OK all, nobody panic.....
I haven't started writing in poorly spelled French, nor have I been possessed from beyond the other side by a former living French person with a similar spelling issue. Instead I wanted to update you on three recent visits to Kommune in sunny Sheffield.
You may recall, since even I do, that I posted about my first visit to Kommune in early April, partially because it was a new venue, partially because my friend's Hop Hideout shop had opened there, and partially because I had heard some rather odd comments about its faults. Since then one of the original visitors has returned and enjoyed it, and the venues popularity seems to have increased. So here are a few mentions about my visits in August.
Earlier this month I nipped in quickly after work to buy some take outs for me and Christingpher, and to quickly sup an ale inside. The takeouts chosen were amazing - three different cans of the single or double hopped Yakima Chief hoppy pales from Cloudwater, the potentially Amarillo and Sabro mix being a very enjoyable 6.5% brew resembling orange juice and being gloriously easy to drink. Whilst there I quickly drank a whole pint of Kernel IPA at 7.2% or so, as ever this was a fabulously dry and hoppy beer bursting with flavours and aromas. Despite being only a quick visit this was very enjoyable and helped me to note what it was I had been missing out on.
Yesterday it was pay day and I had agreed to meet up with the lovely Tash. I had arranged to meet her at 13.30 but she was late leaving the house and promised to meet me in town at the tram stop by 14.30. I popped into Kommune to sample some small amounts of the delights on offer there. Three of the four choices were aged sour or red beers from Abbeydale, in their Funk Dungeon range. There was a 6.5% Sheffield Red, a sour plum ale and a sour cherry ale, housed and aged in different casks and barrels, and deliciously vibrant.
Jules had selected three slush style machines and was serving free glasses of frozen sweet ales to place in the top of the glass. She had got the idea, I think, from the large bar next door. The freezing fruitiness of the ales added a much appreciated extra dimension, and, unskillfully, I put all three of the ice cream items into my single half pint of the Red. By the time it was finished I had also bought a fabulously labelled can of white worm themed saison from a Welsh Brewery, and was ready to head up to town to grab the wonderful Tash.
As usual there was chaos on the tram tracks given that all the times provided on their system were wrong, and instead of waiting 48 minutes for the next blue tram to arrive, following the arrival of three others not shown, Tash arrived before three and we headed to the upstairs roof terrace bar in Curzon. After many more hours of shopping, supping in the Red Lion, where we met a wonderful member of bar staff, and visiting the excellent Rutland Arms, due to them not serving food I suggested we head off back to Kommune. Despite my thus far three visits I have never eaten there, and the food served looks and sounds ace. After a brief diversion to the Dove we met up in the top eating area and ordered two absolutely fantastic pizzas.
I opted for beef calzone with chorizo and that was marvelous, and when Tash joined me she chose a fabulous Chinese pork and various vegetables crispy pizza which was really enjoyable, and perfectly presented. We shared each others, and by now very hungry we chomped them down quickly before, having already said goodbye to Jules, I headed down to the big bar to get some ales.
Although I am now not sure if they serve cask, or if they do, its something awful like Doom Bar, they do supply quite a lengthy range of kegs from the future. From a decent selection I ended up with two halves of Abbeydale session IPA at about 3.6% and I got a soft drink for Tash as she needed to get off quite quickly. We thoroughly loved the food and all the beers tried and, despite its somewhat inescapable level of variously aged hipsters, I have to say that I like the atmosphere and the surroundings of this excellent venue, almost as much as the wonderful range of beers.
Hopefully the success of Kommune and its multiple beer and food purveyors will continue to increase, and its reputation increases even more so over time.
Your very best of health!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Red Lion Charles Street. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red Lion Charles Street. Show all posts
Saturday, 31 August 2019
Saturday, 28 March 2015
Edge of town crawls
Hello,
recently I took a few days off to spend with Tash after her long stay in Carlisle. Whilst she has been away and since she has come back, we have been craving pints in quieter pubs, but not ones that take ages to get to. Luckily, Sheffield has many decent, not always quiet but worthwhile pubs, on the edges of the city.
Starting in the Rutland I saw Clare from Sheffield beer week with Gav and her friend Gary. They were trying an exquisite dessert - and I was on a pint of Blue Bee Ella and a half of the excellent Broken Dreams from Siren. I have never tried this beer on draught and, aged in (I think) Ardbeg barrels, this complex beer was fantastic.
Just up the hill I popped in the Red Lion. I had a half of their Moonshine and went to sit in the beautiful back snug. Its not, I think, always possible to enter from the street so its useful to know that you need to go behind the bar - not literally, to each the room. Once there its often far quieter than the rest of the pub which can get very busy.
Further up is the Wood Street Brewery run/owned Roebuck. I went in with some trepidation since often I have gone in and the beer has been poor. This time there were a mix of Wood Street and guest brewery beers on 5 handpumps. The pub looked much cleaner and was very busy. I had a half a pale from a large regional brewer and stood in the beer garden. The Roebuck isn't my favourite pub but seems to be improving.
I finished off in the Tap and Tankard. I had a pint from Atom brewery and a half, but alas, the exhaustion of numerous overtimes caught up with me, and away tp nod nod land crept the Beefdozer. Zzzzzz.....
This week we met, after I had been to the Bath Hotel, Three Tuns and Red Deer, at the University tram stop and went to the University Arms. This was busy, but we managed to get a seat in the conservatory, whilst smokers braved the cold air in the garden, and being locked out after shutting the fire door properly. On the bar we almost tried an unusual beer from Welbeck Abbey brewery but went instead with a dark ale and a pale - now, I realise that details wise this is poor, but I had already had more than 3 pints by this stage.
Down the hill we went next to Fagans. Only halves in here, of Moonshine, but we were lucky enough to sit in the tiny snug. I think you can get 10 punters in, but only small ones - am sure the max is normally 8. We listened in on a folk session in the back room including a song called "A pint of old peculier". I've not been in for a while and this was a worthwhile return visit.
We finished the night in Shakespeares and after getting a pint of the Raw/Steel City collab that has the word opposites in it, we finished on several halves of the excellent Kernel Centennial IPA at 6.9%. As mentioned previously, Centennial is one of my favourite hops so this was a no brainer to try. Others must have liked it too - it had run out the following night.
During which we came into town and caught the 95 up to Howard Road, and walked down to the Blake. We'd seen their beer mats in the Sheaf View on Tuesday and decided to make a return to the pub, which Tash has only been in twice. This turned out to be an excellent decision. Of the real ales on the bar we stuck with two - the Spitting Duck pale ale from Green Duck brewery, and the Welsh Black from Great Orme brewery. The pork pies were excellent and well priced as was the beer. Had we not been restricted to limited funds we could probably have stayed all night.
Instead after a couple of hours we walked down through Upperthorpe to the Wellington. Two pints of Flying Scotsman were purchased and we sat down in the room on the left in again, a very busy pub - or plans for a quite night were not met on these visits but I assure you that the Blake, Red Lion,l Uni Arms and Welington are all places where you can enjoy a quiet drink.
We finished at Shakespeares with more Steel City and a beer from a new brewery, followed by half a Sorachi Face Plant, a delicious grapefruity and lemongrass-ed pale ale at 8.1% from Weird Beard. Once again Shakespeares provided the perfect finishing point to a short pub crawl.
Our final pints came last night - we popped in the Great Gatsby where Tash had a pint of Staropramen for old rimes sake, and me a pint of Saltaire Bavarian Black. Although the inside was rammed there were few people in the beer garden, so we sat outside and supped our pints slowly.
We finished in the Bath Hotel and had halves of the Wiper and True Amarillo Amber, a fantastic keg amber ale, the Buxton Moor top, a refreshing 3.6% Pale ale and the excellent Oakham Ales Citra Pale at 4.2%. We were joined by Clare and Gav and Neil and his mate which livened things up, and I had an absolutely excellent roast pork sandwich - the price has gone up to £4.00 but the portion is massive. Another great place to end what was our shortest crawl (we started in the Rutland but it was rammed) of Sheffield's edge of city pubs.
Maybe see some of you later at the Brothers Arms beer fest.....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
recently I took a few days off to spend with Tash after her long stay in Carlisle. Whilst she has been away and since she has come back, we have been craving pints in quieter pubs, but not ones that take ages to get to. Luckily, Sheffield has many decent, not always quiet but worthwhile pubs, on the edges of the city.
Starting in the Rutland I saw Clare from Sheffield beer week with Gav and her friend Gary. They were trying an exquisite dessert - and I was on a pint of Blue Bee Ella and a half of the excellent Broken Dreams from Siren. I have never tried this beer on draught and, aged in (I think) Ardbeg barrels, this complex beer was fantastic.
Just up the hill I popped in the Red Lion. I had a half of their Moonshine and went to sit in the beautiful back snug. Its not, I think, always possible to enter from the street so its useful to know that you need to go behind the bar - not literally, to each the room. Once there its often far quieter than the rest of the pub which can get very busy.
Further up is the Wood Street Brewery run/owned Roebuck. I went in with some trepidation since often I have gone in and the beer has been poor. This time there were a mix of Wood Street and guest brewery beers on 5 handpumps. The pub looked much cleaner and was very busy. I had a half a pale from a large regional brewer and stood in the beer garden. The Roebuck isn't my favourite pub but seems to be improving.
I finished off in the Tap and Tankard. I had a pint from Atom brewery and a half, but alas, the exhaustion of numerous overtimes caught up with me, and away tp nod nod land crept the Beefdozer. Zzzzzz.....
This week we met, after I had been to the Bath Hotel, Three Tuns and Red Deer, at the University tram stop and went to the University Arms. This was busy, but we managed to get a seat in the conservatory, whilst smokers braved the cold air in the garden, and being locked out after shutting the fire door properly. On the bar we almost tried an unusual beer from Welbeck Abbey brewery but went instead with a dark ale and a pale - now, I realise that details wise this is poor, but I had already had more than 3 pints by this stage.
Down the hill we went next to Fagans. Only halves in here, of Moonshine, but we were lucky enough to sit in the tiny snug. I think you can get 10 punters in, but only small ones - am sure the max is normally 8. We listened in on a folk session in the back room including a song called "A pint of old peculier". I've not been in for a while and this was a worthwhile return visit.
We finished the night in Shakespeares and after getting a pint of the Raw/Steel City collab that has the word opposites in it, we finished on several halves of the excellent Kernel Centennial IPA at 6.9%. As mentioned previously, Centennial is one of my favourite hops so this was a no brainer to try. Others must have liked it too - it had run out the following night.
During which we came into town and caught the 95 up to Howard Road, and walked down to the Blake. We'd seen their beer mats in the Sheaf View on Tuesday and decided to make a return to the pub, which Tash has only been in twice. This turned out to be an excellent decision. Of the real ales on the bar we stuck with two - the Spitting Duck pale ale from Green Duck brewery, and the Welsh Black from Great Orme brewery. The pork pies were excellent and well priced as was the beer. Had we not been restricted to limited funds we could probably have stayed all night.
Instead after a couple of hours we walked down through Upperthorpe to the Wellington. Two pints of Flying Scotsman were purchased and we sat down in the room on the left in again, a very busy pub - or plans for a quite night were not met on these visits but I assure you that the Blake, Red Lion,l Uni Arms and Welington are all places where you can enjoy a quiet drink.
We finished at Shakespeares with more Steel City and a beer from a new brewery, followed by half a Sorachi Face Plant, a delicious grapefruity and lemongrass-ed pale ale at 8.1% from Weird Beard. Once again Shakespeares provided the perfect finishing point to a short pub crawl.
Our final pints came last night - we popped in the Great Gatsby where Tash had a pint of Staropramen for old rimes sake, and me a pint of Saltaire Bavarian Black. Although the inside was rammed there were few people in the beer garden, so we sat outside and supped our pints slowly.
We finished in the Bath Hotel and had halves of the Wiper and True Amarillo Amber, a fantastic keg amber ale, the Buxton Moor top, a refreshing 3.6% Pale ale and the excellent Oakham Ales Citra Pale at 4.2%. We were joined by Clare and Gav and Neil and his mate which livened things up, and I had an absolutely excellent roast pork sandwich - the price has gone up to £4.00 but the portion is massive. Another great place to end what was our shortest crawl (we started in the Rutland but it was rammed) of Sheffield's edge of city pubs.
Maybe see some of you later at the Brothers Arms beer fest.....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 13 May 2012
A night with Mallinsons, Kirkstall, Abbeydale, Blue Bee, and Acorn
Evenin,
here are some details of my thirsty Thursday of beers culture and food....
Harrisons
Thursday I was having two nights out, one after the other. After a very brief pint with Mr H I was in harrisons 1854 for a very agreeable couple of pints of Deception, as well as to find out about the round and round it goes art festival they are holding. Rather than remember from Thursday I'll link you to the following Forum post for more details here. It may even have finished by the way, but still worth a look at the idea if nothing else I reckon.
It was nice to be stood at the bar with the constant hubbub of coming and going artists, and the occasional musical interlude form the brass band upstairs, but unfortunately despite the lure of the Deception I was off to meet Mr L at the Sheffield Tap.
Tap
Mr L is from Ooop North even more than Sheffield could be considered so, and it may have been this credential that led him down the crazy avenue of thinking we should sit outside (actually, that was my bright idea), but more specifically for him to be in short sleeves and seemingly unmoved. Its a few years since I was immune to cold, despite a substantial investment in a flesh fleece, yet despite this I battled manfully on in the sunless trap of the forecourt.....
Here we enjoyed a fantastic pint of the Mallinsons Centennial Single hop ale. This is now the 3rd Mallinsons single hop beer I've had and I have to say they have all been brilliant. Its funny but for some reason I never really rated Mallinsons much before, possibly a conspiracy of beer line ups meant I always ended up with something brown or golden with a Yorkshire square flavour. Conveniently I can't remember a single one of those beers so I have instead to tell you that you should definitely try a Mallinsons beer when you see one ( In Sheffield the Tap and the Rutland seem to stock them).
On getting back in from the cold, there was an empty pump or two, and perhaps because I was temporarily confused by the heady buzz of warmth, in a moment of pondering I suggested we went to the Rutland for a pint or two instead.
Rutland of the butties
Here Paultous and Stu(ew)art were manning the bar and there was a goodly choice of dark beers to be had. Eschewing the wild unpredictability of different pints per round we both had a pint of the Blue Bee Lustin for Stout which was on fine form. It was quiz night so we were aware that eventually it might be time to move on, but not before we'd had a pint of the Acorn Darkness as well.
Meanwhile, noting a slight sense of "tiredness" creeping upon me I ordered again the fantastic bacon butty, and it didn't disappoint. I think that having a sarnie in here is going to be a part of my essential beer plan from now on, its pretty damn filling so mops up any excess alcohol that you may have accidentally consumed. After this Mr L opted to join his native friends and I headed off for an unspecified event at an unspecified place.
Red Lion
Luckily I have a mobile phone with a camera on and a pen and paper, or else I might never have properly remembered my visit to the Red Lion on Charles Street. It was very quiet and I got a seat and a table to myself at which to enjoy my half of Abbeydale Deception, whilst also getting a pic or two of the red Lion interior, thereby increasing my stash of Red Lion pics by 100%...
The Hop
I had actually walked up Division and then Devonshire Street to go and get another wonderful bit of food since I was feeling hungry again, even after my fantastic butty. On arriving at the chip shop I found that no Yorkshire fishcakes were to be had - if I wanted Yorkshire Fishcake butty, I'd have to wait. I boldly took up the challenge and went in the Hop to fill in 15 minutes.
The pub wasn't too busy and to my delight there was a genuine guest on, in the form of Kirskstall Pale. Not only is Kirkstall brewery not owned by Ossett (as far as I know) but also its one of my favourite breweries, so this was a no brainer. Better still my half of their pale ale only cost £1.20 - I'd suggest £2.40 is a pretty good price for any pint of real ale in the city centre, and it was a very pleasant drink as well (this is sot-speak for "I know I liked it, but that's all I know").
Note of discombobulation
Now, on my notes, where I had diligently recorded, in varying degrees of legibility, all the events of the evening, I made a worrying discovery. I know that I got my long desired butty in the end, and that it was boiling hot having just been cooked, and that it took me a while wandering around to eat it - the cool night air just wasn't cool enough to chill the crispy beast sufficiently. I didn't recall going anywhere else but home though...
So imagine my horror when my notes advised "FCB - Bettys £1.60". Shit I thought, how drunk must I have been to have gone in to the Forum Cafe Bar, on my own, and besides which, who brews Bettys?
I searched Beermad, Quaffale and Google, found a brewery in Maidstone via Facebookcalled Betty's which didn't really seem to exist, and a few beers which came from breweries with the initials F or B. I also thought about Fat Cat Brewery, but to no avail, no plausible (i.e not skinners Betty Stogs) Betty beer was to be found in the UK. There was a hole in my memory and a magical beer named after a tea shop was in its place. I was ashamed.
Unitil I remebered I bought my Fish Cake Butty from - Betty's!
My new favourite chippy. Well, I say new, I've never had a favourite chippy before. So Betty's must be extra special. Its not a brewery though....
Wee beefy.
here are some details of my thirsty Thursday of beers culture and food....
Harrisons
Thursday I was having two nights out, one after the other. After a very brief pint with Mr H I was in harrisons 1854 for a very agreeable couple of pints of Deception, as well as to find out about the round and round it goes art festival they are holding. Rather than remember from Thursday I'll link you to the following Forum post for more details here. It may even have finished by the way, but still worth a look at the idea if nothing else I reckon.
It was nice to be stood at the bar with the constant hubbub of coming and going artists, and the occasional musical interlude form the brass band upstairs, but unfortunately despite the lure of the Deception I was off to meet Mr L at the Sheffield Tap.
Tap
Mr L is from Ooop North even more than Sheffield could be considered so, and it may have been this credential that led him down the crazy avenue of thinking we should sit outside (actually, that was my bright idea), but more specifically for him to be in short sleeves and seemingly unmoved. Its a few years since I was immune to cold, despite a substantial investment in a flesh fleece, yet despite this I battled manfully on in the sunless trap of the forecourt.....
Here we enjoyed a fantastic pint of the Mallinsons Centennial Single hop ale. This is now the 3rd Mallinsons single hop beer I've had and I have to say they have all been brilliant. Its funny but for some reason I never really rated Mallinsons much before, possibly a conspiracy of beer line ups meant I always ended up with something brown or golden with a Yorkshire square flavour. Conveniently I can't remember a single one of those beers so I have instead to tell you that you should definitely try a Mallinsons beer when you see one ( In Sheffield the Tap and the Rutland seem to stock them).
On getting back in from the cold, there was an empty pump or two, and perhaps because I was temporarily confused by the heady buzz of warmth, in a moment of pondering I suggested we went to the Rutland for a pint or two instead.
Rutland of the butties
Here Paultous and Stu(ew)art were manning the bar and there was a goodly choice of dark beers to be had. Eschewing the wild unpredictability of different pints per round we both had a pint of the Blue Bee Lustin for Stout which was on fine form. It was quiz night so we were aware that eventually it might be time to move on, but not before we'd had a pint of the Acorn Darkness as well.
Meanwhile, noting a slight sense of "tiredness" creeping upon me I ordered again the fantastic bacon butty, and it didn't disappoint. I think that having a sarnie in here is going to be a part of my essential beer plan from now on, its pretty damn filling so mops up any excess alcohol that you may have accidentally consumed. After this Mr L opted to join his native friends and I headed off for an unspecified event at an unspecified place.
Red Lion
Luckily I have a mobile phone with a camera on and a pen and paper, or else I might never have properly remembered my visit to the Red Lion on Charles Street. It was very quiet and I got a seat and a table to myself at which to enjoy my half of Abbeydale Deception, whilst also getting a pic or two of the red Lion interior, thereby increasing my stash of Red Lion pics by 100%...
The Hop
I had actually walked up Division and then Devonshire Street to go and get another wonderful bit of food since I was feeling hungry again, even after my fantastic butty. On arriving at the chip shop I found that no Yorkshire fishcakes were to be had - if I wanted Yorkshire Fishcake butty, I'd have to wait. I boldly took up the challenge and went in the Hop to fill in 15 minutes.
The pub wasn't too busy and to my delight there was a genuine guest on, in the form of Kirskstall Pale. Not only is Kirkstall brewery not owned by Ossett (as far as I know) but also its one of my favourite breweries, so this was a no brainer. Better still my half of their pale ale only cost £1.20 - I'd suggest £2.40 is a pretty good price for any pint of real ale in the city centre, and it was a very pleasant drink as well (this is sot-speak for "I know I liked it, but that's all I know").
Note of discombobulation
Now, on my notes, where I had diligently recorded, in varying degrees of legibility, all the events of the evening, I made a worrying discovery. I know that I got my long desired butty in the end, and that it was boiling hot having just been cooked, and that it took me a while wandering around to eat it - the cool night air just wasn't cool enough to chill the crispy beast sufficiently. I didn't recall going anywhere else but home though...
So imagine my horror when my notes advised "FCB - Bettys £1.60". Shit I thought, how drunk must I have been to have gone in to the Forum Cafe Bar, on my own, and besides which, who brews Bettys?
I searched Beermad, Quaffale and Google, found a brewery in Maidstone via Facebookcalled Betty's which didn't really seem to exist, and a few beers which came from breweries with the initials F or B. I also thought about Fat Cat Brewery, but to no avail, no plausible (i.e not skinners Betty Stogs) Betty beer was to be found in the UK. There was a hole in my memory and a magical beer named after a tea shop was in its place. I was ashamed.
Unitil I remebered I bought my Fish Cake Butty from - Betty's!
My new favourite chippy. Well, I say new, I've never had a favourite chippy before. So Betty's must be extra special. Its not a brewery though....
Wee beefy.
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Some Sheffield pubs and beers
Hello again,
apart from going to the Sheffield Tap and trying an excellent beer in the equally excellent Rutland I have been eking out my meagre funds to have a half or two in some other pubs lately, so here are a few details of those visits and the beers I drank.
Red Lion
The Red Lion on Charles Street isn't exactly a regular haunt of mine. They usually have four real ales on, they are a bit pricey but not objectionably so, and given the extensive remodelling and refurbs of the interior over the years, if am not sat in the back snug (which is invariably full) then I am thinking how much more enjoyable it would be sat in there. The other Saturday, en route to the Rutland, I picked an occasion upon which I was unlikely to have room to stand, let alone sit in a preferred spot.
It was a Sheffield United Football Club home game and an FA Cup semi final. I believe the interest in specific clubs and occasions within the broad church of association football is very popular in the public houses of the area....
Hence, it was kin rammed. after fifteen minutes at the bar (not the staff's fault, it really was that busy) I had already told myself five times that as this was a fleeting visit I could just leave. But the thing is, having joined the queue, I was determined to complete this undertaking at all costs.
In the end I got myself an enjoyable half of Abbeydale Now Then, and retired to the only spot I could sit in peace - outside in the not waterproof beer garden. Perched on a damp bench, I was struck by the fact that a Monday night at 19.30 would have been a better time for my 2012 visit. You live and learn...
Shakespeares
On Tuesday I was out with Mr C. We don't get out to the pub that often and had arranged a night out heading towards Hillsborough sampling pubs en route. We started here and got ourselves a seat in the School Room and enjoyed our beers - Mr C a Becks cooking lager, and myself a pint of Welbeck Abbey Dark Horse. This wasn't quite how I remembered it at the Three Cranes but was an excellent pint all the same. We also stopped for another, this time I had a delicious Steel City Raw Steel NZ IPA, which I think is a second collaboration, having had Raw Steel IPA at the Abbeydale Sports Club beer festival in September. This was another bold hoppy offering that gives you plenty to think about. Very nice.
I also made it in yesterday for a half of the Steel City A Slight Case of Overhopping (5.2%, I think). I had the feeling this was hopped mainly with Simcoe, but I still haven't got my hop identifying GCSE yet, and I probably thought Simcoe as the name was on my mind. It was a delicious hoppy beer all the same, if a little cloudy, and not too strong for an afternoon tipple.
Gardeners
A quick note is that the Gardeners Rest is holding its Last Orders beer festival between Thursday the 17th and Sunday 20th May. This is Pat and Eddies farewell beer festival as they are retiring this year, rumour has it to live on a narrowboat. I am really hoping I can get down to wish the two of them all the very best.
I was in last week and had a pint of the Greenfield Vanilla Stout. Having had a few and developed quite a taste for the style over the last 6 months I was surprised that this wasn't more creamy or balanced, it had quite a sour edge but was still enjoyable to drink. Alas, the same could not be said of the Sportsman Pigeon Bridge Porter. It was very grim indeed. Not off, I hasten to add, just a grim beer! I replaced it with a far better half of Sheffield Brewing Co Crucible Best.
Three Cranes
I popped in on Saturday for a half of the Blue Bee Lustin for Stout. They have two of the Blue Bee crucible themed beers coming on in the next week. The Lustin was bursting with flavour and a nice stopping beer - giving me time to try and not pay attention to the football scores whilst chatting with Luke. He advises that they close early Saturday nights unless there's a function on - if you are thinking of going Saturday night perhaps check beforehand - following them on Facefriend is a good way of doing this.
Wellington
Another of my all too infrequent visits to the Cask and Welly as its officially known, last week. Despite my rave review on the Barraharri New Year crawl I still didn't taste any of their exclellent Little Ale Cart beers! Not that what I had instead was a disappointment. I had a pint of West Berkshire Brewery Pig and Tea (coffee surely?) a tasty 4.3% dark ale, and a pint of Steel City Brewing Queen Anne's Revenge. Both were in excellent nick, but the Queen Anne was late in the evening so I'll have to have it again to provide a description.
Friday theatre
Not a euphemistic term for the going's on in Sheffield's licensed establishments, but my primary Friday night event, going to see Stewart Lee at the Lyceum. Beforehand our pre performance drinking plans had gone awry so having arrived alone thirty five minutes before I needed to be inside, I dallied first with the idea of the Crucible Corner (Tetley and Kelham Easy Rider), but it can be expensive) and instead opted for a pint in the Old Monk. How I laughed when the beer in there was £3.20 a pint, probably as expensive as Crucible Corner next door....
Not a good pub to go in on your own, it did at least have two guests, or would, had the Barnsley Bitter been on. I had the Sheffield Brewing Co Milder Spring, which was on good form. Crucially, I also got to go to the loo, prior to sitting in a theatre for 90 minutes....
Afterwards, some of us went to the Bath Hotel. Not my first choice, but only because it was absolutely siling it down and The Bath was almost the furthest pub we could have chosen. Rewards were to be had however, as I managed to buy a fantastic pint of Revolutions Brewery Milk and Alcohol before they called last orders. This was as good as I remembered at Magna, and worth the trudge. It was also less than £3.00 a pint I recall.
My final stop was in Harrisons 1854. I had thought about puling up a pew and having a quiet pint but there was a function or a DJ on so I stopped only for a half of Abbeydale Now Then before heading off. Its fuunny, but I love it when its quiet in the 1854, but without getting rammed at weekends am sure it simply wouldn't be viable.
So, that rounds up ten days of grog and inns. And only eight days until payday when I can go out for another half....
Wee Beefy
apart from going to the Sheffield Tap and trying an excellent beer in the equally excellent Rutland I have been eking out my meagre funds to have a half or two in some other pubs lately, so here are a few details of those visits and the beers I drank.
Red Lion
The Red Lion on Charles Street isn't exactly a regular haunt of mine. They usually have four real ales on, they are a bit pricey but not objectionably so, and given the extensive remodelling and refurbs of the interior over the years, if am not sat in the back snug (which is invariably full) then I am thinking how much more enjoyable it would be sat in there. The other Saturday, en route to the Rutland, I picked an occasion upon which I was unlikely to have room to stand, let alone sit in a preferred spot.
It was a Sheffield United Football Club home game and an FA Cup semi final. I believe the interest in specific clubs and occasions within the broad church of association football is very popular in the public houses of the area....
Hence, it was kin rammed. after fifteen minutes at the bar (not the staff's fault, it really was that busy) I had already told myself five times that as this was a fleeting visit I could just leave. But the thing is, having joined the queue, I was determined to complete this undertaking at all costs.
In the end I got myself an enjoyable half of Abbeydale Now Then, and retired to the only spot I could sit in peace - outside in the not waterproof beer garden. Perched on a damp bench, I was struck by the fact that a Monday night at 19.30 would have been a better time for my 2012 visit. You live and learn...
Shakespeares
On Tuesday I was out with Mr C. We don't get out to the pub that often and had arranged a night out heading towards Hillsborough sampling pubs en route. We started here and got ourselves a seat in the School Room and enjoyed our beers - Mr C a Becks cooking lager, and myself a pint of Welbeck Abbey Dark Horse. This wasn't quite how I remembered it at the Three Cranes but was an excellent pint all the same. We also stopped for another, this time I had a delicious Steel City Raw Steel NZ IPA, which I think is a second collaboration, having had Raw Steel IPA at the Abbeydale Sports Club beer festival in September. This was another bold hoppy offering that gives you plenty to think about. Very nice.
I also made it in yesterday for a half of the Steel City A Slight Case of Overhopping (5.2%, I think). I had the feeling this was hopped mainly with Simcoe, but I still haven't got my hop identifying GCSE yet, and I probably thought Simcoe as the name was on my mind. It was a delicious hoppy beer all the same, if a little cloudy, and not too strong for an afternoon tipple.
Gardeners
A quick note is that the Gardeners Rest is holding its Last Orders beer festival between Thursday the 17th and Sunday 20th May. This is Pat and Eddies farewell beer festival as they are retiring this year, rumour has it to live on a narrowboat. I am really hoping I can get down to wish the two of them all the very best.
I was in last week and had a pint of the Greenfield Vanilla Stout. Having had a few and developed quite a taste for the style over the last 6 months I was surprised that this wasn't more creamy or balanced, it had quite a sour edge but was still enjoyable to drink. Alas, the same could not be said of the Sportsman Pigeon Bridge Porter. It was very grim indeed. Not off, I hasten to add, just a grim beer! I replaced it with a far better half of Sheffield Brewing Co Crucible Best.
Three Cranes
I popped in on Saturday for a half of the Blue Bee Lustin for Stout. They have two of the Blue Bee crucible themed beers coming on in the next week. The Lustin was bursting with flavour and a nice stopping beer - giving me time to try and not pay attention to the football scores whilst chatting with Luke. He advises that they close early Saturday nights unless there's a function on - if you are thinking of going Saturday night perhaps check beforehand - following them on Facefriend is a good way of doing this.
Wellington
Another of my all too infrequent visits to the Cask and Welly as its officially known, last week. Despite my rave review on the Barraharri New Year crawl I still didn't taste any of their exclellent Little Ale Cart beers! Not that what I had instead was a disappointment. I had a pint of West Berkshire Brewery Pig and Tea (coffee surely?) a tasty 4.3% dark ale, and a pint of Steel City Brewing Queen Anne's Revenge. Both were in excellent nick, but the Queen Anne was late in the evening so I'll have to have it again to provide a description.
Friday theatre
Not a euphemistic term for the going's on in Sheffield's licensed establishments, but my primary Friday night event, going to see Stewart Lee at the Lyceum. Beforehand our pre performance drinking plans had gone awry so having arrived alone thirty five minutes before I needed to be inside, I dallied first with the idea of the Crucible Corner (Tetley and Kelham Easy Rider), but it can be expensive) and instead opted for a pint in the Old Monk. How I laughed when the beer in there was £3.20 a pint, probably as expensive as Crucible Corner next door....
Not a good pub to go in on your own, it did at least have two guests, or would, had the Barnsley Bitter been on. I had the Sheffield Brewing Co Milder Spring, which was on good form. Crucially, I also got to go to the loo, prior to sitting in a theatre for 90 minutes....
Afterwards, some of us went to the Bath Hotel. Not my first choice, but only because it was absolutely siling it down and The Bath was almost the furthest pub we could have chosen. Rewards were to be had however, as I managed to buy a fantastic pint of Revolutions Brewery Milk and Alcohol before they called last orders. This was as good as I remembered at Magna, and worth the trudge. It was also less than £3.00 a pint I recall.
My final stop was in Harrisons 1854. I had thought about puling up a pew and having a quiet pint but there was a function or a DJ on so I stopped only for a half of Abbeydale Now Then before heading off. Its fuunny, but I love it when its quiet in the 1854, but without getting rammed at weekends am sure it simply wouldn't be viable.
So, that rounds up ten days of grog and inns. And only eight days until payday when I can go out for another half....
Wee Beefy
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