Hellall,
not yesterday, as am always a week behind, but the first Friday in August, I arranged to meet Christingpher at the Portland House on Ecclesall Road. Given that he had never been there, and we hadn't seen each other for five months, he agreed. I left my appointment nearby around 14.00 and having been unable to find any opening times was surprised to see C standing uncomfortably outside the closed pub. Christingpher still hasn't been to the Portland House. Does anybody know if its still open?
We headed instead to the Ecclesall Ale Club and found Dylan behind the bar, and soon had a pint and a half of Bad Seed Juice Box on keg. I had thought of trying the Burnt Mill beer but was offered a taste of the Bad Seed and it was a perfect juicy IPA. I sat outside with C supping and chatting before he decided to head off after a half - he was driving.
My next stop was the Garden Room, which was offering a beer called Cheers at £2.00 a pint. It was a keg pale and brewed by Thwaites. It was a decent drop, and between 17 and 19.00 they have cask on at £2.50 a pint, this time including Jaipur. Alas I couldn't stay around but may pop back. I like the Garden Room, in a weird way. Its like a Brit owned Spanish bar in Yorkshire. If they don't do roast beef and Yorkie puds I will be very disappointed.
The Beer Engine came next and the pub is currently being managed by the Man of Ash. As always there was an excellent range of beers, and I had halves of BBno's session IPA and a sour, which was also brewed at a brewery. I also had a small plate to put me on til later. It was ham and manchego and Dijon mustard potato croquettas. They were fab.
A rarer stop for me next at the Clubhouse. Having ordered a tasty pale ale I was disappointed to find a five pound limit on the card machine, but stumped together over £3.00 in loose change and got the pint a little cheaper. I did think about having more snap but was conscious of time as I was headed for my second home. The beer was well kept and refreshing.
I walked to the Railway on Bramall Lane next. I may only ever have been in winter because this was the first time I had sat in their beer garden. A pint of pale cask was accompanied by a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on keg, and some snacks. A fine stop once again. I did hope to visit the Cricketers, but it was closed, and have been told by those in the know that he only opens matchdays now.
A wander onwards found me at the Lord Nelson, also a first visit for some time. I had a pint of pale ale on cask which was served in a glass, and which entered my throat through my mouth. Am just trying to provide an absurf and unnecessary level of detail in order to pretend that I have clear memories of this event. The beer was very nice as always, and I paid on card.
From here I walked to Shakespeares where I finished on other glass housed liquids. As I was too poorly organised to take any photos am not sure what I had but Friendache tells me it was Boon Kriek. So that will have been a pint then. Evidence of photos in my garden the next day also tells me that I got home, which is where I continue to live. This also what I mostly managed to achieve on Saturday and Sunday...
Its always nice to revisit pubs that one hasn't been to for some time, and with such a massive range of good quality boozers here in Sheffield that is often the case. A big three cheers to all the pubs visited for the continuing efforts to water and feed the thirsty drinkers of Sheffield.
Huzaah!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Lord Nelson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lord Nelson. Show all posts
Saturday, 11 August 2018
Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Two new and three old faves
Hello,
yesterday, down exclusively to the kindness of others, I was able to complete another crawl in Sheffield featuring two bars new to me and one not visited for some time. I started at lunchtime where myself and Middlemarch were planning on going to the Bhaji Hut on Ball Street - alas they don't open lunchtimes on a Tuesday so we opted for the Stew and Oyster round the corner. As Middlemarch is a caring friend and is worried about my fragile hold on mortality she refused to buy me any bowze, so this is a short review. The stew we had was very tasty, as was the hot brownie and ice cream dessert. I will howver have to return to try some booze in there....
After meeting Matt for enquiries at the council, and a trip to Beer Central where he bought me my Christmas present, we nipped down o the Lord Nelson on Arundel Street. Have not been in for some time, and they have had a repaint in this back street watering hole, but little else seems to have changed, and I recognise the guy behind the bar from my first visits in the late nineties/early noughties. A cracking pint of Sonnet 43 was my choice whilst Matty had a pint of Azaca from Milestone.
Next we wandered to the Rutland Arms where Matty got to espy the new bar arrangements and we had a half each - he of the Chorlton Double Sour, and I a half of the Ultje Double IPA. The DIPA was very easy to drink and had an aftertaste of goosegogs, although, my tastebuds are slightly sqewwiff at the mo so it may have been another fruit. The Double sour was immense. An exemplary proponent of the sour style.
Our next stop was a new one again. The Dorothy Pax had slipped under my radar until last year when I read about it in the sheffieldalepubs blog after the gent very kindly named me his beer blogger of the year. It had not been open full time for long and it was only yesterday that I got to visit. Its good first of all to have a pub selling good beer down at Sheffield Quays. I never went to the Tom Cobleigh pub co venue there, but heard it was pretty grim so its nice to finally have a good reason to go.
Arriving soon after he had opened we found owner Richard ( |I think) Henderson apologising for his unkempt sweaty appearance and for any mess - I have to say I had noticed neither, but was immediately drawn to the bar. Abbeydale Daily Bread, a cider, a beer I have since forgotten and, as chosen for a pint by me and Matty both, Dark Star Hophead Loral, on at £3.00 a pint. I have no idea of Fullers plans for this fabulous small brewery but I foresee changes - best then to sup it whilst its still independent and brewing good beer.
The Loral was on excellent form and we got sat near the small heater and got chatting to Mr H and some of his regulars who may have been called Chris, or one of any number of other human male name. There was also a very large dog.
I tried not to describe the bar as a micropub because as Richard said himself, its just a space which he has imposed his own ideas upon, but in many ways its micropub in style. They are currently awaiting to have a keg 6 line font on the back of the bar, but before then its three real ales, three kegs and a cider. The Loral went down very well indeed, and it will be interesting to see what types of keg beers he gets on.
I finished the night after a lengthy walk through what soon after arriving became heavy snow to the Shakespeares, my second home. Matty had gone home by now and I finished off on a fantastic pint of cask Red Willow Weightless, as recommended by Adam and Brett-Morgan. I was somehow unaware of this beer having been on so regularly and rued having not tried it earlier. A wonderful, easy drinking perfectly balanced hoppy beer that I could have drunk all night....
Instead I had two thirds of the second BBno's DDH pale at 5.6% on keg, which was also excellent - very dry and superbly bitter. The perfect end to a fabulous night - and I got home safely in the snow....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
yesterday, down exclusively to the kindness of others, I was able to complete another crawl in Sheffield featuring two bars new to me and one not visited for some time. I started at lunchtime where myself and Middlemarch were planning on going to the Bhaji Hut on Ball Street - alas they don't open lunchtimes on a Tuesday so we opted for the Stew and Oyster round the corner. As Middlemarch is a caring friend and is worried about my fragile hold on mortality she refused to buy me any bowze, so this is a short review. The stew we had was very tasty, as was the hot brownie and ice cream dessert. I will howver have to return to try some booze in there....
After meeting Matt for enquiries at the council, and a trip to Beer Central where he bought me my Christmas present, we nipped down o the Lord Nelson on Arundel Street. Have not been in for some time, and they have had a repaint in this back street watering hole, but little else seems to have changed, and I recognise the guy behind the bar from my first visits in the late nineties/early noughties. A cracking pint of Sonnet 43 was my choice whilst Matty had a pint of Azaca from Milestone.
Next we wandered to the Rutland Arms where Matty got to espy the new bar arrangements and we had a half each - he of the Chorlton Double Sour, and I a half of the Ultje Double IPA. The DIPA was very easy to drink and had an aftertaste of goosegogs, although, my tastebuds are slightly sqewwiff at the mo so it may have been another fruit. The Double sour was immense. An exemplary proponent of the sour style.
Our next stop was a new one again. The Dorothy Pax had slipped under my radar until last year when I read about it in the sheffieldalepubs blog after the gent very kindly named me his beer blogger of the year. It had not been open full time for long and it was only yesterday that I got to visit. Its good first of all to have a pub selling good beer down at Sheffield Quays. I never went to the Tom Cobleigh pub co venue there, but heard it was pretty grim so its nice to finally have a good reason to go.
Arriving soon after he had opened we found owner Richard ( |I think) Henderson apologising for his unkempt sweaty appearance and for any mess - I have to say I had noticed neither, but was immediately drawn to the bar. Abbeydale Daily Bread, a cider, a beer I have since forgotten and, as chosen for a pint by me and Matty both, Dark Star Hophead Loral, on at £3.00 a pint. I have no idea of Fullers plans for this fabulous small brewery but I foresee changes - best then to sup it whilst its still independent and brewing good beer.
The Loral was on excellent form and we got sat near the small heater and got chatting to Mr H and some of his regulars who may have been called Chris, or one of any number of other human male name. There was also a very large dog.
I tried not to describe the bar as a micropub because as Richard said himself, its just a space which he has imposed his own ideas upon, but in many ways its micropub in style. They are currently awaiting to have a keg 6 line font on the back of the bar, but before then its three real ales, three kegs and a cider. The Loral went down very well indeed, and it will be interesting to see what types of keg beers he gets on.
I finished the night after a lengthy walk through what soon after arriving became heavy snow to the Shakespeares, my second home. Matty had gone home by now and I finished off on a fantastic pint of cask Red Willow Weightless, as recommended by Adam and Brett-Morgan. I was somehow unaware of this beer having been on so regularly and rued having not tried it earlier. A wonderful, easy drinking perfectly balanced hoppy beer that I could have drunk all night....
Instead I had two thirds of the second BBno's DDH pale at 5.6% on keg, which was also excellent - very dry and superbly bitter. The perfect end to a fabulous night - and I got home safely in the snow....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Tuesday, 29 March 2016
An Easter pub crawl
Hello all,
isn't Easter great eh? Every single last one of us gets four whole days off to relax at home. Um...apart from anyone working in the service industry. Transport, health, retail, pubs. Especially those in pubs. Despite this, myself and Matty had been chatting with Nathan from the Three Tuns and arranged to go out with him for pints on Maundy Thursday. I have no idea if he worked Good Friday. Am hoping for his sake he didn't....
We all finished work about 17.00 and met in the Three Tuns about 17.30. It was busy, and as Nathan pointed out, it was like a Friday. Nathaniel is an affable 24 year old with two PHd's in Zoo-ology and hails from a town or village in Worcestreshire with a Bathams pub. Or Birmingham. If you know anything about the Bathams tied estate that actually limits the potential answers to where I mean. Despite my awful behaviour in October, we still get on, as he does with Meathumph.
We decided to show Nathan some of the pubs he hadn't been to before in Sheffield. In one night. I started as did Nathan on a pint of Brighton Bier Southern Bitter, a gorgeously dry bitter ale with stonking piles of hops and just enough malt in the background. Matty had two pints of something as well. The rest is history, and I am the historian. Help us, made up deity!
Our next stop was Fagans. Being yoot, Nathan and Matty eschewed the delights of real ale and went for Guinness which I understand people like. I went for a good old pint of Moonshine. We were advised where to sit by the landlord, (the comfiest seats) and perched in the corner chatting about pubs and beer and all things good. Fagans is a cracking city centre boozer. Its not changed as long as I have been going in, sells a decent pint and has a wonderful atmosphere. Just what you could want from a pub.
Just up the road is Regent Terrace, and Harrisons 1854. I was telling Matty and Nathan that I used to go there a lot but did not so much now Barraharri had left. Just as we entered I saw Bob and Linda the owners. It felt like coming home. I had Moonshine again, a pint, and Matty and Nathan had pints of Bradfield Blonde. The beer range is slightly better here but the bar is nothing like Fagans and doesn't claim to be. The music is good, its chilled out and is a good place to sit and catch up.
From here we walked down towards the Beer Engine and then turned through Decathlon to the Lord Nelson. It transpired that Nathan had been in once before, but this did not diminish the pub's appeal. We all had a pint of an IPA at 5.something percent from a brewery. It was maybe Pennine or Revisionist. It doesn't matter, which is good, since I can't remember. The pub was busy with darts on, and we sat in the room on the left soaking up the atmosphere.
From here we crossed the dual carriage way and headed for a new pub for us all. The Railway on Bramall Lane, which is not despite the article wording in Beer Matters, being run by Andy Cullen, has been taken over by a family and they have done it up and put on four or five cask beers. We all had a pint of the Chantry Kaldo Pale Ale at 5.5%. We sat down near the back and after Matty had discovered that once again the kid behind the bar was one of his ex school mates, we started listening to the Sheffield quiz, which didn't seem too taxing (although being a quiz, I insisted we did not take part). The Kaldo was lovely, and the pub looks nice inside. Good luck to them running this boozer.
Its not far from there, not even if you can't remember where the path over the river goes from, to the Sheaf View. We walked past and went to the Brothers at the top of the hill. I am told in here we all had a strong pint of something at 6.5%. I am sure we did. In a consistent line, I can't remember what this was at all. We did however have a delicious curried scotch egg each, and sat outside in the wet to eat it.
Next up was a pint in the Sheaf View. The pint we had was definitely made with hops and malt and water and yeast and tasted of beer. It might have been from Whim. Or one of the thousand other UK breweries. I am led to believe it was strong. I remember I enjoyed it. We sat in the back as the front to rooms were rammed and talked, probably quite loudly about pubs and drinking and inappropriate things which I cannot divulge here. We may have been slightly tipsy by this stage...
Our penultimate stop was the White Lion. We met Tash here who was already in with a seat and a table and a beer. I am guessing we all had pints of Dancing Duck Abduction at 5.8% or whatever it is. There was live music on, and the place was busy with a great atmosphere. I understand the Dancing Duck has replaced the Thornbridge Jaipur they always used to keep so well, no doubt because of cost. Although more recently, because it tastes pants. Far better to support Dancing Duck I say.
We got a taxi from here to Shakespeares to finish the night. I had two or three halves of beers with names that they were selling, and Matty probably had a bottle. Being a pub crawl, Nathan would also have had a drink, and everything. Memories eh. What are they? Like birds, nobody knows....
As Easter was busy I didn't see Nathan until Saturday and he had similar memories, or lack thereof, of getting home. Good lad! Overall this was a highly enjoyable pub crawl with three lovely people featuring excellent traditional pubs and ales.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
isn't Easter great eh? Every single last one of us gets four whole days off to relax at home. Um...apart from anyone working in the service industry. Transport, health, retail, pubs. Especially those in pubs. Despite this, myself and Matty had been chatting with Nathan from the Three Tuns and arranged to go out with him for pints on Maundy Thursday. I have no idea if he worked Good Friday. Am hoping for his sake he didn't....
We all finished work about 17.00 and met in the Three Tuns about 17.30. It was busy, and as Nathan pointed out, it was like a Friday. Nathaniel is an affable 24 year old with two PHd's in Zoo-ology and hails from a town or village in Worcestreshire with a Bathams pub. Or Birmingham. If you know anything about the Bathams tied estate that actually limits the potential answers to where I mean. Despite my awful behaviour in October, we still get on, as he does with Meathumph.
We decided to show Nathan some of the pubs he hadn't been to before in Sheffield. In one night. I started as did Nathan on a pint of Brighton Bier Southern Bitter, a gorgeously dry bitter ale with stonking piles of hops and just enough malt in the background. Matty had two pints of something as well. The rest is history, and I am the historian. Help us, made up deity!
Our next stop was Fagans. Being yoot, Nathan and Matty eschewed the delights of real ale and went for Guinness which I understand people like. I went for a good old pint of Moonshine. We were advised where to sit by the landlord, (the comfiest seats) and perched in the corner chatting about pubs and beer and all things good. Fagans is a cracking city centre boozer. Its not changed as long as I have been going in, sells a decent pint and has a wonderful atmosphere. Just what you could want from a pub.
Just up the road is Regent Terrace, and Harrisons 1854. I was telling Matty and Nathan that I used to go there a lot but did not so much now Barraharri had left. Just as we entered I saw Bob and Linda the owners. It felt like coming home. I had Moonshine again, a pint, and Matty and Nathan had pints of Bradfield Blonde. The beer range is slightly better here but the bar is nothing like Fagans and doesn't claim to be. The music is good, its chilled out and is a good place to sit and catch up.
From here we walked down towards the Beer Engine and then turned through Decathlon to the Lord Nelson. It transpired that Nathan had been in once before, but this did not diminish the pub's appeal. We all had a pint of an IPA at 5.something percent from a brewery. It was maybe Pennine or Revisionist. It doesn't matter, which is good, since I can't remember. The pub was busy with darts on, and we sat in the room on the left soaking up the atmosphere.
From here we crossed the dual carriage way and headed for a new pub for us all. The Railway on Bramall Lane, which is not despite the article wording in Beer Matters, being run by Andy Cullen, has been taken over by a family and they have done it up and put on four or five cask beers. We all had a pint of the Chantry Kaldo Pale Ale at 5.5%. We sat down near the back and after Matty had discovered that once again the kid behind the bar was one of his ex school mates, we started listening to the Sheffield quiz, which didn't seem too taxing (although being a quiz, I insisted we did not take part). The Kaldo was lovely, and the pub looks nice inside. Good luck to them running this boozer.
Its not far from there, not even if you can't remember where the path over the river goes from, to the Sheaf View. We walked past and went to the Brothers at the top of the hill. I am told in here we all had a strong pint of something at 6.5%. I am sure we did. In a consistent line, I can't remember what this was at all. We did however have a delicious curried scotch egg each, and sat outside in the wet to eat it.
Next up was a pint in the Sheaf View. The pint we had was definitely made with hops and malt and water and yeast and tasted of beer. It might have been from Whim. Or one of the thousand other UK breweries. I am led to believe it was strong. I remember I enjoyed it. We sat in the back as the front to rooms were rammed and talked, probably quite loudly about pubs and drinking and inappropriate things which I cannot divulge here. We may have been slightly tipsy by this stage...
Our penultimate stop was the White Lion. We met Tash here who was already in with a seat and a table and a beer. I am guessing we all had pints of Dancing Duck Abduction at 5.8% or whatever it is. There was live music on, and the place was busy with a great atmosphere. I understand the Dancing Duck has replaced the Thornbridge Jaipur they always used to keep so well, no doubt because of cost. Although more recently, because it tastes pants. Far better to support Dancing Duck I say.
We got a taxi from here to Shakespeares to finish the night. I had two or three halves of beers with names that they were selling, and Matty probably had a bottle. Being a pub crawl, Nathan would also have had a drink, and everything. Memories eh. What are they? Like birds, nobody knows....
As Easter was busy I didn't see Nathan until Saturday and he had similar memories, or lack thereof, of getting home. Good lad! Overall this was a highly enjoyable pub crawl with three lovely people featuring excellent traditional pubs and ales.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 13 December 2015
An Ale Amble round the edges of Sheffield centre
Hello,
yesterday I was pleased to meet up with Charlie, AKA renowned beer blogger from the aswiftone beer blog Ale Ambler. We had not met up for a couple of years and we decided to meet in the Sheffield Tap to start a short pub crawl.in the grey, darkening streets of sodden Sheffield
The days tarted well I had arranged to meet Charlie the night before -desit having been a trifle refreshed at the time, and despite having lost my phone, I remembered that I was meeting the AA at
12.30. I hadn't however, remembered to get ready for 11.45. I was burning my bacon at that point. And trying to contact the AA via Facebook. Luckily I found his Twitter account and messaged him. I found my dead phone 10 minutes before I left, and met the AA at 13.08. Luckily things improved form here on.
In the Sheffield Tap it was busy and I spotted the AA at the bar. He had a half of Arbor Oz Bomb and me a First Chop AVA. We repaired to the brewery room where the smell f brewing hung in the air, and I sat and gently shook whilst Double A made notes. I was still mildly drunk from the night before you see. Both beers were lovely. Especially the Arbor.
Coats and scarves done up we walked out of the Tap into a wall of water and struggled along Brown Street, Sidney Street and up onto Arundel Street. Double A is fond of street art - as opposed to graffiti (the difference between which is different to many) and we stopped off at a wall near the pub to look at some.
The Lord Nelson is a small, back street, corner local, owned by Greedy King, but still retaining its character and selling a good range of real ales and bottles - and black pudding pork scratchings. I also noticed bottles of West Brewing St Mungo's lager in the fridge - not something I have seen anywhere for a while.
We had a pint and a half of Pennine Happy New Year 2016 - maybe a little early but it isn't how I would expect a celebration ale to taste. That said. it was beautiful. Very quaffable with a balanced bitterness and very easy to drink. The AA also had a half of Bradfield Belgian Blue. This was as I predicted - poorly balanced and sweet (and with no identifiable blue). Absolutely nothing with how it was kept I should point out. It was in here as well that I decided to recharge my phone. Alas, two minutes in, the lead fell out and I didn't notice. It would be two pubs later before I got my phone charged!
The AA liked the lord Nelson - now with I love Fanny's T-shirts to order, for those confident that people would realise the pub was known as that. He liked what they had done with the space and the fact that there were four separate drinking areas still. Definitely a pub we will revisit.
Along back streets and through Decathlon car park we were soon in the underpass and heading for the Beer Engine. Sadly Tol Barry was not around - he would be in later. The AA will have to return to Sheffield to meet him.
On the bar was a great selection of real ales and kegs - sadly rather too many dark ones for me but the Siren Oatmeal Pale Undercurrent was on at £3.40 a pint so I had a half of that and the keg four Hopmen of the Hopocalypse. The AA meanwhile had a half o the Wild Beer Millionaire, a salted caramel chocolate ale which we were warned was quite sweet. It was an immensely strong flavoured beer at 4.7%, and although I preferred my delicious Oatmeal Pale and Hopmen, the AA found it quite easy to drink.
As usual there was an interesting range of music on and trade was steady, if not busy. One thing I will point out about the Beer Engine is the toilets - soft loo roll, heating, handwash and a hand dryer and hot water. None of which are difficult to provide, but usually only two of which are available in other pubs. Its nowhere near as important as the quality of the beers however. Since they are also excellent and well thought through, this makes the Beer Engine a fab place for a pint.
Up Eccy road next and we arrived from the continuing downpour at the Portland House. On the bar there were four Welbeck and Leeds best and a Celt Experience beer called something an Brett. The guy behind the bar asked of we were here to try it, and given the choice we were. The AA was not aware of brettanomyces - part of the Saccharomycetaceae family of myacies, for ease of reference! The only reference I could muster at the time was that they featured in Imperial Russian Stouts, and that breweries were now trying them out for the unique unusual flavour. The beer was certainly in possession of that - it was an unusual but possibly over-bretted beer, but definitely one that challenged our taste buds. The other thing here was that I managed to charge my phone o 26%.
We caught a bus back into town and went to collect the AA's haul of shopping from Wateralls and a cheese specialist - where I also purchased some Brampton Impy Dark Derby cheese. After a quick chat with Sean from Beer Central we headed up to the Devonshire Cat. The AA got a half of Shiny Sorachi and I the Hop Studio Obsidian Black IPA. We sat in my usual place and found that we couldn't use the sockets to charge my phone....
Never the less, we enjoyed our beers, but me rather more than the AA whose Sorachi flavoured beer was overpowering! We also bumped into new manager Liz formerly of the Sheffield Tap. December, it seems, is s busy time of year to start your new job...
Up the road next for me and The AA's final pub the Bath Hotel. I got a pint of Harbour Pale and he a half of Jaipur on keg. We sat in the back and watched the fire very slowly fail to get going and then be drowned by more coal. A shame, since we were soaked. I had a further pint of Jaipur and Matty joined us whilst we waited for Tash, but the AA admitted he had reached his limit and we soon left for him to get his train. Thanks so much for your company Ale Ambler! Glad to have introduced you to a new Sheffield pub or two.
I headed off to BrewDog next to wait for Tash - as the crawl was finished we could now drink beer in the cntre. We shared a bottle of the Fantome Saison. The bar was quite packed and the music was fantastic as it so often is. We also had two halves of the Aberdeen BrewDog Ghost Writer and the Prototype Black IPA, along with a venison pie and mash and gravy - which was very tasty, but really needed to have come on a plate as opposed to in a box.
Our final stop of the night was in the Tap and Tankard where we had two halves of the Green Jack gone fishing and a half of Double Top Shanghai. I also bought Tash a double gin and tonic as she was feeling a little unwell. The music changes from being rock and dub to awful pop later one - a deliberate ploy no doubt to persuade customers to leave. It worked, and we left about midnight.
This was another fantastic pub crawl in Sheffield featuring a mix of different pub styles and beer styles. Great to catch up with the Ale Ambler, and this day out proves that there are plenty of other Sheffield crawls for us both, and indeed us three, to do in the future.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
yesterday I was pleased to meet up with Charlie, AKA renowned beer blogger from the aswiftone beer blog Ale Ambler. We had not met up for a couple of years and we decided to meet in the Sheffield Tap to start a short pub crawl.in the grey, darkening streets of sodden Sheffield
The days tarted well I had arranged to meet Charlie the night before -desit having been a trifle refreshed at the time, and despite having lost my phone, I remembered that I was meeting the AA at
12.30. I hadn't however, remembered to get ready for 11.45. I was burning my bacon at that point. And trying to contact the AA via Facebook. Luckily I found his Twitter account and messaged him. I found my dead phone 10 minutes before I left, and met the AA at 13.08. Luckily things improved form here on.
In the Sheffield Tap it was busy and I spotted the AA at the bar. He had a half of Arbor Oz Bomb and me a First Chop AVA. We repaired to the brewery room where the smell f brewing hung in the air, and I sat and gently shook whilst Double A made notes. I was still mildly drunk from the night before you see. Both beers were lovely. Especially the Arbor.
Coats and scarves done up we walked out of the Tap into a wall of water and struggled along Brown Street, Sidney Street and up onto Arundel Street. Double A is fond of street art - as opposed to graffiti (the difference between which is different to many) and we stopped off at a wall near the pub to look at some.
The Lord Nelson is a small, back street, corner local, owned by Greedy King, but still retaining its character and selling a good range of real ales and bottles - and black pudding pork scratchings. I also noticed bottles of West Brewing St Mungo's lager in the fridge - not something I have seen anywhere for a while.
We had a pint and a half of Pennine Happy New Year 2016 - maybe a little early but it isn't how I would expect a celebration ale to taste. That said. it was beautiful. Very quaffable with a balanced bitterness and very easy to drink. The AA also had a half of Bradfield Belgian Blue. This was as I predicted - poorly balanced and sweet (and with no identifiable blue). Absolutely nothing with how it was kept I should point out. It was in here as well that I decided to recharge my phone. Alas, two minutes in, the lead fell out and I didn't notice. It would be two pubs later before I got my phone charged!
The AA liked the lord Nelson - now with I love Fanny's T-shirts to order, for those confident that people would realise the pub was known as that. He liked what they had done with the space and the fact that there were four separate drinking areas still. Definitely a pub we will revisit.
Along back streets and through Decathlon car park we were soon in the underpass and heading for the Beer Engine. Sadly Tol Barry was not around - he would be in later. The AA will have to return to Sheffield to meet him.
On the bar was a great selection of real ales and kegs - sadly rather too many dark ones for me but the Siren Oatmeal Pale Undercurrent was on at £3.40 a pint so I had a half of that and the keg four Hopmen of the Hopocalypse. The AA meanwhile had a half o the Wild Beer Millionaire, a salted caramel chocolate ale which we were warned was quite sweet. It was an immensely strong flavoured beer at 4.7%, and although I preferred my delicious Oatmeal Pale and Hopmen, the AA found it quite easy to drink.
As usual there was an interesting range of music on and trade was steady, if not busy. One thing I will point out about the Beer Engine is the toilets - soft loo roll, heating, handwash and a hand dryer and hot water. None of which are difficult to provide, but usually only two of which are available in other pubs. Its nowhere near as important as the quality of the beers however. Since they are also excellent and well thought through, this makes the Beer Engine a fab place for a pint.
Up Eccy road next and we arrived from the continuing downpour at the Portland House. On the bar there were four Welbeck and Leeds best and a Celt Experience beer called something an Brett. The guy behind the bar asked of we were here to try it, and given the choice we were. The AA was not aware of brettanomyces - part of the Saccharomycetaceae family of myacies, for ease of reference! The only reference I could muster at the time was that they featured in Imperial Russian Stouts, and that breweries were now trying them out for the unique unusual flavour. The beer was certainly in possession of that - it was an unusual but possibly over-bretted beer, but definitely one that challenged our taste buds. The other thing here was that I managed to charge my phone o 26%.
We caught a bus back into town and went to collect the AA's haul of shopping from Wateralls and a cheese specialist - where I also purchased some Brampton Impy Dark Derby cheese. After a quick chat with Sean from Beer Central we headed up to the Devonshire Cat. The AA got a half of Shiny Sorachi and I the Hop Studio Obsidian Black IPA. We sat in my usual place and found that we couldn't use the sockets to charge my phone....
Never the less, we enjoyed our beers, but me rather more than the AA whose Sorachi flavoured beer was overpowering! We also bumped into new manager Liz formerly of the Sheffield Tap. December, it seems, is s busy time of year to start your new job...
Up the road next for me and The AA's final pub the Bath Hotel. I got a pint of Harbour Pale and he a half of Jaipur on keg. We sat in the back and watched the fire very slowly fail to get going and then be drowned by more coal. A shame, since we were soaked. I had a further pint of Jaipur and Matty joined us whilst we waited for Tash, but the AA admitted he had reached his limit and we soon left for him to get his train. Thanks so much for your company Ale Ambler! Glad to have introduced you to a new Sheffield pub or two.
I headed off to BrewDog next to wait for Tash - as the crawl was finished we could now drink beer in the cntre. We shared a bottle of the Fantome Saison. The bar was quite packed and the music was fantastic as it so often is. We also had two halves of the Aberdeen BrewDog Ghost Writer and the Prototype Black IPA, along with a venison pie and mash and gravy - which was very tasty, but really needed to have come on a plate as opposed to in a box.
Our final stop of the night was in the Tap and Tankard where we had two halves of the Green Jack gone fishing and a half of Double Top Shanghai. I also bought Tash a double gin and tonic as she was feeling a little unwell. The music changes from being rock and dub to awful pop later one - a deliberate ploy no doubt to persuade customers to leave. It worked, and we left about midnight.
This was another fantastic pub crawl in Sheffield featuring a mix of different pub styles and beer styles. Great to catch up with the Ale Ambler, and this day out proves that there are plenty of other Sheffield crawls for us both, and indeed us three, to do in the future.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Wanderians November 2015
Once upon a time,
long long ago, in a far away place called Sheffield, there was a man of Beef. The man went into public houses, and micro-public houses, and bars, and inside delighted (usually) in sampling drinks. Beer drinks. This made the Beefy man beefier, happier, more tired and less well off. It also gave him something to write about. Hence....
This month's Wanderians was a little longer than normal. Mr P seems less worried about restriction - or rather, potentially has less restrictions,on the amount of beer he consumes. This was demonstrated fully on Wednesday night. Our plan was to go to The Portland House so I suggested we started at the Bath Hotel. After waiting just 25 minutes for an every 10 minute 52a, we were less than soon starting our evening's voyage.
Being two days after payday meant I had real money on me. Just as well since the card machine at the Bath Hotel was not working. Mr P had a pint of (possibly) Real Deal from Blackjack and I had the 6% Arbor beer which was an IPA. We sat at the large table, mainly because a leak meant we couldn't sit anywhere else, and talked, and planned our route.
Brood is a bar at Art collective Roco nearby. Well, I say that, Roco doesn't appear open. There were lights on upstairs but the doors were locked (despite its opening November banner) and I on't care how artistic it may seem,. breaking and entering is not my scene. So we headed off down the ring road towards Eccy Road. En route I mentioned to Mr P that I'd never been in the Hanover. He had, in the early 70's, and all of a sudden we were on Hanover Street and the pub was there. Inside we went in the dark games room on the right. There were three handpumps but no evidence of any real ale being on. I asked what bottles they had and from a very limited range we opted for a can of Guinness each. We took our drinks round the back of the bar to sit in the "best room" on the left.
The Hanover used to be a Wards pub, or am sure it sold Wards. Inside it has two rooms and was perhaps originally three, and there is exposed brickwork on the left wall and a nice open fire, and an old telly on the beam in front of us showing Murder She Wrote. The loos are across some decking outside and this is to my knowledge the only Sheffield pub that I know of with this arrangement. There were a handful of locals, a bloke who looked, if this is possible, like a theatre producer, and people were chatting and socialising at the bar. I like the Hanover. Its not pretensions, and it appears to serve its local community. It would be great if it sold real ale of course, but it doesn't, and is sill trading. Good for them.
Down through the flats and out on to Eccy Road we were soon at the Portland House. We both had pints of Townhouse Green Bullet and I had a Wateralls pork pie. We chatted and soaked up the atmosphere and noticed tat actually there were a few spare handpumps. Mr P also noticed a mis-spelling on the chalk board (Wensledale...?). Hardly the end of life as we know it, but a couple of little niggles. The pub now sells food as promised and seems to have regulars, so the outlook is good.
Off next to the Beer Engine via a chat with quiz bound Mr Hough, and once again an impeccable range o ales was on offer. Mr P had something dark on cask and I had a pint of the Almasty Mango IPA - less Mango-y than I expected but still a cracking beer. The pub was a little quieter than I expected but still turns over an excellent range of bottled and cask and keg beers - hoping to get back there to eat very soon.
Our penultimate stop was at the Hermitage. Last time I went in this was called something else and didn't sell real ale - I went to see a guy about a job working for his 3d photographic company. The Hermitage now sells four or five real ales including Clubhouse ones from Milestone - Mr P had a pint of their strong mild and I a pint of the Saltaire Cascade. It was awkward to find somewhere to sit as a party of rugby players were on their way but the staff were friendly and the beer was well kept - and the pork scratchings were lovely.
Our final stop was at the Lord Nelson on Arundel Street (or Lane..). Mr P had a pint of Belhaven Porter and I a pint of the Pennine Real Blonde from a choice of four. We went and sat in the room on the left and watched some football on the telly, before Mr P shared some of his Twitter poetry with me. As I have said before, I like the Lord Nelson, and this was another enjoyable visit - although, I did leave my wallet there. This is something I found out whilst buying my tea at the checkout. Credit to them though, they found it and kept hold of it until I returned after work the next day - to have two excellent pints of the Real Blonde and a packet of Black pudding pork scratching.
Once again hen, a small area of Sheffield provides 6 very different styles of pub with a range of real ales available in all but one. Thus proving, if proof were needed, that Sheffield is a great place for a pub crawl.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
long long ago, in a far away place called Sheffield, there was a man of Beef. The man went into public houses, and micro-public houses, and bars, and inside delighted (usually) in sampling drinks. Beer drinks. This made the Beefy man beefier, happier, more tired and less well off. It also gave him something to write about. Hence....
This month's Wanderians was a little longer than normal. Mr P seems less worried about restriction - or rather, potentially has less restrictions,on the amount of beer he consumes. This was demonstrated fully on Wednesday night. Our plan was to go to The Portland House so I suggested we started at the Bath Hotel. After waiting just 25 minutes for an every 10 minute 52a, we were less than soon starting our evening's voyage.
Being two days after payday meant I had real money on me. Just as well since the card machine at the Bath Hotel was not working. Mr P had a pint of (possibly) Real Deal from Blackjack and I had the 6% Arbor beer which was an IPA. We sat at the large table, mainly because a leak meant we couldn't sit anywhere else, and talked, and planned our route.
Brood is a bar at Art collective Roco nearby. Well, I say that, Roco doesn't appear open. There were lights on upstairs but the doors were locked (despite its opening November banner) and I on't care how artistic it may seem,. breaking and entering is not my scene. So we headed off down the ring road towards Eccy Road. En route I mentioned to Mr P that I'd never been in the Hanover. He had, in the early 70's, and all of a sudden we were on Hanover Street and the pub was there. Inside we went in the dark games room on the right. There were three handpumps but no evidence of any real ale being on. I asked what bottles they had and from a very limited range we opted for a can of Guinness each. We took our drinks round the back of the bar to sit in the "best room" on the left.
The Hanover used to be a Wards pub, or am sure it sold Wards. Inside it has two rooms and was perhaps originally three, and there is exposed brickwork on the left wall and a nice open fire, and an old telly on the beam in front of us showing Murder She Wrote. The loos are across some decking outside and this is to my knowledge the only Sheffield pub that I know of with this arrangement. There were a handful of locals, a bloke who looked, if this is possible, like a theatre producer, and people were chatting and socialising at the bar. I like the Hanover. Its not pretensions, and it appears to serve its local community. It would be great if it sold real ale of course, but it doesn't, and is sill trading. Good for them.
Down through the flats and out on to Eccy Road we were soon at the Portland House. We both had pints of Townhouse Green Bullet and I had a Wateralls pork pie. We chatted and soaked up the atmosphere and noticed tat actually there were a few spare handpumps. Mr P also noticed a mis-spelling on the chalk board (Wensledale...?). Hardly the end of life as we know it, but a couple of little niggles. The pub now sells food as promised and seems to have regulars, so the outlook is good.
Off next to the Beer Engine via a chat with quiz bound Mr Hough, and once again an impeccable range o ales was on offer. Mr P had something dark on cask and I had a pint of the Almasty Mango IPA - less Mango-y than I expected but still a cracking beer. The pub was a little quieter than I expected but still turns over an excellent range of bottled and cask and keg beers - hoping to get back there to eat very soon.
Our penultimate stop was at the Hermitage. Last time I went in this was called something else and didn't sell real ale - I went to see a guy about a job working for his 3d photographic company. The Hermitage now sells four or five real ales including Clubhouse ones from Milestone - Mr P had a pint of their strong mild and I a pint of the Saltaire Cascade. It was awkward to find somewhere to sit as a party of rugby players were on their way but the staff were friendly and the beer was well kept - and the pork scratchings were lovely.
Our final stop was at the Lord Nelson on Arundel Street (or Lane..). Mr P had a pint of Belhaven Porter and I a pint of the Pennine Real Blonde from a choice of four. We went and sat in the room on the left and watched some football on the telly, before Mr P shared some of his Twitter poetry with me. As I have said before, I like the Lord Nelson, and this was another enjoyable visit - although, I did leave my wallet there. This is something I found out whilst buying my tea at the checkout. Credit to them though, they found it and kept hold of it until I returned after work the next day - to have two excellent pints of the Real Blonde and a packet of Black pudding pork scratching.
Once again hen, a small area of Sheffield provides 6 very different styles of pub with a range of real ales available in all but one. Thus proving, if proof were needed, that Sheffield is a great place for a pub crawl.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
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