Well, to fulfill a journalistic intent. And also because it has changed hands and owners. The pub, on Cambridge Street just off Barkers Pool, gas been reopened following a sensitive but limited refurbishment, as the Tap and Tankard. I haven't checked, but the bar and rumour suggests that Kelham Island Brewery are the new owners.
Visiting a pub for the first time, on a Saturday night before Christmas, is perhaps not the best idea, since it will likely be full of drunk persons and fans of association football, with short tempers. That said, it stood out quite well. On my first visit I was only in for 15 minutes, supping a delicious pint of Pale Rider at £2.90 a pint. My second visit the day after, was less successful. Myself and Miss N went in and she had her all time favourite real ale Pedigree, and I had something from Harthill Village brewery that I liked. The Pedigree, when I finally tried it, was odd. Very odd. Very sweet and thick, like beer concentrate, with none of the sulfurous tones it should display.
I wondered if, since I haven't had any Ped for ages, they had changed the recipe or brewing methods, but I also thought that the sweetness, almost caramelised in taste, was probably a sign of an infection. By this time the pint was almost finished so when we left I mentioned that it didn't taste right. The staff didn't seem confident in defending it, but opted to keep it in, saying I had obviously drunk more Pedigree than them - which I think I have - but then saying that they thought it should taste like that. It shouldn't. This is a new venture and likely just finding its feet but I think I will try it again in the new year to see how things are going.
Next up is an actual new pub. A building that wasn't previously a pub but now is. Its The Beer House, Sheffield's first permanently open micro pub. Its on 635 Ecclesall Road and sells beer. And cider, and some spirits and soft drinks, and Space Raider crisps. Its really quite good.
The former e-cigarettes store has two small rooms, the first housing the small bar with 6 handpumps and a couple of kegs including Stancil Lager, and the second is through a wide opening behind. Admittedly there is also a cellar and access to the toilets. If you want to be precise, you could drink in these. But you wouldn't....
There were four beers on when we arrived, and unfortunately the Marble Pint had run out, but in a rather lengthy wait to get served we spotted the Orchard Gold from Sheffield brewery Fuggle Bunny and had a pint each of that at £3.20. We crammed onto chairs next to a large table at the back and started to look at the pictures, old photographs, and soak up the atmosphere - which is conversation based. And enhanced. Entirely.
Next up we had a half of the FB Russian Rarebit, a stout made with pale malt which was lovely, another half of the Orchard Gold which is made with honey and spice but subtly, and a fantastic pint of wheat beer from Harthill Village Brewery. Hirsche Hugel Bier has a lovely refreshing flavour of, well, wheat malt but also banana and subtle spices. It was very easy to drink and had a lovely smooth but not overly velvety taste. It was so good we had two more pints to finish.
Overall we stayed a couple of hours in the pub and really enjoyed it. I heard rumours they were doing cocktails, and, admittedly that seems non-micropub-ish, but then its not set in stone _ I think - and crucially, I didn't see any evidence. Keep up the good work!
Finally a new pub that might nor exist. You may remember, or I may remember intending to tell you, that the Bell Jar on London Road appeared to have closed. After a few weeks without signs of ;life a large banner has appeared over the door stating "Free House The Albion Real Ales". I don't know any more to be honest, nut it seems a bit too ironic to be a tribute to what, in terms of the Albion, I understood was a resolutely keg only Stones pub for many years. Obviously, when I hear any more I will let you know.
All that remains for me to say is do go and try the new and potentially new pubs out, and more importantly, have a fantastic Christmas and a very happy 2015.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
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