Hellall,
as friends and regular readers, of any posts which I now infrequently find the time to write, will know, I don't consider pubs a place one goes to get scran. That said, I do often go out with the other Wees into Staffordshire and with Mumraah and Keet to Crookes for the same. Last week WF had a few issues in his flat and offered to take us out for a meal.
I have only been to the Phoenix at Ridgeway, possibly in fact at High Lane but equally not, twice before. Once when I was a child, and once back in September after coming out of A and E. That time the food was good and the ale OK so at 19.30 we headed off back for a meal. Arriving at 19.40 we dropped WF at the entrance and I ran in, put my coat on a chair and headed to the bar with three menus. Cue being ignored.
Five minutes or more later WF had finally reached the bar and me and WK ad already chosen. There were three staff behind the bar, all running between the other end and the kitchen. At 19.50 I finally got a response when I asked if I could order some food "not at this time no". As WK pointed out, it said they served til 20.00 on their website and elsewhere, and asked that since we only wanted mains could they do that, but the woman said "not tonight" before reignoring us.
We told WF to swap his glasses back and walk back to the car - he was not impressed. "what's the point of spending all that money on refurbishment if you aren't going to serve food?". It was a fair question. There had been a huge amount spent on the refurb. Five minutes later we were holding the door open for WF looking at the sign which still asked you to grab a table and number and go to the bar to order food. Keith did point out that they should take it down - its an A Frame so could just be folded shut and turned round. No answer was made.
As we awaited WK to bring the car to the bottom of the steps for WF, 10 minutes after he had been told they weren't serving food, and with a couple behind us planning to order at an Indian restaurant instead, we decided to call the White Swan in Ridgeway itself. They told us we would need to order by 20.15 and having found out there was three of us told us to grab a table in the right hand side. Five minutes later I was at the bar, and ten minutes later WF was. Me and WK had hunters chicken with the wonderful home made chips, whilst WF opted for partridge and sherry pie with chips. The food came in 20 minutes and was absolutely delicious.
We washed it don with pints of Stancill India red from a choice of three local real ales. We have been going in the Swan for nearly thirty years and the ale used to be Bass which was good but it wasn't always that impressive, and sometimes wasn't on at all. When we had last gone three years ago and sat for the first time in the room on the left, am guessing it was the present owners as they had two or three ales on then as well.
We had stopped going in because for a period they stopped doing food on a Monday but the rudeness and lack of organisation of the nearby Greedy King outpost helped to show us what we had been missing. WF had gone to the Swan for a meal for his 60th in the early noughties so we have appreciated the food, and now the beer range, for many years. I can't forget their goulash and peppered pork stews from that era.
Am not for a minute trying to pull some sort of provider and client relationship card here by the way. The Phoenix however is entirely a food venue so to get that wrong, and provide no explanation or apology, is really very bad. Its like setting up a gin wagon and running out of gin. You have one thing to do.....
The worst part is that the two pubs are s close together. Two very different sides of virtually the same coin. Oh, and the fact that they couldn't have manged to ignore WF's slow tortured walk to the bar and his looking at the menus, yet nobody ventured to tell us that we were in fact wasting our time.
At least we have rediscovered the excellent beer and food in the White Swan now. I think our next Monday night pub meal will be there.
Your very best health
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Pub food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pub food. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 February 2019
Saturday, 14 February 2015
Give a sausage to someone cho love
Hello,
its the yearly orgy of fake messages of love, over priced cards and horrendous meals in places that normally might offer a decent service, but for this weekend, become incapable of doing so. There is schmaltzy cheese music playing, couples in their later years squeezed into clothes they loved when they met decades earlier, fake hearts everywhere you look, and everyone is ordering stuff to eat ans drink like their lives depend on it. If only there was a more agreeable way to spend Valentines day?
Well, luckily, there is. The Three Tuns, Silver Street Head, Sheffield, is until Sunday having Sausage Fest 2015. I did ask if this was the 2015th consecutive festival they had run but this was deemed to be a "joke" so I can't confirm, but it does at least take place in 2015, so points there for accuracy. I have to say however, am annoyed that they didn't realise this enquiry was representative of my renowned journalistic rigour....
I went on Thursday night to find Reet Pale on the bar from Blue Bee, their Tempest Stout and also Blue Bee Sausage Fest 2015, a dry hopped 5.0% IPA. This was deliciously hoppy, pale (obviously) and surprisingly easy to drink, so myself and the musician Mr David Howard had numerous pints of this beer. To be fair, and with the greatest respect to The Tuns, who is a person, the first night was slightly chaotic.
We definitely needed to drink a number of pints in the time we waited for our food. Well, my food. I'm not convinced that young David actually eats, instead subsisting on tobacco and alcohol. Issues with delays in food times included missing catering staff and a table of gluttons who, I was told by David, had ordered approximately 1 thousand courses of sausage, piled high on their table.
Whatever the reason for the delay, I am happy to confirm that the lovely Dave behind the bar apologised and recompensed us, and the three sausages and chips I had were delicious. And according to Faceache, many people have visited since and really enjoyed the food and beer on offer.
For those interested, I chose a chorizo, a game and venison and a pork and apple sausage. All were cooked to perfection and incredibly tasty. The range includes ones made with Blue Bee Brewery beer, with Sheffield Honey Co honey, steak and Guinness, smokey BBQ, caramelised onion and balsamic vinegar, a gluten free, 3 vegetarian sausage types, and many more. There is also a trio of Sheffeld sausages, and sausage and cider casserole. Its a porcine (or tofu) dream. The link to the pub on Twatter is here, for details, and their website is here.
So, if you have a loved one, an elderly relative, child or pet, or someone you care about at all, please take them to Sausage Fest today. Show them how you really feel with tubes of flavoured meat. It makes "porkfect"* sense.
*Clears throat.
Wee Beefy
its the yearly orgy of fake messages of love, over priced cards and horrendous meals in places that normally might offer a decent service, but for this weekend, become incapable of doing so. There is schmaltzy cheese music playing, couples in their later years squeezed into clothes they loved when they met decades earlier, fake hearts everywhere you look, and everyone is ordering stuff to eat ans drink like their lives depend on it. If only there was a more agreeable way to spend Valentines day?
Well, luckily, there is. The Three Tuns, Silver Street Head, Sheffield, is until Sunday having Sausage Fest 2015. I did ask if this was the 2015th consecutive festival they had run but this was deemed to be a "joke" so I can't confirm, but it does at least take place in 2015, so points there for accuracy. I have to say however, am annoyed that they didn't realise this enquiry was representative of my renowned journalistic rigour....
I went on Thursday night to find Reet Pale on the bar from Blue Bee, their Tempest Stout and also Blue Bee Sausage Fest 2015, a dry hopped 5.0% IPA. This was deliciously hoppy, pale (obviously) and surprisingly easy to drink, so myself and the musician Mr David Howard had numerous pints of this beer. To be fair, and with the greatest respect to The Tuns, who is a person, the first night was slightly chaotic.
We definitely needed to drink a number of pints in the time we waited for our food. Well, my food. I'm not convinced that young David actually eats, instead subsisting on tobacco and alcohol. Issues with delays in food times included missing catering staff and a table of gluttons who, I was told by David, had ordered approximately 1 thousand courses of sausage, piled high on their table.
Whatever the reason for the delay, I am happy to confirm that the lovely Dave behind the bar apologised and recompensed us, and the three sausages and chips I had were delicious. And according to Faceache, many people have visited since and really enjoyed the food and beer on offer.
For those interested, I chose a chorizo, a game and venison and a pork and apple sausage. All were cooked to perfection and incredibly tasty. The range includes ones made with Blue Bee Brewery beer, with Sheffield Honey Co honey, steak and Guinness, smokey BBQ, caramelised onion and balsamic vinegar, a gluten free, 3 vegetarian sausage types, and many more. There is also a trio of Sheffeld sausages, and sausage and cider casserole. Its a porcine (or tofu) dream. The link to the pub on Twatter is here, for details, and their website is here.
So, if you have a loved one, an elderly relative, child or pet, or someone you care about at all, please take them to Sausage Fest today. Show them how you really feel with tubes of flavoured meat. It makes "porkfect"* sense.
*Clears throat.
Wee Beefy
Wednesday, 6 November 2013
An ale amble from Commonside to town and some pubs inbetween.
Ay up
it's not all festivals and epic county wide beer crawls here in the Beefosphere. Oh no. There's also, um, returning to beer festivals. And meeting folks from the far North. Near Barnsley.
The AA was in Sheffield on Saturday to come and try some ales at Shakespeares beer festival, which you may recall my mentioning previously. Like any sensible chap he intended getting food before imbibing too much and had come to know the nosh at the Closed Shop, where I met up with him. A fine range of ales was on offer from which I chose the Otley - I think it was their wheat beer (Dave? Any idea?!) ad I ordered my first shaky pint of the day to accompany my meal.
As befits his want the AA was studiously on halves - in this case of the same. So both of us failed to record the beer's name. How errant we bloggers can be...
A fantastic steak and ale pie and chips wit roasted veg was my choice (£6.95) and the AA was on an impressively large burger and chips. This was a very tasty meal which lined my stomach nicely for my festival reprise. It also helped me sup a half of the Ilkley Mary Jane IPA, far stronger than ordinary Mary Jane at 6.0%. Slightly heavy it packed a punch in terms of flavours and wasn't swamped by bitterness, although there was plenty there - a more traditional but no less enjoyable IPA.
From here we walked down to Shakespeares in a siling swirling downpour before settling down for a few beers. This time I was trying some new breweries. At least, after I had tried the Five Towns again. Now on hand pump it seemed a little drier and less enjoyable which was a shame. Meanwhile the AA was on a half of Cornish Crown 1 Hop 11 Grains. At least, that's what my beer list says, but my memory claims it was from Coastal. Either way it was very nice.
We were going to try the Geeves HIPA but it had run out since our arrival so I had a half of the Wild Boar Mad Pig, a very weak and not particularly accomplished beer, whilst the AA tried a half of the Pumpkin porter - which he liked but was adamant he wouldn't want a lot of. Ironic considering our finisher....
Our penultimate round saw me on Mithril Clocks Back and the AA a half of the Arbor Single Hop which he liked, before we both had a half of the Arbor Down Deeperst Black Saison. Suffice to say we weren't having another after this and soon the AA was heading North whilst I wandered up to DAda. Its important to clarify that, in no way is my inability to recall what I had in there, related to Arbor. It is (probably) entirely the result of my only being in for a short period before I headed off to meet Miss N and Matt in the Tap.
En route to which I ventured in the Dog and Partridge for a swift half. I spotted the Cross Bay seasonal and went for that but it was a little tired. I mentioned it to one of the staff and he offered me a free replacement which was good customer service (I had more or less finished it) - except I had to head off! In fairness they offer a try before you buy policy as far as I know so I could have done that and despite this being a third tired or off beer I've had there in a year I think that whilst a bit more checking is required, their willingness to remedy such issues is a positive feature.
Finally I arrived at the Sheffield Tap, none the worse far having downed at ;least 2 thirds of my last Arbor half in Shakespeares. It seemed only sensible to have a pint and a ha;f of the Magic Rock Dark Arts on cask, which I did. It was on impeccable form as Magic Rock beers seem to have been of late. And it also provided both the perfect end to a Sheffield pub crawl and the necessary encouragement to head home to bed.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
it's not all festivals and epic county wide beer crawls here in the Beefosphere. Oh no. There's also, um, returning to beer festivals. And meeting folks from the far North. Near Barnsley.
The AA was in Sheffield on Saturday to come and try some ales at Shakespeares beer festival, which you may recall my mentioning previously. Like any sensible chap he intended getting food before imbibing too much and had come to know the nosh at the Closed Shop, where I met up with him. A fine range of ales was on offer from which I chose the Otley - I think it was their wheat beer (Dave? Any idea?!) ad I ordered my first shaky pint of the day to accompany my meal.
As befits his want the AA was studiously on halves - in this case of the same. So both of us failed to record the beer's name. How errant we bloggers can be...
A fantastic steak and ale pie and chips wit roasted veg was my choice (£6.95) and the AA was on an impressively large burger and chips. This was a very tasty meal which lined my stomach nicely for my festival reprise. It also helped me sup a half of the Ilkley Mary Jane IPA, far stronger than ordinary Mary Jane at 6.0%. Slightly heavy it packed a punch in terms of flavours and wasn't swamped by bitterness, although there was plenty there - a more traditional but no less enjoyable IPA.
From here we walked down to Shakespeares in a siling swirling downpour before settling down for a few beers. This time I was trying some new breweries. At least, after I had tried the Five Towns again. Now on hand pump it seemed a little drier and less enjoyable which was a shame. Meanwhile the AA was on a half of Cornish Crown 1 Hop 11 Grains. At least, that's what my beer list says, but my memory claims it was from Coastal. Either way it was very nice.
We were going to try the Geeves HIPA but it had run out since our arrival so I had a half of the Wild Boar Mad Pig, a very weak and not particularly accomplished beer, whilst the AA tried a half of the Pumpkin porter - which he liked but was adamant he wouldn't want a lot of. Ironic considering our finisher....
Our penultimate round saw me on Mithril Clocks Back and the AA a half of the Arbor Single Hop which he liked, before we both had a half of the Arbor Down Deeperst Black Saison. Suffice to say we weren't having another after this and soon the AA was heading North whilst I wandered up to DAda. Its important to clarify that, in no way is my inability to recall what I had in there, related to Arbor. It is (probably) entirely the result of my only being in for a short period before I headed off to meet Miss N and Matt in the Tap.
En route to which I ventured in the Dog and Partridge for a swift half. I spotted the Cross Bay seasonal and went for that but it was a little tired. I mentioned it to one of the staff and he offered me a free replacement which was good customer service (I had more or less finished it) - except I had to head off! In fairness they offer a try before you buy policy as far as I know so I could have done that and despite this being a third tired or off beer I've had there in a year I think that whilst a bit more checking is required, their willingness to remedy such issues is a positive feature.
Finally I arrived at the Sheffield Tap, none the worse far having downed at ;least 2 thirds of my last Arbor half in Shakespeares. It seemed only sensible to have a pint and a ha;f of the Magic Rock Dark Arts on cask, which I did. It was on impeccable form as Magic Rock beers seem to have been of late. And it also provided both the perfect end to a Sheffield pub crawl and the necessary encouragement to head home to bed.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
High Peaks Drifter
Ay up
no-one laugh but I had my "final" birthday celebration yesterday, 3 weeks after the date. An unavoidable log jam of engagements made a Monday after work nosh up a no go til yesterday, and thank goodness we waited. We were off to Little Hayfield in stunning sunshine.
The scenery was fantastic and the views clear over Moscar and the Snake Pass, and coming into Glossop we took a canny Wee Fatha short cut up a winding near single track road to come out at the top of what I think is a hill called Chunnel. The views over the Sett valley were astounding and we were soon at the pub getting beers and perusing the menu. There's a reduced menu on Mondays, but I think that's a great idea - I'd much rather they had a choice of say only 6 dishes because trade is slow than not bother, or throw food away. Me and Wee Fatha both had the pork in stilton sauce with mash and veg and Wee Keefy a rather hot chilli con carne. Prices are around the £10.00-11.00 mark.
There's only two handpumps at the Lantern Pike these days. I'm sure there used to be three but is a good few years since my last visit. The choice was Tim Taylors Landlord or Castle Rock Harvest Pale. I used to rate this beer but whether because of a changing palate and beer styles or because its wide availability means it suffers from indifferent cellar care, its become a bit of a Brother Rabbit. An ineffably disappointing "must we" of a slake.
For whatever reason, surely something to do with being well kept, it tasted rather nice. So much so that I had three pints of it with my meal. Wee Fatha then invited a debate on which other pub we should visit en route home. After much wrangling the Navigation at Buxworth came out on top.
We parked up in a much needed breeze and in front of a watery yellow horizon topped with white hemmed clouds, and popped in the Navigation to find a selection of five beers. Three of the four guests were from Abbeydale! Indeed the fourth had also been Abbeydale. Wee Fatha went for a half of sand storm which really wasn't to my liking at all when I tried it but me and Wee Keefy's pints of Philosophy were spot on. The Navigation is in a lovely setting and a decent stop off for a thirsty walker en route to say, another pub...
I mention that because Wee Fatha had "gone mad" and decided we could squeeze in the Old Hall at nearby Whitehough. We took the industrial estate road out of Chinley and soon arrived at the pub, with swifts sitting on telegraph wires surveying the comings and goings in the car park. On the bar inside a couple of beers had finished but I spotted a Buxton American Rye IPA so was in no doubt what I was having. Until that also ran out. I ended up with a rather tasty pint of Happy Valley Small and Mighty a bitter 3.8% pale beer, whereas Wee Keefy had the Blackjack First Deal (my suggestion) and Wee Fatha a rather troubling malty Cheshire Brewhouse Engine Vein.
We didn't have time to linger as we fancied a trip to the Cheshire Cheese at Hope but found it closed so plumped to go in another Old Hall, this one being in Hope. My first ever visit and a surprising range of five or six real ales. All were large regional offerings apart from one guest - Wood Street Yellowood IPA. I gamely tried a taste and it was in good condition but at the risk of incurring the wrath of 1870 recipe archivists, it surely can't be an IPA if its packed full of heavy malt that smothers any suggestion of hop?
Either way I left Wee Fatha to try that whilst I failed to note down or remember mine and Wee keefy's choices, but am sure mine was pale and was well kept. A nice surprise visit on a short but enjoyable tour of High Peak hostelries.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy.
no-one laugh but I had my "final" birthday celebration yesterday, 3 weeks after the date. An unavoidable log jam of engagements made a Monday after work nosh up a no go til yesterday, and thank goodness we waited. We were off to Little Hayfield in stunning sunshine.
The scenery was fantastic and the views clear over Moscar and the Snake Pass, and coming into Glossop we took a canny Wee Fatha short cut up a winding near single track road to come out at the top of what I think is a hill called Chunnel. The views over the Sett valley were astounding and we were soon at the pub getting beers and perusing the menu. There's a reduced menu on Mondays, but I think that's a great idea - I'd much rather they had a choice of say only 6 dishes because trade is slow than not bother, or throw food away. Me and Wee Fatha both had the pork in stilton sauce with mash and veg and Wee Keefy a rather hot chilli con carne. Prices are around the £10.00-11.00 mark.
There's only two handpumps at the Lantern Pike these days. I'm sure there used to be three but is a good few years since my last visit. The choice was Tim Taylors Landlord or Castle Rock Harvest Pale. I used to rate this beer but whether because of a changing palate and beer styles or because its wide availability means it suffers from indifferent cellar care, its become a bit of a Brother Rabbit. An ineffably disappointing "must we" of a slake.
For whatever reason, surely something to do with being well kept, it tasted rather nice. So much so that I had three pints of it with my meal. Wee Fatha then invited a debate on which other pub we should visit en route home. After much wrangling the Navigation at Buxworth came out on top.
We parked up in a much needed breeze and in front of a watery yellow horizon topped with white hemmed clouds, and popped in the Navigation to find a selection of five beers. Three of the four guests were from Abbeydale! Indeed the fourth had also been Abbeydale. Wee Fatha went for a half of sand storm which really wasn't to my liking at all when I tried it but me and Wee Keefy's pints of Philosophy were spot on. The Navigation is in a lovely setting and a decent stop off for a thirsty walker en route to say, another pub...
I mention that because Wee Fatha had "gone mad" and decided we could squeeze in the Old Hall at nearby Whitehough. We took the industrial estate road out of Chinley and soon arrived at the pub, with swifts sitting on telegraph wires surveying the comings and goings in the car park. On the bar inside a couple of beers had finished but I spotted a Buxton American Rye IPA so was in no doubt what I was having. Until that also ran out. I ended up with a rather tasty pint of Happy Valley Small and Mighty a bitter 3.8% pale beer, whereas Wee Keefy had the Blackjack First Deal (my suggestion) and Wee Fatha a rather troubling malty Cheshire Brewhouse Engine Vein.
We didn't have time to linger as we fancied a trip to the Cheshire Cheese at Hope but found it closed so plumped to go in another Old Hall, this one being in Hope. My first ever visit and a surprising range of five or six real ales. All were large regional offerings apart from one guest - Wood Street Yellowood IPA. I gamely tried a taste and it was in good condition but at the risk of incurring the wrath of 1870 recipe archivists, it surely can't be an IPA if its packed full of heavy malt that smothers any suggestion of hop?
Either way I left Wee Fatha to try that whilst I failed to note down or remember mine and Wee keefy's choices, but am sure mine was pale and was well kept. A nice surprise visit on a short but enjoyable tour of High Peak hostelries.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy.
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Ploughmen at the pub with pals.
Hello,
the Closed Shop at Commonside held a "Ploughmans" evening last night. I was invited by people from the real world and decided it would be a nice change to attend. I say a change. Going to the Closed Shop is hardly an unusual step for me. Neither is drinking beer. Or eating a bit of pork pie. Or becoming a trifle refreshed and boarding a late night bus. Or drinking Blue Bee tangled Up IPA. So, admittedly none of that was a change. The cheese and crackers was though. Except, I had them at Bedlam bar last month. So, erm...
Anyway, the regularity of its constituent parts matters not. It was £6.00 a go, you got delicious food from local suppliers and a free pint. It was all tremendously exciting, and done with friends. In fact it was rather good.
Snap wise, Urban Pantry supplied 3 cheeses, oak smoked Wensleydale, Colton Basset Stilton (or Cropwell Bishop, I confess I don't know which one of the two I had) and Dewley Farm Lancashire. Also provided were spiced apple chutney from Just Preserves and chicken liver pate from Findlaters Fine Foods, as well as pickled onions from a jar, which were, like the Seabrooks cheese and onion crisps, of unspecified origin. There was also pork pie and a steak slice (or veggie alternative) from legendary apostrophe experts Kevin's pies, and finally, an ice cream free Cornetto and a wowipob, as Doctor Hibbert would say.
It all came in plastic containers like a lunchbox, and the sight of loads of people crowded together (a little) opening boxes and taking out their food and chattering away was reminiscent of a school lunch time. Except the food was nice. And no-one had semolina.
The free pint was a good deal when you consider you could use it to get Blue Bee Tangled Up IPA, which at £3.30 a pint makes your Ploughmans £2.70. Please note, Neil, that I don't consider an apostrophe is necessary as the food does not belong to a ploughman that I own, or indeed any ploughman, and also is the name of the assembled ingredients, thus can be a straight forward plural. So nerr...
Anyway, I had arrived before seven to "check out the scene" and demolished a rather tasty pint of Blue Bee Nectar Pale whilst awaiting my troughing and slaking companions, Gav, Clare, Neil and Jane. All too soon however, the drink had mysteriously disappeared so I had to have a pint of Blue Bee Tangled Up. When all had arrived we got to grips with the ticket system.
Now, working as I do for a dysfunctional entity where even the simplest processes are rendered needlessly complicated, I was amused at the idea of buying a ticket, to exchange for your Ploughmans, and two further tickets, one for each half to which you were entitled. Especially since, prior to being given their tickets, plenty of people wanted their first half of beer to be paid for with one of said tickets, whilst others in their group, paying together, wanted to use both of them, and others none. Cue a dizzying yo yo of paper stubs and a wry smile from me.
To be fair though the staff needed to keep track so the idea was along the right lines. As was mine, which included drinking more Tangled Up, and the Titanic Cappuccino stout which was very pleasant.
The food was a hearty snack (as promised), and although it could have done with a few more crackers it was still very tasty (and lets face it, had it come with a surfeit of crackers and almost no cheese, that would have been far worse). And the cheese was very nice. Especially the Stilton, with just the right amount of shoe in summer on the nose...
Thanks to my friends for great company and to the Closed Shop for putting on something a bit different. I look forward to attending the next themed night, the "Tavern Haunter Night", in which I arrive at the pub, and drink lots of beer. Entrance free. The next one is at some point on Saturday 12th May....
Wee Beefy
the Closed Shop at Commonside held a "Ploughmans" evening last night. I was invited by people from the real world and decided it would be a nice change to attend. I say a change. Going to the Closed Shop is hardly an unusual step for me. Neither is drinking beer. Or eating a bit of pork pie. Or becoming a trifle refreshed and boarding a late night bus. Or drinking Blue Bee tangled Up IPA. So, admittedly none of that was a change. The cheese and crackers was though. Except, I had them at Bedlam bar last month. So, erm...
Anyway, the regularity of its constituent parts matters not. It was £6.00 a go, you got delicious food from local suppliers and a free pint. It was all tremendously exciting, and done with friends. In fact it was rather good.
Snap wise, Urban Pantry supplied 3 cheeses, oak smoked Wensleydale, Colton Basset Stilton (or Cropwell Bishop, I confess I don't know which one of the two I had) and Dewley Farm Lancashire. Also provided were spiced apple chutney from Just Preserves and chicken liver pate from Findlaters Fine Foods, as well as pickled onions from a jar, which were, like the Seabrooks cheese and onion crisps, of unspecified origin. There was also pork pie and a steak slice (or veggie alternative) from legendary apostrophe experts Kevin's pies, and finally, an ice cream free Cornetto and a wowipob, as Doctor Hibbert would say.
It all came in plastic containers like a lunchbox, and the sight of loads of people crowded together (a little) opening boxes and taking out their food and chattering away was reminiscent of a school lunch time. Except the food was nice. And no-one had semolina.
The free pint was a good deal when you consider you could use it to get Blue Bee Tangled Up IPA, which at £3.30 a pint makes your Ploughmans £2.70. Please note, Neil, that I don't consider an apostrophe is necessary as the food does not belong to a ploughman that I own, or indeed any ploughman, and also is the name of the assembled ingredients, thus can be a straight forward plural. So nerr...
Anyway, I had arrived before seven to "check out the scene" and demolished a rather tasty pint of Blue Bee Nectar Pale whilst awaiting my troughing and slaking companions, Gav, Clare, Neil and Jane. All too soon however, the drink had mysteriously disappeared so I had to have a pint of Blue Bee Tangled Up. When all had arrived we got to grips with the ticket system.
Now, working as I do for a dysfunctional entity where even the simplest processes are rendered needlessly complicated, I was amused at the idea of buying a ticket, to exchange for your Ploughmans, and two further tickets, one for each half to which you were entitled. Especially since, prior to being given their tickets, plenty of people wanted their first half of beer to be paid for with one of said tickets, whilst others in their group, paying together, wanted to use both of them, and others none. Cue a dizzying yo yo of paper stubs and a wry smile from me.
To be fair though the staff needed to keep track so the idea was along the right lines. As was mine, which included drinking more Tangled Up, and the Titanic Cappuccino stout which was very pleasant.
The food was a hearty snack (as promised), and although it could have done with a few more crackers it was still very tasty (and lets face it, had it come with a surfeit of crackers and almost no cheese, that would have been far worse). And the cheese was very nice. Especially the Stilton, with just the right amount of shoe in summer on the nose...
Thanks to my friends for great company and to the Closed Shop for putting on something a bit different. I look forward to attending the next themed night, the "Tavern Haunter Night", in which I arrive at the pub, and drink lots of beer. Entrance free. The next one is at some point on Saturday 12th May....
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 31 March 2013
A proper Winter beer festival
Good afternoon,
yesterday I was out in that Derbyshire with my friend Miss M to wander about on hills, and accidentally roll up at a pub beer festival or two. Inevitably this meant that the initial "walk" element didn't go to plan, since we opted to eat and drink. Lots. And lots. Of food and drink. Instead of walking the last bit of the walk.
The festival in question was the Barley Mow at Bonsall. An ever popular stop at any time, nestled against the hillside overlooking the hen racing circuit, or car park, this is a great place to pop in for a pint and a warm when on a winter walk. Except, it's not supposed to be Winter, it's meant to be Easter. And whilst the snow had clearly disappeared from the roads in Bonsall, up on Bonsall moor it was like another world.
Someone had obviously cut through the 3 foot of snow covering Bonsall Moor Lane with a tractor, because there were gouge marks all down the sides, never mind the huge piles of snow created by scooping out the mass that filled in the space afforded by the lane. We only saw 4 cars on our walk from Winster, one which was heading down an ominous snow covered track to Slaley, only identifiable as a road by the sign, the others large 4 wheel drive vehicles which came up behind us on a section of road where the snow was piled so high at the sides that we couldn't even have climbed out, so had to jog to the nearest low bit to let them pass.
We tried valiantly to cross Bonsall Moor but at every field edge was a 5 foot wave of drifted snow, often obscuring the small gaps in the wall which denoted where the path actually went. After missing one such opening and then retracing our steps before finally losing site of the path altogether, knee deep in drifts that were solid enough in places to take even my weight, we admitted defeat and walked, well, fell and swam through a tumult of ridged snow back onto the road. Suffice to say on arriving at the pub we were ready for a pint. Handy then, that there were over 20 to choose from at their Bank Holiday beer festival.
The pub gets the sun til mid afternoon at this time of year and after slogging and toiling we were briefly tempted to sit outside but instead we got a table near the door and sat drinking our beers. Miss M had a pint of Dark Star APA, myself a pint of TSA Rok IPA. The Rok was nice enough, but I think I had the poorer of the two choices.
Next up was half a something frightening made with apples for my companion, and a pint of the APA for me. Granted,a beer festival is supposed to be a great opportunity to drink new beers but not all the range was available and the APA was on fantastic form.
The beers seemed to be stillaged somewhere in the back so that left the maximum amount of room for a succession of walkers, most with dogs, locals and curious sightseers to throng around the bar and the fire at the end making their way through the ales on offer. We soon needed food, and luckily managed to order just in time - sausage and mash with peas and mushroom and onion gravy. Probably one of the largest plates of food I've seen in a while. And all that filling matter inspired us to have quite a few more drinks. This was a farewell to walking, and an introduction to rural taxi provision.
Between eating and leaving we also tried pints of Abbeydale Dark Side of the Moonshine, Upham Punter, Salopian Rhapsody and Blue Monkey Sanctuary which is far far better on draught that it is in bottle - much better balanced. The beer list for the festival, which runs until Monday, can be found here although that is a link to a Facebook photo - if it doesn't work, other detail are on their website .
I heartily recommend a visit to the Barley Mow, even if there isn't a festival on. Its a real community hub which sells tasty pub food and real ales, and has quirky events like the World Hen Racing championships to keep things interesting. Friendly hosts and a good mix of customers is a great recipe for a good pub. So it's well worth an alpine hike across Bonsall Moor, or, as we neglected to remember, there is a bus service up until about 17.30ish. We passed the bus leaving in a taxi...
More news of Easter/Winter pub visits coming soon.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
yesterday I was out in that Derbyshire with my friend Miss M to wander about on hills, and accidentally roll up at a pub beer festival or two. Inevitably this meant that the initial "walk" element didn't go to plan, since we opted to eat and drink. Lots. And lots. Of food and drink. Instead of walking the last bit of the walk.
The festival in question was the Barley Mow at Bonsall. An ever popular stop at any time, nestled against the hillside overlooking the hen racing circuit, or car park, this is a great place to pop in for a pint and a warm when on a winter walk. Except, it's not supposed to be Winter, it's meant to be Easter. And whilst the snow had clearly disappeared from the roads in Bonsall, up on Bonsall moor it was like another world.
Someone had obviously cut through the 3 foot of snow covering Bonsall Moor Lane with a tractor, because there were gouge marks all down the sides, never mind the huge piles of snow created by scooping out the mass that filled in the space afforded by the lane. We only saw 4 cars on our walk from Winster, one which was heading down an ominous snow covered track to Slaley, only identifiable as a road by the sign, the others large 4 wheel drive vehicles which came up behind us on a section of road where the snow was piled so high at the sides that we couldn't even have climbed out, so had to jog to the nearest low bit to let them pass.
We tried valiantly to cross Bonsall Moor but at every field edge was a 5 foot wave of drifted snow, often obscuring the small gaps in the wall which denoted where the path actually went. After missing one such opening and then retracing our steps before finally losing site of the path altogether, knee deep in drifts that were solid enough in places to take even my weight, we admitted defeat and walked, well, fell and swam through a tumult of ridged snow back onto the road. Suffice to say on arriving at the pub we were ready for a pint. Handy then, that there were over 20 to choose from at their Bank Holiday beer festival.
The pub gets the sun til mid afternoon at this time of year and after slogging and toiling we were briefly tempted to sit outside but instead we got a table near the door and sat drinking our beers. Miss M had a pint of Dark Star APA, myself a pint of TSA Rok IPA. The Rok was nice enough, but I think I had the poorer of the two choices.
Next up was half a something frightening made with apples for my companion, and a pint of the APA for me. Granted,a beer festival is supposed to be a great opportunity to drink new beers but not all the range was available and the APA was on fantastic form.
The beers seemed to be stillaged somewhere in the back so that left the maximum amount of room for a succession of walkers, most with dogs, locals and curious sightseers to throng around the bar and the fire at the end making their way through the ales on offer. We soon needed food, and luckily managed to order just in time - sausage and mash with peas and mushroom and onion gravy. Probably one of the largest plates of food I've seen in a while. And all that filling matter inspired us to have quite a few more drinks. This was a farewell to walking, and an introduction to rural taxi provision.
Between eating and leaving we also tried pints of Abbeydale Dark Side of the Moonshine, Upham Punter, Salopian Rhapsody and Blue Monkey Sanctuary which is far far better on draught that it is in bottle - much better balanced. The beer list for the festival, which runs until Monday, can be found here although that is a link to a Facebook photo - if it doesn't work, other detail are on their website .
I heartily recommend a visit to the Barley Mow, even if there isn't a festival on. Its a real community hub which sells tasty pub food and real ales, and has quirky events like the World Hen Racing championships to keep things interesting. Friendly hosts and a good mix of customers is a great recipe for a good pub. So it's well worth an alpine hike across Bonsall Moor, or, as we neglected to remember, there is a bus service up until about 17.30ish. We passed the bus leaving in a taxi...
More news of Easter/Winter pub visits coming soon.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Thursday, 21 March 2013
The misuse of pugil sticks, and the difference between rats and hamsters.....
Evenin,
I was out last night with folks from the internetesphere. Real people, in real life, who also exist online. It seems implausible I know, but there is a world outside of social media. Its just as annoying, with infuriating delays or loss of service, exposure to information and imagery you neither covet nor can necessarily stomach, idle threats, confusion and spam. It is also significantly colder, but on the plus side, the beer is more refreshing.
Meeting me at the Riverside were Clare, Gav, Jane and Neil. We no longer have to communicate in twitter identities, so am afraid the cat's out of the bag. I mean, there can't be that many people with those names, who all know other people with one of those same names, minus their own, in the Sheffield and Rotherham area...
First up was a pint of Empire True Blonde for me and Jane, a pint of Brew Co Krakken for Gav, a Budvar Dark for Neil and a pint of Beechams for Clare, who had a troublesome ailment. Nowt worse. We got ourselves a table and another round of drinks and set about ordering food. At this point the reality of eating real food in real life became less appealing.
There was a limited menu available alas, but they did have their pies which sounded delicious on the website, as well as a range of burgers ribs and similar with chips and veg or salad. Without going in to immense detail, the ribs were OK, ish, but didn't cut the mustard with rib-o-phile Neil, mine and Jane's beef and mushroom pies had ale in them which sadly, when warmed, makes the gravy taste a bit, erm, soil-y, and Clare's veggie burger was a disaster. The next 20 minutes (it felt,) was spent making honest recommendations to the guy behind the bar about what could be done to improve the food. I think I'll stick to drinks for now myself.
Off round the corner to the Fat Cat and to Clare's delight the charity pie and a pint night was on. For considerably less than what we paid earlier, she got a pint of a Kelham beer (I think) a piece of pie, marrowfat peas, tatties and gravy. It looked fab. As so often with the Cat, it quietly and reassuringly reminds you that you could have had just as much or more enjoyment eating there. Shame on us.
I was drinking the rather excellent Welbeck Abbey Calypso in here, and apart from a disappointing Dunkel from Kelham the beers seemed to be in great nick, including the Two Roses Full Nelson which Neil and Jane were on. Soon, as the beer tally mounted, the conversation took a rather alarming turn and after a charity inspired game of Eastern European bingo, Gav introduced the subject of bizarre objects recovered from humans.
In short, we got to discussing the Illinois enema bandit, and it got steadily more disturbing from there on, although, at least I now have a handy rhyme with which to remember the difference between a hamster and a rat. Now how did it go...
Having shaken a fearsome image of pugil sticks from our collective consciousness, our night finished in the ever reliable Shakespeares, where, still feeling sheepish after missing my first Shakespeares fest, I was keen to make amends by buying lots of beer. Gav had the Brooklyn erm strong dark thing, Neil a pint of their Lager, Jane a Privateer Dark Revenge, as did I, and Clare had, erm, a cold. Bless.
We started to wander off home from here although I made a sterling effort by having another cheeky pint of the excellent Privateer, after the others had gone home to the warmth and clean upstanding tone of the Internet. The Privateer beer I tried in the Gardeners was not quite what I was expecting, but the self same malty edge that made their Blonde fall short of what I wanted previously was now the leading flavour that pulled their dark beer together brilliantly. I only stopped short of another because I had to miss my bus....
More Reallife-ups are planned for the future, and who knows we may even manage something reckless like a weekend night out where we can indulge in a few more pints. For now though, it was just nice to get out with great company to sup excellent beer.
Here's to plenty more of the same.
Wee Beefy
I was out last night with folks from the internetesphere. Real people, in real life, who also exist online. It seems implausible I know, but there is a world outside of social media. Its just as annoying, with infuriating delays or loss of service, exposure to information and imagery you neither covet nor can necessarily stomach, idle threats, confusion and spam. It is also significantly colder, but on the plus side, the beer is more refreshing.
Meeting me at the Riverside were Clare, Gav, Jane and Neil. We no longer have to communicate in twitter identities, so am afraid the cat's out of the bag. I mean, there can't be that many people with those names, who all know other people with one of those same names, minus their own, in the Sheffield and Rotherham area...
First up was a pint of Empire True Blonde for me and Jane, a pint of Brew Co Krakken for Gav, a Budvar Dark for Neil and a pint of Beechams for Clare, who had a troublesome ailment. Nowt worse. We got ourselves a table and another round of drinks and set about ordering food. At this point the reality of eating real food in real life became less appealing.
There was a limited menu available alas, but they did have their pies which sounded delicious on the website, as well as a range of burgers ribs and similar with chips and veg or salad. Without going in to immense detail, the ribs were OK, ish, but didn't cut the mustard with rib-o-phile Neil, mine and Jane's beef and mushroom pies had ale in them which sadly, when warmed, makes the gravy taste a bit, erm, soil-y, and Clare's veggie burger was a disaster. The next 20 minutes (it felt,) was spent making honest recommendations to the guy behind the bar about what could be done to improve the food. I think I'll stick to drinks for now myself.
Off round the corner to the Fat Cat and to Clare's delight the charity pie and a pint night was on. For considerably less than what we paid earlier, she got a pint of a Kelham beer (I think) a piece of pie, marrowfat peas, tatties and gravy. It looked fab. As so often with the Cat, it quietly and reassuringly reminds you that you could have had just as much or more enjoyment eating there. Shame on us.
I was drinking the rather excellent Welbeck Abbey Calypso in here, and apart from a disappointing Dunkel from Kelham the beers seemed to be in great nick, including the Two Roses Full Nelson which Neil and Jane were on. Soon, as the beer tally mounted, the conversation took a rather alarming turn and after a charity inspired game of Eastern European bingo, Gav introduced the subject of bizarre objects recovered from humans.
In short, we got to discussing the Illinois enema bandit, and it got steadily more disturbing from there on, although, at least I now have a handy rhyme with which to remember the difference between a hamster and a rat. Now how did it go...
Having shaken a fearsome image of pugil sticks from our collective consciousness, our night finished in the ever reliable Shakespeares, where, still feeling sheepish after missing my first Shakespeares fest, I was keen to make amends by buying lots of beer. Gav had the Brooklyn erm strong dark thing, Neil a pint of their Lager, Jane a Privateer Dark Revenge, as did I, and Clare had, erm, a cold. Bless.
We started to wander off home from here although I made a sterling effort by having another cheeky pint of the excellent Privateer, after the others had gone home to the warmth and clean upstanding tone of the Internet. The Privateer beer I tried in the Gardeners was not quite what I was expecting, but the self same malty edge that made their Blonde fall short of what I wanted previously was now the leading flavour that pulled their dark beer together brilliantly. I only stopped short of another because I had to miss my bus....
More Reallife-ups are planned for the future, and who knows we may even manage something reckless like a weekend night out where we can indulge in a few more pints. For now though, it was just nice to get out with great company to sup excellent beer.
Here's to plenty more of the same.
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Crookespool
Now then,
having grown up on the main road in Crookes, and earned my drinking stripes in the now sadly lost Olde Heavygate Inn, its nice to get back over there to catch up with Wee Keefy and others, and to go drinking in "the old places". Here's what I've found on a couple of visits of late.
Me and Wee Keefy went to the Sportsman in Crosspool for a meal yesterday, and, erm, due to my legendary memory, a fruitless anticipation of a meal on Friday.
We walked over to Crosspool, and within 15 minutes were at the Sportsman. The Sportsman is now an Ember Inns pub, but used to be a traditional watering hole, in the sense of being a pub selling real ale as well as food, the beer being Stones, Bass and at some point I probably spotted a guest.
The thing is Crosspool is an area that basically doesn't do, and never did, wet led boozers. The Crosspool Tavern is somewhere that used to sell Bass, but I haven't graced its doors for twenty years. The Kings Head was a more regular destination for family meals (possibly a Beefeater?) but that was demolished, to much anger, many years ago and the spot is now residential buildings.
The Hallamshire on Lydgate Lane was also flattened in the last few years (and still hasn't been replaced, although work is ongoing) and the Bell Hagg was abandoned around the turn of the century. So against that backdrop, the Sportsman is the only pub in the area. And it pains me to say this about an Ember Inns pub - it isn't that bad.
Obviously there is the irritation of branding and needlessly chunky furniture in the internal decor, but overcome that and there are treats. There is a range of real ales, up to 6, consisting of a core of Tetleys and Abbeydale Moonshine. Confusingly those handpumps facing you when you walk in are beers that are on - but the other 6 round the other side are merely advertising whats to come on. To be fair the staff seem to be keen on making that clear, so that removes potential annoyance.
I had a pint of Green Jack Trawler Boys and WK a pint of Itchen Valley Dana. I think this came to £4.80. To be honest, any pub selling two unusual for the area real ales at under a fiver has really got the right idea. And, on both visits, the beer was in excellent condition, accompanied by Taylor Landlord, and the Tetley and Abbeydale Moonshine. The food aint bad as well.
Heading back along Lydgate Lane brings you to the Grindstone in Crookes. Previously a traditional Wards pub with an interesting history regarding its beer, long ago opened out but for many years retaining a separate snooker room, this pub has seen quite a lot of changes. An ill thought through stint as a Sports Bar nearly resulted in its closure but its reopened as a pub selling real ale and food, and it was busy, when we visited on Friday.
Last time I was in the interesting Brains and Nottingham Brewery guests were not ready, but at least there was the chance of a guest beer. Now, I wonder if it might have changed hands again, although still in the grip of Greedy King, as it sells three real ales form them - IPA, Abbot and St Edmunds. We went for the latter since its not that often you see it, but even then its not that different from any other Greedy King beers - as bemoaned by Wee Keefy.
Its strange to consider that the two pubs on that side of Crookes Road are both large Greene King pubs selling food, yet only one has guests. Is the lack of choice harming one pub or the other? Well , next stop, the Ball was a good illustration of which might be the case. On both Friday and Saturday night it was heaving. The food side at the Ball seems to be quite a new thing so it was an admirably wet led boozer for many many years. The branch out to nosh doesn't seemed to have impacted on its beer sales.
There's three handpumps of Greedy King beers as you enter then 4 handpumps of guests round the corner. WK, with his maltier palate, was on pints of Hooky best both times, and both times I was on the excellent Abbeydale Ships Biscuits. Both times we managed to find a seat (tip - there is a love of perpendicular drinking in the Ball, so always try and go past the swathes round the bar, you usually find a space) and enjoyed a couple of well kept pints in a busy but not overly crushed pub.
Crookes is an interesting contrast to Crosspool, not only because very few pubs have closed, but also that many still thrive on wet sales - The Cobden and Princess Royal being great examples (as well as great pubs). Its a shame that just a mile away in the leafier suburbs you have to drink in an eatery, or not at all, when Crookes has such a lot of drinking pubs, but that mainly serves as a great advert for drinking in Crookes.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
having grown up on the main road in Crookes, and earned my drinking stripes in the now sadly lost Olde Heavygate Inn, its nice to get back over there to catch up with Wee Keefy and others, and to go drinking in "the old places". Here's what I've found on a couple of visits of late.
Me and Wee Keefy went to the Sportsman in Crosspool for a meal yesterday, and, erm, due to my legendary memory, a fruitless anticipation of a meal on Friday.
We walked over to Crosspool, and within 15 minutes were at the Sportsman. The Sportsman is now an Ember Inns pub, but used to be a traditional watering hole, in the sense of being a pub selling real ale as well as food, the beer being Stones, Bass and at some point I probably spotted a guest.
The thing is Crosspool is an area that basically doesn't do, and never did, wet led boozers. The Crosspool Tavern is somewhere that used to sell Bass, but I haven't graced its doors for twenty years. The Kings Head was a more regular destination for family meals (possibly a Beefeater?) but that was demolished, to much anger, many years ago and the spot is now residential buildings.
The Hallamshire on Lydgate Lane was also flattened in the last few years (and still hasn't been replaced, although work is ongoing) and the Bell Hagg was abandoned around the turn of the century. So against that backdrop, the Sportsman is the only pub in the area. And it pains me to say this about an Ember Inns pub - it isn't that bad.
Obviously there is the irritation of branding and needlessly chunky furniture in the internal decor, but overcome that and there are treats. There is a range of real ales, up to 6, consisting of a core of Tetleys and Abbeydale Moonshine. Confusingly those handpumps facing you when you walk in are beers that are on - but the other 6 round the other side are merely advertising whats to come on. To be fair the staff seem to be keen on making that clear, so that removes potential annoyance.
I had a pint of Green Jack Trawler Boys and WK a pint of Itchen Valley Dana. I think this came to £4.80. To be honest, any pub selling two unusual for the area real ales at under a fiver has really got the right idea. And, on both visits, the beer was in excellent condition, accompanied by Taylor Landlord, and the Tetley and Abbeydale Moonshine. The food aint bad as well.
Heading back along Lydgate Lane brings you to the Grindstone in Crookes. Previously a traditional Wards pub with an interesting history regarding its beer, long ago opened out but for many years retaining a separate snooker room, this pub has seen quite a lot of changes. An ill thought through stint as a Sports Bar nearly resulted in its closure but its reopened as a pub selling real ale and food, and it was busy, when we visited on Friday.
Last time I was in the interesting Brains and Nottingham Brewery guests were not ready, but at least there was the chance of a guest beer. Now, I wonder if it might have changed hands again, although still in the grip of Greedy King, as it sells three real ales form them - IPA, Abbot and St Edmunds. We went for the latter since its not that often you see it, but even then its not that different from any other Greedy King beers - as bemoaned by Wee Keefy.
Its strange to consider that the two pubs on that side of Crookes Road are both large Greene King pubs selling food, yet only one has guests. Is the lack of choice harming one pub or the other? Well , next stop, the Ball was a good illustration of which might be the case. On both Friday and Saturday night it was heaving. The food side at the Ball seems to be quite a new thing so it was an admirably wet led boozer for many many years. The branch out to nosh doesn't seemed to have impacted on its beer sales.
There's three handpumps of Greedy King beers as you enter then 4 handpumps of guests round the corner. WK, with his maltier palate, was on pints of Hooky best both times, and both times I was on the excellent Abbeydale Ships Biscuits. Both times we managed to find a seat (tip - there is a love of perpendicular drinking in the Ball, so always try and go past the swathes round the bar, you usually find a space) and enjoyed a couple of well kept pints in a busy but not overly crushed pub.
Crookes is an interesting contrast to Crosspool, not only because very few pubs have closed, but also that many still thrive on wet sales - The Cobden and Princess Royal being great examples (as well as great pubs). Its a shame that just a mile away in the leafier suburbs you have to drink in an eatery, or not at all, when Crookes has such a lot of drinking pubs, but that mainly serves as a great advert for drinking in Crookes.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Monday, 10 December 2012
The Wee men celebrate Christmas
Hello,
before me and Wee Fatha buggered off round half of Cheshire on Saturday (its worth pointing out at this late stage that I had to dissuade him from heading to Chester for the last few pubs!) we joined Wee Keefy for the annual spectacle of our Christmas meal, always, unfailingly, held in a pub, and featuring plenty of beer. Just like a Christmas meal should.
Previous years have found us at the Crispin in Ashover, the Butchers at Marsh Lane and the Old Poets Corner, also in Ashover. This year it was the turn of the Packhorse Inn at Crowdecote, on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border.
Nestling in beautiful Dovedale on a bend in the road its an idyllic place to pop in for a pint or a bite to eat, which makes it all the more surprising that its taken so damned long for the place to gain plaudits, and to put decent real ales on the bar. Luckily our new found hobby of visiting the Royal Cottage means we are regularly in the area seeking refreshment, so we decided to make this the venue for the admittedly very early Christmas meal for the menfolk of the clan.
Being a beer blog of course irrelevances such as food aren't really high up on the reprting agenda. Which is ironic because, as it turned out, despite my excited anticipation and Fatha and Keefy enjoying theirs my meal was really disappointing. That said, its cost was taken off the bill without fuss, and apologies forthcoming without question. Its a shame I didn't enjoy my food so much, but I appreciated the pubs approach to sorting the matter out, and better still the beer. Of which we had plenty.
Wee Keefy likes a malty slightly sweet pint as we know, and was smitten with the Cottage, erm, something with an "e" in it. The letter E that is. Meanwhile driver Wee Fatha was on a half or two of the pleasant Titanic Night to Remember. And drinking for two (for WF, am not pregnant) I dispensed with many pints of the fearsomely excellent Bottlebrook Mellow Yellow. Which, I only noticed on getting home, was 5.7%....
Bottlebrook is a brewery I don't come across too often and I have only previously encountered their offerings at beer festivals - which is maybe why I don't usually rate them. This offering overturned that opinion in some style. Meanwhile, Tetley made up the range along with a real cider so there was something for everyone, unless you wanted a stout or porter I suppose. In short the quality of this line up more than matched that which we found on our last visit, and will hope to find on our next.
A real bonus is that the pub is very handily situated nearly opposite a lane that runs into Earl Sterndale, so it seemed churlish not to pop up the hill for a pint or two at the Quiet Woman. Parking on a lake of ice outside we somehow contrived to avoid falling on our arses en route inside, where we got chatting to Ken and the regulars. Sat by the fire, we enjoyed supping Jennings Dark Mild (for WF and WK), and a pint and a half of the very enjoyable and quaffable Wincle Brewery Rambler for me.
I also got to take home an excellent Quiet Woman pork pie for Saturday's exploring, which I am pleased to report came in very handy, as did mixed packs of the Quiet Woman themed bottles that the other two purchased. One surprising note though was that the Quiet Woman is now selling guests from Pins. I can't be certain, but I reckon they must have had a decent throughput in the past (Mansfield Mild (?), Marstons Bitter, Pedigree and Old Rodger being sold on my first visit in 1994) and despite it being dreadful weather, it seemed quiet enough to make buying in pins sound like a necessity.
I don't think for a moment that this classic old pub is teetering on the brink, but it was sobering to consider how much trade seems to have declined. All the more reason to venture out more often then...
So, thus passed an enjoyable annual event featuring great company and fantastic beers on the edge of the Staffordshire Moorlands. Which I'm happy to report is becoming a bit of a habit these days.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy.
before me and Wee Fatha buggered off round half of Cheshire on Saturday (its worth pointing out at this late stage that I had to dissuade him from heading to Chester for the last few pubs!) we joined Wee Keefy for the annual spectacle of our Christmas meal, always, unfailingly, held in a pub, and featuring plenty of beer. Just like a Christmas meal should.
Previous years have found us at the Crispin in Ashover, the Butchers at Marsh Lane and the Old Poets Corner, also in Ashover. This year it was the turn of the Packhorse Inn at Crowdecote, on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border.
Nestling in beautiful Dovedale on a bend in the road its an idyllic place to pop in for a pint or a bite to eat, which makes it all the more surprising that its taken so damned long for the place to gain plaudits, and to put decent real ales on the bar. Luckily our new found hobby of visiting the Royal Cottage means we are regularly in the area seeking refreshment, so we decided to make this the venue for the admittedly very early Christmas meal for the menfolk of the clan.
Being a beer blog of course irrelevances such as food aren't really high up on the reprting agenda. Which is ironic because, as it turned out, despite my excited anticipation and Fatha and Keefy enjoying theirs my meal was really disappointing. That said, its cost was taken off the bill without fuss, and apologies forthcoming without question. Its a shame I didn't enjoy my food so much, but I appreciated the pubs approach to sorting the matter out, and better still the beer. Of which we had plenty.
Wee Keefy likes a malty slightly sweet pint as we know, and was smitten with the Cottage, erm, something with an "e" in it. The letter E that is. Meanwhile driver Wee Fatha was on a half or two of the pleasant Titanic Night to Remember. And drinking for two (for WF, am not pregnant) I dispensed with many pints of the fearsomely excellent Bottlebrook Mellow Yellow. Which, I only noticed on getting home, was 5.7%....
Bottlebrook is a brewery I don't come across too often and I have only previously encountered their offerings at beer festivals - which is maybe why I don't usually rate them. This offering overturned that opinion in some style. Meanwhile, Tetley made up the range along with a real cider so there was something for everyone, unless you wanted a stout or porter I suppose. In short the quality of this line up more than matched that which we found on our last visit, and will hope to find on our next.
A real bonus is that the pub is very handily situated nearly opposite a lane that runs into Earl Sterndale, so it seemed churlish not to pop up the hill for a pint or two at the Quiet Woman. Parking on a lake of ice outside we somehow contrived to avoid falling on our arses en route inside, where we got chatting to Ken and the regulars. Sat by the fire, we enjoyed supping Jennings Dark Mild (for WF and WK), and a pint and a half of the very enjoyable and quaffable Wincle Brewery Rambler for me.
I also got to take home an excellent Quiet Woman pork pie for Saturday's exploring, which I am pleased to report came in very handy, as did mixed packs of the Quiet Woman themed bottles that the other two purchased. One surprising note though was that the Quiet Woman is now selling guests from Pins. I can't be certain, but I reckon they must have had a decent throughput in the past (Mansfield Mild (?), Marstons Bitter, Pedigree and Old Rodger being sold on my first visit in 1994) and despite it being dreadful weather, it seemed quiet enough to make buying in pins sound like a necessity.
I don't think for a moment that this classic old pub is teetering on the brink, but it was sobering to consider how much trade seems to have declined. All the more reason to venture out more often then...
So, thus passed an enjoyable annual event featuring great company and fantastic beers on the edge of the Staffordshire Moorlands. Which I'm happy to report is becoming a bit of a habit these days.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy.
Friday, 21 September 2012
Continuing excellence
Now then,
following on from my Tuesday epiphany, I returned to abstinence on Wednesday then back to reckless abandon as I careered towards the weekend.
My indulgence started with a meal. Not my usual way of supping, usually I find that eating interferes with the process of ale consumption but, albeit after a pint, I was starting with a meal at the Rutland Arms on Brown Street.
I knew thew food here was excellent based on every time I had eaten there but that doesn't help explain my lack of foody visits, and the dearth of minutes partaking in joyous mastication at its tables. I started with a pint of Dark star Sunbeam or similar - alas Dark Star do two ales with Summer in the name, and one of them, which I don't particularly care for, has ginger or something similarly wrong in it. This was it. perfectly kept, but doing nothing for me. Humph.
Instead I went for the excellent Welbeck Abbey Brewery King Tom(?) red ale, and ordered what, from the ingredients alone, appeared to be a dream meal. Ignoring the somewhat unfortunate name (Sports Pork? I'll get me Profanisaurus) I was bowled over by the suggested parts and ordered it without a second thought. Heeley City Farm boar loin with mushroom and black pudding mash, peas, carrots and red cabbage in an excellent possibly ale gravy. And it was only £8.00. Stupendous value.
I had another Welbeck here but all too soon my companion for the night Middlemarch, was struggling and had to go home. So I went to the Sheffield Tap for a couple of halves.
Tempest Into the Light, 4.1% and an excellent Great Heck Porter were my liquid companions here, and both were fine ales, although I concede I much preferred the roasty bite of the excellent porter. Great heck are a brewery who's beers I have long enjoyed but recent offerings, especially those with the distinct pumpclips, have been rewarding.
Dada provided my finishing flourish, more excellent McConnells came my way, as did the fine company of the Jims. There was a singer on, which was mildly annoying in terms of conversational quality, but he wasn't too bad. Several pints of McConnells passed my lips before I opted for a half of the Schlenkerla, by way of comparison.
I was also forced, on pain of death, by the Jims, to sup a half of the Chiron. I accept its a punchy hoppy pale beer that's not too strong but I still had to let it stand for 20 minutes to start getting the flavours. I'm not sold on this!
I also popped in the Riverside recently. Spiro was leaving for pastures new and I joined him and his mates for a pint or two. The beer range can be very good at the Riverside, but there can be a reliance on samey Brew Company output and also much of the range is unavailable! I mentioned I hadn't seen or tried the Freedom Stout - then noticed the glass on the dispense and conceded that this situation would remain unchanged.....
Sat outside under the shelter proved very enjoyable (especially when a wall of rain fell), and I enjoyed a pint of Crouch Vale Summer Breeze. Alas this ran out after my pint so I migrated to Brew Co Summer instead, which was a decent golden pint.
Round the corner I popped in the Fat Cat. Having a funding malfunction I had cleverly arrived hungry, with enough for either a half, or a pork pie. I wanted both. I opted for a half of the Salamander Warpath 4.5% stout in the end. I didn't stop long, but loitering with intent in the hallway I spotted seminal starlets Alison and Diane, and redoubtable bar wizard Steven.
It was great catching up with all three, Diane taking time out for a chat in the corridor. It's no exaggeration to say that I cut my drinking, erm, cliche finishers in here in the nineties, especially honing my solitary supping skills whilst on the dole (my other doley mates didn't want to squander their money on an afternoon or more likely dinnertime of pints, so I often ventured in alone). That I could still wander in and find the familiar friendly faces of the team makes the Fat Cat a must visit pub, even if I accept that I go in less now tan I did when I was broke.
Shakespeares was my final call on this occasion, and I was pleased once again with the choice on the bar. A half of the Salamander (again), a pork pie and a pint of the excellent Brass Castle Bad Kitty vanilla stout secured a card payment, and I settled down to a read and a long and interesting chat with Dave in the bar about photography.
The Bad kitty is a little heavy (I only had a pint and a half) but is so luxuriously fine as to warrant savouring every last delicious drop. For the second time in a week I was in Shakespeares contemplating the practicalities of draining an entire cask of a beer by myself. Luckily I was more sensible than that and was home before 21.00.
Finally, I am going to Lancashire with WF tomorrow so need to be up early. I hope to write on Sunday about my trip to the Limeburners Arms in Nether Kellet. I have wanted to go there for about 18 months, but I am worried that whenever I want to visit an unspoilt pub, one outcome usually prevails - it shuts. Finding that the number does not exist earlier doesn't fill me with confidence.
Lets hope this isn't another unspoilt treasure that I miss.
More news soon
Wee Beefy
following on from my Tuesday epiphany, I returned to abstinence on Wednesday then back to reckless abandon as I careered towards the weekend.
My indulgence started with a meal. Not my usual way of supping, usually I find that eating interferes with the process of ale consumption but, albeit after a pint, I was starting with a meal at the Rutland Arms on Brown Street.
I knew thew food here was excellent based on every time I had eaten there but that doesn't help explain my lack of foody visits, and the dearth of minutes partaking in joyous mastication at its tables. I started with a pint of Dark star Sunbeam or similar - alas Dark Star do two ales with Summer in the name, and one of them, which I don't particularly care for, has ginger or something similarly wrong in it. This was it. perfectly kept, but doing nothing for me. Humph.
Instead I went for the excellent Welbeck Abbey Brewery King Tom(?) red ale, and ordered what, from the ingredients alone, appeared to be a dream meal. Ignoring the somewhat unfortunate name (Sports Pork? I'll get me Profanisaurus) I was bowled over by the suggested parts and ordered it without a second thought. Heeley City Farm boar loin with mushroom and black pudding mash, peas, carrots and red cabbage in an excellent possibly ale gravy. And it was only £8.00. Stupendous value.
I had another Welbeck here but all too soon my companion for the night Middlemarch, was struggling and had to go home. So I went to the Sheffield Tap for a couple of halves.
Tempest Into the Light, 4.1% and an excellent Great Heck Porter were my liquid companions here, and both were fine ales, although I concede I much preferred the roasty bite of the excellent porter. Great heck are a brewery who's beers I have long enjoyed but recent offerings, especially those with the distinct pumpclips, have been rewarding.
Dada provided my finishing flourish, more excellent McConnells came my way, as did the fine company of the Jims. There was a singer on, which was mildly annoying in terms of conversational quality, but he wasn't too bad. Several pints of McConnells passed my lips before I opted for a half of the Schlenkerla, by way of comparison.
I was also forced, on pain of death, by the Jims, to sup a half of the Chiron. I accept its a punchy hoppy pale beer that's not too strong but I still had to let it stand for 20 minutes to start getting the flavours. I'm not sold on this!
I also popped in the Riverside recently. Spiro was leaving for pastures new and I joined him and his mates for a pint or two. The beer range can be very good at the Riverside, but there can be a reliance on samey Brew Company output and also much of the range is unavailable! I mentioned I hadn't seen or tried the Freedom Stout - then noticed the glass on the dispense and conceded that this situation would remain unchanged.....
Sat outside under the shelter proved very enjoyable (especially when a wall of rain fell), and I enjoyed a pint of Crouch Vale Summer Breeze. Alas this ran out after my pint so I migrated to Brew Co Summer instead, which was a decent golden pint.
Round the corner I popped in the Fat Cat. Having a funding malfunction I had cleverly arrived hungry, with enough for either a half, or a pork pie. I wanted both. I opted for a half of the Salamander Warpath 4.5% stout in the end. I didn't stop long, but loitering with intent in the hallway I spotted seminal starlets Alison and Diane, and redoubtable bar wizard Steven.
It was great catching up with all three, Diane taking time out for a chat in the corridor. It's no exaggeration to say that I cut my drinking, erm, cliche finishers in here in the nineties, especially honing my solitary supping skills whilst on the dole (my other doley mates didn't want to squander their money on an afternoon or more likely dinnertime of pints, so I often ventured in alone). That I could still wander in and find the familiar friendly faces of the team makes the Fat Cat a must visit pub, even if I accept that I go in less now tan I did when I was broke.
Shakespeares was my final call on this occasion, and I was pleased once again with the choice on the bar. A half of the Salamander (again), a pork pie and a pint of the excellent Brass Castle Bad Kitty vanilla stout secured a card payment, and I settled down to a read and a long and interesting chat with Dave in the bar about photography.
The Bad kitty is a little heavy (I only had a pint and a half) but is so luxuriously fine as to warrant savouring every last delicious drop. For the second time in a week I was in Shakespeares contemplating the practicalities of draining an entire cask of a beer by myself. Luckily I was more sensible than that and was home before 21.00.
Finally, I am going to Lancashire with WF tomorrow so need to be up early. I hope to write on Sunday about my trip to the Limeburners Arms in Nether Kellet. I have wanted to go there for about 18 months, but I am worried that whenever I want to visit an unspoilt pub, one outcome usually prevails - it shuts. Finding that the number does not exist earlier doesn't fill me with confidence.
Lets hope this isn't another unspoilt treasure that I miss.
More news soon
Wee Beefy
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Pub review - Ladybower Inn
Evenin,
I don't often do a pub review, but then, I don't often go to new pubs, not in Sheffield anyway (Caveat 1 : given that, despite its grand remote setting, the Ladybower Inn is only 15 minutes drive from Crookes, I'd say this is a Sheffield pub, and further, its one that I have only ever been to once before Monday.)
The Ladybower Inn is actually in a kind of Bermuda Triangle of Dark Peak pubs for me. At one vertex (don't let me down brief Internet search!) is the Snake Pass Inn, it's the furthest point away, and I have only been once, certainly as a drinking adult. At vertex two is the Yorkshire Bridge Inn - I went there when I was in my early 20's and was so horrified by the prices I never went back. The third point is the Ladybower, with a similar number of visits chalked up. Its safe to say then that I am overdue a visit and assessment of all of these pubs, and the first is the Ladybower Inn for a celebration meal - 20 years for my Dad in his salubrious flat! (Caveat 2: I haven't checked on a map to see if there are 3 equal points between each pub, and that's before we consider the different characteristics of different triangles, which, erm, I'll just leave well alone...)
The exterior of the pub is quite plain and shows quite a few additions to what was presumably the original pub. There is seating outside, and accommodation in converted out buildings on the left. I remembered it looking modern but think I had just returned from a very old traditional pub on that last visit, because to be fair its quite pleasant to look at. Weirdly, its stonework reminds me of a number of Robinson's houses, but I can't really explain how that would be the case.... (except perhaps the red signage?)
Inside is a rather modern bar slightly out of place hiding behind a truly enormous beam leading its length. The right hand room (in so far as it can be described thus, in essence every internal wall has been taken out or at least knocked through ) is a room with slightly more traditional tables and a big fireplace. To the left is a long room leading to the extension which then curves down some steps to the toilets and a fire exit. Its quite chilly down here, and I sense this is the last part of the pub to fill up, unless some diners are after privacy. The decor is country pub with a modern twist, some a little contrived but a lot of the features are plain and understated which is a nice change. And unless this was a failing of my famous lack of eyesight, I didn't see shelves and sides cluttered with "rural" bric a brac either.
We sat on the right hand side and ordered food from a reasonably extensive menu, with quite a few pub staples but a few more interesting options (some of the vegetarian dishes looked interesting, although there weren't that many - and no tomato and basil penne pasta my veggie friends will be relieved to hear). The specials board was very good and all the choices appeared to be available. Me and Wee Fatha had pot roast brisket in Guinness gravy, which came with green beans, carrots, roast parsnip and mashed potato, Wee Keefy had medium rare fillet steak with chips and veg, Chala had gammon steak with local eggs, chips and veg.
The bar was stocked with 5 real ales, one of which, the Acorn Barnsley Bitter had run out. This left Greedy King Ruddles County, Greedy King something else, Brains Reverend James and Bradfield Farmers Blonde. WF was just back from Wales so surprisingly went for a half of the Rev James, Chala was on wine, and me and WK both had pints (several it turned out) of the Blonde. I think it was £2.65 a pint - quite a good price full stop, and more especially so in this part of the peak District.
Our Brisket was a tenner, WK's fillet was £16.00 but it looked like an £8.00 piece of steak to be honest, Chala's gammon was around the £11.00 or £12.00 mark. When the plates came (about a foot wide), it was clear that there was a very large serving of each, but better still it was also soon obvious that the food was very nice indeed. The pot brisket melted in the mouth and was set off by the Guinness sauce, and the veg were perfectly well done, al dente, but crucially, not cold or raw.
The gammon was the size of a large tea cosy and cooked to perfection, i.e tender but with a crispy edge, WK's fillet was cooked exactly as requested and, having tasted a bit, was packed with bags of flavour. In the end we were all too full to attempt a dessert (£4.85), but luckily me and WK had room for many pints of Bradfield. There was also a decent wine list.
When we had arrived about 19.30 there was only us in, which is not surprising on a lonely road on a cold Monday, but there were several groups of diners in when we left, filling half the pub, with quite a few staying there, so that seems like a good sign.
The beer was well kept and topped up without asking, and to be fair its a decent range for what is a pub with quite an emphasis on eating.
I would definitely consider going again for a meal or even just for a summertime pint.
Wee Beefy.
*Caveat 3: I only took 3 photo's all night. I think this is perhaps obvious!
I don't often do a pub review, but then, I don't often go to new pubs, not in Sheffield anyway (Caveat 1 : given that, despite its grand remote setting, the Ladybower Inn is only 15 minutes drive from Crookes, I'd say this is a Sheffield pub, and further, its one that I have only ever been to once before Monday.)
The Ladybower Inn is actually in a kind of Bermuda Triangle of Dark Peak pubs for me. At one vertex (don't let me down brief Internet search!) is the Snake Pass Inn, it's the furthest point away, and I have only been once, certainly as a drinking adult. At vertex two is the Yorkshire Bridge Inn - I went there when I was in my early 20's and was so horrified by the prices I never went back. The third point is the Ladybower, with a similar number of visits chalked up. Its safe to say then that I am overdue a visit and assessment of all of these pubs, and the first is the Ladybower Inn for a celebration meal - 20 years for my Dad in his salubrious flat! (Caveat 2: I haven't checked on a map to see if there are 3 equal points between each pub, and that's before we consider the different characteristics of different triangles, which, erm, I'll just leave well alone...)
One of the striking things about the pub is that parking up in the car park across the road, its fairly obvious that the lie of the land makes this the absolute best view afforded from the premises (as confirmed when looking back from outside the pub). The above image may well fail to convey this point, being a camera phone photo shot in fading light, but I was already wondering whether our meal could be served in the car...
Inside is a rather modern bar slightly out of place hiding behind a truly enormous beam leading its length. The right hand room (in so far as it can be described thus, in essence every internal wall has been taken out or at least knocked through ) is a room with slightly more traditional tables and a big fireplace. To the left is a long room leading to the extension which then curves down some steps to the toilets and a fire exit. Its quite chilly down here, and I sense this is the last part of the pub to fill up, unless some diners are after privacy. The decor is country pub with a modern twist, some a little contrived but a lot of the features are plain and understated which is a nice change. And unless this was a failing of my famous lack of eyesight, I didn't see shelves and sides cluttered with "rural" bric a brac either.
We sat on the right hand side and ordered food from a reasonably extensive menu, with quite a few pub staples but a few more interesting options (some of the vegetarian dishes looked interesting, although there weren't that many - and no tomato and basil penne pasta my veggie friends will be relieved to hear). The specials board was very good and all the choices appeared to be available. Me and Wee Fatha had pot roast brisket in Guinness gravy, which came with green beans, carrots, roast parsnip and mashed potato, Wee Keefy had medium rare fillet steak with chips and veg, Chala had gammon steak with local eggs, chips and veg.
The bar was stocked with 5 real ales, one of which, the Acorn Barnsley Bitter had run out. This left Greedy King Ruddles County, Greedy King something else, Brains Reverend James and Bradfield Farmers Blonde. WF was just back from Wales so surprisingly went for a half of the Rev James, Chala was on wine, and me and WK both had pints (several it turned out) of the Blonde. I think it was £2.65 a pint - quite a good price full stop, and more especially so in this part of the peak District.
Our Brisket was a tenner, WK's fillet was £16.00 but it looked like an £8.00 piece of steak to be honest, Chala's gammon was around the £11.00 or £12.00 mark. When the plates came (about a foot wide), it was clear that there was a very large serving of each, but better still it was also soon obvious that the food was very nice indeed. The pot brisket melted in the mouth and was set off by the Guinness sauce, and the veg were perfectly well done, al dente, but crucially, not cold or raw.
The gammon was the size of a large tea cosy and cooked to perfection, i.e tender but with a crispy edge, WK's fillet was cooked exactly as requested and, having tasted a bit, was packed with bags of flavour. In the end we were all too full to attempt a dessert (£4.85), but luckily me and WK had room for many pints of Bradfield. There was also a decent wine list.
When we had arrived about 19.30 there was only us in, which is not surprising on a lonely road on a cold Monday, but there were several groups of diners in when we left, filling half the pub, with quite a few staying there, so that seems like a good sign.
The beer was well kept and topped up without asking, and to be fair its a decent range for what is a pub with quite an emphasis on eating.
*
I would definitely consider going again for a meal or even just for a summertime pint.
Wee Beefy.
*Caveat 3: I only took 3 photo's all night. I think this is perhaps obvious!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)