Hiking, Wee Beefy style.

Hello,

     knowing it was going to be a lovely sunny weekend I set about planning an invigorating walk. Yes, there would (obviously) be pubs, but there would also be walking, possibly up to 10 miles. I was to head off into Derbyshire, and sample the delights of Kirk Ireton, Carsington, Ashbourne, Belper, Openwoodgate and Derby. Until I found myself getting a mite tipsy on Green Devil IPA on Friday. Was I getting up at 8.30 and catching a train about 9.30? Was I f

...airly unlikely to be so I set off for a more realistic Sheffield walk around dinnertime. I got off the bus in town and walked past the Church House (I imagine a lot of people make this choice) and onto Trippet Lane to visit DAda. To my horror chuffing Kipling was still hogging the pump that was destined for Melba. I tried the Rok Fall bitter, which was unremarkable, and decided to have a lovely cold beer instead - so I had a pint of Chiron, which was perfect. I had a good catch up with Jamie and a half of Oakham Bishop's farewell before setting off on the next part of my"trek".

At the Bath Hotel Steff was on hand, along with a much needed through breeze, to make the visit an enjoyable one, a feat made all the easier by my having a pint of the Green Devil IPA. You know, to check it was still great. It was. An hour into my arduous hike and I'd had 2 and a half pints. And despite having decided to walk to Crookes I remembered, crucially that I couldn't be arsed. so I caught the bus instead.

Once in Crookes I dallied with the idea of popping in the Prinny but instead walked down Newent Lane to  the Cobden View. Wee Keefy had informed me Friday that he had been supping an Inveralmond brewery beer in there, and I wondered if this was notice of a slight improvement in their beer range. When I got there the Inveralmond had gone but had been replaced by a favourite beer of mine Wincle Waller. I got a pint of that (£2.90) and went to sit in the hot sun in the beer garden. The Cobden is a great back street local the like of which are becoming rarer. It sells well kept beers at sensible prices, and hires its beer garden out for barbecues. Go visit!

Next I walked down towards the University Arms and en route popped in the Hallamshire House, where I spotted Mr Canning, and joined him briefly for a half of Thornbridge Pica pica. I also went into the beer garden for the very first time, where I bumped into Becky. The garden, such as it can be called one, is a large deck overlooking the city with a huge array of plants and tables and chairs. Its fair to say it's Becky's project, and must have been hard work. I understand the sun gets on it between 12 and 15.00 so I might try and time any visit to the Hallamshire accordingly to get the full benefit.

The University Arms was busy and Katedave was behind the bar. I had a pint of Crouch Vale Yakima Pale Ale and went and sat outside in the sun. The garden was understandably packed, but I managed to get a table to myself for a quiet read and to slightly change colour. Had I not noticed I was becoming significantly less sober than was sensible, I might have stayed for another. However, by now, using the miracle of text, I had established that the Melba was on at DAda. The next part of my ramble began...

DAda was quiet but to be honest I didn't want to be waiting to get the last of yet another barrel of Melba. This time it was in perfect condition, crystal clear and tasting as lovely and peachy and like a mixture of Halcyon and Qosh from the 1980's as it should. In between talking to a guy from Crookes called Louis and his slightly tipsy lady friend, I managed to have a couple more pints of Melba before I got word that Clare and Gav were at the Fat Cat. It would have been rude not to join them.

So I walked down to Kelham Island, by now having completely abandoned the pretence of an actual walk, and met them in the Cat's beer garden with a pork pie, a glass of water and a half of something. And a red face. I must have made a great impression upon their friends  Gary and Clair as I met them for the first time in a particular tangle. Still, everyone was singing from the same hymn sheet as I quickly worked out.

Its important to clarify now that apart from definitely having water and an Abbeydale Pocket Anchovy in the Kelham Island Tavern, our next destination, plus a pint of Nelson Gun dog Stout in Shakespeares (and stylishly leaving my wallet on the bar) I really don't know what I drank. What I do know is the potentially confusing (name wise) combination of Gav, Clare, Gary and Clair were great company, and if it hadn't have been for my camera there would very little that I could have recalled about the night.

So. If I walked 3 miles I'd be surprised. I never reached the countryside, but I did get some sun. I also drank some fantastic beer - with not a bad pint encountered in all eight pubs en route. Another reason, if one were needed, to stay in the Steel City when seeking great beer.

Cheers

Wee Beefy  

Circular pub crawl and a Sunday send off.

Now then,

      Thursday saw me heading out after a brain squeezingly complex day of work to unwind with an ale. Shock. I could have gone home and tucked into one of many rather fab beers left from the barbecue but I decided a bit of company, potentially at least, might suit me better, even if I couldn't influence the music choice. Having started my crawl from work I strode off to DAda first before heading virtually all the way back to finish. Not at work, but at a pub nearby, obviously....

My choice of DAda was to exercise the demons that had made me so unable to deal with the beer choice  on the Tuesday. I hoped they'd have Melba on, but there was no guarantees. On arriving there was a "do" on, the very worst kind where people wear suits that make them deaf (why is this? How come the wearing of straight lines and feint check makes you incapable f getting the f*ck out of the way when someone is trying to extricate themselves from your brogue-ish umbrella wielding mass?). There were three beers on, and this time I strengthened my resolve to tolerate the Hopton, which actually wasn't bad at all. Still humph though.

Across the road is my new girlfriend the Dog and Partridge, since I have no sense of loyalty. Once again an excellent range was on and I was able to get in the snug to enjoy reading a paper (Jesus! How old am I?) and supping beer. This time I had a pint of the excellent Abbeydale Cosmology, and a half of their latest Dr Morton's offering, this time a stout.

The snug is interesting because although it didn't escape the modernizing brush, to be fair its not that bad. No amount of "improvement" can, ahem, improve upon the original, but the wood carved graffiti on the dark varnished wood and basic fireplace still divert your attention, and it remains a great place to drink - and get served. Sensibly, no-one tampered with the hatch. I had another half of the stout to celebrate.

Next I went for a wander up West Street to the Bath Hotel. A rather smashing range on here - including Melba, which I had a pint of. Alas, I am doomed to have the end of every barrel of it as it was the last one out. Gah! What must I do to see it clear? Not even the Man of Ash could help, although rumours of a Saturday cask at the Hallamshire House were mooted.

I nipped briefly in Harrisons 1854 next. I'd be lying if I said I though it was the same as when my good friend Barraharri was behind the bar but having gone in regularly for nearly 2 years its not like I don't still like the place. I had a wry smile as the first beer I asked for, Farmers Yorkshire Farmer, was off, but it was replaced with acceptable Blonde and I caught up briefly with new Dave who might have been called Toby (sorry might have been called Toby chap). Nice to get back in the old haunt, lets hope I can do so again soon.

A very quick visit to the Red Deer followed, just because I've not been for a while, and I enjoyed a decent half of Dukeries Porter, before heading down past Fagan's and cutting through alleyways and deserted streets in what used to be the Red Hill and Crofts area (I swallowed a Sheffield history website, yes) down to Shakespeares.

Here further delights were to be found and I opted for a pint of the Revolutions Demo #7, before being joined at the bar by Brewer Rich from Blue Bee. A couple of halves of their summer refresher Light Blue followed, and given the late hour, it was probably best I finished on something quaffable but not too strong.

A final bit of news regards the prefurn do at the Closed Shop. The last session before refurbishment was like a night of the stars in the world of Sheffield pubs and beer drinkers, with cameo's and starring roles from Mr Stephens, Katedave, Kat, Kate, Katy(ie), Dansome, Father o Matic, Baker, Jepson, Bad panda, The Man of Ash and Williams among too many to list. Beers supped were well, not really recorded, but I'm sure I drank Blue Bee Listin to Port before it ran out, then possibly migrated to Easy Rider and then Caledonian Fying Scotsman before everything got a bit confusing.

I even joined in the quiz...

The bar staff, Paultous, Katedave and the unflappable Chris worked hard to make it an enjoyable evening, and despite us all downloading a rather unfortunate app called "Angry Daves" (instructions below*) it was a really enjoyable and slightly raucous night. I shall miss the Shop very much over the next few weeks, but likely appreciate it all the more when it reopens.

Wee Beefy


*Playing Angry Daves is simple. No download is necessary. Merely fill up the Dave with beer (preferably cask), propose an idea contrary to his..sorry, any idea, and await the outburst! Literally minutes of fun. And achieved using a set of instructions that, disappointingly, he'll never read....