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

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    

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 45th Sheffield Beer festival.....

Hellall,

      I must apologise for my lateness in providing info regarding this excellent event - I can assure you that it in no way reflects the quality of the venue or the happenstance, instead its simply that I have been wondering whether I was really sufficiently qualified to write up about this fest - the principal reason for which, instead of my brain injury, simply being that this year despite its earlier-ness I only visited once. And that was a monetary decision.

And so here is what I found.....

Arriving at 18.00 I was queuing before Wee Keefy joined me. I have to say it seemed busier than previous years - attendance on a Wednesday night used to be quiet, but I waited ten minutes to get in. Not a long time I accept, just a surprise if nothing else. Once I had paid the fee - which as well as getting you in also got you a glass and a fiver's worth of tokens, I headed straight into the downstairs tent and bumped into S.o.J and Jack. The kind fella even gave me a free programme which I had for some weird reason avoided buying - at just 50 pence. The info would have perhaps made my initial choice better - having asked for a pale hoppy beer I was sold a half of Peak Ales IPA, which was a decent sup, but a tad disappointing. S.o.J was on the excellent Williams Brothers Tin Man Tropical IPA at 5.5% and this was my second sample, and regardless of my being a Williams Brothers fan this was much better and well balanced. Joined now by WK we headed upstairs to find a 4Ts beer, and bumped into Josh, Bob, Marv White and his mate, along with Vikki and Matt. And the search for beers continued.....

I wanted to try a 4T's Papa Mangoes, a 7.0% ale described as a Mango fruit Double IPA. I was a little worried by the strength - not that it was too high, instead that for a double IPA it should be 8% minimum. The smell was very nice but the taste had an awful background - described as a children's cough syrup by Vikki, and as I went further down I had to agree - perhaps hoppy Calpol?

Things desperately improved next with a half of the Blue Bee Mosaic Brut IPA at 7.4% - always a fan of their stronger strongly hoppy beers this was a worryingly easy to drink IPA which ticked all the right boxes. After a wander and a very slow purchase of more tokens I dropped down to a Born in the Borders Flower of Scotland, a pale ale with some good flavours and a decent amount of Scottish malt to blend it. Things then got better still.

There were two cask ales from Almasty , Cashmere and Amarillo Cyro Pale was an excellent blend at 5% and their Mosaic and Azzaca IPA at 6% was phenomenal.  I am led to believe by a mixture of memories and scribbles that I also tried a half of the Arbor Yakima Valley at 7.0%, but am not certain whether or not I may have simply imagined this what with said beer being a big favourite. And now it was time to head down to the Keg room to sample some truly excellent ales.

I started on a third of the Abbeydale and Box Social Voyager IPA 19. All of a sudden the ale was soupy and tasted of excellent hops. The night was thereafter good. Not that it didn't get better, as next was one of my two halves of frankly excellent Cloudwater DIPA at a robust 9% - I finished my visit on the second. Am also sure I tried a third of St Mars of the Desert's excellent Clamp, a fab 5.4% IPA, and possibly a Track You Do You 7.0% IPA. Its fair to say I may have been a trifle relaxed by this stage, and that may also explain my lack of information regarding the taste of the latter.

I left about 22.00 having had a fab night, with some fab people, including Johnny and Declan from Bar Stewards, and also Nate and Lucy, whom I bumped into in the Keg bar.  It was interesting to hear of a complaint that a nearby barman received, where a punter said "thi sell that Keg beer un are dornt lark it, nevah goin again" an automatically infuriating comment, not because of the rejection of keg as a style, instead the fact that they sold over two hundred cask beers as well! They must have walked straight in the keg bar and without a word walked straight out......

Despite not being able to attend another night I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and with just one exception all the beer tasted was on excellent form. Big thanks to all the volunteers, and specifically to Mr Morton for his excellent role in ordering the beers for this fab festival.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy    

Bar Stewards turns one year old

Hullabaloo,

      although Al and Charlie have been open to the public for longer, its was a year ago yesterday that they got their full license at Bar Stewards on Gibraltar Street, opposite Shakespeares. To celebrate, a marvelous line up of ales on cask and keg and in bottle and can were amassed, live music was performed, three seasons of weather took place and crowds of thirsty wellwishers drank in the pub and beer garden.

The lads had been busy brewing a couple of special beers, including Solo - a geek story, a 6.6% pale brewed at Blue Bee, and a hazy 6.9% IPA brewed at Lost Industry called Ingenious Bar Stewards. Am not sure I tried that, but arriving at 14.30 I started on the Solo on cask as soon as I arrived. It was a wonderfully hoppy ale, and ticked all the boxes for what I wanted and expected.

Given the mad rain and thunder in the Friday morning the air was cooler and more rain was forecast, so I had to wear a short over my Tee Shirt. In fact, it was already starting to rain when I arrived, and some of the flags in the front window blew down early on, giving some notice of the weird weather that awaited us. Initially I sat inside but once joined by Vikkie and Matt we went outside where the strong sunshine had dried the seating and the number of visitors increased quickly. Although, four older gents came across the road from Shakespeares earlier and were horrified to discover that the weakest of the three casks was 5%. They left. I know they may have been on an all dayer but they could have had halves, silly old fuffers.....

I had half a Deya next, another cloudy golden swig of hops from Cheltenham's finest, before I persuaded Vikkie to buy me a pint of Verdant Even planets twinkle, or similar, a fabulous murky DIPA at 8.5%. It was, unsurprisingly, wonderful. Although I didn't dare look at how much it cost.....

A couple of cans followed, one of which was a Loka Polly DIPA featuring some of my favourite but thus far unremembered hops, and I had another half of the Verdant, and possibly shared a can of Verdant Neal gets things done. Or possibly not. I think the mini beer tasting I had Friday night and three consecutive nights drinking prior to that may have muddled my brain a little, resulting in  a modicum of misrememberance....

A couple of heavy showers fizzed over us, sending some scarpering inside as if made of sugar, but we simply stayed put and got wet, and as the crowds got ever bigger Stumbling Andy played blues guitar, whilst we and others petted his dog. Rich and Kath turned up, as did clan Seaton and Unpro, and there were numerous other well known members of the scene including Pete, and Andy Morton. It seemed as if everyone wanted to wish the Stewards the very best, and Vikkie and Matt even got them a birthday card featuring some of Matt's finger on window handiwork!

According to texts I sent to Tash I was home by half 8 so probably left bout 19.50 after just over five hours supping. Since the Solo at 6.6% was probably the weakest beer I drank all day its hardly surprising that I neither remember getting home, nor cooking and eating my tea. I did though, so there.

New micropubs continue to open in Sheffield with a number since Bar Stewards started out in early 2017. It seems the demand for small independent places to drink free of tie remains unabated, with proposed new venues in Hillsborough and Crookes on the cards. Through dedication, hard work and a genuine love of beer the Bar Stewards have built their reputation and created a reputable and reliable place to drink, meet and chat with similar minded folks.

Heres wishing them many more years of growth and excellence ahead.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Little Critters Brewing Co

Evenorl,

   I think its fair to say I was underwhelmed by my first taste of Little Critters beer. I may even have referenced the "full mash" brewing style beloved of Whitbread's regiment of brewpubs in the 80's and 90s. I was pleased to see that it was well priced, but it wasn't until they brewed their Hazelnut Milk porter at 6.0% that I started to take any serious notice. This has been joined in their range by the 6.5% C Monster, which, their website tells us, features Columbus, Centennial, Chinook and Cascade hops in the mix. Regular readers my realise that this combination of hops and strength makes me a happy chap.

I may be wrong but am sure there has been more than one version of C monster with different hops - there are certainly two pumpclips. If anyone can confirm that would be much appreciated. On Saturday I was meeting Wees K and F, Tash, Mumraah, Meathouse and Martin for a birthday celebration for my Mum and Tash at long time haunt the Ball on Crookes. The C Monster was on cask at £3.40 a pint at 6.5%. I had three pints, and it was excellent.

I had found recently that every time I went into Shakespeares, with few exceptions, I had looked at the keg line up first. The last time I was in they had the Kernel pale on at 7.0% or similar for £5.40 a pint. This has been the standard Kernel price for a couple of years now and represents  good value for money. Alas I cannot recall which hops were in the mix, although there may be a piccy on Faceache..... (update, their post says Mosaic, Simcoe and Ekuanot. It was absolutely ace, I can confirm).

The point is, there are in fact excellent cask hoppy ales, but less so than on keg and in can or bottle, which does not have a k in it. Northern Monk Heathen and Neepsend Double Centennial (or century) are notable exceptions but am drawn to cask less than I used to be. This means that the C monster, with a decent level of IBU and wonderful hops list, is a reliable fall back when in pubs of um...less stature. That regards beer choice I hasten to add, before anyone gets knicker-twisty.

For years we have had many small micro and nano breweries in Sheffield but apart from Blue Bee, Steel City and Abbeydale, very hoppy strong pale ales have been hard to come by in many pubs. Recently however the scope and reach of the three previously mentioned brewers has extended, as has that of Little Critters, meaning a hophead like myself now has a choice of decent quaffable lupilous pints in many more boozers.

Lets hope this trend continues, so that I am able to go out to different pubs once in a while and still come home hop sated every time.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Reetaleless

Hello,

     I was going to write this last post of March 2017 about two real ale pub crawls, a beer fest, incompetent fuckwitted staff at Wetherspoons putting their fingers in drinks, but now am going to address in some way, the demise of Reet ale pubs.

I say that, but in fact I know nothing about their demise.

There will be accusations, allegations and no doubt, recriminations, but I don't know what has happened. So instead I will try and provide an assessment of the three pubs affected before Reet Ale took over.

I should say first of all that there are some persons suggesting that declaring bankruptcy on the 30th or 31st of March is a beneficial way of doing so as it escapes or avoids some taxes or fines. Am not sure this is true, but if it is then so be it. This post serves ostensibly to celebrate.

The Closed Shop was a shambles prior to being taken over by Reet Ale pubs. The Hallamshire regularly supplied staff to lock up whilst the incumbent at the time was pissed, drugged asleep or all three upstairs. His tenure was rightly cut short, not long after I went in to find one real ale on, a nineteen year old manager who had started that day and no prospects of improvement.

The Punch Bowl was popular on Crookes but not necessarily with beer drinkers. Cask ale was limited to one or two and was poor in terms of choice. There wasn't any chance of an in house cooked pizza, and though it improved slowly the beer range after Andy took it over was far better than before.

The Three Tuns struggled for many years.  It usually had a few real ales but seemed to exist entirely for HSBC staff and local solicitors and so was a less often visited venue. There were numerous changes of owner with various similar outcomes of ale, food and design but to be fair, bar a rare visit at Christmas, I rarely went in.

As you may know, in recent years the Three Tuns, especially, has been one of my favourite pubs.

This makes the announcement today or yesterday that it (and am led to believe the other pubs) will be closed indefinitely hard to take. And that doesn't even start to address the issues and concerns of current staff at all 3 venues which must number fifteen or twenty. I just hope however that all involved can find alternative employment, and in some cases accommodation, elsewhere in Sheffield ASAP.

In short its a sad, sad day for Sheffield. However, Blue Bee seems safe, and the Rutland is in Chris and Dave's hands. So, in fact, all is not lost. What remains however is tainted.

Thank you Reet Ale pubs.

You did well in your role. Until yesterday.

Yours

Wee Beefy

Sheffield beer week, thus far (ish)

Hulloo,

        am writing this post partly as an apology for all those wonderful folk who have worked tirelessly to get the event off the ground initially, and running for its third year. Have not really planned to do much this year for various reasons, apart from the Beavertown and Weird Beard Tap Takeovers at the Hallamshire House and Shakespeares respectively. Meanwhile, all I have done so far is go to the Three Tuns and Shakespeares.

In there on Monday I found a slip of paper on my table as I indulged in some Berlin IPA from somewhere overseas. It was wonderful, very citrus hoppy which I hadn't been expecting. It was strong so perfect to start with, and had a very refreshing taste but with a big slab of hops in the background.

The slip of paper said Imperial Stouts cellar list, and listed three very strong dark beers. These were Abbeydale and Beer Ink Smore than a feeling at 9% (which I didn't have because it said it tasted of Smores, and I don't know what they are!), and Steel City and Lost Industry Pastor of Muppets at 11.5% which had communion wafers in the cask and is a pale stout blended, or perhaps brewed with the addition of, Chateneuf Du Pape, one of my favourite red wines. The final was Atom Neutron Star, a 12 or 12.6% vanilla coffee stout.

Halves of the latter were ordered from the cellar and I sat in the front room supping them, along with finishing my IPA. I spent much of that time talking to a Sheffielder called Matt - someone who I have no doubt seen many times but only just got to tale to. Hello! Please remember to be impressed that I think I can remember your name....

Beers wise, both stouts were excellent. What I like about the Atom brewery is that they know how to make surprisingly easy drinking very strong beers. Their philosophy of using herbs, botanics and flowers in their beers and am led to believe, almost no hops, makes them stand out, and this beer was no exception. It tasted its strength, of course, but didn't cloy or hang in the mouth. It was smooth and powerfully delicious, like a faerie oil slick of loveliness....

The Pastor of Muppets was also excellent - not so much pale, likely because of the hue of the red wine which if I recall is fairly dark, but sumptuous to taste - am not sure I could identify flavours of wine but this was, in a good way, unlike almost any stout I have had before. Another outstanding offering.

No doubt at some point I will google smores and attempt the Abbeydale beer as well. I finished, strangely with halves of Alechemy, just because I love their stuff, and what may have been the excellent Breakfast IPA V3 from Neepsend and Hopjacker. Both well below the percentages of the others. Five of the excellent ales that night were brewed in Yorkshire. Tha norrs.

Am hoping to have further updates in due course but as I said I haven't planned that much. And, for info, as well as the excellently East Lancashirely pronounced Chinooook from Blue Bee, the Three Tuns also had the excellent Blue Bee Waimau single hopped pale ale on. Not linked to Sheffield beer week I don't think, it was nonetheless an excellent beer which told me a lot about its inclusion in and the flavours it imparted in their excellent Land of the long white cloud pale ale recently.

For those of you more organised, dedicated, and perhaps with a surfeit of funds (!) here is a link to the list of events between now and the past and future.

lease do everything you can to support and enjoy this wonderful annual event.

Cheeeeeers!

Wee Beefy

Crackers

Hello,

         not ones that go crunch or pop, nor a oft used term for mental illness light, instead a description of three beers I have had in fine sunny Sheffield this last week. As you may have noted from previous posts, I am rather a fan of drinking excellent ales in Sheffield pubs - as are my bank and credit card firms. Whilst I negotiate repaying that slab of debt (and am nearly there by the way) I have recklessly used the last of my savings, funds, credit, and payments in kind, to secure excellent, or rather cracking, ales.

On Sunday I ended up in Shakespeares, in a radical departure from my established drinking patterns. The last three Sundays (I think, they are just numbers after all) I have been in after work and they have had a stunning Kernel Pale ale on. Its no exaggeration to say I have very much warmed to Kernel since early disappointments with their Table beer and a lingering distrust of filthy keg. Their 4 hop IPA at 6.7% was one of my beers of last year (it was Citra Centennial Mosaic and something else if memory fails). This one was Mosaic and Vic Secret. Given that Mosaic remains one of my favourite hops it was not going to disappoint. It did not. A sumptuous, refreshing, opaque masterpiece of hoppy goodness. I may have had quite a few pints. It was bloody fab.

Neepsend Brewery have been knocking out some rather fantastic ales of late. I blogged at a point in the past about their Century IPA which was a fantastic hoppy cask ale - probably more impressive in terms of the citrus, tropical hoppy bite given that it wasn't served on keg, which is usually the better way of serving such beers.

At the Three Tuns last week, as well as having the excellent company of the Director of Andrew Inns, I also had the wonderful choice of drinking the Neepsend and Hopjacker Breakfast IPA 3 - coffee black IPA.

I realise that those long in the tooth or indeed short in the patience with novelty beers may think the above described pottage is just that, but in fact its not a novelty at all - instead its a desperately clever brew. The coffee element in a black IPA is brilliant - giving it a roasted, smooth and hoppy flavour - which is surely what a black IPA should be (comments on what a Black IPA should be, as well as, the definition of "craft", are permanently closed). I had several pints including the last one with, as the barman honestly, if a little too so, put it "all the crud in the bottom". As I explained, I am not averse to crud. Not that kind anyway.

The final sharpshooter is from Blue Bee, another renowned and favourite Sheffield brewery. Arriving once again at the Three Tuns I noticed a new Blue Bee beer called the Land of the Long White Cloud. It featured Motueka, Rakau and Waimea hops and it sounded lovely but to my horror I noticed it was only 3.5%. Gah! Nearly half my starting strength! However, a man with facial hair and limbs and MC Miker G behind the bar both recommended it over the Intrepid Pale (which being that I had already discounted) and so I had a pint.

As the entry on the Blue Bee section on the Sheffield CAMRA website states "although low on alcohol this beer won't be short in flavour". Never a truer word spoken. A monumental wall of citrussy and, having been prompted, piney flavours hits you and lingers long in the mouth. There's plenty of bitterness but the resiny notes balance the brew perfectly. You could easily have this beer to follow a hoppy IPA as it holds its strength of flavour so well. I had two and a half pints last night and savoured every mouthful - I strongly recommend you go to the Tuns today and do the same.

Full marks as always to both pubs, and all four breweries for consistently producing, keeping and serving excellent and crucially. well balanced beers in cask and keg in Sheffield.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Reet

Good afternoon Lazerngennulmern

        it occurred to me today (well, during a quiet period of reflection on Christmas Day actually) that it has taken me until now, or rather then, to realise the following.....

The "Reet Ale Pubs Company" sounds like the Retail Pubs Company.

Its taken me the three or maybe four or more years since their inception to figure this out. It explains, for one, the pronunciation used by Mr Stephens's. Its also "funny" because Reet Ale sounds like retail. And as a pub company, they retail not only ale, in their Reet Ale Pubs, but also retail Reet Pale Ale in their Reet Ale Pubs.

Its a pun!

Ha ha!

Ha ha!

(etc)

And yes, I can confirm that Boxing day and today have been quiet, thanks for asking.

With warmest twixt winter solstice and years end regards

Wee Beefy.

A Saturday crawl to the Beer Engine

Hello,

       whilst yesterday myself and Christingpher spent hours battling mud and rain in the Derbyshire Dales, the Saturday before I was in town around mid afternoon and in need of somewhere to go. You know, to keep warm. And fed. And maybe watered....

I started in the Three Tuns where I bumped into the lovely Dave for a hug and to show her my valentines card for Tash. I had two pints of lovely Blue Bee Transatlantic Pale ale, a nice starter to an hour or five of supping. It was good to catch up with Nathan and later Siobhan, or Jamie, and I also had a delicious bacon sandwich. I did however fancy something a bit different so headed up to the Bath Hotel.

The pub was rammed when I arrived, with a  crowd of the noisiest people on earth stood and sat in teh front bar. After buying a pint of Blackjack I sat down with Dan Ransome and Kara and friends and told them that I had come for a relaxing pint - seems they had too, but this was not happening! They soon left and I sat by myself for a while before venturing to the bar to find out of Chris and Stef and Mark were OK, before finding out that long departed Dada barman Jamie would be in town and maybe the Bth that night. Alas I couldn't hang around to see him, maybe next time.

Whilst there I tried the hops and dreams from Brew Foundation on keg -  a great example of a beer that simply does not work on keg! Instead I had a pint of Blackjack and a half of Jaywick to tide me over.

Off next to the Devonshire Cat to try the rye IPA that Nathan had told me about - it wasn't to my liking, quite jarring and not very well balanced. It was either an Intrepid or Bad Co beer if memory serves. Instead I went for the pricey Siren Liquid Mistress on keg at over £6.00 a pint. As always this was a lovely flavourful beer, which I enjoyed supping whilst watching some rugby and chatting to Rich and Kath and Tom.

I was supposed to be heading home from here but on West Street I encountered a drunk mentalist supping Oranjeboom strong from a can - whilst doing which he didn't notice the 52 and ran into the road shouting and waving his arms. He then proceeded to kick the bus shelter and shout abuse. I was waiting for the 52A so assumed he would get on the bus with me so I jumped on the 95 instead and got off at the top of the Moor. A short walk took me down to he Beer Engine.

This is probably only my third visit this year but it ended up being just as good if not better than my last visits. Mind you, initially I was disappointed by the cask offerings, mainly dark or Intrepid or Bad Co or the now identifiably bland Hops and Dreams - which I can confirm tasted mainly of dreams. I spotted the Axe Edge on cask so asked for a pint but was told that had run out. In the end I opted for a bottle of Wild Sourbeast and supped that whilst talking once again to Rich and Kath.

At this point Baz turned up and asked me which one of the 5 beers he had on offer I wanted him to put on next. I immediately recommended the Bad Seed IPA at 7.2% on keg. By the time I had finished my lovely bottle of chocolate sour the keg was ready and I straight away ordered a lovely, thick, light orangey red IPA. It was tremendous. t may have been £6.00 a pint but it was worth every penny.

After a quick chat with David and Patrick and after Rich and Kath had departed I sat with Barry for a bit and had an enjoyable catch up. Another pint of the excellent IPA was purchased as well as a bottle of a Blackjack IPA at 10.1% which I am keeping safe in the fridge. I finished the IPA, now a trifle refreshed, and was very kindly assisted in getting home.

Once more, another fantastic afternoon, evening and night of drinking in Sheffield pubs ended perfectly.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

The Three Tuns is pub of the month!

Hello,

        as per usual with my blog am behind the times - after all, its Friday and the award was made on Tuesday night. That's not actually that bad by recent standards. So here's what happened on Tuesday at the Three Tuns public house Silver Street Head in Sheffield.

The Three Tuns public house Silver Street Head in Sheffield is a lovely long, thin, almost ships bow shaped pub not unlike the Talbot Tap or similar in Ripley. You've all been there. It has a bar opposite the top and bottom entrance, the lower being where all the lovely real ales are kept, the upper where the less meritable lagers ciders and one keg ale live.

The pub is fitted out to a high standard with lots of old woodwork and a wonderful area which I call the bow, probably erroneously, at the right end of the pub. The seating is mostly fixed in the right end and with stools and more fixed seating at the left where the entrance to the loos are. The sating is form the lovely wooden and brass bar. Its really rather attractive I have to say. A lovely place, assuming the quiz isn't on, to go for a quiet pint.

They also do food - much less now Phil has left, but the pork pies an chip butties with bacon and blue cheese are excellent, and I believe they still do a stew or curry - a note though, food is only served til 19.00. On Tuesday I asked Ethan if there would be any food - it was 19.15 so he said he would have thought not. Gawd blezzim. He was "pulling my leg". It was a POTM award night. Food was on its way!

On the bar I and Tash had pints of the interesting Ashover Fabrick Pale Ale, and Matty the Blue Bee Tempest Stout. After this opener, all of us moved onto the 6% Blue Bee Into the Void, a delicious Black IPA. Several, if not numerous, pints were supped, as the pub started to fill up, and we were soon joined by Mr P and Sean. Soon after the food arrived,and thronged by CAMRA folks and regulars alike, everyone massed to celebrate the recent achievements of one of my most frequently visited pubs.

I got some photos of the staff behind the bar, showing off their award proudly. At this point a bloke in the crowd at the front said to Kate, or Dave as you will know her if you read this blog and don't visit the Tuns "Get yer tits out love". I wasn't aware of this, I just saw Kate look at someone and say "why the hell would you say that to me?". Apparently the sexist prick thought it was hilarious and looked around us for support, as if it were 1951 in a town called Retard. It was not. He was still a prick. When confronted about it, he said that the pub was shit - despite having been there four or five hours and spending £40.00. Like I said. A prick.

Still, this din;t put a downer on the evening and after Tash and Mr P went, I finished off some of the excellent Blue Bee Geek (I did not see which one because it wasn't officially on yet, if you get me) and left about 23.30, five hours after arriving, whilst Siobhan and Methane took down the bunting and balloons.

Well done once again to Andrew Inns and their hard working staff, Nathan, Ethan, Mark (possibly?) Kate, Jamie and a lady with a French name which I have forgotten since last night (sorry lady with a  French name that I have forgotten since last night). Its great to see for their customer service, hard work, choice of beer and tolerance, rarely I am happy to report, of simpletons from the past rewarded. Long may this excellent recipe for success continue.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Brothers Arms Beer Festival and the Heeley Triangle

Good evening,

           well, yesterday I went to the very first Brothers Arms beer festival, and to the two other pubs in the Heeley Triangle. Of ale.... and what a night it was! Probably the busiest pub event I have ever been to, and a hugely enjoyable one to boot, with friends and fanily and new folk joining in the drinking and chatting and general badinage. Here some details.....

I arrived a bit later than planned but it was still a little light as I walked up the hill to the Brothers Arms. I knew my friends in Kingfisher Blue ere playing and as a soon as I started walking up from Chesterfield Road I could hear Jake's distinctive voice. The Brothers Arms looked spectacular in its well lit position overlooking Sheffield, and there were numerous cars parked outside - and uncountable numbers of punters inside.

Having not really looked into details of the festival I foolishly assumed all the beers would be on the bar. To be fair, it was so busy when I arrived I could only see three handpulls so chose from that - a pint of Blue Bee called Brewers Gold and a half of the strong Black Mass from Abbeydale Brewery - which came to a very good value £3.90. It probably only took 5 minutes to get served - and just as long again to get outside to see Kingfisher.

Which I did, but only for the last 3 songs, although in some ways this was good because it included Plastic Jesus, a favourite of mine (and not because it includes a rude word), as well as a rousing singalong finisher before they had to leave the stage. I saw Angie, Rich , Wee Keefy, Jambon, Jo, Paddington and a lady and a lass called Caitlin who turned out to be Jambon's daughter. We chatted for a while outside (in teh cold rain and wind) before fining a small corner to stand inside near the door.

I then discovered the festival bar was outside, at the end of the tent at the opposite end to the stage. I handed back my empties and struggled outside once more and ended up with a pint of Rational Black IPA from Blue Bee and a delicious half of something dark and hoppy from Hawkshead. By this time Wee Keefy and Jambon et al had decamped to the Sheaf view having been at the Brothers for 4 hours, so I went back out and had a pint of a hoppy beer from Oakham and possibly half a Blackjack - alas, so busy was it, I didn't even get to photograph the blackboard advertising the beers!

After chatting with Ally and Malc, Rich and Carlos (and Andy - hello!) I finished up and headed down to the Sheaf View. One of the knock on effects of the Brothers being so rammed was that many people migrated to the other points of the triangle, nearest of which was the Sheaf. I know it gets very busy on a Saturday night anyway, but this was another heaving venue. In keeping with recent posts, and bearing in mind this was only last night, am afraid I can't remember what I had to drink. That's proper journalism...!

Our final stop was at the White Lion. We managed to get in the snug and sat down to enjoy a [pint of Sequoia for me (since the Jaipur had run out) and to chat and catch up. The pub was likewise busy, and there may also have been a band on when we got there. Great evidence, across the three, of the benefits of holding a beer festival in one of the pubs in he Heeley Triangle. Of ale.....

I got in a taxi towards Crookes without Carlos alas, and jumped out at Brook Hill - I did ask the taxi driver t stop of course. I then ran very quickly down Brook Hill to the Shakespeares to grab a pint and to chat to Mr Bamford who seemed a little tired.

Am hoping to nip back to the Brothers in a bit, especially as there is a Siren beer that was yet to come on last night. I may even splash out on a pizza if they are available - they smelled and looked gorgeous. Congratulations to the Brothers Arms for organising such a fantastic beer festival.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Crackers

Greetings,

           as this is my day off work, I have decoded to use my time well. So, what better way than to relate some tales of excellent ales I have tasted recently Well, now I have said that, I can think of numerous better ways, personally, but lets not allow that to distract from this treatise on tasty tipples.

Although it has recently run out - it did Saturday when I tried to buy a half - the excellent Beavertown Holy Hoppin Hell made an appearance on keg at Shakespeares. This time it seemed to be stronger, myself and Doctor Pat remembered it being 8.5% last time, but this time its a whopping 9.5%. Being a that London brewer, and on keg, and 2% above the HSBD mark, it was £6.60 a pint. But given its more than twice the strength of beers half the price in other pubs I don't think that's bad value for money. And you wouldn't have wanted more than a pint. It had a vinous orangey quality with an aroma slightly of sherbet and citrus, and actually, the hops were obscured somewhat by the alcohol. It took me an hour to drink a half on Friday so that gives you a measure of its potency. Despite that, it is still far better than some of the clumsy depthcharge soups of the 1980's and 90's.

Also on the bar is/was the Maori Red from Blue Bee Brewery. Although only 4.8 (or.5, not sure) the beer is packed with flavour and the red element makes it very rounded and easy to drink, with a hoppy bite in the background. Well worth a try since its out and about at present.

The Bath Hotel today should still have on Fraoch from Heather Ales. Sorry - I meant Williams Bros. I say this because I first tasted Fraoch, which a brewery rep told me is pronounced "Frook" in 1994 when I bought a rather nice labelled bottle of it from the Dram Shop in Commonside. It was brewed by Heather Ales, and called Leann Fraoich. Catchy.  It was, I have to say, very much unlike anything I had tried before. I have tried it on cask a few times since, and also been to the brewery in Strathven many years ago to taste their Grozet Gooseberry ale straight from the conditioning tank - well, not straight - i had it in a glass.....

The brewery has now moved to Alloa and seems to have quite an impressive marketing machine behind it - and it helpfully tells you what the beer tastes like. If you see their link here there is much info, although personally I think its sweeter and less herbal and floral than previously. Well worth a try on cask either way.

Also at the Bath hotel is a Burning Sky Saison. With one rare exception I have always loved their saisons, and this is another fine example.  Its 6.7% and on keg. Alas the Bath has less freedom on prices than say, Shakespeares, so I recall it being pricey but it is a great refreshing beer that due to being on keg , takes that little bit longer to sup, and a little longer for you to savour.   

The final recent tipple to take the eye, and one which was delivered throughout Sheffield recently is another Sheffield beer from Blue Bee. Ella IPA is made with Australian Ella hops and is an easy drinking, slightly less ascorbicly hoppy 5.0% IPA. They have used Ella before in their Reet Aussie Pale and I have found it really easy to drink. It may not be on now at the Three Tuns where I had several pints, but it will no doubt be in the better Sheffield real ale pubs now.

Hope you all get chance to try some of the above beers soon!

Cheers

Wee Beefy

Pints of cold baffler

Hello,

         recently I have had a cold. But wait...there's more. Some of Sheffield's finer pubs have, also recently,  managed  to offer me pints that I could actually taste through the film of lung butter and various mucas that inhabited my throat and mouth. Yum.....

It all started about a fortnight ago in Shakespeares. Myself and Tash had already been in the Three Tuns supping Sunny Republic Hop Dog, a 5.5% IPA, and afterwards we headed the short distance to Shakespeares. And there it was. Buxton Wyoming Sheep Ranch Double IPA at 8.4%. Wow. Goodness in a glass. Class in a pot. Love in a dimpled mug.

The Buxton, having been brewed by them and being a whole percent above the HSBD level, was a trifle expensive. However, it was also a trifle strong, as I said. And it tasted superb. Some of you I know will balk at this, but I didn't mind paying £4.80 a pint for what was an impeccable, and worryingly suppable IPA. It was packed with hops but no overwhelmingly bitter, had smooth malt in the background and a sensational, lingering, bitter finish.

Later that week myself and Tash found ourselves in the Bath. Hotel. On the bar was a delightful Anarchy Brew Co Blonde at a sessionable strength. As my nose streamed and voice fought not to disappear, I was drinking the Blonde in readiness for a pint of Bad Seed IPA at 7%. Being a Thornbridge pub, the Bath is a little less able to offer beer cheaply, so this was £4.60 a pint. However, once again, it was well worth it. The IPA was also, very easy, in fact far easier than the Buxton, to drink.

According to their website the beer features Cascade, Columbus and Chinook hops. Not being that good at picking out those, except maybe Cascade, what I can confirm is hat the blend is so eloquent as to render them as one, a tumult of oily, fragrant citrussy hoppiness to tingle your taste buds. We had several pints, of course, just to make sure.

The Rutland Arms is somewhere I don;t visit as often as I used to. There is no particular reason, its just how it is. Two recent trips towards the end of my sniffling revealed exceptional Blue Bee Into the Abyss, a hulking but subtle (if that makes sense) Black IPA at 6.0%. The malt used must be quite soft , by which I mean it allows the beer to slide easily down your throat but without being the worst of beer styles, creamy. The hops are punchy as they should be, and as a Black IPA its noticably, erm, stoutish, which is a good thing. Accompanied by excellent Magic Rock High Wire NZ , the Rutland has reawakened my leaden tastebuds successfully.

The final cold baffler came once again, on Thursday night, in Shakespeares. We only went in for 1 - we only had 1 Although it came in two rounds of halves. On the keg section, was an oft favourite brewery Beavertown, and their Blood Orange IPA called Bloody Ell.

Any points lost for subtlety of name were regained with the exquisite blood orange flavours complementing and sitting with the hops so perfectly. As the only keg beer of the bunch this was also the most expensive at £5.50 a pint but once again its flavour and sensational aroma made it stand out. I understand from fellow "blogger" (clears throat) Mr Bamford, that they had sold half the keg by Thursday - so am afraid I doubt there will be any left! Even so you should definitely head along there today and try and get some.

All the above beers have been excellently hoppy but vastly different in style. They have been strong, sometimes expensive, but always of impeccable quality. What a fantastic advert for the cellar work and beer choosing skills of some of Sheffield's finest boozers.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Drinking beer in 2015

Hello,

                this post is not, as you may perhaps expect, an assay of the factors involved in drinking in this sparkling new year, instead it is a detailed reporting of beers I have supped so far. In 2015. Self explanatory really....

New Years day I finished off the last 5 or 6 pints of Abbeydale Absolution in my polypin which I had saved for me and Tash. I poured most of into the fantastic Shepherd Neame glazed beer jug she had given me for Christmas in 2013 and placed that in the fridge then drank the rest. Being an unfiltered polypin it was now nearly 10 days old and a little cloudy at the end, which is perhaps the fault of my polypin, but tasted fine, now with an extra hint of nuttiness. It washed down our very extensive meal very well.

Later we opened a bottle of Bad Seed Brewing Saison which I bought from Hop Hideout back in September. This bottle conditioned beer was on fine form but the saison really came into its own when the yeast at the end was added. What a sensationally refreshing ale! It met all my expectations, which is not something that happens very often, and was a perfect accompaniment to our evening listening to the Damned and Tom Waits.

Yesterday I met up with Carlos in Crookes. We started our beer tour in the Ball Ale House, where I had a very enjoyable pint of Belgian Blue from Bradfield. Had I stayed for another I could perhaps have found out how the Dukeries Sno wonder should have tasted, since the bottled version was vile and much was tipped down the sink - alas we did not stay for another, but did bump into Dan Baxter, who was there for beer. Good choice!

Down the hill next we made our way to the Cobden View. The Belgian blue was my choice again and it tasted superb. Carlos mentioned that lots of people had been mentioning it and trying it recently - perhaps they have brewed more this year? As always the atmosphere was great and there were plenty of families out enjoying a beer in this traditional back street local.

Next to the Closed Shop on Commonside. As usual a good range of real ales was on and I opted for the Blue Bee Amarillo IPA, which was on fine form. We also had much needed food in here - a cheesy chip butty for me and southern fried chicken for Carlos. Wee Keefy joined us and  had a delicious rib eye steak at £12.00 which he loved. He also loved his pints of Ringwood xxxx porter. We stayed here to meet Tash and Matty and I had three or four pints of the Amarillo, and Keith and Matty the 4x, and Tash joining me on the Amarillo.

Carlos and WK didn't fancy walking to the Bath so we went across the road to the Hallamshire House pub for our last beers of the night. Me and Tash had pints of Jaipur and alas it escapes me what WK and Matty had but Keith kindly bought us thirds of the excellent General Sherman from Thornbridge, which I think was aged, at 8.4%.

It was great to catch up with Keith, and Carlos especially, and Tash and Matty, and also to find great real ale in 4 pubs only a few minutes walk away from each other. Lets hope 2015 continues in the same vain!

Wee Beefy

3TPOTMA

Hello,

       on Thursday 18 September 2014 in Sheffield, the persons in the CAMRA (you've seen the CAMRA) awarded a Pub of the Month, erm, award....to a Sheffield pub. For September this was the Andrew Inns owned Three Tuns on Silver Street Head. Here are some details of what happened when we got there. At, admittedly, 21.20....

We found Mr Andrew outside and he told us we'd missed the award presentation. Apparently, Dave had not needed a microphone and had used his considerable voice to deliver the speech. With the greatest respect, I hadn't persuaded my Mum and Step Dad to drop me off in town for the chance to hear a speech. Oh no. I was here to buy beer and catch up with friends. First reason achieved.....

Myself and Miss N went to the bar and bought two pints of the Blue Bee Simcoe IPA. As you may now know, Blue Bee is owned by Andrew Inns* and their recent beers have had a very strong hop presence. Their other beers on the bar included the Light Blue, which is excellent, Inov the Black and the Nycto Black IPA, and having tried this previously I felt it, along with their red ale, had too much bittering hops in to make it enjoyable. The Simcoe IPA however seems to have the prefect balance of acerbic hops and mellowing malt to make it a cracking pint.

We were quickly directed to the food table which, to our absolute surprise, had the joyous face of Mr Cullen next to it. Phillip the chef had offered to warm up the food as the cider pig was described as excellent - it really was. We had it with cheese and the crispest salad and a sauce or chutney and retired to a table near the bar to eat it. We later found out some of the recipe, so I think I will attempt a cider pig soon!

Next we moved onto a pint each of the 7% Inov the Black imperial stout. This was on excellent form, and both it and the Simcoe ran out whilst we were there. Having caught up with Ally, and Robin, once of Shakespeares, and placed brightly coloured arty hats on pints and heads and, erm, other bits, we were now ready to move up to the ships bow seating area and to catch up with more customers and staff.

The lovely Dave was working and she was also socialising, Phillip the chef won 5 beers in the raffle, Dave W and Josh discovered a shared love of balloons, and we got talking to the resolutely sensible Mr Alex Korner and his friend (insert name of friend who is chemist - sorry man with name who is a friend who is a chemist), and Laura who recognised me from when I used to drink in Trippetts. Which must be about 4 years ago. We moved onto pints of the Reet Pale from Blue Bee and watched the crowd get a little bit more drunk and to cheer the rather odd selection of music on the Juke Box.

We finished the night on two halves of mixed Reet Pale and Nycto which was better than the Nycto if nothing else, just as the music became more dancey and people lost their inhibitions and started dancing in attempted formation.

The Three Tuns has improved immeasurably under the Andrew Inns stewardship and this was a great chance to celebrate that achievement. Well done to all involved for putting on a fantastic  spread and selling some excellent beers.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy


*Andrew Ins, of course, doesn't exist. However. the Reet Ale  Pubs company most likely does, and more likely owns blue Bee. That's a brewery ownership factoid. Y'r welcome.

Upcoming dotage event

Hello,

       I have been slow posting again I admit but my excuse is...OK, sorry, one of my excuses is that I will soon turn a corner on the path of life. I will reach an age milestone, a deal breaking mark of my existence, a wondrous and unlikely event. Yes. I will become 40 years old.

Having lived more than half of my expected life already and, according to a fattish man who said my type 1 diabetes meant I'd be lucky to make 40, surpassed some people's expectation in doing so, I thought I would celebrate. And I would do so, by attempting to contribute to not wasting money on a 70th or similar nonsense, and have a jolly good drink. Of tasty delicious and hoppy real ale. Noms!

Those of you who know me or maybe have read this blog before may consider that this is hardly news. You are right. But as part of my enforced three days on the waggon I have nothing better to do than fantasize in writing about the beery delights to come. In summary, this means that after a swift pint or two on the day and an evening of luxury at home, there will be a do at Shakespeares, then next weekend a barbecue, where I will hopefully have a whole polypin of real ale to share and drink.

At the do there will hopefully be a pumpclip though, created and designed by myself, Miss N and Matty, to adorn the pump designed for a Blue Bee beer which I am told will be pale and hoppy at about 4.5%. It is brewed by new(ish) brew recruit Josh and may have a subtle addition....

The only downside to the celebrations is that so soon after I'll still be 40 and still be dredging through an unseemly quiche of crap, unedifying soul destroying menial work until I cease to function, or serve any useful purpose. on which basis, I suppose I'd better enjoy the celebrations...

Thanks to Chris and Tom at Shakespeares (in advance...) and Rich, Andy and Josh at Blue Bee for assisting me in toasting my upcoming dotage. I look forward to some other beer bloggers maybe posting about what happens, since I absolutely am not taking any notes. Maybe see some of you there.

Cheers!

Beefotronic

Blue Feather Brewery launch Iintergalactic brew

      Hello,

         as mentioned in my previous post, I was off to a beer launch on Wednesday.  Straight from work, accompanies by Mr P, we headed for the Closed Shop on Commonside to relish the first tastes of an intergalactic beer brewed by "stellar" brewers. And other dire puns.

Before plunging into the collaborative kaleidoscope of hops we started on pints of the Welbeck Harley. It's perhaps testament to the quality of the Intergalactic that whilst I am certain that I enjoyed it, as did Mr P, I can't recall much else about this pale beer. I think session beer would be the fairest description. We were, however, there for the star of the show (etc)...

The Intergalactic is a gloriously hoppy beer brewed by Blue Bee Brewery and Welbeck Abbey Brewery - hence the name Blue Feather, Welbeck brewing Red Feather, and erm, Blue Bee, well, having Blue in their name.  Yet why no Bluebeck?  The beer is very well balanced, with lots of citrus and bittering hops but there is also that distinctive Welbeck base - the beer was Brewed at Welbeck's  premises, so maybe they used their particular strain of yeast (alas I forgot to ask).

The hops used are all space themed - Galaxy, Pilot, Stellar (a?) and Challenger. A beer made entirely of pun ingredients is a winner as far as I'm concerned - maybe they used maris otter malt, since it sounds a tiny bit like Mars? Either way, and in spite of any space theme, the blend works really well, and brewers James from Welbeck and Jon from Blue Bee can be proud of their creation. The return leg will see James and Jon creating something  a little bit different at Blue Bee in the coming months.

As the beer started flowing we were joined by Wee Keefy and Jambon and Mr Stephens, and the lovely Dave was behind the bar, amongst other things helpfully reading the dry monotonous passages from a student's text book on aviation engineering, in an attempt to make it seem interesting. As always, culture and education was clearly at the forefront of the attractions on offer at the Closed Shop. Along with the beer of course.

I had about three pints of the Intergalactic during my investigations into how good it was, and also decided to get one of the Shop's fab chip butties in an attempt to diminish the impact of yet more alcohol - am not sure this worked.

Possibly as a result of the above failure, on my way home I skipped off the 52 to drop in on the Bath Hotel for the first time in a good while. Mr E was behind the bar offering excellent beery advice as ever, but the beer of choice was a no-brainer - Hardknott Azimuth, 5.8% and £3.80 a pint. I'm starting to come round to the Hardknott style now - initially in a flurry of fan boy fawning it was implied that Hardknott were the future of brewing and there seemed to be very little bad press - not that you have to have bad press, but its omission creates a concerning lack of balance.

The recently enjoyed Infra Red, tried both on cask and in bottle, gave notice of the sort of flavours I could expect and the Azimuth did not disappoint. Even after the out of this world hop line up of the Intergalactic, Hardknott still managed to excite the taste buds with a biting but not unpleasant bitterness in a deceptively easy drinking pale ale. The Azimuth was perfect end to a night of great beer from some of the better brewers around at the moment.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Every four year old's dream - a 12% stout, jelly, and pirate lego

Hello,

          four years ago on Wednesday a pub reopened in Sheffield. A worrying headline had appeared on the front page of beer matters proclaiming the imminent closure of the Rutland Arms not long before, and it all looked pretty grim. Luckily a little thinking outside the box saw the pub leased from the owner (note - myself and Mr Stephens only discuss factual pub related business stuff when beer is involved, so you might be better making your own story up...), and the pub reopened with some secrecy, and some allegedly undrinkable cider.

Mr Stephens has now moved onto the Closed Shop although he oversaw some of the year since the 3rd birthday and was there on Wednesday night to join in the celebrations. The pub probably has a manager or something now and is run by Joe. I realise that doesn't make sense since that makes him the manager, but I doubt the Rutland who is a person actually worries about such trivialities. Its open, it sells great food and excellent beer.

On Wednesday I had a cold so announced, when leaving work, that I would have to drink strong beers, yer know, since I had an impaired smell and sense of taste. I was therefore quite pleased to find several of such beers on offer at The Rutland, and a chilli stout, Blue Bee Lustin for Chilli. This was my first beer of the night, along with a half of the 12% Arbour Goo Goo G'joob Maple Imperial Stout, which was rather fantastic. I had a half of that, and mixed a little with the chilli stout to create a third even more impressive option.

I met up with Christingpher, Ade, Matt and Miss N and had a bacon sandwich (well, what else would I eat in the Rutland?) before having a pint of the rather more sensible Blue Bee Light Blue and another half of the excellent stout. I then went to the Crucible for a couple of hours, leaving a serene scene of subdued lighting, free pint tokens and music...

On my return there were balloons and streamers everywhere, jelly and ice cream on the tables, numerous edible snakes, cake, party hats, rambunctious revelry and more beer than you could shake an outdoor candle holder at . Soon, everyone migrated out the back to get the sweets from the Pinata.

This year I feel the Rutland slightly cheated by making it out of something bloody tough. It was a good half an hour, even with the efforts of some notable heavyweights (I'll count myself in this category on account of having a beer belly), before the pinata finally gave up its treasure. Absolutely bloody kilo's of sweets of all kinds, which Mr Stephens, wielding an outdoor candle holder as we had broken the first two sticks, launched into the air to shower down over the beer garden - a pleasingly reckless and silly act. Cue chaos.

Meanwhile, I had dropped down from the dizzy heights of the Arbor Imperial Stout and was now supping their Yakima IPA which is at least 7%. Don't get me wrong, I still found time to have more of the 12% stout, but I convinced myself that the IPA was akin to sensible drinking. I'm not sure if this decision shortened or lengthened our repose at the celebrations, but to be honest the beer was too damned good to care.

Later, with the crowds thinning out and Matt studiously creating a complex structure from pirate Lego beside me, I was to become a climbing frame for Josh Jepson, and was to witness some quite excellent tunes on the jukebox being replaced by the worst music imaginable in an attempt to shake off those customers who seemed to be unwilling, or unable, to go home.

Congratulations to the Rutland for a quite fabulous party, which was every bit as good as last years, and apologies to all those of you whom I might have vigorously squeezed to death in my drunken, happy, social rampage through the pub.

Roll on another 12 months at the Rutland Arms

Cheers!

Wee Beefy