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
Showing posts with label The Grapes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Grapes. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 June 2017
Monday, 19 June 2017
Sheffield crawls and pints
Hello,
I haven't posted for a while but wanted to tell you about some drinks I have had on two local crawls in Sheffield. I may even confirm some of the excellent bottles I have had, but that will come at a later date.
The first Ambale was on Tuesday last. I started at Itchy Pig and had a half of Abbeydale Encantada, described as a Neolithic Gruit Fruit ale, and an Emmanuales Ryejoice, both on keg. The Ryejoice doesn't work as well as it does on cask alas but was a refreshing starter, the Encantada was a very interesting sweet and sour fruity mash that was refreshing and surprising in equal measure.
I stopped off at the Doctors Orders, better known (surely?) as the West End, next. I had a pint of the Little Critters C Bomb Citra at 6.5% and £3.70 a pint which is probably not a bad price for its strength. I somehow managed to squeeze between tables to get a seat and, one assumes, my hex boot frighetened off the assembled customers who went outside to eat. Nothing to do with warm sunshine!
My next stop for the first time in a considerable while was at Interval Bar. They had about 6 cask beers on at £2.90 a pint and I had two halves, one of which was equinox pale, or similar, and a red IPA from Three Castles brewery. All were well kept and I enjoyed them sat in sunshine outside, listening in with some amusement at the oft melodramatic musings of the students sat nearby.
I skipped the Uni Arms and Bath and went next to the Harley next. They had four casks of Saltaire on and I had a half of the Onyx black IPA sat in a comfy sofa in the front. Its not a pub I go in often at all, although te food looks good.
My next stop was Harrisons 1854 where I bumped into the owners Bob and Linda and chatted to them for some time. I had a half of Bradfield Yorkshire Ale on cask which is, I understand, their rebrannding of Yorkshire bitter. Its strange to see this since other than some brewers calling their mild's dark most northern brewers would assumedly be happy to produce a bitter?
The next stop nearby was the Cavendish. A range of kegs and cask was available but nothing really tempted me so in the end, before the slew of Ingurrlearnt fans arrived, I had a quick and very enjoyable can of Elvis Juice.
The penultimate stop was the Grapes where we got sat outside in the beer garden. I met Tash and Matt in here as well as Trev and Bill and had "a number" of further pints of Abbeydale Moonshine, as always kept impeccably. The time flew by and we were there for some time before I went for a last one in the Tap and Tankard. Truth be told, I don't recall what I had to drink in here. Sorry Dylan.
The other crawl was a post overtime loosener last Sunday. I started in Shakespeares and had a half of the Time and Tide All in Jim Sorachi Ace APA on keg, as well as a pint of the hoppy North Riding and Totally Brewed A slap up North IPA on cask, and repaired as always to the clock room to consume. The best part of overtime, apart from erm...pay, is the ales afterwards.
I was meant to be meeting Tash and we arranged to meet at the Rutland at 17.00 so I headed off and got off behind Atkinsons to find Tash was running a little late. I decided to head to the nearby Devonshire Cat for a wee and a half. I ended up asking which was cheapest beer and got a half of Abbeydale Daily Bread on cask for £1.60. It was on good form but isn't my first choice I have to say.
From here I headed to a cash machine and then popped in the Washington. They had four cask ales on and as always, I went for a half of the Moonshine. It tasted beautiful in here. I sat in splendid isolation in the left hand bar in bright sunshine listening to an excellent selection of ska tunes. Ace.
I headed to the Beer Engine next and had a third of the Mikkeller Nuclear Hop Assault and an interesting beer whose identity has escaped me in the miasma of alcohol since. The beer as always was impeccably kept and it was good to bump into the Man of Ash - assuming I did....
From here I jetted across town to meet Tash in the Bankers, finally meeting up about 20.30 and we had a quick drink before she headed to the Dove and I went to meet Mr E down at Shakespeares to finish a rather lengthy but highly enjoyable crawl. Am not 100% clear on what we had but it possibly ended with a can or two of Cloudwater before I ran to catch the last 52 home in a refreshed state.
Two crawls showcasing a number of pubs and a wide range of different but equally enjoyable beer styles shows, once again, how lucky we are live and sup in sunny, shiny Sheffield.
Your very good health
Wee Beefy
I haven't posted for a while but wanted to tell you about some drinks I have had on two local crawls in Sheffield. I may even confirm some of the excellent bottles I have had, but that will come at a later date.
The first Ambale was on Tuesday last. I started at Itchy Pig and had a half of Abbeydale Encantada, described as a Neolithic Gruit Fruit ale, and an Emmanuales Ryejoice, both on keg. The Ryejoice doesn't work as well as it does on cask alas but was a refreshing starter, the Encantada was a very interesting sweet and sour fruity mash that was refreshing and surprising in equal measure.
I stopped off at the Doctors Orders, better known (surely?) as the West End, next. I had a pint of the Little Critters C Bomb Citra at 6.5% and £3.70 a pint which is probably not a bad price for its strength. I somehow managed to squeeze between tables to get a seat and, one assumes, my hex boot frighetened off the assembled customers who went outside to eat. Nothing to do with warm sunshine!
My next stop for the first time in a considerable while was at Interval Bar. They had about 6 cask beers on at £2.90 a pint and I had two halves, one of which was equinox pale, or similar, and a red IPA from Three Castles brewery. All were well kept and I enjoyed them sat in sunshine outside, listening in with some amusement at the oft melodramatic musings of the students sat nearby.
I skipped the Uni Arms and Bath and went next to the Harley next. They had four casks of Saltaire on and I had a half of the Onyx black IPA sat in a comfy sofa in the front. Its not a pub I go in often at all, although te food looks good.
My next stop was Harrisons 1854 where I bumped into the owners Bob and Linda and chatted to them for some time. I had a half of Bradfield Yorkshire Ale on cask which is, I understand, their rebrannding of Yorkshire bitter. Its strange to see this since other than some brewers calling their mild's dark most northern brewers would assumedly be happy to produce a bitter?
The next stop nearby was the Cavendish. A range of kegs and cask was available but nothing really tempted me so in the end, before the slew of Ingurrlearnt fans arrived, I had a quick and very enjoyable can of Elvis Juice.
The penultimate stop was the Grapes where we got sat outside in the beer garden. I met Tash and Matt in here as well as Trev and Bill and had "a number" of further pints of Abbeydale Moonshine, as always kept impeccably. The time flew by and we were there for some time before I went for a last one in the Tap and Tankard. Truth be told, I don't recall what I had to drink in here. Sorry Dylan.
The other crawl was a post overtime loosener last Sunday. I started in Shakespeares and had a half of the Time and Tide All in Jim Sorachi Ace APA on keg, as well as a pint of the hoppy North Riding and Totally Brewed A slap up North IPA on cask, and repaired as always to the clock room to consume. The best part of overtime, apart from erm...pay, is the ales afterwards.
I was meant to be meeting Tash and we arranged to meet at the Rutland at 17.00 so I headed off and got off behind Atkinsons to find Tash was running a little late. I decided to head to the nearby Devonshire Cat for a wee and a half. I ended up asking which was cheapest beer and got a half of Abbeydale Daily Bread on cask for £1.60. It was on good form but isn't my first choice I have to say.
From here I headed to a cash machine and then popped in the Washington. They had four cask ales on and as always, I went for a half of the Moonshine. It tasted beautiful in here. I sat in splendid isolation in the left hand bar in bright sunshine listening to an excellent selection of ska tunes. Ace.
I headed to the Beer Engine next and had a third of the Mikkeller Nuclear Hop Assault and an interesting beer whose identity has escaped me in the miasma of alcohol since. The beer as always was impeccably kept and it was good to bump into the Man of Ash - assuming I did....
From here I jetted across town to meet Tash in the Bankers, finally meeting up about 20.30 and we had a quick drink before she headed to the Dove and I went to meet Mr E down at Shakespeares to finish a rather lengthy but highly enjoyable crawl. Am not 100% clear on what we had but it possibly ended with a can or two of Cloudwater before I ran to catch the last 52 home in a refreshed state.
Two crawls showcasing a number of pubs and a wide range of different but equally enjoyable beer styles shows, once again, how lucky we are live and sup in sunny, shiny Sheffield.
Your very good health
Wee Beefy
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Back street boozers
Hello,
if you have ever been lucky enough to visit the Hand & Heart in Peterborough or the Golden Ball in York you will have some understanding, and hopefully appreciation, of what a back street boozer is and can be. Often plain but with a number of rooms,usually a tap and a lounge and snug, mainly selling real ale and almost always full of characters, and, in the case of the above, possessing nationally noteworthy interior features.
Luckily, although we are only blessed with one National Inventory pub here in Sheffield (itself a back street boozer, albeit on a corner) we do have other notable survivals. Here are details of two I have recently visited.
The first is the Grapes on Trippet Lane. Granted, a back street boozer is often part of a row of houses or similar, but the Grapes stands alone only by virtue of driveways and demolitions nearby. Inside is where it really stands out as a back street boozer however. Trippet Lane is behind West Street and has 4 pubs on it, with the Grapes being owned, as the sign on the side proclaims, by the Flynn family. For years they leased the Grapes and ran the nearby Dog and Partridge until the pub company increased the rent to the extent where it was more profitable to take their own pub back under their control. Fixtures fittings staff and regulars alike moved a few doors up and we now have the Grapes in its current guise, showing its considerable original features off.
There are three rooms in the Grapes, plus the loos, and three real ales. There is also a decoratively tiled drinking corridor with a TV, and a beautiful patio to sit on and soak up the sunshine. Or the rain. The beers are Tetley Bitter, Stancil Bitter and Abbeydale Moonshine. The Moonshine is perhaps the best I have tasted (apart from at Daves beer shop, granted) and is served just cool enough to be refreshing without losing any of its flavour. The pub also sells the new Guinness Dublin Porter and Golden ale on keg, and the full range of new Guinness beers in bottle should the fancy take you.
The pub can get very busy and crowded especially if there is a wake on, and when busy there are often drinkers spilling out onto the street. The rooms inside are small but the pub is clean and well run and homely, just like a back street hostelry should be.
The other pub I visited recently is the hostelry known locally as Fanny's on the corner of Earl Street and Arundel Lane. The pub stands alone as the only residential building on a street of factories and industrial units. The Lord Nelson as it is now known is a compact pub which, although slightly opened out inside still retains its three room layout, and in rare moments of clement weather, there are seats and tables outside for drinkers.
For years it was a Kimberly brewery pub (and possibly a Stones House previously?) and now owned by Greedy King. In the mid noughties I used to go in and have Kimberly or Hardy Hanson Olde Trip, but on a couple of occasions this was on its last legs. Since then, the beer range has improved significantly, as has the beer quality.
Of the 4 beers available on Monday we all had pints of the Toolmakers Die Sage Bier, a hoppy pale lager malted ale at 4.2% (ish) and £2.80 a pint. The beer was in perfect nick and although I don't remember what else was on, it was well worth three pints for each of us. More importantly, it was lovely to sit in the tiny room on the right and watch the world pass by, listening to conversations or the football on the telly and generally relaxing.
In years gone by both of these pubs used to be in the Good Beer Guide, and although maybe overtaken by other pubs in Sheffield regarding ale, their stoic unchanging attitude, mainly in respect of their interior features, makes them well worth a visit.
Lets hope I can try out some other similar pubs in Sheffield as well.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
if you have ever been lucky enough to visit the Hand & Heart in Peterborough or the Golden Ball in York you will have some understanding, and hopefully appreciation, of what a back street boozer is and can be. Often plain but with a number of rooms,usually a tap and a lounge and snug, mainly selling real ale and almost always full of characters, and, in the case of the above, possessing nationally noteworthy interior features.
Luckily, although we are only blessed with one National Inventory pub here in Sheffield (itself a back street boozer, albeit on a corner) we do have other notable survivals. Here are details of two I have recently visited.
The first is the Grapes on Trippet Lane. Granted, a back street boozer is often part of a row of houses or similar, but the Grapes stands alone only by virtue of driveways and demolitions nearby. Inside is where it really stands out as a back street boozer however. Trippet Lane is behind West Street and has 4 pubs on it, with the Grapes being owned, as the sign on the side proclaims, by the Flynn family. For years they leased the Grapes and ran the nearby Dog and Partridge until the pub company increased the rent to the extent where it was more profitable to take their own pub back under their control. Fixtures fittings staff and regulars alike moved a few doors up and we now have the Grapes in its current guise, showing its considerable original features off.
There are three rooms in the Grapes, plus the loos, and three real ales. There is also a decoratively tiled drinking corridor with a TV, and a beautiful patio to sit on and soak up the sunshine. Or the rain. The beers are Tetley Bitter, Stancil Bitter and Abbeydale Moonshine. The Moonshine is perhaps the best I have tasted (apart from at Daves beer shop, granted) and is served just cool enough to be refreshing without losing any of its flavour. The pub also sells the new Guinness Dublin Porter and Golden ale on keg, and the full range of new Guinness beers in bottle should the fancy take you.
The pub can get very busy and crowded especially if there is a wake on, and when busy there are often drinkers spilling out onto the street. The rooms inside are small but the pub is clean and well run and homely, just like a back street hostelry should be.
The other pub I visited recently is the hostelry known locally as Fanny's on the corner of Earl Street and Arundel Lane. The pub stands alone as the only residential building on a street of factories and industrial units. The Lord Nelson as it is now known is a compact pub which, although slightly opened out inside still retains its three room layout, and in rare moments of clement weather, there are seats and tables outside for drinkers.
For years it was a Kimberly brewery pub (and possibly a Stones House previously?) and now owned by Greedy King. In the mid noughties I used to go in and have Kimberly or Hardy Hanson Olde Trip, but on a couple of occasions this was on its last legs. Since then, the beer range has improved significantly, as has the beer quality.
Of the 4 beers available on Monday we all had pints of the Toolmakers Die Sage Bier, a hoppy pale lager malted ale at 4.2% (ish) and £2.80 a pint. The beer was in perfect nick and although I don't remember what else was on, it was well worth three pints for each of us. More importantly, it was lovely to sit in the tiny room on the right and watch the world pass by, listening to conversations or the football on the telly and generally relaxing.
In years gone by both of these pubs used to be in the Good Beer Guide, and although maybe overtaken by other pubs in Sheffield regarding ale, their stoic unchanging attitude, mainly in respect of their interior features, makes them well worth a visit.
Lets hope I can try out some other similar pubs in Sheffield as well.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Tap and Tankard starting to find its feet
Now then,
I have written before about my experiences in the Kelham Island pub the Tap and Tankard, formerly the Sportsman on Cambridge Street. Initial visits were promising but there was an issue with the Pedigree and the guest beers seemed OK, but not exciting. I considered there was work to do, and that they needed to find their feet. My experiences in the last fortnight persuade me they have.
On Thursday I started out in the Three Tuns with a delicious pint and a half of Tigertops roast walnut stout. Always a pleasure to see the Tigertops beers especially sine they don;t seem to appear in Sheffield that often. This was a lovely rounded stout which started the night off well.
After meeting Tash I asked if she fancied trying the Tap and Tankard. On entering, along with beers from Harthill and Atom breweries, was a delight to behold - Buxton Axe Edge IPA. When I first tried this many years ago my palate and interest in beers was different, and I found it a little overwhelming. I mention my palate then, since it has obviously changed, and I was now confident I would like it. The barman described it very well - as a powerful IPA with the most grapefruity flavour - I love grapefruit. But I love Buxton Axe Edge even more!
The beer is 6.8% and £3.80 a pint and it is worryingly easy to drink. Its brimful of grapefruit flavours and fruity and bittering hops with a lovely long dry finish. Its perhaps one of the top 3 beers of this young year. Its delightful! I got chatting with the staff and the young guy behind the bar claimed he was always looking to put a very hoppy beer on - which is good news to supplement what, in terms of Kelham produce, is usually a low hop range. Three pints of Axe Edge each was enough, however, and we finished on pints of Moonshine listening to some singers in the Grapes. A perfect end to a fabulous nights drinking.
Yesterday I met Tash and Matty in Wetherspoons having been quickly to the Riverside for a leaving do. I had a pint and a half in there of a lower gravity hoppy beer from Great Heck Brewery. My addled brain tells me this beer was called shocker but that, I know, is wrong and it wasn't. Alas the Great Heck website also cannot tell me what it was! In Spoons I tried some of Matty's O Hanlons Port Stout which was delicious, but alas this had run out so I opted for a slightly lacklustre half of Kelham Island Pale Rider. I then walked on ahead to find a seat in the Tap and Tankard, and to start once again on the wonderful Axe Edge IPA.
The pub was really busy on a Friday night but I got us a cluster of seats and found the IPA was still on so had two pints - one for me and one for Matty who promised he liked strong hoppy beers, despite almost always buying a stout. The Axe Edge was once again on impeccable form, and went down very well, and alarmingly quickly.
Tash and Matty turned up and the Axe Edge continued to be drunk. In all I had three and a half pints of it. Each sip fizzed with citrus and fruity hops and was a delight to drink. If I am out later, which I undoubtedly will be, I hope to be back in supping the last of this wonderful cask beer. And I will return anon to find out what this improving city centre pub has to offer.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
I have written before about my experiences in the Kelham Island pub the Tap and Tankard, formerly the Sportsman on Cambridge Street. Initial visits were promising but there was an issue with the Pedigree and the guest beers seemed OK, but not exciting. I considered there was work to do, and that they needed to find their feet. My experiences in the last fortnight persuade me they have.
On Thursday I started out in the Three Tuns with a delicious pint and a half of Tigertops roast walnut stout. Always a pleasure to see the Tigertops beers especially sine they don;t seem to appear in Sheffield that often. This was a lovely rounded stout which started the night off well.
After meeting Tash I asked if she fancied trying the Tap and Tankard. On entering, along with beers from Harthill and Atom breweries, was a delight to behold - Buxton Axe Edge IPA. When I first tried this many years ago my palate and interest in beers was different, and I found it a little overwhelming. I mention my palate then, since it has obviously changed, and I was now confident I would like it. The barman described it very well - as a powerful IPA with the most grapefruity flavour - I love grapefruit. But I love Buxton Axe Edge even more!
The beer is 6.8% and £3.80 a pint and it is worryingly easy to drink. Its brimful of grapefruit flavours and fruity and bittering hops with a lovely long dry finish. Its perhaps one of the top 3 beers of this young year. Its delightful! I got chatting with the staff and the young guy behind the bar claimed he was always looking to put a very hoppy beer on - which is good news to supplement what, in terms of Kelham produce, is usually a low hop range. Three pints of Axe Edge each was enough, however, and we finished on pints of Moonshine listening to some singers in the Grapes. A perfect end to a fabulous nights drinking.
Yesterday I met Tash and Matty in Wetherspoons having been quickly to the Riverside for a leaving do. I had a pint and a half in there of a lower gravity hoppy beer from Great Heck Brewery. My addled brain tells me this beer was called shocker but that, I know, is wrong and it wasn't. Alas the Great Heck website also cannot tell me what it was! In Spoons I tried some of Matty's O Hanlons Port Stout which was delicious, but alas this had run out so I opted for a slightly lacklustre half of Kelham Island Pale Rider. I then walked on ahead to find a seat in the Tap and Tankard, and to start once again on the wonderful Axe Edge IPA.
The pub was really busy on a Friday night but I got us a cluster of seats and found the IPA was still on so had two pints - one for me and one for Matty who promised he liked strong hoppy beers, despite almost always buying a stout. The Axe Edge was once again on impeccable form, and went down very well, and alarmingly quickly.
Tash and Matty turned up and the Axe Edge continued to be drunk. In all I had three and a half pints of it. Each sip fizzed with citrus and fruity hops and was a delight to drink. If I am out later, which I undoubtedly will be, I hope to be back in supping the last of this wonderful cask beer. And I will return anon to find out what this improving city centre pub has to offer.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Friday, 23 May 2014
Recent slaking
Afternoon,
here are a few details of pubs and beers encountered in the last few weeks. Until I get back into blogging regularly there are numerous details I have omitted so here are a handful, fr you to realise you already know or which are in fact old news....
here are a few details of pubs and beers encountered in the last few weeks. Until I get back into blogging regularly there are numerous details I have omitted so here are a handful, fr you to realise you already know or which are in fact old news....
The Abbeydale, as they are known, have last month launched a new menu a the Dev Cat
in town. The launch coincided with a ten years in the GBG certificate and
featured free pints up until late on , with a table of small portions of heir
new menu items, including fish and chips, spicy pork ribs and salmon. Dan Baxter
from the Abbeydale explained that previously the menu had been extensive but
only about 6 dishes sold so they were slimming it down. Beers wise, apart from
a revolutions stout we were on absolution all night, before finishing on an
excellent but pricey bottle of geuze.
One venue myself and Miss N have frequented a lot recently has been the Bath Hotel off West Street This part one national inventory listed back street boozer is managed by Edd and Steff and has served an increasingly good range of beers, from Hand Drawn Monkey, Bristol Beer Factory, Thornbridge, Fyne Ales, Saltaire and Blackjack. Recently the Blackjack IPA and black IPA were on sensational form, as was the Fyne Ales Hurricaine Jack. Fine beer, a fantastic interior and Edd's homemade sausage rolls make the Bath well worth a visit
One sunny Sunday I walked from my house down Greenland Road to the Wentworth on Milford Street in front of Forgemasters. It was a Sunday and they weren't open again until Wednesday evening so the beer range was just one, Fox Heacham Gold. It was on good form at less than £3.00 a pint and it was very comfortable sat near the fire supping and erm...texting if I recall. A minor disaster followed since my next pint was the last out but they also sell bottles of Brewdog dead pony club (cloudy!) and Bradfield stout so I stayed for a bottle of the first.
From here I walked to the Don Valley Hotel for a pint of Howard Town Wrens Nest at £2.60 a pint. It was a little cloudy but tasted fine and I enjoyed my stop so much I went in again the other day to sup Blanco Peach and Five Rivers from Sheffield Brewing Company. A half of Dukeries followed in the Carlton before I had a pint of Moonshine for £3.00 in the Grapes, then headed to the Sheffield Tap. Here I met Steff, Liz, the Man of Ash and Paul Holden who is the Sheffield Beer Blog writer. Paul was good company and not who I had imagined he was! His mate was having a birthday night out which saw us end up at the Sheaf View for many excellent pints. A great night out overall.
I have also recently drunk in the Rutland after a walk into town, where we had pints of Brass Castle Cliffhanger, Summer Wine brewing's brutal Sabretooth IPA and Titanic stout along with a slutty rutty butty for Miss N and a pork and chorizo burger for me. With Magic Rock Highwire and Dark Arts also available this was another great beer selection.
Finally a mention for the University Arms where I went twice last week. The first time I sat with Matty in the sun supping an excellent Great Heck Mosaic and a bottle of Camden Hells, the second was last Saturday when I had both the Camden Hells and Gentlemans Wit as well as Welbeck Cavendish on cask. I returned with Miss N later that night and brought her a G and T to settle her stomach and enjoyed more excellent cask ale sat in the garden. The Uni Arms has a decent selection of real ales and bottles (see the board) and has good food to match along with a beer garden which is a great suntrap - I heartily recommend you pop in when you get chance.
So, that's my news of late, am off now to the Closed Shop beer fest at Commonside where I expect to have a couple of halves. Gallons...
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 1 January 2012
A Sheffield pub crawl
Hoppy new year readers!
today I shall provide you with details of my Christmas (ish) ramble round some (but not all) of Sheffield's best real ale pubs with barkeep extraordinaire Barraharri. The idea was to steadfastly avoid well known haunts in the centre of town, and the classic most popular real ale free houses of the Kit, the Cat, the Gardeners Rest and the Harlequin. Instead, we were to start at the station and make our way along back streets and byways and bus routes to some of the less central beer haunts, and to some of those worthy of visiting for no reason at all other than them being good.
Sheffield Tap, Rutland Arms
We started here at noon ( well, ahem, I did) and sampled two excellent beers to start our adventure, the hoppy above its weight bite of Magic Rock Curious, and the heavy hammer blow roast malt of Kirkstall black band porter. Being our starting point this was but a brief visit, and we were quickly off to sample the delights of the Rutland.
Here we thought about sustenance but decided it was too early, Barraharri renegotiated his mortgage on the phone, I acquired a free Tolly Cobbold pint glass, and we each had a pint of Blue Bee Nectar Pale ale and Milton Pegasus. Barra's Milton was a bit odd, quite sweet and almost metallic, certainly a curious mix that didn't suggest a return tasting, and my Nectar was a bit limp and not very itself. Interestingly, the comparison I am making is with the best Blue Bee Nectar Pale I ever tasted, which was at the Rutland!
Three Cranes, Dog and Partridge and Grapes and Dada
We intended to pop in all of the Trippet trio but not before my only daytime arrival in the Cranes. It was a little subdued but between Christmas and New Year is a weird time where pubs don't seem to follow any set rules about opening times and expected trade - and neither do punters. More than one beer caught my eye so I opted for halves of Blue Bee Lustin for Stout and Abbeydale Black Mass. BH stuck with a pint of the Bee, and I think that may have been a better choice, the Lustin for Stout was in excellent form but the Black Mass was tired and ready for an honourable retirement.
Next we headed up to Trippet Lane. We decided to grace the Dog and Partridge owing to its precarious fortunes but for the second time in a fortnight there was no real ale on. There are doubtless many reasons why this is, but i have to say i am starting to worry that the present incumbent isn't acting in the best interests of this redoubtable institution, which would be an insurmountable loss to Sheffield. That said, this was a real ale crawl, so no lingering for us!
Round tcorner was the Grapes and we headed in here for a duo of Abbeydale - halves each of Moonshine and Absolution. Both were in OK condition but weirdly it was almost impossible to tell them apart flavour wise - has Absolution been docked hops for misbehaving? The pub was busy and there was food available on the bar, we sat in the cosy right hand room which, eagle eyed BH spotted, seems to have quite a few wall pictures/displays devoted to the Dog and Partridge. Quite ironic considering...
Dada across the road was also a place I visited in day time for the first time and there are some pics to prove it.
A daylight visit if anything increases the coldness of the decor although some aspects are in fact less harsh, but it also makes it easier to get a feel for the place. Apart from opening out the small snug on the right as you enter (which may only have been so by virtue of a large item of furniture ) there is no structural change, and some improvements in that in the aforesaid area you can now sit at a real table in comfort and everything.
Beers wise, mainly for reasons of sense, we only had halves, and avoided the Thorngridge plus 7% Yule, opting instead for a half each of Fyne Ales Holly Days, which was a tad pricey at £3.20, but a rare if slightly odd beer all the same.
The Hop, The Bath Hotel and the University Arms
Up onto West street next and then we headed into the Hop at West One. Food was on our minds so we sensibly opted for the pie and pint deal at a bargain fiver each. Both of us had the steak and ale, and both a pint of the Ossett Pale Gold. Personally I found the Pale a bit disappointing really, am glad I hadn't chosen it as my first pint in there on that occasion, otherwise I may have thought slightly less of returning. Overall though, the deal did what it promised and the music was OK as well.
Through West One we went to the Bath Hotel, pretty busy for late afternoon, and I tried a pint of Deception, and Barraharri a pint of Smarts best bitter from Preston. The Deception was very palatable and the Smarts a signature North West real ale with a slight sweetness in it, but both were enjoyable and were a pleasant accompaniment to being sat near the fire in the cosy back room.
Our next stop was to have been the University Arms, however, as if to prove me right about weird inter festive openings, the pub was steadfastly shut, occasioning a hop on a bus up to Crookes for the next part of the crawl.
Crookes - Princess Royal, Hallamshire House and Blake Hotel.
Crookes, I often describe in jest, is in the wilds, out in the sticks, but no word of a lie it was chuffing perishing up there that night. As a result, we were grateful of a warm and a feed in the chip shop which used to be called Bolehill chip shop, and which now, having changed its name without consulting me, my brain refuses to recall the name of. Food in hand we made our way through stair rods and side siling sleat to our next pub.
The Prinny had its usual roster of ales to try, and to try and maximise the benefits of a second nosh in about an hour we stuck to halves again. Barraharri and myself both had the Farmers Blonde, if nothing else, to provide some sort of contrast or comparison with that on offer at Harrisons 1854. The Prinny version was found to be in good nick, and Barraharri seemed to enjoy discovering a pub he would otherwise maybe not have heard of and, as I pointed out, one so traditional in decor and layout.
Downhill (perhaps in more ways than one) next, and we arrived in the Hallamshire House at Commonside. I wasn't wanting to disrupt our period of reigning in excess so we opted for halves in here as well, despite a stellar range of Thornbridge offerings. I have to say though, I was fairly gobsmacked by the proposed price of a pint of Thornbridge Brachia - it was £9.60!?! (WTF). On being told this by the barman, I could only say " no its not ". He replied that it was as it said so on the clip, but I made it clear that it wasn't that price in reality here on planet earth. A truly uunbelievable price.
Still, we conquered our palpitations and Barraharri had Wild Swan and myself a very very nice McConnells Irish Stout. Alas, even this experience was soured, as I noted with dismay that they had managed to de-quirk the small snug on the left. Now, although retaining its fire, it was a clinically tidy dull grey and green tribute to asinine mediocrity, with endless unnecessary old photos on the wall. What a shame it no longer looks like it did in the image below :
Our spirits were however, lifted by a trip to the Blake. I had not been in for a couple of months so this was a nice chance to return and once again bring someone with me who had never been before. Barraharri perhaps quite optimistically went for a whole pint of the dark stuff - not the nitrogen laced over promoted gunk but the Celt Experience Dark Age. I only had a half, but also, having been a bit tired of thought and poor of seeing, mistook the "Ariel" of the Ariel Square Four pumpclip from Concertina, as Arkells, and ordered half of that. Alas, not only was it not of course Arkells, but it was also at the end of the barrel, and was swapped instead for a pleasant half of something from Salamander with the word Noel in it. We also conducted a brief customer survey of persons to find out whether £9.00 odd a pint was an acceptable price for a 9.5% beer. Resoundingly, and unsurprisingly, the answer was no. (N.B - this rigourously scientific consumer testing was carried out in 2 more pubs with the same result)
Hillsborough Hotel, Wellington, Shalesmoor.
At the hotel there was a decent range of beers but disappointingly for me no dark beers but for one that looked like I might have to go to sleep after drinking it. So we opted for two pints of their traditional bitter. At £2.20 a pint this was competitively priced, however the Double H had somewhat failed to see the bigger picture and it was a really deeply unpleasant beer to drink - and was duly returned.
The staff were a bit surprised but agreed politely, with none of the pointless muttering and lazy beer murderer quotations often used, and did not charge the difference for our replacement pints of the stronger Loxley Gold. That said, this was also not up to its previous best, but was a pleasant enough beer all the same, and the comfy settee's in the right hand room afforded us a catch up and a few pics.
The Cask and Welly was our destination as we wandered now a little less carefully along Infirmary road. Here we found a decent range of beers including a few from the Little Ale Cart Brewery. Alas they weren't brewing a dark ale at the time so I opted for a half of the Mighty Oak brewery Old Bangers porter/dark ale, which was not like their usual beers and not really to my taste.
Barraharri on the other hand played a masterstroke and picked a half of the Little Ale Cart Fairway (no pun intended). As he remarked this was "probably the clearest beer (he'd) ever seen" and I can certainly attest to the glorious effervescence of this dark golden brew which was perhaps appreciated as much as the pub itself. I don't seem to spend much time here nowadays so may have to take steps to address that in 2012.
Final stumble - Ship Inn and Shakespeares Shalesmoor, Three Tuns.
I was looking forward to a return visit to the Ship since I was in last month, and Barraharri also had it on his list of must see pubs for our trip. Luckily sufficient time had elapsed over the previous 11 pubs to make it opening time, and we found it busy, warm, and selling 3 real ales as usual. We both had pints of the Spire Coal Porter which was really nice. Barraharri agreed that, in having met his expectations, the Ship was a great proper pub, and I don't think I could disagree.
The official final stop was at Shakespeares. By now recollections were becoming non existent and guesswork was all I had so I am willing to suggest I had a pint of Abbeydale Deception, but it could have been that tasty Summer Wine Brewery beer I had the day before. Either way, BH had to run for his last bus not long after we arrived, and I stayed behind briefly to finish whatever the hell I was drinking, then to unknowingly drop my wallet on the floor and have to run back and retrieve it! (thanks to the bar staff and most particularly the kindly customers sat in the left hand room for helping me to be reunited with my cash!)
The unofficial last stop was for me only, having headed towards the bus stop I noticed a pressing need was afoot and the only obvious solution was to find a pub. The Cranes was closed so I went down the road to the Three Tuns, a pub I rarely go in, but one which I thought I might get a seat in to finish my last half and attend to my ahem, business. It was here I realised I had lost my wallet, but once back, I had ten relaxing minutes sat at the top end of the galleon like pub to enjoy a half of Bradfield Belgian Blue.
Overall we tried 13 pubs and had approximately lots of pints in the process. Best beers on the night were the two in the Tap, the Celt Experience in the Blake, the Blue Bee stout in the Cranes, The McConnells in the Hallamshire House and the Spire Coal Porter in the Ship. There are even plans afoot for a Dronfield and West Sheffield crawl in the near future!
All the best
Wee Beefy.
today I shall provide you with details of my Christmas (ish) ramble round some (but not all) of Sheffield's best real ale pubs with barkeep extraordinaire Barraharri. The idea was to steadfastly avoid well known haunts in the centre of town, and the classic most popular real ale free houses of the Kit, the Cat, the Gardeners Rest and the Harlequin. Instead, we were to start at the station and make our way along back streets and byways and bus routes to some of the less central beer haunts, and to some of those worthy of visiting for no reason at all other than them being good.
Sheffield Tap, Rutland Arms
We started here at noon ( well, ahem, I did) and sampled two excellent beers to start our adventure, the hoppy above its weight bite of Magic Rock Curious, and the heavy hammer blow roast malt of Kirkstall black band porter. Being our starting point this was but a brief visit, and we were quickly off to sample the delights of the Rutland.
Here we thought about sustenance but decided it was too early, Barraharri renegotiated his mortgage on the phone, I acquired a free Tolly Cobbold pint glass, and we each had a pint of Blue Bee Nectar Pale ale and Milton Pegasus. Barra's Milton was a bit odd, quite sweet and almost metallic, certainly a curious mix that didn't suggest a return tasting, and my Nectar was a bit limp and not very itself. Interestingly, the comparison I am making is with the best Blue Bee Nectar Pale I ever tasted, which was at the Rutland!
Three Cranes, Dog and Partridge and Grapes and Dada
We intended to pop in all of the Trippet trio but not before my only daytime arrival in the Cranes. It was a little subdued but between Christmas and New Year is a weird time where pubs don't seem to follow any set rules about opening times and expected trade - and neither do punters. More than one beer caught my eye so I opted for halves of Blue Bee Lustin for Stout and Abbeydale Black Mass. BH stuck with a pint of the Bee, and I think that may have been a better choice, the Lustin for Stout was in excellent form but the Black Mass was tired and ready for an honourable retirement.
Next we headed up to Trippet Lane. We decided to grace the Dog and Partridge owing to its precarious fortunes but for the second time in a fortnight there was no real ale on. There are doubtless many reasons why this is, but i have to say i am starting to worry that the present incumbent isn't acting in the best interests of this redoubtable institution, which would be an insurmountable loss to Sheffield. That said, this was a real ale crawl, so no lingering for us!
Round tcorner was the Grapes and we headed in here for a duo of Abbeydale - halves each of Moonshine and Absolution. Both were in OK condition but weirdly it was almost impossible to tell them apart flavour wise - has Absolution been docked hops for misbehaving? The pub was busy and there was food available on the bar, we sat in the cosy right hand room which, eagle eyed BH spotted, seems to have quite a few wall pictures/displays devoted to the Dog and Partridge. Quite ironic considering...
Dada across the road was also a place I visited in day time for the first time and there are some pics to prove it.
A daylight visit if anything increases the coldness of the decor although some aspects are in fact less harsh, but it also makes it easier to get a feel for the place. Apart from opening out the small snug on the right as you enter (which may only have been so by virtue of a large item of furniture ) there is no structural change, and some improvements in that in the aforesaid area you can now sit at a real table in comfort and everything.
Beers wise, mainly for reasons of sense, we only had halves, and avoided the Thorngridge plus 7% Yule, opting instead for a half each of Fyne Ales Holly Days, which was a tad pricey at £3.20, but a rare if slightly odd beer all the same.
The Hop, The Bath Hotel and the University Arms
Up onto West street next and then we headed into the Hop at West One. Food was on our minds so we sensibly opted for the pie and pint deal at a bargain fiver each. Both of us had the steak and ale, and both a pint of the Ossett Pale Gold. Personally I found the Pale a bit disappointing really, am glad I hadn't chosen it as my first pint in there on that occasion, otherwise I may have thought slightly less of returning. Overall though, the deal did what it promised and the music was OK as well.
Through West One we went to the Bath Hotel, pretty busy for late afternoon, and I tried a pint of Deception, and Barraharri a pint of Smarts best bitter from Preston. The Deception was very palatable and the Smarts a signature North West real ale with a slight sweetness in it, but both were enjoyable and were a pleasant accompaniment to being sat near the fire in the cosy back room.
Our next stop was to have been the University Arms, however, as if to prove me right about weird inter festive openings, the pub was steadfastly shut, occasioning a hop on a bus up to Crookes for the next part of the crawl.
Crookes - Princess Royal, Hallamshire House and Blake Hotel.
Crookes, I often describe in jest, is in the wilds, out in the sticks, but no word of a lie it was chuffing perishing up there that night. As a result, we were grateful of a warm and a feed in the chip shop which used to be called Bolehill chip shop, and which now, having changed its name without consulting me, my brain refuses to recall the name of. Food in hand we made our way through stair rods and side siling sleat to our next pub.
The Prinny had its usual roster of ales to try, and to try and maximise the benefits of a second nosh in about an hour we stuck to halves again. Barraharri and myself both had the Farmers Blonde, if nothing else, to provide some sort of contrast or comparison with that on offer at Harrisons 1854. The Prinny version was found to be in good nick, and Barraharri seemed to enjoy discovering a pub he would otherwise maybe not have heard of and, as I pointed out, one so traditional in decor and layout.
Downhill (perhaps in more ways than one) next, and we arrived in the Hallamshire House at Commonside. I wasn't wanting to disrupt our period of reigning in excess so we opted for halves in here as well, despite a stellar range of Thornbridge offerings. I have to say though, I was fairly gobsmacked by the proposed price of a pint of Thornbridge Brachia - it was £9.60!?! (WTF). On being told this by the barman, I could only say " no its not ". He replied that it was as it said so on the clip, but I made it clear that it wasn't that price in reality here on planet earth. A truly uunbelievable price.
Still, we conquered our palpitations and Barraharri had Wild Swan and myself a very very nice McConnells Irish Stout. Alas, even this experience was soured, as I noted with dismay that they had managed to de-quirk the small snug on the left. Now, although retaining its fire, it was a clinically tidy dull grey and green tribute to asinine mediocrity, with endless unnecessary old photos on the wall. What a shame it no longer looks like it did in the image below :
Our spirits were however, lifted by a trip to the Blake. I had not been in for a couple of months so this was a nice chance to return and once again bring someone with me who had never been before. Barraharri perhaps quite optimistically went for a whole pint of the dark stuff - not the nitrogen laced over promoted gunk but the Celt Experience Dark Age. I only had a half, but also, having been a bit tired of thought and poor of seeing, mistook the "Ariel" of the Ariel Square Four pumpclip from Concertina, as Arkells, and ordered half of that. Alas, not only was it not of course Arkells, but it was also at the end of the barrel, and was swapped instead for a pleasant half of something from Salamander with the word Noel in it. We also conducted a brief customer survey of persons to find out whether £9.00 odd a pint was an acceptable price for a 9.5% beer. Resoundingly, and unsurprisingly, the answer was no. (N.B - this rigourously scientific consumer testing was carried out in 2 more pubs with the same result)
Hillsborough Hotel, Wellington, Shalesmoor.
At the hotel there was a decent range of beers but disappointingly for me no dark beers but for one that looked like I might have to go to sleep after drinking it. So we opted for two pints of their traditional bitter. At £2.20 a pint this was competitively priced, however the Double H had somewhat failed to see the bigger picture and it was a really deeply unpleasant beer to drink - and was duly returned.
The staff were a bit surprised but agreed politely, with none of the pointless muttering and lazy beer murderer quotations often used, and did not charge the difference for our replacement pints of the stronger Loxley Gold. That said, this was also not up to its previous best, but was a pleasant enough beer all the same, and the comfy settee's in the right hand room afforded us a catch up and a few pics.
The Cask and Welly was our destination as we wandered now a little less carefully along Infirmary road. Here we found a decent range of beers including a few from the Little Ale Cart Brewery. Alas they weren't brewing a dark ale at the time so I opted for a half of the Mighty Oak brewery Old Bangers porter/dark ale, which was not like their usual beers and not really to my taste.
Barraharri on the other hand played a masterstroke and picked a half of the Little Ale Cart Fairway (no pun intended). As he remarked this was "probably the clearest beer (he'd) ever seen" and I can certainly attest to the glorious effervescence of this dark golden brew which was perhaps appreciated as much as the pub itself. I don't seem to spend much time here nowadays so may have to take steps to address that in 2012.
Final stumble - Ship Inn and Shakespeares Shalesmoor, Three Tuns.
I was looking forward to a return visit to the Ship since I was in last month, and Barraharri also had it on his list of must see pubs for our trip. Luckily sufficient time had elapsed over the previous 11 pubs to make it opening time, and we found it busy, warm, and selling 3 real ales as usual. We both had pints of the Spire Coal Porter which was really nice. Barraharri agreed that, in having met his expectations, the Ship was a great proper pub, and I don't think I could disagree.
The official final stop was at Shakespeares. By now recollections were becoming non existent and guesswork was all I had so I am willing to suggest I had a pint of Abbeydale Deception, but it could have been that tasty Summer Wine Brewery beer I had the day before. Either way, BH had to run for his last bus not long after we arrived, and I stayed behind briefly to finish whatever the hell I was drinking, then to unknowingly drop my wallet on the floor and have to run back and retrieve it! (thanks to the bar staff and most particularly the kindly customers sat in the left hand room for helping me to be reunited with my cash!)
The unofficial last stop was for me only, having headed towards the bus stop I noticed a pressing need was afoot and the only obvious solution was to find a pub. The Cranes was closed so I went down the road to the Three Tuns, a pub I rarely go in, but one which I thought I might get a seat in to finish my last half and attend to my ahem, business. It was here I realised I had lost my wallet, but once back, I had ten relaxing minutes sat at the top end of the galleon like pub to enjoy a half of Bradfield Belgian Blue.
Overall we tried 13 pubs and had approximately lots of pints in the process. Best beers on the night were the two in the Tap, the Celt Experience in the Blake, the Blue Bee stout in the Cranes, The McConnells in the Hallamshire House and the Spire Coal Porter in the Ship. There are even plans afoot for a Dronfield and West Sheffield crawl in the near future!
All the best
Wee Beefy.
Friday, 4 February 2011
News from sheffield and west yorkshire pubs
Hello,
during the (literally and metaphorically ) foggy days of the Christmas break, I did manage to to visit a few pubs that i don't usually do, and some new ones, so here is a quick run down.
Between Christmas and new year me and Wee Keefy went out for a drive between Barnsley and Penistone, coming off the M1 at Darton. We were soon out into countryside heading for a very British experience, going for a drive and then a a walk in dense fog, and visiting a pub renowned for its views.
The Cherry Tree at High Hoyland has been in the GBG for a good few years now ( possibly not 2011 ) and is a traditional long stone building, which, i am assured, affords spectacular views to the visitor. Alas, the fog put paid to that idea, but I was feeling good about my choice when I saw a chalkboard sign outside advertising a husband creche. Inside is a long bar and 3 different areas, the end two being intended, I think for diners.
The beer was Black Sheep and something Greedy King based, and possibly another national. Much is made in the last 2 beer guides about the Eastwood and Sanders beers, which, from personal experience, i can confirm are excellent. There didn't look much chance of a guest beer though so opted for the Sheep, which was a well kept if uninspiring choice.
In keeping with the British theme, we were able to witness some archetypal British service when a customer rang requiring a table for 20 or so for that afternoon. The lady at the bar was very helpful and went to chck the bookings in what is a notoriously quiet period after Christmas, but the bloke at the bar, who i wished for the pub's sake was a customer but later it seemed more like he worked there, chuntered loudly about the potential customers lack of planning and called them wankers. When the lady returned it seemed that was not heard by the customer on the phone, but that is a miracle. The grumpy bloke carried on complaining after she had finished the conversation, which gave the bar person chance to say just how few customers they had of late, and to suggest that it was customers that helped him get paid. We left thinking that this wouldn't happen in other places in Europe, where thy appreciate the custom and sometimes the company of visits, and do not share our bizarre mind set of customers being an inconvenience that keeps us away from doing what we love.
Anyway, we headed on through the soup and into West Yorkshire and the village of Emley. The fog was so thick here that even when we found the White Horse you almost couldn't see it through the mists. Inside there were about 8 ales on the bar as you enter and a long room with a real fire and a large tastefully decorated Christmas tree, with another room off and one at the end.
We had the Ossett Christmas beer and a strong stout from Fernandes and another porter, which I think was from Ossett. Adding friendly and helpful staff and customers meant we would, with hindsight, have come straight here. A must return to pub I reckon.
Next we headed for Ingbirchworth and the reservoir, where we had our walk in the fog. The dense plumes on the frozen reservoir made an eerie and surprisingly photogenic subject and it was an enjoyable if brief couple of miles round and back to the car. From here we headed to Victoria - by accident, and the pub wasn't open anyway - before making our way to flouch and on to the Dog and Partridge at Hazelhead.
Inside this very large roadside inn is a comparatively small old wooden bar, with 4 handpumps dispensing Barnsley bittier ( which I had ) a regional and a Robinsons guest - Wee Keefy had a hot drink since he was driving. There is also an enormous fireplace with a fire roaring away, although you probably have to queue to get a seat at the table nearest to it. For all its old world features there's no escaping that this is a food orientated pub, but it was a decent pint of Acorn nonetheless, and a nice change.
Sheffield
Back to Sheffield news, and in January I visited the Sportsman at Lodge moor, heading out to Redmires. I was meeting for a family meal, and this too is a pub that makes a lot of its money and attracts a lot of its patrons from food. The Sunday lunch comes highly recommended ( not stingy with the meat ) and there are two real ales, tetley and Landlord. I had a few pints of the landlord which was nice, but the price is steep - £3.20 a pint (if my maths is right) making it nearer to town prices.
The thing is though, the pub is always full when I have been in the last 4 times, and I'd rather have sensibly priced food with two albeit standard expensive real ales, than expensive food and nothing to sup.
My final news is of them what er in town. To my surprise, the other night All bar One was selling real ale with two somewhat overly modern handpumps in evidence, Black Sheep and Sharps Doom Bar being on offer, not sure of the price. This is supplemented with some excellent continental draught beers such as Rothaus wheat beer and Paulaner lager from Germany, and Sierra Nevada from the U.S, a fine strong hoppy pale ale ( which is orange in colour, but will let them off ) which packs in a huge amount of flavour. Granted its not everyones idea of a pub, and it can be pricey, but its still a positive development to see cask available.
Round on Trippets lane, the Trippets wine bar (above) is open as a pub, with predominantly Thornbridge and Kelham beers on, but all locally brewed. We go in fairly regularly, probably once a fortnight, and the picture above us from our anniversary drinks back in October last year.
Over the road, the Grapes, for decades a music pub with a strangely ultra traditional interior, has always had a Flynns sign on the side. It turns out the Flynns own the Grapes but leased it, as well as the Dog and Partridge. The Grapes now has a traditional carpeted interior and, alas, no pool table, but one piece of excellent news is that they have reopened the snug bar on the left. I admit that regulars of the Grapes who went for the music are likely to be bewildered and disappointed by what is quite a big change, but the bigger impact appears to be on the dog and partridge.
Visiting the other night was like stepping into an empty house, with almost nobody in, only Tetley on the bar ( I know it was never renowned for real ale but usually had some Abbeydale on, which has been retained at the Grapes ) and absolutely no atmosphere. Hopefully this won't see the decline of this great old building, with its fantastic and unusual back snug, and the small room on the left. I will certainly go to the dog and partridge again to see how it is going, but I can't overemphasise the change. So overall positive real ale news and some new pubs that i have tried. I will update again soon on South Derbyshire and elsewhere.
Wee Beefy.
during the (literally and metaphorically ) foggy days of the Christmas break, I did manage to to visit a few pubs that i don't usually do, and some new ones, so here is a quick run down.
Between Christmas and new year me and Wee Keefy went out for a drive between Barnsley and Penistone, coming off the M1 at Darton. We were soon out into countryside heading for a very British experience, going for a drive and then a a walk in dense fog, and visiting a pub renowned for its views.
The Cherry Tree at High Hoyland has been in the GBG for a good few years now ( possibly not 2011 ) and is a traditional long stone building, which, i am assured, affords spectacular views to the visitor. Alas, the fog put paid to that idea, but I was feeling good about my choice when I saw a chalkboard sign outside advertising a husband creche. Inside is a long bar and 3 different areas, the end two being intended, I think for diners.
The beer was Black Sheep and something Greedy King based, and possibly another national. Much is made in the last 2 beer guides about the Eastwood and Sanders beers, which, from personal experience, i can confirm are excellent. There didn't look much chance of a guest beer though so opted for the Sheep, which was a well kept if uninspiring choice.
In keeping with the British theme, we were able to witness some archetypal British service when a customer rang requiring a table for 20 or so for that afternoon. The lady at the bar was very helpful and went to chck the bookings in what is a notoriously quiet period after Christmas, but the bloke at the bar, who i wished for the pub's sake was a customer but later it seemed more like he worked there, chuntered loudly about the potential customers lack of planning and called them wankers. When the lady returned it seemed that was not heard by the customer on the phone, but that is a miracle. The grumpy bloke carried on complaining after she had finished the conversation, which gave the bar person chance to say just how few customers they had of late, and to suggest that it was customers that helped him get paid. We left thinking that this wouldn't happen in other places in Europe, where thy appreciate the custom and sometimes the company of visits, and do not share our bizarre mind set of customers being an inconvenience that keeps us away from doing what we love.
Anyway, we headed on through the soup and into West Yorkshire and the village of Emley. The fog was so thick here that even when we found the White Horse you almost couldn't see it through the mists. Inside there were about 8 ales on the bar as you enter and a long room with a real fire and a large tastefully decorated Christmas tree, with another room off and one at the end.
We had the Ossett Christmas beer and a strong stout from Fernandes and another porter, which I think was from Ossett. Adding friendly and helpful staff and customers meant we would, with hindsight, have come straight here. A must return to pub I reckon.
Next we headed for Ingbirchworth and the reservoir, where we had our walk in the fog. The dense plumes on the frozen reservoir made an eerie and surprisingly photogenic subject and it was an enjoyable if brief couple of miles round and back to the car. From here we headed to Victoria - by accident, and the pub wasn't open anyway - before making our way to flouch and on to the Dog and Partridge at Hazelhead.
Inside this very large roadside inn is a comparatively small old wooden bar, with 4 handpumps dispensing Barnsley bittier ( which I had ) a regional and a Robinsons guest - Wee Keefy had a hot drink since he was driving. There is also an enormous fireplace with a fire roaring away, although you probably have to queue to get a seat at the table nearest to it. For all its old world features there's no escaping that this is a food orientated pub, but it was a decent pint of Acorn nonetheless, and a nice change.
Sheffield
Back to Sheffield news, and in January I visited the Sportsman at Lodge moor, heading out to Redmires. I was meeting for a family meal, and this too is a pub that makes a lot of its money and attracts a lot of its patrons from food. The Sunday lunch comes highly recommended ( not stingy with the meat ) and there are two real ales, tetley and Landlord. I had a few pints of the landlord which was nice, but the price is steep - £3.20 a pint (if my maths is right) making it nearer to town prices.
The thing is though, the pub is always full when I have been in the last 4 times, and I'd rather have sensibly priced food with two albeit standard expensive real ales, than expensive food and nothing to sup.
My final news is of them what er in town. To my surprise, the other night All bar One was selling real ale with two somewhat overly modern handpumps in evidence, Black Sheep and Sharps Doom Bar being on offer, not sure of the price. This is supplemented with some excellent continental draught beers such as Rothaus wheat beer and Paulaner lager from Germany, and Sierra Nevada from the U.S, a fine strong hoppy pale ale ( which is orange in colour, but will let them off ) which packs in a huge amount of flavour. Granted its not everyones idea of a pub, and it can be pricey, but its still a positive development to see cask available.
Round on Trippets lane, the Trippets wine bar (above) is open as a pub, with predominantly Thornbridge and Kelham beers on, but all locally brewed. We go in fairly regularly, probably once a fortnight, and the picture above us from our anniversary drinks back in October last year. Over the road, the Grapes, for decades a music pub with a strangely ultra traditional interior, has always had a Flynns sign on the side. It turns out the Flynns own the Grapes but leased it, as well as the Dog and Partridge. The Grapes now has a traditional carpeted interior and, alas, no pool table, but one piece of excellent news is that they have reopened the snug bar on the left. I admit that regulars of the Grapes who went for the music are likely to be bewildered and disappointed by what is quite a big change, but the bigger impact appears to be on the dog and partridge.
Visiting the other night was like stepping into an empty house, with almost nobody in, only Tetley on the bar ( I know it was never renowned for real ale but usually had some Abbeydale on, which has been retained at the Grapes ) and absolutely no atmosphere. Hopefully this won't see the decline of this great old building, with its fantastic and unusual back snug, and the small room on the left. I will certainly go to the dog and partridge again to see how it is going, but I can't overemphasise the change. So overall positive real ale news and some new pubs that i have tried. I will update again soon on South Derbyshire and elsewhere.
Wee Beefy.
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