A night out in sunny Sheffield!

 Afternoon readers - long time no write I admit!

Yesterday was my day off and I decided to make my first ever trip to the Itchy Pig up at Banner Cross - its been open a year or so (possibly) and I felt I deserved a look...

I was quickly into town on the peasant tractor, and after much guesswork I figured out where the Ecclesall Road busses left from, and walked a long way up the side of Arundel Gate to find a timetable free bus stop - although to be fair I didn't wait long for the 88, and the driver assured me he was going to Banner Cross. Within 15 minutes had got off at a building numbered near that of the Itchy Pig, but  having worked out it was on the other side of the road I popped in the Banner Cross Hotel.

Inside they had a choice of 4 cask from the past, but nothing I wanted to taste on keg, but I opted for a pint of Moonshine at £3.90 a pint and sat by myself at a big table ignoring the darts being shown on a big screen - the pub was quite busy, but I didn't linger long.

Accross Ecclesall Road and up I found the Itch Pig and was likewise pleased to discover a good range of real ales on cask (ftp) along with an excellent range of Keg. I started on a pint of Torrside and Grizzly Grains collab at 4.8% on cask called Big Words, and sat at one of the tables near the entrance. Its notable that the door needs to be closed properly to stop it partially opening once you are in, and sadly about 3 people entering and sitting at the back did not maanage this, but I was more observant of how popular it was! There were absolutely loads of people after about ten minutes!

Next up was a p[int of Azvex Disco Castle pale ale at 4.2% on keg from the future and that was likewise excellent - got chatting to two gents sat near me and I asked them if it was feasible to walk to the Rising Sun at Nether Green and they assured me it was. After some early confusion about direction I found the first turn on my directopms but sadly not the next...

After stopping somebody I headed for what I thought was Carrington Road but nevertheless ended up on Rustlings road before finding Oakbrook Road to clamber up - sadly I did not find Nethergreen road but I did make it up to Ranmoor on Fullwood road and so I was soon at the Rising Sun.

This pub was likewise very busy and I started on a pint of Abbeydale Black Mass at 6.6% on cask from the past, and found an empty table to sit at viewing the crowd of people who were drinking - and drinking only - as the kitchen was closed.

After finishing my cftp I had a whole pint of Deliverance on keg - with Sabro, Talus and HBC 472 in a gloriously hoppy IPA with Yakima Chief! I will say that the cask was quite expensive - I know am way out with my desire not to pay more than a pound a percent but the Black Mass was £5.40 a pint on cask from the past - a style in which my experience is that its always far cheaper...

Leaving for the 120 I was soon heading down West Street and got off half way along to head onto Trippet Lane. I popped into the Dog and Partridge for one and had another Sheffield brewed pint - Abbeydale Hibernator pale on cftp and it was delicious!

I finished my night in the Shakespeares where I know I had another pint of Electric Bear also on cftp, although am unsure what I had next - am guessing a pale...

So, 5 busy pubs, one new route, and plenty of excellent beers to plug the gap between Christmas and New Year in fine, sunny, Sheffield!

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

SunFest 2019

Hello,

             I have been going to Sun Fest for over ten years now - certainly for all the years that Abbeydale have been based at the excellent Rising Sun in Nethergreen in Sheffield, and certainly since their "First annual beer festival" in 2007, according to the glass I have collecting dust on my bedroom window sill. Am even sure that some of the staff volunteering at this years festival may have worked at the long ago Moon Fest, or fests, when Abbeydale briefly owned the pub before and now again called the Office, in Upperthorpe. This year, momentary madness and a recent return to work have rendered me a trifle funds free, but I still got up on Thursday last for the first public session.

Having walked into work I was a little tired when Malc asked me if I was attending. I advised him that my lack of funds was a good indication that I wouldn't be, however a kind friend lent me a few and after a couple of post work starters in the hot sunshine I set off about half past four to walk through Sheffield and up to the Rising Sun, which took me about one hour and fifteen minutes . I sat with Richard S, Bex and Richard H, and started on a third of Abbeydale Cyro Huxter, a fab soupy IPA brewed with Peddler market, and an ideal starter at 6.0%. During my sup I went to see Malc and Ally, although as I know she prefers dark beers I didn't offer her a taste. Bumping into Dan and Robin from the brewery and a number of folks from Shakespeares and the Crow, it was obvious there was much interest in the beer list, and later attendees can confirm that my starter did not last that long.

The next boozes tried from the list were Black Iris chasing the Sun, a fab 6.5% murky, Juicy IPA, later followed by rain showers, along with Crosspool Ale Makers society Delph House, a similarly strong IPA but with more traditional flavours, and the absolutely excellent Turning Point Brew Co 6.2% Off the grid IPA, like the first two significantly vegan friendly, and made with excellent Simcoe, Cascade and Chinook. I also tried some of my fellow guests Unbeliever 8.1 Mango and Lychee kettle sour, along with Box Social Blood Eagle at 4.2%, an excellent hazy dry hopped pale, and the absurdly strong Methusula Rum barrel aged imperial stout which was incredible.

Dan and other Abbeydale folk came round with free tasters of their 4.5% keg lager, which I understand is being sold to a number of local restaurants, and I tried some Brew York Tonkoko which was a strong flavoured 4.3% coconut milk stout. I soon moved onto the "evil keg" section, as nobody rational called it, and enjoyed the excellent St Mars of the dessert Endless Toil  brewed with Hop Hideout, along with an equally marvelous Arbour Ales Space Hardware IPA at a lovely 6.6%. I also tried a third of the Abbeydale and Thornbridge Black IPA  RITA at 6.0%, which was very enjoyable. I may have finished on either a third of the 9% out of sight strong pale ale with a wonderful selection of hops, frim Manchester's Track Brewing, and possibly a Wilde Child wheel of fortune at 4.7%, a heavily hopped pale packed with Summit, Eureka and Simcoe hops. This mesmerising intake of resin was, throughout the festival, perfectly supported by marvelously tasty snacks from a wonderful person who had brought some to keep us sober during our libations. I left about 21.30 to catch a bus back to town and home, filled to the brim with wonderful tastes and memories.

Interestingly I overheard a discussion in a venue yesterday from a Sunday or Saturday attendee , claiming that there was too much Abbeydale produce. This is an interesting suggestion, given that the pub is owned, and the festival run and organiseded by, the very same. Someone had apparently said it was "all Abbeydale", but in a moment of geeky knowledge searching  I can confirm that even if you dismissed the statement I made above, of a total of 103 listed beers, only 27 were Abbeydale, which if perhaps high, is also admittedly less than a quarter. And, also, why not? A beer festival is a great way to try out new beer styles, and their percentage of involvement I think justifies their provision of a higgh number of, lets face it, numerously different styles (they also did some very low gravity, almost alcohol free brews) of boohar, in an excellent location.  

Well done once again to all involved in this excellent celebration of beers and sunshine at yet another excellent Sun Fest at the Rising Sun.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Rising Sun Sunfest Sheffield 2017

Hello,

     I understand this year's Sunfest was the 11th, and am fairly sure I first went in 2009 or 2010, likely my first ever visit to the pub. That said, am not sure how long Abbeydale have had the pub - so can any Abbeydonians tell me if Sunfest was run when the Rising Sun was not an Abbeydale pub? Am guessing it was. I have had a lot to drink since 2009 however.

Could I also quickly point out that as far as I know the Rising Sun is at Nether Green. I say this because a surprisingly high percentage of my friends either don't know that or don't know where Nether Green is. Its not Ranmoor. Its not Fulwood. I hope I am not wrong on this point!

I arrived about 18.00 on Thursday night with the threat of heavy thundery rain hanging over me - I can confirm that not a drop fell that night. It was gloriously hot in the sun, but the beer was very well kept - not too cold, but with a slight chill that kept it cool and refreshing without destroying the flavour. A big well done to the bar team at the festival for their hard work. It was £10.00 tokens and a hired glass again which is fine - being short of funds these days I may have preferred a £5.00 card but am well aware that you got a refund on both card and glass if you needed one.

My first beer of the festival was not recorded using my highly efficient ticking the programme process - but am certain it was Half Moon brewery York Midsummer, a 3.9% pale ale with Elderflower. A perfect, light, easy drinking palate opener which I supped in about 5 minutes. I moved straight on to the excellent range of keg beers and had a half of Abbeydale Strong and Stable - its a pale and hoppy American style DIPA from Abbeydale at 8.4%. Brewed with much Mosaic so I loved it, and described as dank and delicious, despite its name I spilt some just as I was heading to speak to Dan Baxter, head of talking and many other things at the Brewery. Seems the beer, not I, was strong and stable.

Having tried the Birdhouse tea beer at 4.2% from Abbeyda;e, which was interesting, if not that brilliant, I moved onto Burning Soul Brewery OCT IPA at 6.9% on cask.. Bags of flavour, but not as citrussy as I'd hoped, this was still a perfect beer to follow the SandS. I bumped into Ethan, he of previous Three Tuns fame, and Robin, and sat down with Richard, Bex, Jodie, Darren, Laura and a man with a fab beard. Laura suggested I tried her Princess Rara, an 8.1% naturally hazy vanilla and raspberry pink coloured beer. It was a very enjoyable mix, and thankfully not too sweet. There was also a hint of sharpness from the rasps which balanced the beer well.

Next up was keg Verdant Headband, a 5 5% golden beer from Falmouth described as bitter and sweet. Its the third beer I have tried from Verdant and I have loved every one - their can of Just one more Psi that I tried last month was the best of a range of 13. This did not disappoint. I also tried thirds of Cross Borders Braw on keg at 5.2%, which was too light a beer for keg, and the Fintry Clachertyfarlie, which was alas, too light to register at all. Things improved with Torrside Snap Decision 5.2% pale however, and I finished on a half of the Elderflower Deception. Or Cosmology. Its not clear....

Saturday I was back in the afternoon and met Rich, Kath, Beck, a lady, John, Mark, someone who may have been called Andrew who drank cider, Jon and Mandy, a man called Yannis, Andy M, the Sword of Justice from work, Pat J, Diane and Pete and Carol, and Laura BH and many others. It seems daft to list them all but for me that level of recall is amazing! Now....what beers did I have?

Well, having carefully returned with someone else's blank festival programme am going to have to guessmember. I definitely tried and enjoyed the Boundary Brewing Forever Ago NE IPA at 6.0% on keg. Northern Irish beer has been slow to make it over to the mainland and I had never heard of Boundary before, but this was an excellent starter.

I had a third of the Wilde Child Opaque Reality pale at 5.9% (and over a fiver a pint on cask!?) which was good, but really should have been. I also tried a half of the Beer Nouveau Government Ale at 3.7% - I was looking forward to this since Beer Nouveau are a small Manchester based brewery housed, I think, near Cloudwater, but all I can say is I think it was a "response" to the Government reduced strength Carlisle State Bitter. It tasted of virtually nothing! ( I have since read the listing and this is, virtually, what the beer was, coming from a McGees recipe of 1917. It was still very disappointing.....)

The Fallen Brewing New World Odyssey at 4.1% was good and refreshing, (although people seem to think its pronounced Fallon?) and I had another half of Princess Ra Ra which went down very well. I also enjoyed the Abbeydale Orange you glad its summer on keg, an 8.5% orange spiced saison which was very refreshing and dangerously easy to drink. I tried a half of the Abbeydale Voyager 3 IPA at 5.6% hazy IPA with Centennial, Galaxy and Lemon Drop hops which was very enjoyable.

I think I may also have tried the Double Brimstone Barrel Aged at 8.1% - am thinking this must have been near the end of my visit, which happened as the crowds became incredible in mass, and some beers started to run out.  

Overall I really enjoyed my two visits, and although no credit can be taken for the weather, the sun at Sunferst was amazing! I didn't try any of the food alas, so can't comment but all the ales were well kept, even the ones I didn't like, and the range was incredible. Well done once again to Abbeydale and the Rising Sun staff and numerous volunteers for putting on a cracking festival once again.

Hoping to see you all in 2018.

Wee Beefy

Return of the Kernel, and other stories

Hello,

     I have started doing overtime again, so am now to be found around 16.00 on a Sunday in the Shakespeares. No change there you might say, but crucially, and even after the superlative excess of the Stupidly delicious beers tap takeover, I was overjoyed to find good old Kernel on my Kernel line. Which, as I have previously mentioned, I own.

This time the Kernel in question was their Citra IPA. It had no strength, which am guessing is an oversight, but we think it was about 7.0%. It tasted amazing. When I first tasted a single hopped citra beer years ago (am thinking 2011 or 12) I was blown away by it. Since then however, Centennial, Simcoe and of course Mosaic, have bitten their way into my life, tantalising my palate with every citrussy hop drop, and I kind of lost track of what Citra tasted of. The Kernel Citra IPA reawakened my appreciation of this fantastic and sometimes under appreciated hop. I have used all of the last of my money this month supping Kernel Citra. It was (and remained as of earlier), absolutely amazing - Adam even ordered two kegs of it in, one imagines, direct homage. Or a  numerical anomaly.

I also recently went on a birthday beer crawl. Just a short one with Tash and Matty. We met in the Grapes, and Tash had a wine and me and Matty pints of excellent Abbeydale Moonshine - kept in perfect condition as always. We enjoyed them sat in the sunshine out the back, and then walked up to West Street, spotting that Fear and loathing had closed, and caught the bus up to Nether Green. We alighted at the wrong stop and walked for a short while before arriving at the Rising Sun.

Being a Monday perhaps explains why their keg range was depleted. The bar staff told us that the keg they had on wasn't very good - some excellent if perhaps too honest appraising there - and when Matt asked for a taster the beer was in fact water. No wonder they didn't rate it. None of the recent special Abbeydale brews were available and I didn't fancy the guests so myself and Matty had pints of Absolution at something like £3.40 a pint, which is a decent price. I got us a seat outsode in the last of the sun and we enjoyed our well kept wares by the road.

Tash meanwhile had a pint of Aspalls cider on keg for £4.00 a pint. Mainly after being told that the Happy Daze which may be from Black Dragon or Gwynt Y Ddraig, cask cider, was an eye watering £5.20 a pint.

Am glad we were forewarned but am unable to work out why this drink cost so much. I thought you paid significantly less tax or duty on cider which is why its such good value for money for strength? I remember going to a beer festival years ago at a pub where the Westons Vintage (7.2%?) was £3.00 a pint, making it by far the most expensive drink. When I asked why this was they said it was higher priced to put people off because it was strong. I never went there again. I may have my facts wrong about cider duty but it put a real dampener on our visit, and we only stayed for one.

We walked to Endcliffe Park next and stopped for a picnic and then went to the Beer House. The Magic Rock High Wire was £4.20 a pint in here but I know they have put their prices up. It was also on top form. I had a pint of this and Matty a pint of another beer which had a name and a price and came from a brewery. The magic of facts, once again, lacking from my writing.

Tonight, after yesterday gorging on Kernel Citra as well as a third of the Founders KBS stout at 11%  in Shakespeares, I have had my final birthday present, which was a can of Magic Rock half cut DIPA at 8%. This beer is right up my street. Gloriously bitter, hoppy, cloudy, citrussy, brilliance in a 500ml can. It features Citra, Mosaic and Denali hops along with KBC 438, Amarillo and Magnum T90. For even more detail there is a link here to their website. The Half cut was a wonderful opaque, hoppy end to the day before pay fay and my birthday month of June.

Here's to another lovely luponic year ahead.

Huzaah!

Wee Beefy

Sun Fest 2015 at the Rising Sun

Hulloo,

        last year I missed the great July booze up that was Sun Fest, this year I managed to go twice. Now in its 9th year, here's what I saw, drank, and most importantly, remembered.

I met Tash on Friday in town. We've both had, and indeed still have, a cold, and some sort of fever. Tash didn't want to head straight off to the festival so I joined her in the Grapes. We sat in bright hot sunshine around 15.30 supping cool pints of Abbeydale Moonshine, and listening to the conversations on the back terrace. It was bliss, but I wanted a slightly wider choice of ales. I left Tash to acclimatise and headed for Sun Fest.

Arriving before 17.00 I remembered that you gain entry in a tent in the car park, and found it straight away. For a tenner, I got a glass and a voucher in £1's and 10 pences, and headed for the beer tent next door. First beer was a lovely refreshing 3.5% pale, Rune from Fyne Ales. I sat at a table in bright sunshine, and relaxed. This was a good start.

Next up was another good beer - this time from Chadwicks Brewery in Kendall, and their lovely Spring Hop. A deliciously refreshing, herbal, hoppy pale which went down well. I was now joined by Patrick and Kate, or David, as she is known in polite company. They had started on the Elland and something else, and both were OK, but thereafter all our choices started going downhill.

I tried some Sentinel beer next for the first time. It was really cloudy, but tasted OK, although am not sure it was very balanced. Zest fest was zesty, and hoppy, but possibly not quite ready.

My next beer was a half of the Black Iris and Hand Drawn Monkey smoked Chilli farmhouse IPA. It didn't taste of chilli. It didn't taste of IPA. It didn't taste of farmhouses. It tasted of watered down orange juice with smoke. It was initially interesting, and eventually vile. As the band FFS said - collaborations don't work . This would remain the case until the next day......

Meanwhile, Patrick tried the Cloudwater Grisette. Apparently, hype states that Cloudwater are officially the best brewery in the world. Luckily, I had seen no such hype - but still was mightily unimpressed with this beer. A very feint taste of hops on a sea of nothing. It tasted ever so slightly of saison in the middle but little else. Humph!

I spoke to Pat Morton next and asked him what he had liked - he immediately recommended the Single Speed Mosaic from Fixed Wheel Brewery. This turned out to be much better, and was a favourite of a few people.  I then tried some Astaroth on keg from Oakham Ales. Having always loved their beers I had high hopes for this - but it tasted strange. Tinny, disjointed, although when jointed, hopped lovely.

I tried a Quirky brewery gold next but that was poor so moved onto something far better - Mallinsons Cha cha cha. Well balanced pale and hoppy was what it said , and what it delivered. I finished the Friday night visit with a half of Acorn Gorlovka, always a go to dark ale, and it was lovely.

The next day I arrived about 15.00 to meet Rich Hough and friends. It was Rich's birthday and much was planned, starting at the festival. It was, by the way, also the birthday of Diane from the Fat Cat. Beers and best wishes to both. We were joined by Kath, Rich's brother Ed, Anthony, John Clarke, Mark, Steve, Yvonne and others to wish Rich well. And to drink of course. Which reminds me, the other thing that happened was that I tasted some far better beer.

I started on a half of the Elland Pacifica, a 4.6% Golden Ale, and this started things off nicely. I then tried a keg beer, and discovered one of the brews of the festival. Buxton and Wilderness Brewing Co in Arizona did a 6.7% brown ale called Bitter Recognise. Clear, crisp., hoppy and with lovely balancing malt, this was a fantastic beer.

I thought about trying the Burton Bridge Burton Ale but went instead for the Brass Castle - at least, I think I did. Alas, no memories exist of this beer which was, one assumes, delicious. Rich let me try some of his excellent Abbeydale Collaboration pint of Griffin'd Ale from Abbeydale and Griffin Claw in Detroit. Claims of it being a beast of an IPA were treated with some suspicion by me but by eck, it was packed with hops. Excellent! This was tasted whilst I supped a third of the Fernandes 6.0% Stone Circle IPA - a lovely balanced beer, although less hoppy than I recall the pre Ossett IPA's of Fernandes being.

My final two beers were Great Heck Black Jesus, a 6.5% Black IPA, which was on good form as Great Heck beers usually are, and I finished on a half of Siren Undercurrent Oatmeal Pale. This was perhaps a little over carbonated but as always with Siren beers was on great form.

Overall then, after a promising start and a very icky middle, I thought the beer range was very good, as it always has been. It just took me longer than I expected to find the best beers of the festival, which for me, were the Chadwicks Spring Hop and Buxton and Wilderness Bitter Recognise. Looking forward to sampling the wares on offer at the decade festival next year.

Cheers!


Wee Beefy

Literally Sun fest 2013.

Cor Blimey!

       As I never say. Its ort!

Well. Good. It makes a chuffing change. I love rain, as anyone with no concept of enjoying anything does but you know now and again a blast of vitamin D would be well, a shot in the arm. So sparse have the glinting rays been over the last decade I was tempted to think that Sun fest had never been blessed with such a thing. Although 2006 was a scorcher I hear.....

Anyway this year sun was on tap as was a very large selection of rather good beers at Sunfest 2013 at the Rising Sun in Nether Green. Owned by the Abbeydale, its not really a pub I get to very often what with it being bloody miles away but almost every of the last 5 years I've rolled up at Sunfest. This year though I was heading for a Thursday visit. This would be a unique opportunity to sample an almost empty bar and to attend without 10,000 other punters.

Straight away I got my ticket card and proceeded to the bar. There were 5 staff and 3 customers. Get in! I tried to get two people to serve me simultaneously, you know, to make it worth their while but in the end I got just one person and one beer, a very tasty Smoke Bomb which was a light brown smoky ale with what I would, after the festival at any rate,m discover was their signature hoppiness - a good start.

I soon fund mys elf returned to the bar, without remembering to have checked where the beer was. In the heinous situation you didn't read last years review I'll explain briefly that all the beers have a unique code - U(pper) M(iddle) L(ower) and B(ottom) and a number. That way, both you and the staff can quickly find the brew you want. So its a bit silly to turn up, having looked at said code, with no memory of it. Yet somehow I accidentally arrived almost facing the Tiny Rebel Fubar. a slightly odd tasting but very enjoyable drop.

I caught up with Ally and Malc and Shaggy and Chris in-between spotting other beer monsters including Unpro,  whom I discovered cowering grumpily in the tent tying to avoid direct sunlight. Yes kids, it seems the rumours are true.

Next up was a very refreshing accomplished low alcohol North Riding Summer ale, before I tried my first saison, the Saison Noir from On the Edge. To an extent the dark malt aspect was a little heavier than I wanted, and some people said it lacked the lemony edge of a proper saison, but to be far, since when has any saison been black? It was still a very refreshing beer.

Its probably worth listing the rest of the beers I tried, since in all honesty the order is a little unclear some 4 days letter a

Arbor Ales Monsoon Saison
Barlow Karma Citra
Cross Bay tempest IPA
Hamelsworde Brewery Cherokee IPA
Purple Moose Ygaswen
Steel City Angel of Death
Talke o The Hill  Citrade

The Monsoon was my finisher but my favourite, it pains me to say, was the Angel of Death, which was really perfectly balanced. Other stand out beers included the Cross Bay Tempest, the Arbor Monsoon and the Talke Citrade.

I did intend to try one of the Keykegs (*its the future and its real ale, in fact, even more so than cask....) but they were mainly stronger offerings and the combo of sun and no food (despite a crammed wrap from Tesco) was making me a little tipsy. Not forgetting that I had a warm up half of the Green Devil IPA at the Bath - on for 6 days and somehow contriving to taste even better.

There were a few disappointments beer wise - the Barlow Karma Citra must have been the result of an evil act because it was Karma-crystal. Malt. No hops were detected. The Hamelsworde was even worse. A wincingly sweet heavy affair which I'd like to think was an anomaly. Surely.

Also, Dan Baxter, there wasn't any Ascension from Abbeydale on Key keg. Which was a shame since it sounded really nice described as being dry hopped to counteract the fact that it would be served at a lower than intended temperature. Yet despite being the subject of a rare Abbeydale blog post and being on the list in the beer tent it was nowhere to be seen. Which is a shame because that's one experiment that could have generated some interesting results on such a hot day.

Still, overall I had a very enjoyable drunken time talking beer with a multitude of people and enjoying a slightly less manic bar than I might reasonably expect on a Saturday.  My only suggestion for improvement might be a £5.00 card - since, I didn't have enough money to buy an £8.00 one (now I had a glass) just to use it to top up the shortfall of 30p on one half to cash it back in. I don't have spare cash in that quantity at the end of any festival unless I haven't drunk anything!

Otherwise another well organised well run festival with some truly exceptional beers, that I won't hesitate to attend next year.

Cheers

Wee Beefy

*I'd like to think you "get" the joke here. Obviously Keykeg isn't real ale. But surely that's the point. And it doesn't want to be either. Meaning us what like the few good examples get to enjoy stunning beer n Keykeg as well as enjoying the same in cask. That's called choice..... 

Sun Fest 2012 at the Rising Sun

Hello,

      yesterday I braved the threat of downpours and the rigmarole of travelling right across the city to go to the Rising Sun beer festival "Sun Fest" on Fulwood Road, Nether Green. The festival is still on today all day by the way.

One thing I noticed straight away was that it was in fact, sunny. it really was bathed in the golden glow of sunshine as I arrived, and to my surprise, it didn't rain apart from a spot or two all the time I was there. Well done to the organisers for dabbling in a bit of harmless dark arts to ward away the rain.

The other thing I noticed was it was rammed. I got there earlier than planned at just gone 5PM but it was twenty minutes before I got my first drink. Since the festival had grown inexorably since my last visit I assumed any one of the four tents I could see would house the beers but the beer tent is behind the ones visible. I found it by following people with empty glasses, then got directions to the ticket tent, and then queued 5 deep at the bar.

I envisaged this might at least keep me sober if nothing else, but at 15 minutes a drink I wondered if I'd clear my £8.00 token card before closing time. The card, if you haven't been before, is basically circles indicating a pound and squares for 5 and 10p amounts which are marked off with a pen every time you buy. You can hand the cards back in if they are unfilled and get the money back or donate them to the festival Charity.

Anyhoo, my fears proved misplaced since it soon became obvious that the sea of punters ebbed and flowed liked the tide. The next half I went to buy took less than a minute., walking straight up to the bar and getting served. By now I also worked out that the references against each beer were U, M, L and B, meaning their height on the stillage, and the numbers ran numerically from left to right. So to save time you could, usually, head for where you knew the beer was. Ingenious.

I bumped into Steve, erstwhile scholar and libator from the Red Deer the other night, and we got chatting and making our way through the beers. On my first card I tried the following :

Brown Cow Cowasaki Pale, 4.3
Barley Bottom Cobbydale Stout 4.0
Downton Apple Blossom Ale 4.3
Dark Star Saison 4.5
Oates Golden Oates 4.1
Raw Dark Peak Reserve 2011 6.0

The latter beer took me onto my next card, and was a useful tool in guiding my mate to a next beer. Because by this time I'd been joined by Carlos, Wee Keefy and Jambon and they were made aware straight away of the tricks, idiosyncrasies and rules and set out to get refreshments. Carlos found it ten thick at the bar inside so his quest for a pint of lager was thwarted, but we had noticed there were some Keykeg beers including a Hop Studio Pilsner, so we sent him to the tent to get some.

Unfortunately, after we had secured ale, he was told after about 10 minutes queueing that the lagers were only served in the pub, even though this was listed on the beer list as being in the tent (I have studiously re-read every word and it doesn't state its in the pub). Luckily he'd had a taste of the Dark Peak and had that but considering that the Kirkstall Framboise was on in the tent this omission didn't make sense.  Surely, put all the Abbeydale ones in the bar plus two or three in the tent, (as they did), and all the festival beers, including Keykegs in the tent? If you queue for ten minutes for a beer that all along was at the end of a totally different queue that's poor.

Anyhoo, this annoyance was tempered by the realisation that Carlos had a taste for some darker beers so he got to try the excellent Kirkstall Black Band Porter and the legendary Abbeydale Black Mass.

The rest of my tipples were :

Tydd Steam Golden Kiwi 4.1
Crouch Vale Yakima Gold 4.2
Dark Star Revelation 5.7
 Abbeydale Black Mass 6.66

I didn't fancy finishing on the Black Lurcher (not that its particularly much stronger than the Black Mass...) but anything dark delicious and dangerous is ideal for the final drink so the Mass was an obvious choice.

Black Mass action

Highlights of the festival beer wise were Crouch Vale Citra, Barley Bottom Cobbydale Stout, Dark Star Saison and Revelation and my favourite beer of the festival was the Raw Dark Peak Reserve. That said, there wasn't a beer I didn't enjoy, and the range was excellent. It was also interesting to note the benefits and drawbacks of gravity dispense - the Revelation was far better than on handpump, but the Saison not so good. Does this realisation sound familiar in terms of vessels chosen to dispense from?

And finally, I have to say, considering the huge numbers of punters, the volunteers behind the bar did the unenviable job of serving everyone about as quickly as was possible with admirable efficiency and patience.

So that was my visit to the 2012 Sun Fest, another triumph of beers and space and luck with the weather. As I said its still on today so get yourself up there and try some of what's left.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy