Hello,
last night I got to the new brewery room at the Sheffield Tap (formerly a dining room, situated to the far left as you look from the outside). Having become convinced it was a fairytale or trick to frustrate me, I was relieved to discover that you really could just walk in, sit down, soak up the fab vistas, and, one assumes had I arrived earlier, watch beer being made.
Meanwhile I had two fab beers to keep me company - half a Marble Stout, which was excellent, like almost all Marble beer is, and a Junionaire (most probably not the name, but Sheff Tap FB page deactivated so no idea what is on!) from Thornbridge, brewed by young people. Somewhere. Admittedly this paucity of detail is a reporting failure, but I assure you I was too mesmerised by the grandeur of the brewery room to care.
Interestingly, it was surprising how many people seemed to arrive and then immediately walk out - but then, yer can't ignore the fact that there's nowt as queer as folk.
One slight downside to my visit was the much vaunted arrival of Kissmeyer beer in keg, and a forthcoming meet the brewer event. Not that meeting a fermenty spargey chap is a bad thing, just that the beer from said brewery took the piss in terms of price.
Of course, one could suggest that the fault of the heinous over pricing should lay fairly and squarely with the retailer, but am not so sure. In a pub where people wee themselves at the chance to buy the "latest" and most talked about (dear God, trending?) beer, no matter what the price, you can't blame the Tap for putting on something unusual even if its cost is astronomic. However, I wonder how much of the eye watering cost is profit, especially if the producer is taking the piss?
Lets face it Denmark's craft beer isn't cheap - but the argument for buying Mikkeller is that its renownedly excellent. So it could be a country thing. I realise Carlsberg isn't expensive, but then, the likelihood is, any you buy in the UK is brewed in the UK.
I like to think that Thornbridge and Magic Rock are a great example of brewers setting the bar higher than most of us would like to jump. Recent excellence in a bottle has made me less begrudging of that ethos regarding Thornbridge; likewise the stupendous Bearded Lady and Human Cannonball offerings from Magic Rock have done the same. Thornbridge in particular though seem to trade on an "our beer is simply excellent so you should pay more than the going rate for it" business outlook. So maybe Kissmeyer think they are likewise uber fantastic?
I say they, but the blurb on the Tinternet is all about one guy, Anders Kissmeyer. He could still be incredibly certain of his own brilliance though.....
The final puzzle is that being keg, I don't think there is an expected extra cost that would come with a Keykeg. I don't think continental kegs are single use, yet, I don't know for certain that this was in a conventional continental keg.
For info, the beer was called (I wrote it down as "f*ck that" but sense I may have been having a giraffe), was 7.%, and was £4.40 a half. Making it as, or possibly more, expensive than Magic Rock Bearded Lady - yet being 3.5% weaker, and below the HSB duty limit, and not definitely being in a single use container.
Lastly, Mikkeller and Magic Rock and Thornbridge have a really good reputation. I am willing to be wrong here, but I suspect Kissmeyer doesn't have the same enigma. Perhaps if it did (bearing in mind no tasters were available), I might have been willing to fork out for a half.
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Pub Restoration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pub Restoration. Show all posts
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Three visits in, what do we know about the Bath Hotel?
Afternoon,
yesterday I had one of my now thankfully not that rare catch ups with illustrator extraordinaire Christingpher. Coming up in the next post are the details of our wander, but I want to tell you some more about the Bath Hotel. This is the 3rd time I've been since Thornbridge started running it and I wanted to provide a further update on what changes have taken place, and how its settling in to the comfortable seat that was the Bath under Brian.
Ba'th Humbug
Firstly I think there may be a new sign. The thing about visiting a pub loads of times, given that you know where it is and which building it is, you don't really look at the sign. So maybe its just repainted? Either way it looks good - I wonder if the coat of arms depicted is that on the mirror in the back room?.
Inside I have now found the price list - its tucked away in the small drinking corridor in the top right corner above the hatch. Its a weird place to put it because there's usually someone stood at that hatch so you are unlikely to be served there. Perhaps they were saving the newly unencumbered view of the woodwork on the front bar.
That its difficult to spot is surprising because it shows that contrary to concerns the standard regular Thornbridge beers are inexpensive for town. I am sure Moonshine used to be over £3.00 in the Bath but Brother Rabbit, a similar strength (not the same) beer is on at £2.80, with the weaker Wild Swan at £2.60. Its good to see affordable session ale in the city centre - with the exception of the Bee Hive you pay over £3.00 a pint everywhere in the area, regardless of whether its a sub 4% beer. Also, the standard Bernard lager is £3.20. Can't really compare this with the price of Carlsberg as I never touched it but it doesn't seem too expensive. The guests are not too expensive either, although I have only had two different ones - more on that later.
I got into the back room and I think its unchanged, apart from maybe a repaint. Its still the best place in the pub for a chat, and you can get service at the hatch which is good. There was also some space reserved in the main room for the musicians. It appears free music is still available, although a low turn out last night was suggested by the performer to be because they'd put the prices up, which isn't true.
So to the beer. I finally got to try Dark Star Brewery's Revelation IPA, a monstrously dry hoppy pale beer at 5.7% and £3.10 a pint (I think, notes unclear....). This magnificent citrussy beast had, as promised by the lady behind the bar, a very dry finish, but that balances out the pineapple, marmalade, apricot and grapefruit flavours that jump out of the initial mouthfeel. I'm really glad to have had the opportunity to finally sample this, but I have to say, at the mid point of our crawl that night it wasn't one for a session. More of a well deserved last beer of the night.
So far the guests are mainly from Allgates, Phoenix and Dark Star, which are all good breweries, although some other guests, even from the Thornbridge brewing friends, would be welcome. And it would seem that selling beer hasn't been a problem - I was told that the Kipling they'd put on was a Kilderkin. if you can sell 18 gallons of beer before it goes off (albeit Kipling is quite strong) then that suggests good turnover. I don't know of any other pubs in the area using 18's.
So, it seems to have settled in nicely, being reasonably busy on my 3 visits (less last night, but that was a Monday). And I am taking Davefromtshop their tonight so hopefully I will have the opportunity to delve in to the citrus delights of a Dark Star Revelation once more.
Wee Beefy
yesterday I had one of my now thankfully not that rare catch ups with illustrator extraordinaire Christingpher. Coming up in the next post are the details of our wander, but I want to tell you some more about the Bath Hotel. This is the 3rd time I've been since Thornbridge started running it and I wanted to provide a further update on what changes have taken place, and how its settling in to the comfortable seat that was the Bath under Brian.
Ba'th Humbug
Firstly I think there may be a new sign. The thing about visiting a pub loads of times, given that you know where it is and which building it is, you don't really look at the sign. So maybe its just repainted? Either way it looks good - I wonder if the coat of arms depicted is that on the mirror in the back room?.
Inside I have now found the price list - its tucked away in the small drinking corridor in the top right corner above the hatch. Its a weird place to put it because there's usually someone stood at that hatch so you are unlikely to be served there. Perhaps they were saving the newly unencumbered view of the woodwork on the front bar.
That its difficult to spot is surprising because it shows that contrary to concerns the standard regular Thornbridge beers are inexpensive for town. I am sure Moonshine used to be over £3.00 in the Bath but Brother Rabbit, a similar strength (not the same) beer is on at £2.80, with the weaker Wild Swan at £2.60. Its good to see affordable session ale in the city centre - with the exception of the Bee Hive you pay over £3.00 a pint everywhere in the area, regardless of whether its a sub 4% beer. Also, the standard Bernard lager is £3.20. Can't really compare this with the price of Carlsberg as I never touched it but it doesn't seem too expensive. The guests are not too expensive either, although I have only had two different ones - more on that later.
I got into the back room and I think its unchanged, apart from maybe a repaint. Its still the best place in the pub for a chat, and you can get service at the hatch which is good. There was also some space reserved in the main room for the musicians. It appears free music is still available, although a low turn out last night was suggested by the performer to be because they'd put the prices up, which isn't true.
So to the beer. I finally got to try Dark Star Brewery's Revelation IPA, a monstrously dry hoppy pale beer at 5.7% and £3.10 a pint (I think, notes unclear....). This magnificent citrussy beast had, as promised by the lady behind the bar, a very dry finish, but that balances out the pineapple, marmalade, apricot and grapefruit flavours that jump out of the initial mouthfeel. I'm really glad to have had the opportunity to finally sample this, but I have to say, at the mid point of our crawl that night it wasn't one for a session. More of a well deserved last beer of the night.
So far the guests are mainly from Allgates, Phoenix and Dark Star, which are all good breweries, although some other guests, even from the Thornbridge brewing friends, would be welcome. And it would seem that selling beer hasn't been a problem - I was told that the Kipling they'd put on was a Kilderkin. if you can sell 18 gallons of beer before it goes off (albeit Kipling is quite strong) then that suggests good turnover. I don't know of any other pubs in the area using 18's.
So, it seems to have settled in nicely, being reasonably busy on my 3 visits (less last night, but that was a Monday). And I am taking Davefromtshop their tonight so hopefully I will have the opportunity to delve in to the citrus delights of a Dark Star Revelation once more.
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 5 May 2012
The Bath Hotel revealed
Hello,
well, it was later than I hoped, since I was busy on opening night, but I finally got in the Bath Hotel tonight. Red of face and short of breath after an arduous trundle up from work via nobheads at the bank and idiots running the buses I was hopeful of a visit to an unchanged, unruined, even, dare we suggest an improved Bath Hotel experience.
DBH had already texted his rather more succinct review ("very little change to the innards") so I was mildly optimistic, and on entering I noticed only one change, that being a Thornbridge advert/branding on the sign outside.
Inside there were 3 Thornbridge offerings, Brock, Kipling and Wild Swan, and 3 guests, Phoenix Arizona, Allgates Napoleon's Retreat, and Dark Star American Pale Ale. I opted for the latter, given my love of Dark Star beers, and though the lively brew took a few goes to reach a full pint, I was richly rewarded. So, no reasons to cry yet, no need to engage in battle; lets look at the positives.
Principally, the positive is that nowt much has changed. A lick of paint, it seemed lighter but that's hardly factual, and it wasn't an orgy of Thornbridge ego wank on the bar. The Dark Star was, in fact, absolutely stunning - I was gutted to learn that they'd had Revelations on the opening night, as I still want to try that.
The bar has been revarnished, and you can now see all the woodwork, the stools appear to have been reupholstered, but thats because I think they were red not blue, but I am not going to claim this is a fact. The bar was busy, with a mix of after work crowds enjoying the beer and people starting a night out.
So the downsides? The horror and plague suggested, interpreted (by me, I confess) and the decline envisaged?
Well there are some downsides.
Firstly, dark grey paint. The same despairing shit they have coated the Hallamshire in. Why? What does it do? What does it say about the pub, or instill in the visitor? Gloom, is, I suspect, the answer. Also, there is no price list. Interestingly, I don't recall one before, but you are starting anew, so given recent emphasis on consumer rights and pub responsibilities am surprised this has been overlooked.
I also didn't get in the back room (but assume its not purple, baronial, pastel grey/green or light wood), and I didn't find out how much the lower gravity beer cost ( the 4.7% Dark Star was £3.10 a pint, more expensive than Shakespeares, but not exactly absurd).
There are minor changes to the outside, and it seems lighter somehow, but there appears to be nothing from my point of view to indicate that this is now suddenly a no go venue.
One thing stood out for me though. About 20 minutes into my hour long visit four blokes came in. They asked if there were any normal lagers, and on hearing the recommendations advised that they'd had them at the Sheffield Tap - the choice was Versa, and the Kolsch, Tzara. Choice discourse included far reaching assessments such as "theres two lagers and they both taste fucking shit" and "I could piss better than that". No-one is expected to be impressed or indeed pleased with such analysis, but the problem is this.
The Bath wasn't always a haven of guest beers. It has sold Tetleys for as long as I can remember and despite being a regular outlet for Tetleys Mild it wasn't exactly somewhere you'd flock for choice. During that time, and into Brian's tenure, Tetley has always been available, along with the standard, mass market brand lagers.
Now I can't see the point of moaning endlessly about the choice and staying for forty minutes "enlightening" customers with a new range of swear words and choice remarks such as (the Kolsch) "it doesn't even taste like lager" but if you don't usually drink Kolsch, and maybe favour Carlsberg as a regular (probably cheaper) tipple, Tzara and Versa are probably comparatively quite shit.
That they have removed two of the stalwart brands from the bar in the pursuit of proving how great Thornbridge is attracts rightful derision and engenders resentment. This lets the pub down following what is a surprisingly smooth and pain free transition.
Otherwise, this visit and the outlook for future trips serves as a rewarding demonstration of Thornbridge's desire to at least entertain the concerns of punters, mixed with a rather wearying lack of appreciation of context re colour scheme, and a blase approach to the mass market regular.
Wee Beefy
well, it was later than I hoped, since I was busy on opening night, but I finally got in the Bath Hotel tonight. Red of face and short of breath after an arduous trundle up from work via nobheads at the bank and idiots running the buses I was hopeful of a visit to an unchanged, unruined, even, dare we suggest an improved Bath Hotel experience.
DBH had already texted his rather more succinct review ("very little change to the innards") so I was mildly optimistic, and on entering I noticed only one change, that being a Thornbridge advert/branding on the sign outside.
Inside there were 3 Thornbridge offerings, Brock, Kipling and Wild Swan, and 3 guests, Phoenix Arizona, Allgates Napoleon's Retreat, and Dark Star American Pale Ale. I opted for the latter, given my love of Dark Star beers, and though the lively brew took a few goes to reach a full pint, I was richly rewarded. So, no reasons to cry yet, no need to engage in battle; lets look at the positives.
Principally, the positive is that nowt much has changed. A lick of paint, it seemed lighter but that's hardly factual, and it wasn't an orgy of Thornbridge ego wank on the bar. The Dark Star was, in fact, absolutely stunning - I was gutted to learn that they'd had Revelations on the opening night, as I still want to try that.
The bar has been revarnished, and you can now see all the woodwork, the stools appear to have been reupholstered, but thats because I think they were red not blue, but I am not going to claim this is a fact. The bar was busy, with a mix of after work crowds enjoying the beer and people starting a night out.
So the downsides? The horror and plague suggested, interpreted (by me, I confess) and the decline envisaged?
Well there are some downsides.
Firstly, dark grey paint. The same despairing shit they have coated the Hallamshire in. Why? What does it do? What does it say about the pub, or instill in the visitor? Gloom, is, I suspect, the answer. Also, there is no price list. Interestingly, I don't recall one before, but you are starting anew, so given recent emphasis on consumer rights and pub responsibilities am surprised this has been overlooked.
I also didn't get in the back room (but assume its not purple, baronial, pastel grey/green or light wood), and I didn't find out how much the lower gravity beer cost ( the 4.7% Dark Star was £3.10 a pint, more expensive than Shakespeares, but not exactly absurd).
There are minor changes to the outside, and it seems lighter somehow, but there appears to be nothing from my point of view to indicate that this is now suddenly a no go venue.
One thing stood out for me though. About 20 minutes into my hour long visit four blokes came in. They asked if there were any normal lagers, and on hearing the recommendations advised that they'd had them at the Sheffield Tap - the choice was Versa, and the Kolsch, Tzara. Choice discourse included far reaching assessments such as "theres two lagers and they both taste fucking shit" and "I could piss better than that". No-one is expected to be impressed or indeed pleased with such analysis, but the problem is this.
The Bath wasn't always a haven of guest beers. It has sold Tetleys for as long as I can remember and despite being a regular outlet for Tetleys Mild it wasn't exactly somewhere you'd flock for choice. During that time, and into Brian's tenure, Tetley has always been available, along with the standard, mass market brand lagers.
Now I can't see the point of moaning endlessly about the choice and staying for forty minutes "enlightening" customers with a new range of swear words and choice remarks such as (the Kolsch) "it doesn't even taste like lager" but if you don't usually drink Kolsch, and maybe favour Carlsberg as a regular (probably cheaper) tipple, Tzara and Versa are probably comparatively quite shit.
That they have removed two of the stalwart brands from the bar in the pursuit of proving how great Thornbridge is attracts rightful derision and engenders resentment. This lets the pub down following what is a surprisingly smooth and pain free transition.
Otherwise, this visit and the outlook for future trips serves as a rewarding demonstration of Thornbridge's desire to at least entertain the concerns of punters, mixed with a rather wearying lack of appreciation of context re colour scheme, and a blase approach to the mass market regular.
Wee Beefy
Thursday, 3 May 2012
Bath news
Morning,
just time for a very quick update.
It seems my suggestion that the Bath would open Tuesday was incorrect. Still, my caveat of ringing them first might have been helpful. As widely reported elsewhere on the forums and other tinterweb sites, it in fact officially reopens on Thursday (erm, actually, that's today) at 20.00. And I won't be there, which is most annoying.
In stirring up anger and over-reaction news, I can report that decorators gave been spotted, and a man was seen outside PAINTING A RADIATOR. IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
Christ only knows what these sicko's will do next... there was the forlorn corpse of a fridge laid heartlessly on the pavement as I went past.
Now I know how survivors of/those that lived through the (insert name of humanitarian atrocity of incredible magnitude here to over-exaggerate the terror of what is happening) felt.
I hope to be able to provide an update on Friday, after you've all been in (sigh)...
Wee Beefy.
just time for a very quick update.
It seems my suggestion that the Bath would open Tuesday was incorrect. Still, my caveat of ringing them first might have been helpful. As widely reported elsewhere on the forums and other tinterweb sites, it in fact officially reopens on Thursday (erm, actually, that's today) at 20.00. And I won't be there, which is most annoying.
In stirring up anger and over-reaction news, I can report that decorators gave been spotted, and a man was seen outside PAINTING A RADIATOR. IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
Christ only knows what these sicko's will do next... there was the forlorn corpse of a fridge laid heartlessly on the pavement as I went past.
Now I know how survivors of/those that lived through the (insert name of humanitarian atrocity of incredible magnitude here to over-exaggerate the terror of what is happening) felt.
I hope to be able to provide an update on Friday, after you've all been in (sigh)...
Wee Beefy.
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Heritage pub under threat?
Good evening all,
the above headline is perhaps a journalistic own goal, as it is based on fear and supposition and negative expectation. A bit like a shabby tabloid headline penned by an sad, heavy drinking, chain smoking tabloid journalist grubbing around for the latest Daily Mail scare story about nothing of interest to the rational minded.
However, it does have its roots in a serious subject. As many of you will have noticed and probably if you live in Yorkshire already posted about, the Victorian gem which is the Bath Hotel in Sheffield is to be taken over by Thornbridge Brewery (I bet it hasn't or won't be bought by Thornbridge, they don't own pubs lest we forget). Discussion at a high level beer meeting in Harrisons 1854 last night seemed to lean towards dismay, anger, surprise and worry. I have yet to meet (only two days after I heard the news albeit!) anyone with anything positive to say about this latest change of, erm, well, again ownership may be misleading, stewardship... (?)
Aside from obvious concerns about price, inherent pretentiousness, the idea that they might buy in cheap as dishwater Italian lager and sell it as a premium product (my personal worry, difficult to explain am afraid, but for legal reasons I must make clear this hasn't happened!) ) and the lack of guest beers to grace the bar, my specific and justifiable worry is that they will ruin the interior.
To those of you who don't know or appreciate the Bath's interior, it is an intact 1930's refit complete with beautiful tiled and glazed bar and a glorious back room snug with original seating. It won the CAMRA/English Heritage pub design award in 2003 for the sensitive restoration of its original features and refurbishment (which may not be the right term) of the paintwork and upholstery to give a level of reassuring, plain finesse which the pub retains and presents admirably.
The live music is free, the food is simple and inexpensive, the bar staff are helpful, the fixed seating is elegant simplicity, and the beautiful brown tiles and dark wood frame of the bar, with the eye catching black and white diamond tiled floor, sets off the scene perfectly. There is, quite frankly, nothing to be gained by change, even of the colour scheme. There is certainly, nothing worthy of loss or removal by an incoming manager, tenant or partnership.
So would anyone really be so ill-advised?
Wee Beefy
P.S - here is the link to the Heritage Pubs National Inventory entry for the Bath Hotel
the above headline is perhaps a journalistic own goal, as it is based on fear and supposition and negative expectation. A bit like a shabby tabloid headline penned by an sad, heavy drinking, chain smoking tabloid journalist grubbing around for the latest Daily Mail scare story about nothing of interest to the rational minded.
However, it does have its roots in a serious subject. As many of you will have noticed and probably if you live in Yorkshire already posted about, the Victorian gem which is the Bath Hotel in Sheffield is to be taken over by Thornbridge Brewery (I bet it hasn't or won't be bought by Thornbridge, they don't own pubs lest we forget). Discussion at a high level beer meeting in Harrisons 1854 last night seemed to lean towards dismay, anger, surprise and worry. I have yet to meet (only two days after I heard the news albeit!) anyone with anything positive to say about this latest change of, erm, well, again ownership may be misleading, stewardship... (?)
Aside from obvious concerns about price, inherent pretentiousness, the idea that they might buy in cheap as dishwater Italian lager and sell it as a premium product (my personal worry, difficult to explain am afraid, but for legal reasons I must make clear this hasn't happened!) ) and the lack of guest beers to grace the bar, my specific and justifiable worry is that they will ruin the interior.
To those of you who don't know or appreciate the Bath's interior, it is an intact 1930's refit complete with beautiful tiled and glazed bar and a glorious back room snug with original seating. It won the CAMRA/English Heritage pub design award in 2003 for the sensitive restoration of its original features and refurbishment (which may not be the right term) of the paintwork and upholstery to give a level of reassuring, plain finesse which the pub retains and presents admirably.
The live music is free, the food is simple and inexpensive, the bar staff are helpful, the fixed seating is elegant simplicity, and the beautiful brown tiles and dark wood frame of the bar, with the eye catching black and white diamond tiled floor, sets off the scene perfectly. There is, quite frankly, nothing to be gained by change, even of the colour scheme. There is certainly, nothing worthy of loss or removal by an incoming manager, tenant or partnership.
 |
| The magnificent bar at the Bath Hotel |
Lets not forget of course, this is a Grade II listed building. Its listed on the merits of its architecture, and presumably because of its intact unspoilt interior. Only a fool would want to change the set up to stamp their "mark" on the building, only arrogance could sanction any watering down, bastardisation or ruination through modernising of such pristine pub stock.
Well, having been in a number of Thornbridge run pubs I note a rather unsavoury love of pastel greys and light browns. A more cynical chap might muse over the prevalence of the shades watered down despair and troubling "movements". Light wood is great, in a restaurant, especially one searching a modern look. Its also great in newer pubs, or one with tired and sorry interiors requiring a revamp, or a touch of lighting up, to make it less dark and depressing. But spend one minute in the Bath Hotel and you know that's not required. Or warranted. Or wanted.
As usual I am behind everyone else covering this - Gettothepub.com have rightly (but infuriatingly!) beat me to a post on the subject, the link for which is here , and I'd encourage you to have a look. It seems Thornbridge have made assurances about the surfeit of other brewers beers, but I think the crucial point, and the biggest threat here, is the way they treat the interior.
A wildly unjustified, unsympathetic alteration to its character would be a travesty. No amount of expensive but usually good draught real ale and slightly more expensive bottles is going to soften the impact of a cack handed meddle with the layout or fittings. Lets hope Thornbridge prove themselves to be responsible sensitive stewards by retaining what sets this pub apart from most others in Sheffield and indeed South Yorkshire - its place on CAMRA and English Heritage's National Inventory of Unspoilt Pub Interiors.
I have never been a regular in a pub taken over by Thornbridge - although I went from time to time into Trippets, which was to be fair, far better decorated prior to being Dada. I don't like many aspects of the dour grey branding of the Hallamshire House, nor do I really appreciate the (initial at least) food prevalance at the Coach and Horses in Dronfield and the Cricketers (albeit a food venue already), but I haven't been a regular in any pub subject to Thornbridgefication. Except now.
Thornbridge have form, and that's why lovers of this unspoilt interior should be concerned.
And finally, I should point out that, ironically, my first taste of Jaipur, when it was really good instead of OK (perhaps credit to it being slightly hazy), was in the Bath Hotel. The very best pint I had of it was at Archer Road Beer Stop. Lets hope that I will be able to eclipse even that magical cask in the place I tried it first, and leave the Thornbridge owned Bath Hotel with a positive bitter taste in my mouth.
Wee Beefy
P.S - here is the link to the Heritage Pubs National Inventory entry for the Bath Hotel
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Wee Beefy's Sheffield Tap pub review
Now Then,
This week, I arve been mostly drinking.....very little. I have however, made it out three times in the last ten days and have some news to report. Full details are on their way later but firstly I'd like to say a few words about the brilliant, ever expanding, infuriating and popular pub which is the Sheffield Tap.
Early days.
I was out the weekend that the Tap first opened. Having been in some sort of vacuum for a while it seems I missed all the buzz about it opening, but on the first Sunday it was I happened to be sat in the Devonshire Cat (only been in once since ironically) reading a copy of Beer Matters and noticed the announcementt. I decided to pop in for a neb.
The first thing that struck me was the interior fittings and decoration. I had no idea that this place existed, and being a fan of Edwardian and Victorian pub interiors, I was gobsmacked by its opulence and high ceilinged grandeur, topped off by that amazing one piece bar back (which I think they had specially made).
The second thing I noticed was that it was cold. It was the 6th December 2009 and there appeared to be no heating. I sat in the panelled room which is the one you walk through from the road to get to the bar, and even out of the draught it was cold.
The final thing I noticed was that all the beers on the first weekend were from Thornbridge (am pretty sure!). It was when they were doing some of their novelty lower strength beers. This helped to identify that, as a regular Kelham Island Tavern guzzler, the beer in here was a tad expensive. On an unrelated note, early guest ales were from BrewDog (including Punk and Hardcore IPA in cask) and Orkney.
Improvements
In two years extra space has appeared and heating has been installed (or turned on), and the beer range is now 4 Thornbridge and four or five guest cask ales and a cider. There are ten key keg taps with three from Bernard and guests including Sierra Nevada pale ale on the first weekend. Initial visits always seemed to involve me sat with a friend with up to seven glasses of beer on our table (for two of us!) - almost like we knew what we wanted next but were so desperate not to miss it that we'd be unwilling to finish the beers we had before reordering. That would never happen in the Red Lion, Ampney St Peter....
Nowadays
I am in too often. And I have even started to take an interest in drinking keykeg stuff, despite the obvious expense. Usually stuff you can't get in cask, making the expenditure worthwhile, having already done a few comparison beers. Am still awaiting the chance to try a cask and keykeg beer side by side however...
There are still gripes, obviously. No pub is perfect. There seems a lack of bar staff at busy times, and certain products are disproportionately expensive. To their credit however, staff usually let you know if you are about to be asked to part with an obscene sum of money, which is only right.
The Saturday of the Steel City 666 Black IPA tasting I was in the Tap afterwards trying some Liverpool Organic Brewhouse beers. I tried a strong pale one, a little cloudy, called amnesia - not literally (although it could have been called Losenotes since I have, and now can't recall its name). This was not really a great example of their beers which was a shame, but the other two were really good.
The Kitty Wilkinson Chocolate and Vanilla Stout (4.5%, above middle) was brilliant, and I had started with a half of their refreshing Pale Ale. One of the things that's good about the Tap is that they quite often have a guest brewery and because of the number of pumps available, if for some reason you don't rate their output you can always have one of the other guests. They also have some beer samples poured to show you the colour, and if this is still not enough info then you can always ask for a taster.
This was a great opportunity to try a selection - and there was one of their beers on this Saturday as well. Yesterday, indeed, was Buxton Brewery day. I tried halves of their Best Bitter, 3.9% and stout 4.3%. These two came to £3.45, which is steep, but both were excellent examples of their style. The Bitter was a hoppy and refreshing beer whilst managing to be complex and robust, all crammed into a fairly low alcohol brew. The Stout was traditional with lots of roast malt bitterness, a little bit like Titanic Stout, and was probably the beer of the week for me.
I also tried halves of Pennine Amber Necker and Bristol Beer Company Sunshine. These two were more reasonable at £2.85 for the two halves. I didn't get on with the Bristol, it had a strange malty sweetness which was neither to my taste or what I would expect from a summer beer - too "sticky", if that even makes sense, to quench the thirst. The Pennine on the other hand was an aptly named beer which didn't hang around long, with a very dry bitterness that made it stand out, but ultimately, very quaffable.
My final pairing was a Camden Pale, and a Stone IPA (6.9%) on keykeg which came to a fiver. The Stone was intensely bitter, possibly using Simcoe (which I understand is BrewDog's signature bite, rather than Nelson Sauvin?) followed by a yeasty Belgian sweet malt. This was a very good example of its style, a strong Belgian inspired American IPA, but it was too heavy to be enjoyable, and I was pained to leave some in the glass. The Camden was quite light and didn't really benefit from being cold - I would have loved to have tasted it in cask, assuming it was available in cask, before Camden announced they were concentrating on keg in 2012. One feature that I did like was its bite - for such a light refreshing beer it had this pleasant hoppy sting at the back of the throat, which despite my choice of words, was actually quite nice, and an impressive flavour.
All too soon I had to go - which brings me to my final eulogistic point - as with many old bars (or old recreated bars, am still not sure) there is a carriage clock built into the fitting. The difference with the one at the Sheffield Tap is - it works.
A clock used for telling the time - what will these innovative brainiacs think of next?
Wee Beefy
This week, I arve been mostly drinking.....very little. I have however, made it out three times in the last ten days and have some news to report. Full details are on their way later but firstly I'd like to say a few words about the brilliant, ever expanding, infuriating and popular pub which is the Sheffield Tap.
Early days.
I was out the weekend that the Tap first opened. Having been in some sort of vacuum for a while it seems I missed all the buzz about it opening, but on the first Sunday it was I happened to be sat in the Devonshire Cat (only been in once since ironically) reading a copy of Beer Matters and noticed the announcementt. I decided to pop in for a neb.
The first thing that struck me was the interior fittings and decoration. I had no idea that this place existed, and being a fan of Edwardian and Victorian pub interiors, I was gobsmacked by its opulence and high ceilinged grandeur, topped off by that amazing one piece bar back (which I think they had specially made).
The second thing I noticed was that it was cold. It was the 6th December 2009 and there appeared to be no heating. I sat in the panelled room which is the one you walk through from the road to get to the bar, and even out of the draught it was cold.
The final thing I noticed was that all the beers on the first weekend were from Thornbridge (am pretty sure!). It was when they were doing some of their novelty lower strength beers. This helped to identify that, as a regular Kelham Island Tavern guzzler, the beer in here was a tad expensive. On an unrelated note, early guest ales were from BrewDog (including Punk and Hardcore IPA in cask) and Orkney.
Improvements
In two years extra space has appeared and heating has been installed (or turned on), and the beer range is now 4 Thornbridge and four or five guest cask ales and a cider. There are ten key keg taps with three from Bernard and guests including Sierra Nevada pale ale on the first weekend. Initial visits always seemed to involve me sat with a friend with up to seven glasses of beer on our table (for two of us!) - almost like we knew what we wanted next but were so desperate not to miss it that we'd be unwilling to finish the beers we had before reordering. That would never happen in the Red Lion, Ampney St Peter....
Nowadays
I am in too often. And I have even started to take an interest in drinking keykeg stuff, despite the obvious expense. Usually stuff you can't get in cask, making the expenditure worthwhile, having already done a few comparison beers. Am still awaiting the chance to try a cask and keykeg beer side by side however...
There are still gripes, obviously. No pub is perfect. There seems a lack of bar staff at busy times, and certain products are disproportionately expensive. To their credit however, staff usually let you know if you are about to be asked to part with an obscene sum of money, which is only right.
The Saturday of the Steel City 666 Black IPA tasting I was in the Tap afterwards trying some Liverpool Organic Brewhouse beers. I tried a strong pale one, a little cloudy, called amnesia - not literally (although it could have been called Losenotes since I have, and now can't recall its name). This was not really a great example of their beers which was a shame, but the other two were really good.
The Kitty Wilkinson Chocolate and Vanilla Stout (4.5%, above middle) was brilliant, and I had started with a half of their refreshing Pale Ale. One of the things that's good about the Tap is that they quite often have a guest brewery and because of the number of pumps available, if for some reason you don't rate their output you can always have one of the other guests. They also have some beer samples poured to show you the colour, and if this is still not enough info then you can always ask for a taster.
This was a great opportunity to try a selection - and there was one of their beers on this Saturday as well. Yesterday, indeed, was Buxton Brewery day. I tried halves of their Best Bitter, 3.9% and stout 4.3%. These two came to £3.45, which is steep, but both were excellent examples of their style. The Bitter was a hoppy and refreshing beer whilst managing to be complex and robust, all crammed into a fairly low alcohol brew. The Stout was traditional with lots of roast malt bitterness, a little bit like Titanic Stout, and was probably the beer of the week for me.
I also tried halves of Pennine Amber Necker and Bristol Beer Company Sunshine. These two were more reasonable at £2.85 for the two halves. I didn't get on with the Bristol, it had a strange malty sweetness which was neither to my taste or what I would expect from a summer beer - too "sticky", if that even makes sense, to quench the thirst. The Pennine on the other hand was an aptly named beer which didn't hang around long, with a very dry bitterness that made it stand out, but ultimately, very quaffable.
My final pairing was a Camden Pale, and a Stone IPA (6.9%) on keykeg which came to a fiver. The Stone was intensely bitter, possibly using Simcoe (which I understand is BrewDog's signature bite, rather than Nelson Sauvin?) followed by a yeasty Belgian sweet malt. This was a very good example of its style, a strong Belgian inspired American IPA, but it was too heavy to be enjoyable, and I was pained to leave some in the glass. The Camden was quite light and didn't really benefit from being cold - I would have loved to have tasted it in cask, assuming it was available in cask, before Camden announced they were concentrating on keg in 2012. One feature that I did like was its bite - for such a light refreshing beer it had this pleasant hoppy sting at the back of the throat, which despite my choice of words, was actually quite nice, and an impressive flavour.
All too soon I had to go - which brings me to my final eulogistic point - as with many old bars (or old recreated bars, am still not sure) there is a carriage clock built into the fitting. The difference with the one at the Sheffield Tap is - it works.
A clock used for telling the time - what will these innovative brainiacs think of next?
Wee Beefy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)