Hulloo,
the first thing to tell you is I have been in hospital, for just over 4 weeks, following a serious hypo and fall. Suffice to say I was quite unwell, but now escaped am finding that things are getting better. It isn't something I want to go through again however, and am now checking my blood sugar more carefully and eating more healthily.
About three months ago I overheard a conversation in a pub, and another on the bus into town, suggesting that the recently closed Cross Keys on Handsworth was to reopen, as a pub selling real ales and kegs. I have been going there on and off for twenty years so I was interested to find out more, although I have to say I found it surprising, Handsworth has had some good pubs, and still has the Old Crown heading down the hill, but in all my time there I have never thought of it as a place to go out trying different beers.
I found a link on Faceache showing purchase or takeover of the pub by Chantry Brewery, a Rotherham based operation whose beers I first tried about four years ago at the Rutland Arms. Work was done sorting out the interior and Chantry beers were chosen and appeared to sell well when they opened a month or more ago. With this in mind I decided to pop in for one last night.
I first went in the Cross Keys in 1999. It was a tidy traditional pub selling two or three beers, one of which was Taylors Landlord and the other Stones, if memory serves. The pub closed in the noughties following a landlord being beaten up and the pub trashed, and then it was taken over by a bloke who may have been called Carl - he was there for a few years and reintroduced real ale before leaving, and another few couples have tried keeping the pub since, presumably with some success. Myself and Tash often went in on a Sunday and it was usually busy, and I also went in a few New Years Eves. What would the now named Chantry Inn do?
Arriving after 18.00 there were 4 or 5 real ales and 4 kegs including two lagers, Lawless Village IPA (gluten free methinks) and Tiny Rebel Tropicana IPA. I had a pint of Kaldo at 5.5% and £3.00 a pint and sat down in the room where the main bar is. The pub was not too busy, the beer was well kept, and there were people sat in all three rooms. The Kaldo was also easy to drink and didn't last long, so I went for half a tiny Rebel which is a fiver a pint on keg, and a packet of bacon fries.
I left after this short visit, but I intend on going back. This is the best selection of beers I have seen in Handsworth, and the prices are very reasonable. The pub looked clean and was welcoming and the whole visit was enjoyable - well done to Chantry for reopening and revitalising a traditional Handsworth Boozer....
The other thing to tell you is that I went out for a walk on Bank Holiday Monday with WK, and afterwards we picked WF up to take him for a meal. Knowing as we do the potential horrors of pub openings and treatment of whether bank holiday Monday is that, or a Sunday, or neither, we did not expect much success, and despite ringing the Old Poets Corner in Ashover (hopefully with the right number) a number of times we got no response. That said, I checked their website and they did seem to do food Mondays, so it seemed like the trek out there may be worth it - I am happy to confirm it very much was.
Arriving just after seven we parked in the back and I headed to the bar to enquire - alas, I accidentally trod on a dog's paw en route, so I was probably quite unpopular, but took more care coming back to the car to inform the food details, before coming back to order drinks for myself WK and WF and to grab a menu. Once WF had safely arrived we sat at a table near the front door and looked at the Monday menu before making our order. I was on Oakham Citra and it was fantastic, WF was on a Titanic porter and WK a single pint of the Ashover. We ordered three as it turned out gigantic meals before I got another pint and a half an Ashover whilst WK transferred to soft drink.
Its fair to say that WF is a slow eater these days so even though he left through the front it was nearly 21.45 when we finally left, but this did not spoil our visit one bit. One thing that is also worth pointing out is that my dad approves of company, especially dogs and owners, and he was once again listened to and treated with respect by all those he encountered. We probably only go to the Poets twice or three times a year but this was yet another example of why we keep going back time and time again.
Well done to both venues for providing an excellent place to visit, eat, and supp in.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Cross Keys Handsworth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cross Keys Handsworth. Show all posts
Monday, 17 June 2019
Sunday, 8 December 2013
Local
Hello,
we are quite spoiled in Sheffield in having so many great pubs - not just the nationally known and renowned valley of beer destinations, but also some classic country boozers on the outskirts and a good mixture of traditional and more modern venues in and around the centre.
When choosing where to rest my hat, I'm an after work kind of person when it come to pubs - because with Shakespeares, the Kelham and Cat, and the Harlequin and Riverside only minutes away, going home first just seems daft. However, one of the problems with this is that unlike a couple of years ago, I now don't seem to go anywhere local in Handsworth for a pint.
Don't get me wrong there isn't exactly a lot of choice - as an example, I almost popped in the White Rose earlier out of curiosity, to see if the latest landlord was selling real ale, knowing if it was it would be Tetleys, but I really couldn't be arsed. Up the road the new Sword dancer pub is the proud purveyor of perhaps the worst selection of drinks in South Sheffield, with a reported (albeit a couple pf months ago) range of Guinness, a.n.other lager and Strongbow. The Turf has been resolutely non real ale for yonks and despite its rebranding am not sure if the advertised real ales at the Handsworth Inn were a token gesture. There are however, two stalwarts still flying the flag. The Old Crown, and the Cross Keys.
Miss N had never been for a drink in Handsworth and I was telling her about the dearth of venues one day when we realised that our expedition to fetch ingredients for a dish of lemon potatoes and roast veg had been missing one product - potatoes. So we walked up to the shop at Handsworth top and having secured our important goods decided to pop in the Cross Keys.
As well as being interesting for having part of the building situated in a graveyard and therefore assunedly being on consecrated ground, as well as the unusual mish-mash of different ages of building that comprise the pub, not to mention its inclusion on the regional inventory, the Keys also serves real ales. I've written before about the peaks and troughs of its fortunes since I first drank in Handsworth in the late nineties, but unless I'm mistaken the present incumbents seem to have been in charge of the Keys for a while now, bringing some much needed continuity.
It was warm and very busy when we arrived. I'd hoped to show Miss N the paralleled room at the back but it was completely packed so we sat in the main bar and got ourselves some beer. The Golden Pippin had run out - this has been on sale numerous times over the last five years at the Keys, so is presumably popular. The Old Peculier seemed a bit heavy for a starter so we had pints of Tom Woods Gold at 4% and £2.90 a pint.
There were plenty of groups of locals of all ages drinking in the Keys and the pub was reassuringly abuzz with conversation, and seemingly free of half nursing wash-back sippers - everyone seemed admirably thirsty. We drank our beers in keeping with the preferred speed of he locals and went to get more pints. The Tom Woods ran out but the landlady very kindly gave us what must have been at least two thirds of a pint for free, whilst we moved onto the OP.
Despite growing up hundreds of miles apart, somehow myself and Miss N seem to have both had teenage real ale initiations on Old Peculier. I don't drink it very often but it doesn't seem to have changed. It was about £3.20 a pint (I didn't check) and was the ideal tipple to protect us against the biting winds on Handsworth Top.
It was a pleasant change to sit in a traditional locals pub supping real ales on a Sunday evening, when each beer seems to taste all the better for being the last thing you treat yourself to after or before your Sunday meal. It was free of tickers and cocktail orderers and oak aged raspberry stouts. It was busy and full of people who knew each other and enjoyed the company of others. It was warm and comfortable and friendly. And evidence that despite Sheffield's riches in the Valley of beer and beyond, I don't think my drinking life could be considered complete without a quality pub within walking distance, with a warm welcome and decent real ale.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
we are quite spoiled in Sheffield in having so many great pubs - not just the nationally known and renowned valley of beer destinations, but also some classic country boozers on the outskirts and a good mixture of traditional and more modern venues in and around the centre.
When choosing where to rest my hat, I'm an after work kind of person when it come to pubs - because with Shakespeares, the Kelham and Cat, and the Harlequin and Riverside only minutes away, going home first just seems daft. However, one of the problems with this is that unlike a couple of years ago, I now don't seem to go anywhere local in Handsworth for a pint.
Don't get me wrong there isn't exactly a lot of choice - as an example, I almost popped in the White Rose earlier out of curiosity, to see if the latest landlord was selling real ale, knowing if it was it would be Tetleys, but I really couldn't be arsed. Up the road the new Sword dancer pub is the proud purveyor of perhaps the worst selection of drinks in South Sheffield, with a reported (albeit a couple pf months ago) range of Guinness, a.n.other lager and Strongbow. The Turf has been resolutely non real ale for yonks and despite its rebranding am not sure if the advertised real ales at the Handsworth Inn were a token gesture. There are however, two stalwarts still flying the flag. The Old Crown, and the Cross Keys.
Miss N had never been for a drink in Handsworth and I was telling her about the dearth of venues one day when we realised that our expedition to fetch ingredients for a dish of lemon potatoes and roast veg had been missing one product - potatoes. So we walked up to the shop at Handsworth top and having secured our important goods decided to pop in the Cross Keys.
As well as being interesting for having part of the building situated in a graveyard and therefore assunedly being on consecrated ground, as well as the unusual mish-mash of different ages of building that comprise the pub, not to mention its inclusion on the regional inventory, the Keys also serves real ales. I've written before about the peaks and troughs of its fortunes since I first drank in Handsworth in the late nineties, but unless I'm mistaken the present incumbents seem to have been in charge of the Keys for a while now, bringing some much needed continuity.
It was warm and very busy when we arrived. I'd hoped to show Miss N the paralleled room at the back but it was completely packed so we sat in the main bar and got ourselves some beer. The Golden Pippin had run out - this has been on sale numerous times over the last five years at the Keys, so is presumably popular. The Old Peculier seemed a bit heavy for a starter so we had pints of Tom Woods Gold at 4% and £2.90 a pint.
There were plenty of groups of locals of all ages drinking in the Keys and the pub was reassuringly abuzz with conversation, and seemingly free of half nursing wash-back sippers - everyone seemed admirably thirsty. We drank our beers in keeping with the preferred speed of he locals and went to get more pints. The Tom Woods ran out but the landlady very kindly gave us what must have been at least two thirds of a pint for free, whilst we moved onto the OP.
Despite growing up hundreds of miles apart, somehow myself and Miss N seem to have both had teenage real ale initiations on Old Peculier. I don't drink it very often but it doesn't seem to have changed. It was about £3.20 a pint (I didn't check) and was the ideal tipple to protect us against the biting winds on Handsworth Top.
It was a pleasant change to sit in a traditional locals pub supping real ales on a Sunday evening, when each beer seems to taste all the better for being the last thing you treat yourself to after or before your Sunday meal. It was free of tickers and cocktail orderers and oak aged raspberry stouts. It was busy and full of people who knew each other and enjoyed the company of others. It was warm and comfortable and friendly. And evidence that despite Sheffield's riches in the Valley of beer and beyond, I don't think my drinking life could be considered complete without a quality pub within walking distance, with a warm welcome and decent real ale.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Handsworth supping - Cross keys and Old Crown Handsworth Road
Hello again,
some news from much closer to home now re the pubs of Handsworth. I am focusing on the two pubs that sell real ale for definite and that I know are good, and leaving for another time the subject of the New Crown which may now have given up on real ale altogether, and the wannabee restaurant that is the White Rose, my nearest watering hole which I almost never visit on account of it being a bit grim.
So, on the 1st of May, having recovered from our skip filling exploits, which was the way we chose to celebrate the royal wedding, me and Waarf went for a wander through Bowden Woods, a short amble that I suspected would take us to Handsworth top after a while, and thus promised a pint or two.
The woods look fantastic at the moment, the unbroken sunshine and lack of rain has meant the paths are bone dry and easily passable (notably the unfavoured ones that head off into the undergrowth where briefly, you can imagine you aren't sandwiched between a dual carriageway and a housing estate), but also the flora and fauna is in bloom and there are bluebells and other green shoots in the dappled light to enjoy.
Of course, its difficult to spend more than 10 minutes in Bowden woods without encountering a retard on a mini quad or trail bike tearing up the path, usually to the delight of a gawkish crowd of easily amused simpletons, or young people as I call them. Mind you, lets be clear, this is not a mono generational phenomena, quite often doting law breakers come along to see their water headed offspring zoom around illegally on footpaths in the best countryside for miles around. On this occasion, a mixed bunch of adults and the larger infantile were amassed at a cross section cheering on an unseemly quiche of Johnny no stars as they attempted to race around every path or track in the woods, and who delighted in racing past us at 30mph, much to the assembled morons pleasure.
Somehow we escaped unscathed, but annoyed at having the peace and of course the law, broken by irresponsible persons, only to get through the second part of the woods and out onto the path to Richmond road to observe a gang of mini quad riders speeding towards us in unison, their faces covered.
Naturally, if you have an inbuilt tendency towards selfish stupidity, this is quite normal behaviour, but on planet earth it shouldn't be. So, and this is not an excuse, I promised myself that I had good reason to be ready for a life soothing drink at the pub when i had finished the walk with Waarf.
We walked along the road straight on towards the allotments and up the path across the field to the church before Chala announced that she wanted to go in the Cross Keys. Once in there, I noted one handpump had the clip turned round, but didn't mind as Cocker Hoop was still on, but when the barman went to pull it another staff member told him it had gone - he stopped as I sighed at the expected alternative, but didn't turn the pump clip round. I have to be very calm to overlook that deceit.
So, with only the grimly innocuous malt and water mouthwash of Bombadier, once a beer that actually had ingredients in it, on offer, Chala checked if I wanted to stay. Of course, I'd have rather gone for a better range elsewhere but I checked twice that there was something she wanted and proceeded. Having got my pint, Chala then ordered a coke with ice. Inspired.
In the end, more out of annoyance at earlier events, and that we could have been having something that wasn't a Bombadier and a coke, I had two pints, before we sloped off home for a very nice meal.
The next day, having missed my chance before, I went to the Old Crown on me tod and was very surprised to see 3 White Rose brewery beers on offer. I had a pint of their Spring Hoppiness, which was quite nice but a bit tired and cloudy, and then a pint of the better Hopping Mad, which was similar, but clearer and with a little more bite. I also had a chip butty to soak up the effects of my lunchtime tippling, before treating myself to a final half of the Blonde - the Hopping Mad had run out. Mind you, as I sat back down, the landlady very kindly came over with a free half of the beer that had just run out. Full marks then to the Old Crown for having something different on and being generous to boot.
So, back to today, and after painstakingly pissing away two hours uploading losing and moving parts of my last post, we went on said walk again, this time undisturbed by the great unthinking, and walked, through the lesser used paths, all the way from Handsworth Avenue entrance to the bridge out of Bowden woods, in silence, and dappled sunshine.
Feeling a bit devil may care, we then headed for the TPT towards Beighton but took a walk across the playing fields, shortening our walk to Handsworth top by a few minutes. This time I insisted on The Old Crown being first choice, although to be fair to the Keys, it was rammed, so perhaps they had got 3 beers on this time?
Alas we shan't find out as we went in the Old Crown, and found 3 White Rose ales on offer once more. Their Blonde appears to be the regular, the Spring Hoppiness was on the same pump but this time clearer and fresher, and the unfortunately named Kate's Willy was on pump 3. I tried 1 pint and a half of the spring offering, and, despite misgivings about a potential cheap novelty ale bandwagon, I did try their royal wedding ale, which wasn't as good as the spring beer.
Also, whilst stood at the bar I noticed a Spire Golden (something) Ale pump clip above the bar, suggesting perhaps they have had it in the past, or it will be coming on soon. I get the feeling that the Keys is owned by a pub company, or certainly that they have a say, and this is a crying shame. On a purely aesthetic note I much prefer the Keys, and I think both of them are selling real ale at the same price, £2.65 a pint, but consistently the Crown comes up with interesting or just generally better beers, and for that reason, is currently nudging ahead in my Handsworth affections.
Lets hope then that the choice, assuming these are the only two choices for real ale drinkers in Handsworth, long continues.
Wee Beefy
some news from much closer to home now re the pubs of Handsworth. I am focusing on the two pubs that sell real ale for definite and that I know are good, and leaving for another time the subject of the New Crown which may now have given up on real ale altogether, and the wannabee restaurant that is the White Rose, my nearest watering hole which I almost never visit on account of it being a bit grim.
So, on the 1st of May, having recovered from our skip filling exploits, which was the way we chose to celebrate the royal wedding, me and Waarf went for a wander through Bowden Woods, a short amble that I suspected would take us to Handsworth top after a while, and thus promised a pint or two.
The woods look fantastic at the moment, the unbroken sunshine and lack of rain has meant the paths are bone dry and easily passable (notably the unfavoured ones that head off into the undergrowth where briefly, you can imagine you aren't sandwiched between a dual carriageway and a housing estate), but also the flora and fauna is in bloom and there are bluebells and other green shoots in the dappled light to enjoy.
Of course, its difficult to spend more than 10 minutes in Bowden woods without encountering a retard on a mini quad or trail bike tearing up the path, usually to the delight of a gawkish crowd of easily amused simpletons, or young people as I call them. Mind you, lets be clear, this is not a mono generational phenomena, quite often doting law breakers come along to see their water headed offspring zoom around illegally on footpaths in the best countryside for miles around. On this occasion, a mixed bunch of adults and the larger infantile were amassed at a cross section cheering on an unseemly quiche of Johnny no stars as they attempted to race around every path or track in the woods, and who delighted in racing past us at 30mph, much to the assembled morons pleasure.
Somehow we escaped unscathed, but annoyed at having the peace and of course the law, broken by irresponsible persons, only to get through the second part of the woods and out onto the path to Richmond road to observe a gang of mini quad riders speeding towards us in unison, their faces covered.
Naturally, if you have an inbuilt tendency towards selfish stupidity, this is quite normal behaviour, but on planet earth it shouldn't be. So, and this is not an excuse, I promised myself that I had good reason to be ready for a life soothing drink at the pub when i had finished the walk with Waarf.
We walked along the road straight on towards the allotments and up the path across the field to the church before Chala announced that she wanted to go in the Cross Keys. Once in there, I noted one handpump had the clip turned round, but didn't mind as Cocker Hoop was still on, but when the barman went to pull it another staff member told him it had gone - he stopped as I sighed at the expected alternative, but didn't turn the pump clip round. I have to be very calm to overlook that deceit.
So, with only the grimly innocuous malt and water mouthwash of Bombadier, once a beer that actually had ingredients in it, on offer, Chala checked if I wanted to stay. Of course, I'd have rather gone for a better range elsewhere but I checked twice that there was something she wanted and proceeded. Having got my pint, Chala then ordered a coke with ice. Inspired.
In the end, more out of annoyance at earlier events, and that we could have been having something that wasn't a Bombadier and a coke, I had two pints, before we sloped off home for a very nice meal.
The next day, having missed my chance before, I went to the Old Crown on me tod and was very surprised to see 3 White Rose brewery beers on offer. I had a pint of their Spring Hoppiness, which was quite nice but a bit tired and cloudy, and then a pint of the better Hopping Mad, which was similar, but clearer and with a little more bite. I also had a chip butty to soak up the effects of my lunchtime tippling, before treating myself to a final half of the Blonde - the Hopping Mad had run out. Mind you, as I sat back down, the landlady very kindly came over with a free half of the beer that had just run out. Full marks then to the Old Crown for having something different on and being generous to boot.
So, back to today, and after painstakingly pissing away two hours uploading losing and moving parts of my last post, we went on said walk again, this time undisturbed by the great unthinking, and walked, through the lesser used paths, all the way from Handsworth Avenue entrance to the bridge out of Bowden woods, in silence, and dappled sunshine.
Feeling a bit devil may care, we then headed for the TPT towards Beighton but took a walk across the playing fields, shortening our walk to Handsworth top by a few minutes. This time I insisted on The Old Crown being first choice, although to be fair to the Keys, it was rammed, so perhaps they had got 3 beers on this time?
Alas we shan't find out as we went in the Old Crown, and found 3 White Rose ales on offer once more. Their Blonde appears to be the regular, the Spring Hoppiness was on the same pump but this time clearer and fresher, and the unfortunately named Kate's Willy was on pump 3. I tried 1 pint and a half of the spring offering, and, despite misgivings about a potential cheap novelty ale bandwagon, I did try their royal wedding ale, which wasn't as good as the spring beer.
Also, whilst stood at the bar I noticed a Spire Golden (something) Ale pump clip above the bar, suggesting perhaps they have had it in the past, or it will be coming on soon. I get the feeling that the Keys is owned by a pub company, or certainly that they have a say, and this is a crying shame. On a purely aesthetic note I much prefer the Keys, and I think both of them are selling real ale at the same price, £2.65 a pint, but consistently the Crown comes up with interesting or just generally better beers, and for that reason, is currently nudging ahead in my Handsworth affections.
Lets hope then that the choice, assuming these are the only two choices for real ale drinkers in Handsworth, long continues.
Wee Beefy
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