Neepsend Craft Beer Festival

 Hello again readers - as usual am a bit late reporting events......

Also - if am honest - I  wasn't actually planning on going - it was only because my good friend J offered two free tickets for the Saturday session that I went at all - so I went with Meathill, obviously.

It was held at Peddlers Warehouse, right next door to the Factory Floor - there was a decent queue to get in, and you showed your ticket on your phone at the door, where you received a tag and a glass and a free pint card (where you could also choose your favorite cask pint) - in fact, the Sheffield cask bar was the first place I visited for a pint of Duality Citra on the Dock of the Bay - a tasty 4.1% session pale, followed by a half of the fabulous Neepsend Double Century IPA at 7.2%. One of the advantages of this festival was an old fashioned printed  list - of the cask beers, which I admit proved very beneficial in this post!

Other features included Pangolin Micropub and Bottle shop from Hillsborough, Quality Ferments drink  importers, a Low and No alcohol bar, and a fabulous selection of street food vendors - as you now I no longer eat food, but I did get some fabulous German Sausage from Get Wurst, with tasty  loaded fries.

So what about the keg beer bars?

Well, I have to say the selection was very good! Highlights included Anthology, Atom, DEYA, Neon Raptor, Dark Element, Sureshot, Zapato and Vibrant Forest - I had a fab pale ale from  Anthology, a strong stout at around 10% from ATOM, a marvellous cloudy IPA from Vibrant Forest, a strong Zapato ale, a dark and hoppy ale from Dark Element from their caravan, and having masticated, I finished on 2 whole pints of DEYA DIPA (possibly saturated in Citra?) from the lovely folks on their bar!

Sadly I was probably only there for a few hours or so as I was going to the secret Birthday do for my chum Dave "Hudares" Howard from the world of music, taking place at Sidney and Mathilda, but despite the shortness of my visit I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.

One last comment is that, discussing this festival with a person in the Harlequin where i started on two pints, one cftp, the other kftf, I was told that some of the brewers that had served there had been disappointed by the attendance, and it hadn't been considered a success - all I can say is that it seemed well attended in my experience, there had been plenty of locally brewed cask (from the past), the food had been excellent, and I had really enjoyed meeting representatives from all of the breweries I had bought from! I do also suspect that the spiraling costs in the brewing and hospitality sector could have likely undermined some of the excellent features of the festival, and maybe reduced visitor numbers?

Either way - am sending a big thanks to the organisers, traders and suppliers at the Neepsend Craft Beer Festival!

Warmest regards

Wee Beefy

Other pubs

 Evening all!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers!

Wee Beefy