Hello readers,
am a bit late with this as always but I am sad to announce that once again the Three Tuns on Silver Street Head in Sheffield has closed down, awaiting a new manager to be driven nearly to madness and financial ruin by pushing the boulder of pub management up the hill of unavoidable failure.
I heard about this from my friend Reason who said he had witnessed Ed's resignation speech, in which he *may have claimed that Star and Heineken still made profit from the failing pub through tax rebates and write offs and other details I have since forgotten, whilst managers struggled under the yoke of pubco imperialism.
Am so sorry for Ed, and his staff, who took on the unworkable task of running this pub out of love and devotion to regulars only to see the exercise for the unwieldy deception that it is. I genuinely thought that through his and his staff's hard wok the Tuns may return to its glory days under Reet Ale Pubs but alas that is very unlikely to happen ever again. Pubco's don't want to run pubs, except for the absolute star performers. The others are just flat or house conversions waiting to happen.
I had an interesting chat, possibly with Reason, but maybe with another human with a name, about how one could succeed running a pub or bar or venue for a pubco. The replying orator confirmed that they had chatted to a long term pub manager who advised that the best way to succeed was to not. As demonstrated by the Dog and Partridge under the stewardship of the Flynns, for whom I understand running a successful pubco pub was rewarded only with an increase in rent or other liabilities. The trick, my friend was told, is to run the pub at about even or at a minor loss, keeping you under the pubco radar so that no increases in payments are generated. In effect, assuming that is true, its actually impossible to make a good living running a pubco house. Does that not strike anyone as madness?
Of course its much less like madness if one remembers the Star Inns how to theme a pub guide which I found online when researching the Church House in 2012. Unattributable stereotypical nonsense dreamed up in a tower in la-la land by robots who have never visited earth, or met real people. Am fairly sure the link is no longer active but searching Star Inns & Bars Three Tuns Sheffield brings up a link to their page about the pub and their "Is it for me" PDf guide to running a pub with them. Well worth a look, if you can forgive there being no mention of the costs of buying all drinks through them (Ed once told me he could buy Blue Bee beers through the pubco, but only at twice the price he could from the brewery, which he was not allowed to do).
I sincerely hope somebody does take on the Three Tuns and reopens it once again as a quality boozer, so that I have somewhere to go before the Shakespeares and Bar Stewards, Dougie has somewhere permanent to do his quiz, I have somewhere I can meet A-ray, Paul-Ray, Mr Bancroft and the Professor, and so that drinkers once more have a traditional centre of town boozer to relax in and socialise.
In reality however, given its four or five closures since I started drinking there, am expecting to be writing something similar in 6 to 12 months time.
Como siempre.
Beeficus the black
*am not certain of the details of the speech. My memories tell me this was said, so you can imagine how much verisimilitude that holds.....
Showing posts with label Three Tuns Silver Street Head. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Three Tuns Silver Street Head. Show all posts
Sunday, 9 September 2018
Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Three Tuns, Silver Street Head, reopens
Hello all,
I was thinking the other day how much I miss the Tuns. It had a few average beers on but always at least one, sometimes two, excellent hoppy Blue Bee beers available at my starting strength, plus some great guest ales. The wine and gin was also very good. It occurred to me that it was ideally placed between work and transport home for a pint on the way there or a meeting place for a night out. The food and ale were excellent, the staff were brilliant and the atmosphere for the most part was fantastic.
On Monday Dr J announced he was popping down to see it under its "new custodianship". I was surprised, but also very pleased. I wondered if this had been just a soft launch but decided even if it was and it wasn't open, yesterday would be a great opportunity to pop down and check the place out for myself. After all, there is a certain excellent boozer five minutes walk away....
Arriving about 20.00 the pub lights were on and the doors and some windows open. Inside were Josh and Dave, although they were just moving on, along with about eight other people. It was actually refreshingly cool inside and the pub seemed very spick and span - no doubt a positive hangover from its previous stewardship.
I went to the bar to find three handpumps in use, selling Moonshine, Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Moorhouses Blonde. Being a more regular supper of Abbeydale I went for a pint of Moonshine, which was maybe a little pricey at £3.40 a pint ( ? ) and returned to sit at the back, having said goodbye to Josh and Dave. It was well kept and on decent form. No suggestion of mucky lines or rushing the beer on which I had admittedly been worried about. Its not a range that is going to see me in there every day but its decent real ale.
Bar snacks were 50p - its quite a limited range, probably just to clear the shelves, and its still in date - even so the guy offered me two packs of pretzels for 50p which is a bloody bargain. The gent running the pub appears to be a temporary manager. Obviously I wasn't brazen or sociologically developed enough to ask his name, which he will have one of, but he has short hair. I understand having heard a conversation in Shakespeares later that he has previously run the pub this century. So its definitely him.
A few people left just before I did and there was only one table occupied when I departed but its early days and its not been particularly well advertised. I will be popping back in, for the reasons at the beginning of the post about why it was such a cracking boozer. I don't really like Spoons so if this remains open it will make a nice change.
The interesting thing is that the pub reopening reminds me just how bloody good it was under Reet Ale Pub's management. The availability of Blue Bee was a boon but the pub employed some excellent staff such as Nate, Phil, Siobhan, Dave, Mc Miker G, Mark, Ethan and others. I will miss their service a hell of a lot and also the atmosphere that they brought with it. I would never have heard so much King gizzard and the lizard wizard without Nate's influence on the music, or persuaded anyone but Ethan to play me Cathedral's Forest of Equilibrium on a frankly wonderful Monday night. I wouldn't have written the song "Mark's got a name, Siobhan's got a nickname" without them being there and wouldn't have had to explain to so many of my younger friends who Mc Miker G was if he hadn't been there too.
In the long term I hope it can return to its comfortable, friendly, excellently aled inclusivity, attracting groups from all backgrounds and walks of life and persuasions to sit on its comfortable chairs and drink their beers and other potions. That is not a criticism of the current ownership. Its more a respectful lament for the way things were.
Welcome back old friend. You have changed. We are still however, friends.
Cheers.
Wee Beefy
I was thinking the other day how much I miss the Tuns. It had a few average beers on but always at least one, sometimes two, excellent hoppy Blue Bee beers available at my starting strength, plus some great guest ales. The wine and gin was also very good. It occurred to me that it was ideally placed between work and transport home for a pint on the way there or a meeting place for a night out. The food and ale were excellent, the staff were brilliant and the atmosphere for the most part was fantastic.
On Monday Dr J announced he was popping down to see it under its "new custodianship". I was surprised, but also very pleased. I wondered if this had been just a soft launch but decided even if it was and it wasn't open, yesterday would be a great opportunity to pop down and check the place out for myself. After all, there is a certain excellent boozer five minutes walk away....
Arriving about 20.00 the pub lights were on and the doors and some windows open. Inside were Josh and Dave, although they were just moving on, along with about eight other people. It was actually refreshingly cool inside and the pub seemed very spick and span - no doubt a positive hangover from its previous stewardship.
I went to the bar to find three handpumps in use, selling Moonshine, Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Moorhouses Blonde. Being a more regular supper of Abbeydale I went for a pint of Moonshine, which was maybe a little pricey at £3.40 a pint ( ? ) and returned to sit at the back, having said goodbye to Josh and Dave. It was well kept and on decent form. No suggestion of mucky lines or rushing the beer on which I had admittedly been worried about. Its not a range that is going to see me in there every day but its decent real ale.
Bar snacks were 50p - its quite a limited range, probably just to clear the shelves, and its still in date - even so the guy offered me two packs of pretzels for 50p which is a bloody bargain. The gent running the pub appears to be a temporary manager. Obviously I wasn't brazen or sociologically developed enough to ask his name, which he will have one of, but he has short hair. I understand having heard a conversation in Shakespeares later that he has previously run the pub this century. So its definitely him.
A few people left just before I did and there was only one table occupied when I departed but its early days and its not been particularly well advertised. I will be popping back in, for the reasons at the beginning of the post about why it was such a cracking boozer. I don't really like Spoons so if this remains open it will make a nice change.
The interesting thing is that the pub reopening reminds me just how bloody good it was under Reet Ale Pub's management. The availability of Blue Bee was a boon but the pub employed some excellent staff such as Nate, Phil, Siobhan, Dave, Mc Miker G, Mark, Ethan and others. I will miss their service a hell of a lot and also the atmosphere that they brought with it. I would never have heard so much King gizzard and the lizard wizard without Nate's influence on the music, or persuaded anyone but Ethan to play me Cathedral's Forest of Equilibrium on a frankly wonderful Monday night. I wouldn't have written the song "Mark's got a name, Siobhan's got a nickname" without them being there and wouldn't have had to explain to so many of my younger friends who Mc Miker G was if he hadn't been there too.
In the long term I hope it can return to its comfortable, friendly, excellently aled inclusivity, attracting groups from all backgrounds and walks of life and persuasions to sit on its comfortable chairs and drink their beers and other potions. That is not a criticism of the current ownership. Its more a respectful lament for the way things were.
Welcome back old friend. You have changed. We are still however, friends.
Cheers.
Wee Beefy
Thursday, 11 May 2017
Drinking in the Drink Inn
Hello folks,
I thought it about time that I made you aware of my experiences of the above activity, which prior to the unending death of medically engineered sobriety, took place quite regularly. I have to say, as well as being a thoroughly decent boozer, my visits are partly a tribute, especially not being keen on the Bankers, to the Three Tuns. It seems that their closing has impacted strongly on my drinking life, not least my trying the Drink Inn. Sure I still see Nate as he now works in the cradle of greatness which is Shakespeares, but I probably popped in the Tuns every other day....
Anyhoo, at the beginning of April I was orf to see Tash and waited 65 minutes for a number 40 to not bother showing up, so headed into town on the X5, alighting on Commercial street. Thirsty, after the near nine minute journey, I decided to pop in the Drink Inn. Having heard on Faceache that it sold mainly Carling and Bradfield I wasn't holding out much hope for decent beer but of course, ye Faceachers pulleth mine leg. Though reserved, there are a fine selection of slurps in the Drink.
I noticed he had a new-fangled keg ale on as well as some decent cask - I had a half of the Sheffield brewing Co Seven Hills on account of not having had any for a while, and a whole pint of the Beavertown Gamma Ray. To be fair, the Gamma Ray was over a £1.00 a percent at £5.60 for a 5.4% beer - so near Dev Cat or Sheffield Tap crazy prices, but it was my first visit and after being questioned carefully about what I wanted I decided to bite the bullet and gulp the juice. It was, in case of doubts, delicious. There's even a link here to details about it. I also quaffed a can of Wild beer which was on offer at something inexpensive, alas in the time since, I have forgotten its moniker....
My next visit saw me in for a quick one with Matty on his way to WF's. We each had a pint of the Hawkshead Great White cloudy wheat beer at 4.5% and £3.50 a pint. It occurred to me that this was also slightly pricey but in fact, you can hardly get any pint for under £3.50 in much of Sheffield now. The Drink is quite central after all, and being a micropub, relies on a small stock to get by. The Great White, by the way, was in absolutely excellent condition and went down far far too easily.
My third and fourth visits, with Tash both times, saw them running short of stock re wines, which is a shame, since Tash drinks more wine than anything else these days. That said, the gentleman did us a deal and charged us less for the more expensive one when the other ran out. I also had a fantastic can of BrewDog Neon Overlord chilli IPA, which I understand was quite difficult to get hold of. Despite the fears of Meathouse, this was very tasty and the chilli did not overawe. During the snooker finals a man came in claiming to be an American tourist who sang a couple of sings, although, it seems, on his last visit he had been Irish....
Our last visit together saw more wine shortages but Drone Valley Treeshekker dry cider was on so I think Tash had that and some lovely gin and tonic. This s also where I finally ran out of credit on my lovely card which I never had niver. A final stop off with Matty and Tash saw us enjoying Gamma Ray and some from a cask, which would have had a name, you know, in order to differentiate it from other products. We also had some rather fab Hobgoblin crisps from Burts.
The Drink Inn is deceptively large as there is seating at the back next to the bar, and has its own branded glasses. The beer has always been well kept and he keeps an interesting range of cans and bottles form microbreweries. The man himself is from Nottingham and has a name, I dunno, Rob, Richard, Pete, Ethel, one of those, or of many others. Since I normally call him Ay up it scarcely matters. Tash had a chat to him every time she was there and he seems like a decent genuine bloke. He told me they get big crowds for events and on matchdays so its well worth selling Carling as that is the most popular drink. A sensible business decision.
As soon as am off meds I will be popping into the Drink, in more ways than one, as soon as I can. In the meantime I wish man from Nottingham with a name all the very best, and hope you will also pop in for a drink. At the Drink Inn.
You very bestestest of health
Wee Beefy
I thought it about time that I made you aware of my experiences of the above activity, which prior to the unending death of medically engineered sobriety, took place quite regularly. I have to say, as well as being a thoroughly decent boozer, my visits are partly a tribute, especially not being keen on the Bankers, to the Three Tuns. It seems that their closing has impacted strongly on my drinking life, not least my trying the Drink Inn. Sure I still see Nate as he now works in the cradle of greatness which is Shakespeares, but I probably popped in the Tuns every other day....
Anyhoo, at the beginning of April I was orf to see Tash and waited 65 minutes for a number 40 to not bother showing up, so headed into town on the X5, alighting on Commercial street. Thirsty, after the near nine minute journey, I decided to pop in the Drink Inn. Having heard on Faceache that it sold mainly Carling and Bradfield I wasn't holding out much hope for decent beer but of course, ye Faceachers pulleth mine leg. Though reserved, there are a fine selection of slurps in the Drink.
I noticed he had a new-fangled keg ale on as well as some decent cask - I had a half of the Sheffield brewing Co Seven Hills on account of not having had any for a while, and a whole pint of the Beavertown Gamma Ray. To be fair, the Gamma Ray was over a £1.00 a percent at £5.60 for a 5.4% beer - so near Dev Cat or Sheffield Tap crazy prices, but it was my first visit and after being questioned carefully about what I wanted I decided to bite the bullet and gulp the juice. It was, in case of doubts, delicious. There's even a link here to details about it. I also quaffed a can of Wild beer which was on offer at something inexpensive, alas in the time since, I have forgotten its moniker....
My next visit saw me in for a quick one with Matty on his way to WF's. We each had a pint of the Hawkshead Great White cloudy wheat beer at 4.5% and £3.50 a pint. It occurred to me that this was also slightly pricey but in fact, you can hardly get any pint for under £3.50 in much of Sheffield now. The Drink is quite central after all, and being a micropub, relies on a small stock to get by. The Great White, by the way, was in absolutely excellent condition and went down far far too easily.
My third and fourth visits, with Tash both times, saw them running short of stock re wines, which is a shame, since Tash drinks more wine than anything else these days. That said, the gentleman did us a deal and charged us less for the more expensive one when the other ran out. I also had a fantastic can of BrewDog Neon Overlord chilli IPA, which I understand was quite difficult to get hold of. Despite the fears of Meathouse, this was very tasty and the chilli did not overawe. During the snooker finals a man came in claiming to be an American tourist who sang a couple of sings, although, it seems, on his last visit he had been Irish....
Our last visit together saw more wine shortages but Drone Valley Treeshekker dry cider was on so I think Tash had that and some lovely gin and tonic. This s also where I finally ran out of credit on my lovely card which I never had niver. A final stop off with Matty and Tash saw us enjoying Gamma Ray and some from a cask, which would have had a name, you know, in order to differentiate it from other products. We also had some rather fab Hobgoblin crisps from Burts.
The Drink Inn is deceptively large as there is seating at the back next to the bar, and has its own branded glasses. The beer has always been well kept and he keeps an interesting range of cans and bottles form microbreweries. The man himself is from Nottingham and has a name, I dunno, Rob, Richard, Pete, Ethel, one of those, or of many others. Since I normally call him Ay up it scarcely matters. Tash had a chat to him every time she was there and he seems like a decent genuine bloke. He told me they get big crowds for events and on matchdays so its well worth selling Carling as that is the most popular drink. A sensible business decision.
As soon as am off meds I will be popping into the Drink, in more ways than one, as soon as I can. In the meantime I wish man from Nottingham with a name all the very best, and hope you will also pop in for a drink. At the Drink Inn.
You very bestestest of health
Wee Beefy
Friday, 31 March 2017
Reetaleless
Hello,
I was going to write this last post of March 2017 about two real ale pub crawls, a beer fest, incompetent fuckwitted staff at Wetherspoons putting their fingers in drinks, but now am going to address in some way, the demise of Reet ale pubs.
I say that, but in fact I know nothing about their demise.
There will be accusations, allegations and no doubt, recriminations, but I don't know what has happened. So instead I will try and provide an assessment of the three pubs affected before Reet Ale took over.
I should say first of all that there are some persons suggesting that declaring bankruptcy on the 30th or 31st of March is a beneficial way of doing so as it escapes or avoids some taxes or fines. Am not sure this is true, but if it is then so be it. This post serves ostensibly to celebrate.
The Closed Shop was a shambles prior to being taken over by Reet Ale pubs. The Hallamshire regularly supplied staff to lock up whilst the incumbent at the time was pissed, drugged asleep or all three upstairs. His tenure was rightly cut short, not long after I went in to find one real ale on, a nineteen year old manager who had started that day and no prospects of improvement.
The Punch Bowl was popular on Crookes but not necessarily with beer drinkers. Cask ale was limited to one or two and was poor in terms of choice. There wasn't any chance of an in house cooked pizza, and though it improved slowly the beer range after Andy took it over was far better than before.
The Three Tuns struggled for many years. It usually had a few real ales but seemed to exist entirely for HSBC staff and local solicitors and so was a less often visited venue. There were numerous changes of owner with various similar outcomes of ale, food and design but to be fair, bar a rare visit at Christmas, I rarely went in.
As you may know, in recent years the Three Tuns, especially, has been one of my favourite pubs.
This makes the announcement today or yesterday that it (and am led to believe the other pubs) will be closed indefinitely hard to take. And that doesn't even start to address the issues and concerns of current staff at all 3 venues which must number fifteen or twenty. I just hope however that all involved can find alternative employment, and in some cases accommodation, elsewhere in Sheffield ASAP.
In short its a sad, sad day for Sheffield. However, Blue Bee seems safe, and the Rutland is in Chris and Dave's hands. So, in fact, all is not lost. What remains however is tainted.
Thank you Reet Ale pubs.
You did well in your role. Until yesterday.
Yours
Wee Beefy
I was going to write this last post of March 2017 about two real ale pub crawls, a beer fest, incompetent fuckwitted staff at Wetherspoons putting their fingers in drinks, but now am going to address in some way, the demise of Reet ale pubs.
I say that, but in fact I know nothing about their demise.
There will be accusations, allegations and no doubt, recriminations, but I don't know what has happened. So instead I will try and provide an assessment of the three pubs affected before Reet Ale took over.
I should say first of all that there are some persons suggesting that declaring bankruptcy on the 30th or 31st of March is a beneficial way of doing so as it escapes or avoids some taxes or fines. Am not sure this is true, but if it is then so be it. This post serves ostensibly to celebrate.
The Closed Shop was a shambles prior to being taken over by Reet Ale pubs. The Hallamshire regularly supplied staff to lock up whilst the incumbent at the time was pissed, drugged asleep or all three upstairs. His tenure was rightly cut short, not long after I went in to find one real ale on, a nineteen year old manager who had started that day and no prospects of improvement.
The Punch Bowl was popular on Crookes but not necessarily with beer drinkers. Cask ale was limited to one or two and was poor in terms of choice. There wasn't any chance of an in house cooked pizza, and though it improved slowly the beer range after Andy took it over was far better than before.
The Three Tuns struggled for many years. It usually had a few real ales but seemed to exist entirely for HSBC staff and local solicitors and so was a less often visited venue. There were numerous changes of owner with various similar outcomes of ale, food and design but to be fair, bar a rare visit at Christmas, I rarely went in.
As you may know, in recent years the Three Tuns, especially, has been one of my favourite pubs.
This makes the announcement today or yesterday that it (and am led to believe the other pubs) will be closed indefinitely hard to take. And that doesn't even start to address the issues and concerns of current staff at all 3 venues which must number fifteen or twenty. I just hope however that all involved can find alternative employment, and in some cases accommodation, elsewhere in Sheffield ASAP.
In short its a sad, sad day for Sheffield. However, Blue Bee seems safe, and the Rutland is in Chris and Dave's hands. So, in fact, all is not lost. What remains however is tainted.
Thank you Reet Ale pubs.
You did well in your role. Until yesterday.
Yours
Wee Beefy
Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Sheffield beer week, thus far (ish)
Hulloo,
am writing this post partly as an apology for all those wonderful folk who have worked tirelessly to get the event off the ground initially, and running for its third year. Have not really planned to do much this year for various reasons, apart from the Beavertown and Weird Beard Tap Takeovers at the Hallamshire House and Shakespeares respectively. Meanwhile, all I have done so far is go to the Three Tuns and Shakespeares.
In there on Monday I found a slip of paper on my table as I indulged in some Berlin IPA from somewhere overseas. It was wonderful, very citrus hoppy which I hadn't been expecting. It was strong so perfect to start with, and had a very refreshing taste but with a big slab of hops in the background.
The slip of paper said Imperial Stouts cellar list, and listed three very strong dark beers. These were Abbeydale and Beer Ink Smore than a feeling at 9% (which I didn't have because it said it tasted of Smores, and I don't know what they are!), and Steel City and Lost Industry Pastor of Muppets at 11.5% which had communion wafers in the cask and is a pale stout blended, or perhaps brewed with the addition of, Chateneuf Du Pape, one of my favourite red wines. The final was Atom Neutron Star, a 12 or 12.6% vanilla coffee stout.
Halves of the latter were ordered from the cellar and I sat in the front room supping them, along with finishing my IPA. I spent much of that time talking to a Sheffielder called Matt - someone who I have no doubt seen many times but only just got to tale to. Hello! Please remember to be impressed that I think I can remember your name....
Beers wise, both stouts were excellent. What I like about the Atom brewery is that they know how to make surprisingly easy drinking very strong beers. Their philosophy of using herbs, botanics and flowers in their beers and am led to believe, almost no hops, makes them stand out, and this beer was no exception. It tasted its strength, of course, but didn't cloy or hang in the mouth. It was smooth and powerfully delicious, like a faerie oil slick of loveliness....
The Pastor of Muppets was also excellent - not so much pale, likely because of the hue of the red wine which if I recall is fairly dark, but sumptuous to taste - am not sure I could identify flavours of wine but this was, in a good way, unlike almost any stout I have had before. Another outstanding offering.
No doubt at some point I will google smores and attempt the Abbeydale beer as well. I finished, strangely with halves of Alechemy, just because I love their stuff, and what may have been the excellent Breakfast IPA V3 from Neepsend and Hopjacker. Both well below the percentages of the others. Five of the excellent ales that night were brewed in Yorkshire. Tha norrs.
Am hoping to have further updates in due course but as I said I haven't planned that much. And, for info, as well as the excellently East Lancashirely pronounced Chinooook from Blue Bee, the Three Tuns also had the excellent Blue Bee Waimau single hopped pale ale on. Not linked to Sheffield beer week I don't think, it was nonetheless an excellent beer which told me a lot about its inclusion in and the flavours it imparted in their excellent Land of the long white cloud pale ale recently.
For those of you more organised, dedicated, and perhaps with a surfeit of funds (!) here is a link to the list of events between now and the past and future.
lease do everything you can to support and enjoy this wonderful annual event.
Cheeeeeers!
Wee Beefy
am writing this post partly as an apology for all those wonderful folk who have worked tirelessly to get the event off the ground initially, and running for its third year. Have not really planned to do much this year for various reasons, apart from the Beavertown and Weird Beard Tap Takeovers at the Hallamshire House and Shakespeares respectively. Meanwhile, all I have done so far is go to the Three Tuns and Shakespeares.
In there on Monday I found a slip of paper on my table as I indulged in some Berlin IPA from somewhere overseas. It was wonderful, very citrus hoppy which I hadn't been expecting. It was strong so perfect to start with, and had a very refreshing taste but with a big slab of hops in the background.
The slip of paper said Imperial Stouts cellar list, and listed three very strong dark beers. These were Abbeydale and Beer Ink Smore than a feeling at 9% (which I didn't have because it said it tasted of Smores, and I don't know what they are!), and Steel City and Lost Industry Pastor of Muppets at 11.5% which had communion wafers in the cask and is a pale stout blended, or perhaps brewed with the addition of, Chateneuf Du Pape, one of my favourite red wines. The final was Atom Neutron Star, a 12 or 12.6% vanilla coffee stout.
Halves of the latter were ordered from the cellar and I sat in the front room supping them, along with finishing my IPA. I spent much of that time talking to a Sheffielder called Matt - someone who I have no doubt seen many times but only just got to tale to. Hello! Please remember to be impressed that I think I can remember your name....
Beers wise, both stouts were excellent. What I like about the Atom brewery is that they know how to make surprisingly easy drinking very strong beers. Their philosophy of using herbs, botanics and flowers in their beers and am led to believe, almost no hops, makes them stand out, and this beer was no exception. It tasted its strength, of course, but didn't cloy or hang in the mouth. It was smooth and powerfully delicious, like a faerie oil slick of loveliness....
The Pastor of Muppets was also excellent - not so much pale, likely because of the hue of the red wine which if I recall is fairly dark, but sumptuous to taste - am not sure I could identify flavours of wine but this was, in a good way, unlike almost any stout I have had before. Another outstanding offering.
No doubt at some point I will google smores and attempt the Abbeydale beer as well. I finished, strangely with halves of Alechemy, just because I love their stuff, and what may have been the excellent Breakfast IPA V3 from Neepsend and Hopjacker. Both well below the percentages of the others. Five of the excellent ales that night were brewed in Yorkshire. Tha norrs.
Am hoping to have further updates in due course but as I said I haven't planned that much. And, for info, as well as the excellently East Lancashirely pronounced Chinooook from Blue Bee, the Three Tuns also had the excellent Blue Bee Waimau single hopped pale ale on. Not linked to Sheffield beer week I don't think, it was nonetheless an excellent beer which told me a lot about its inclusion in and the flavours it imparted in their excellent Land of the long white cloud pale ale recently.
For those of you more organised, dedicated, and perhaps with a surfeit of funds (!) here is a link to the list of events between now and the past and future.
lease do everything you can to support and enjoy this wonderful annual event.
Cheeeeeers!
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 4 March 2017
Crackers
Hello,
not ones that go crunch or pop, nor a oft used term for mental illness light, instead a description of three beers I have had in fine sunny Sheffield this last week. As you may have noted from previous posts, I am rather a fan of drinking excellent ales in Sheffield pubs - as are my bank and credit card firms. Whilst I negotiate repaying that slab of debt (and am nearly there by the way) I have recklessly used the last of my savings, funds, credit, and payments in kind, to secure excellent, or rather cracking, ales.
On Sunday I ended up in Shakespeares, in a radical departure from my established drinking patterns. The last three Sundays (I think, they are just numbers after all) I have been in after work and they have had a stunning Kernel Pale ale on. Its no exaggeration to say I have very much warmed to Kernel since early disappointments with their Table beer and a lingering distrust of filthy keg. Their 4 hop IPA at 6.7% was one of my beers of last year (it was Citra Centennial Mosaic and something else if memory fails). This one was Mosaic and Vic Secret. Given that Mosaic remains one of my favourite hops it was not going to disappoint. It did not. A sumptuous, refreshing, opaque masterpiece of hoppy goodness. I may have had quite a few pints. It was bloody fab.
Neepsend Brewery have been knocking out some rather fantastic ales of late. I blogged at a point in the past about their Century IPA which was a fantastic hoppy cask ale - probably more impressive in terms of the citrus, tropical hoppy bite given that it wasn't served on keg, which is usually the better way of serving such beers.
At the Three Tuns last week, as well as having the excellent company of the Director of Andrew Inns, I also had the wonderful choice of drinking the Neepsend and Hopjacker Breakfast IPA 3 - coffee black IPA.
I realise that those long in the tooth or indeed short in the patience with novelty beers may think the above described pottage is just that, but in fact its not a novelty at all - instead its a desperately clever brew. The coffee element in a black IPA is brilliant - giving it a roasted, smooth and hoppy flavour - which is surely what a black IPA should be (comments on what a Black IPA should be, as well as, the definition of "craft", are permanently closed). I had several pints including the last one with, as the barman honestly, if a little too so, put it "all the crud in the bottom". As I explained, I am not averse to crud. Not that kind anyway.
The final sharpshooter is from Blue Bee, another renowned and favourite Sheffield brewery. Arriving once again at the Three Tuns I noticed a new Blue Bee beer called the Land of the Long White Cloud. It featured Motueka, Rakau and Waimea hops and it sounded lovely but to my horror I noticed it was only 3.5%. Gah! Nearly half my starting strength! However, a man with facial hair and limbs and MC Miker G behind the bar both recommended it over the Intrepid Pale (which being that I had already discounted) and so I had a pint.
As the entry on the Blue Bee section on the Sheffield CAMRA website states "although low on alcohol this beer won't be short in flavour". Never a truer word spoken. A monumental wall of citrussy and, having been prompted, piney flavours hits you and lingers long in the mouth. There's plenty of bitterness but the resiny notes balance the brew perfectly. You could easily have this beer to follow a hoppy IPA as it holds its strength of flavour so well. I had two and a half pints last night and savoured every mouthful - I strongly recommend you go to the Tuns today and do the same.
Full marks as always to both pubs, and all four breweries for consistently producing, keeping and serving excellent and crucially. well balanced beers in cask and keg in Sheffield.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
not ones that go crunch or pop, nor a oft used term for mental illness light, instead a description of three beers I have had in fine sunny Sheffield this last week. As you may have noted from previous posts, I am rather a fan of drinking excellent ales in Sheffield pubs - as are my bank and credit card firms. Whilst I negotiate repaying that slab of debt (and am nearly there by the way) I have recklessly used the last of my savings, funds, credit, and payments in kind, to secure excellent, or rather cracking, ales.
On Sunday I ended up in Shakespeares, in a radical departure from my established drinking patterns. The last three Sundays (I think, they are just numbers after all) I have been in after work and they have had a stunning Kernel Pale ale on. Its no exaggeration to say I have very much warmed to Kernel since early disappointments with their Table beer and a lingering distrust of filthy keg. Their 4 hop IPA at 6.7% was one of my beers of last year (it was Citra Centennial Mosaic and something else if memory fails). This one was Mosaic and Vic Secret. Given that Mosaic remains one of my favourite hops it was not going to disappoint. It did not. A sumptuous, refreshing, opaque masterpiece of hoppy goodness. I may have had quite a few pints. It was bloody fab.
Neepsend Brewery have been knocking out some rather fantastic ales of late. I blogged at a point in the past about their Century IPA which was a fantastic hoppy cask ale - probably more impressive in terms of the citrus, tropical hoppy bite given that it wasn't served on keg, which is usually the better way of serving such beers.
At the Three Tuns last week, as well as having the excellent company of the Director of Andrew Inns, I also had the wonderful choice of drinking the Neepsend and Hopjacker Breakfast IPA 3 - coffee black IPA.
I realise that those long in the tooth or indeed short in the patience with novelty beers may think the above described pottage is just that, but in fact its not a novelty at all - instead its a desperately clever brew. The coffee element in a black IPA is brilliant - giving it a roasted, smooth and hoppy flavour - which is surely what a black IPA should be (comments on what a Black IPA should be, as well as, the definition of "craft", are permanently closed). I had several pints including the last one with, as the barman honestly, if a little too so, put it "all the crud in the bottom". As I explained, I am not averse to crud. Not that kind anyway.
The final sharpshooter is from Blue Bee, another renowned and favourite Sheffield brewery. Arriving once again at the Three Tuns I noticed a new Blue Bee beer called the Land of the Long White Cloud. It featured Motueka, Rakau and Waimea hops and it sounded lovely but to my horror I noticed it was only 3.5%. Gah! Nearly half my starting strength! However, a man with facial hair and limbs and MC Miker G behind the bar both recommended it over the Intrepid Pale (which being that I had already discounted) and so I had a pint.
As the entry on the Blue Bee section on the Sheffield CAMRA website states "although low on alcohol this beer won't be short in flavour". Never a truer word spoken. A monumental wall of citrussy and, having been prompted, piney flavours hits you and lingers long in the mouth. There's plenty of bitterness but the resiny notes balance the brew perfectly. You could easily have this beer to follow a hoppy IPA as it holds its strength of flavour so well. I had two and a half pints last night and savoured every mouthful - I strongly recommend you go to the Tuns today and do the same.
Full marks as always to both pubs, and all four breweries for consistently producing, keeping and serving excellent and crucially. well balanced beers in cask and keg in Sheffield.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Tuesday, 27 December 2016
Reet
Good afternoon Lazerngennulmern
it occurred to me today (well, during a quiet period of reflection on Christmas Day actually) that it has taken me until now, or rather then, to realise the following.....
The "Reet Ale Pubs Company" sounds like the Retail Pubs Company.
Its taken me the three or maybe four or more years since their inception to figure this out. It explains, for one, the pronunciation used by Mr Stephens's. Its also "funny" because Reet Ale sounds like retail. And as a pub company, they retail not only ale, in their Reet Ale Pubs, but also retail Reet Pale Ale in their Reet Ale Pubs.
Its a pun!
Ha ha!
Ha ha!
(etc)
And yes, I can confirm that Boxing day and today have been quiet, thanks for asking.
With warmest twixt winter solstice and years end regards
Wee Beefy.
it occurred to me today (well, during a quiet period of reflection on Christmas Day actually) that it has taken me until now, or rather then, to realise the following.....
The "Reet Ale Pubs Company" sounds like the Retail Pubs Company.
Its taken me the three or maybe four or more years since their inception to figure this out. It explains, for one, the pronunciation used by Mr Stephens's. Its also "funny" because Reet Ale sounds like retail. And as a pub company, they retail not only ale, in their Reet Ale Pubs, but also retail Reet Pale Ale in their Reet Ale Pubs.
Its a pun!
Ha ha!
Ha ha!
(etc)
And yes, I can confirm that Boxing day and today have been quiet, thanks for asking.
With warmest twixt winter solstice and years end regards
Wee Beefy.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Everybody's leaving....
Greetings readoids,
please can I just make clear that this is absolutely not a post about Brexit, Breaxfast, Brexbyes or other nonsense about European membership or not. This is about people. Real people. Who have left their posts in Sheffield's finest drinking establishments to pursue other careers. Or learning.
It all started with Stef. She left "Shef" in September, working her last shift at the Bath Hotel at the end of August, to go to Brighton to an MA or similar in stuff, or immigration studies. Luckily I don't know anyone who works in that field so I couldn't forewarn her. Am sure it will be a blast. Am not so sure that a manager has been found by uber successful outfit Thornbridge to run the pub without Stef, but there you go....
Other lost Thornbridgians are The man of Ash and Beccy who have departed their stint at the Hallamshire House. I spoke to Beccy a few months ago at the Beer Engine and they are planning on taking on a pub in Chesterfield. There is every chance she may have told me which one, you know, its name. There is 100% chance that I have forgotten since. I wish them both the very best.
Jamie, or Siobhan, left the Three Tuns at some point to go and study poncing about at R.A.D.A or similar. Myself and Meathouse thought up an annoying and childish song, albeit catchy, which we intended to sing to Siobhan, which simply went "Mark's got a name, Siobhan's got a nickname", during which part we would give him the rods. For all our sakes, its perhaps best that myself and Matty missed his leaving do. He would only have turned up in drag and sang show tunes anyway. Best of luck though mate.
Also leaving the Tuns is David, AKA Kate. I have seen her in Sheffield drinking houses since, the most recent of which is Shakespeares. This is in some ways ironic - since Mister Christopher Bamfordshire is leaving there, and in fact, has left there, to set up a new bar or pub at the Boardwalk with Miss David herself. Am led to believe this has been planned for some time so am hopeful that the venture will prosper under their joint stewardship. Am sure it will be ace.
Also leaving Shakespeares, or rather, also having left...is/was Sam. She also left to study things at University after what was probably a 4 month stint behind the bar. Derek, AKA Rebecca (I can't remember her real name am afraid, but Beccy is a good guess I think) is also studying, but bullishly remaining in employment at the great pub.
Some observers may worry that this sudden leaving spree may destabilise the great ship Sheffield pubs, but in fact Sheffield is a very steady and well maintained ship of ale and sails forth as strong as ever. Posts which may appear over the coming months will no doubt confirm that...
So, in fact, not everyone is leaving. Some people have left. Many remain. Godspeed you Sheffield pub staff! I look forward to drinking in your employers buildings very soon.
Ahoy!
Captain Beefchart
please can I just make clear that this is absolutely not a post about Brexit, Breaxfast, Brexbyes or other nonsense about European membership or not. This is about people. Real people. Who have left their posts in Sheffield's finest drinking establishments to pursue other careers. Or learning.
It all started with Stef. She left "Shef" in September, working her last shift at the Bath Hotel at the end of August, to go to Brighton to an MA or similar in stuff, or immigration studies. Luckily I don't know anyone who works in that field so I couldn't forewarn her. Am sure it will be a blast. Am not so sure that a manager has been found by uber successful outfit Thornbridge to run the pub without Stef, but there you go....
Other lost Thornbridgians are The man of Ash and Beccy who have departed their stint at the Hallamshire House. I spoke to Beccy a few months ago at the Beer Engine and they are planning on taking on a pub in Chesterfield. There is every chance she may have told me which one, you know, its name. There is 100% chance that I have forgotten since. I wish them both the very best.
Jamie, or Siobhan, left the Three Tuns at some point to go and study poncing about at R.A.D.A or similar. Myself and Meathouse thought up an annoying and childish song, albeit catchy, which we intended to sing to Siobhan, which simply went "Mark's got a name, Siobhan's got a nickname", during which part we would give him the rods. For all our sakes, its perhaps best that myself and Matty missed his leaving do. He would only have turned up in drag and sang show tunes anyway. Best of luck though mate.
Also leaving the Tuns is David, AKA Kate. I have seen her in Sheffield drinking houses since, the most recent of which is Shakespeares. This is in some ways ironic - since Mister Christopher Bamfordshire is leaving there, and in fact, has left there, to set up a new bar or pub at the Boardwalk with Miss David herself. Am led to believe this has been planned for some time so am hopeful that the venture will prosper under their joint stewardship. Am sure it will be ace.
Also leaving Shakespeares, or rather, also having left...is/was Sam. She also left to study things at University after what was probably a 4 month stint behind the bar. Derek, AKA Rebecca (I can't remember her real name am afraid, but Beccy is a good guess I think) is also studying, but bullishly remaining in employment at the great pub.
Some observers may worry that this sudden leaving spree may destabilise the great ship Sheffield pubs, but in fact Sheffield is a very steady and well maintained ship of ale and sails forth as strong as ever. Posts which may appear over the coming months will no doubt confirm that...
So, in fact, not everyone is leaving. Some people have left. Many remain. Godspeed you Sheffield pub staff! I look forward to drinking in your employers buildings very soon.
Ahoy!
Captain Beefchart
Sunday, 24 April 2016
Recent sessions
Good day,
I wanted to cobble together some half remembers facts about recent sessions and other visitations to local pubs. As always, facts are at best interpretative and often guessed at, some details will be plain erroneous, but the opinions expressed are genuine. After all, I don't have to remember opinions...
I have recently spent quite some time in the Three Tuns - indeed, this is where, whilst drinking with Tash, Matty and Richard at the beginning of the month, I discovered I had run out of funds...ha ha! The joy. We had been drinking the excellent Blue Bee Mango Number 5, a naturally hazy Mango IPA at 5%, which was on sparkling form. Other sessions here included one drinking West Pier by Brighton Bier Co, which was once again brilliantly hoppy, Blue Bee Oceanic Red, and their American Five Hop beer, numbered between 11 and 15684.
My last visit was en route to Shakespeares, and having seen Nate and Siobhan and the lovely Dave behind the bar, I was relaxing in the right hand part with Matty waiting for Tash to arrive, when who should turn up but the Ale Ambler. It was good to see the AA, and to briefly meet Tara and another lady from Mallinsons brewery, along with a young man with an A in his name from Huddersfield. Thanks for the pints AA!
Last night I had a proper session in the Bath Hotel. The wonderful Hopjacker Spanish Prisoners, a 5.9% Amber ale with Spanish marmalade in it, was on sale, and it seemed silly not to have five or six pints. So I did. The walk up West Street had featured numerous groups of entirely hammered men shouting abuse at one another and other random people so the Bath was a haven of almost tranquility. The excellent Hops and Dreams from Brew Foundation was also on on keg, although I did not try it.
In the past month I have been in the Hillsborough Hotel a few times. Once was with Matty after work when he was off and we had a good couple of pints of excellent but difficult to remember the name of beer, probably pale and hoppy, and very likely brewed locally. My next visit saw me pop in on a lovely sunny evening after work. There were only a few of us in and I supped another similarly obfuscately named beer which I enjoyed. Its a lovely place to relax in an evening and the beers are competitively priced as well. My last visit was last weekend with Tash en route to town where we sat outside, and then in as the sun went down, supping a beer which was made with beer. There is no point my even attempting to recall what it was alas.
A couple of weeks ago I met up with Fluffy and John in the Tap and Tankard after Fluff had run the Sheffield half marathon. The Brew Foundation hops and dreams was on as a guest and in excellent form, so I had two pints in a short period of time. Afterwards we went to the Tuns for pints of Blue Bee before the Shakespeares and the Kelham Island Tavern.
This is somewhere I have been a few times recently as well. I remember going in with Matty and he had a pint of the 6.5% North Riding Anniversary beer and I a half of the Mikkeler Nuclear Hop at 8.0% on keg. Both beers were in impeccable condition, as were those that me and Tash tried recently, including pints of another North Riding beer and a Kernel beer on keg.
After which we went somewhere I have been in a tremendous lot this month - Shakespeares's. They have recently featured three or more Kernel beers, Simcoe, Cascade and a stupendous one with four hops in it, Ella, Simcoe, Centennial and Citra if memory serves. Other favourites have included the Cloudwater Black IPA on cask at 6.5% or similar, which was incredibly mellow but still a hoppy IPA at its heart, and the amazing Buxton Trolltunga Gooseberry sour pale ale on keg. Not sour enough if you love sour or hoppy enough if you are a hophead, instead a mesmerising blend of sour and bitter refreshment which went down superbly.
I went in with Dave H from work recently and we started sensibly on pints of Blackjack Devils's something, a 5ish percent pale, then slowly moved onto slightly less sensible options, including the last bottle of Schlenkerla dubbel rauchbier, a Cloudwater DIPA3, a Trappist Rochefort 10 as well as one of the Kernel pales on keg. A very enjoyable night was had by all, including Emily, who joined us half way through at a quite thirsty stage.
I will be paid on Friday so the week after next should be refreshing, in the meantime am having to cut back as have no more furniture to sell to fund supping. Drinking eh - what does it mean?. Like memories, we'll never know.
Hic!
Cheese
Wee Beefy
I wanted to cobble together some half remembers facts about recent sessions and other visitations to local pubs. As always, facts are at best interpretative and often guessed at, some details will be plain erroneous, but the opinions expressed are genuine. After all, I don't have to remember opinions...
I have recently spent quite some time in the Three Tuns - indeed, this is where, whilst drinking with Tash, Matty and Richard at the beginning of the month, I discovered I had run out of funds...ha ha! The joy. We had been drinking the excellent Blue Bee Mango Number 5, a naturally hazy Mango IPA at 5%, which was on sparkling form. Other sessions here included one drinking West Pier by Brighton Bier Co, which was once again brilliantly hoppy, Blue Bee Oceanic Red, and their American Five Hop beer, numbered between 11 and 15684.
My last visit was en route to Shakespeares, and having seen Nate and Siobhan and the lovely Dave behind the bar, I was relaxing in the right hand part with Matty waiting for Tash to arrive, when who should turn up but the Ale Ambler. It was good to see the AA, and to briefly meet Tara and another lady from Mallinsons brewery, along with a young man with an A in his name from Huddersfield. Thanks for the pints AA!
Last night I had a proper session in the Bath Hotel. The wonderful Hopjacker Spanish Prisoners, a 5.9% Amber ale with Spanish marmalade in it, was on sale, and it seemed silly not to have five or six pints. So I did. The walk up West Street had featured numerous groups of entirely hammered men shouting abuse at one another and other random people so the Bath was a haven of almost tranquility. The excellent Hops and Dreams from Brew Foundation was also on on keg, although I did not try it.
In the past month I have been in the Hillsborough Hotel a few times. Once was with Matty after work when he was off and we had a good couple of pints of excellent but difficult to remember the name of beer, probably pale and hoppy, and very likely brewed locally. My next visit saw me pop in on a lovely sunny evening after work. There were only a few of us in and I supped another similarly obfuscately named beer which I enjoyed. Its a lovely place to relax in an evening and the beers are competitively priced as well. My last visit was last weekend with Tash en route to town where we sat outside, and then in as the sun went down, supping a beer which was made with beer. There is no point my even attempting to recall what it was alas.
A couple of weeks ago I met up with Fluffy and John in the Tap and Tankard after Fluff had run the Sheffield half marathon. The Brew Foundation hops and dreams was on as a guest and in excellent form, so I had two pints in a short period of time. Afterwards we went to the Tuns for pints of Blue Bee before the Shakespeares and the Kelham Island Tavern.
This is somewhere I have been a few times recently as well. I remember going in with Matty and he had a pint of the 6.5% North Riding Anniversary beer and I a half of the Mikkeler Nuclear Hop at 8.0% on keg. Both beers were in impeccable condition, as were those that me and Tash tried recently, including pints of another North Riding beer and a Kernel beer on keg.
After which we went somewhere I have been in a tremendous lot this month - Shakespeares's. They have recently featured three or more Kernel beers, Simcoe, Cascade and a stupendous one with four hops in it, Ella, Simcoe, Centennial and Citra if memory serves. Other favourites have included the Cloudwater Black IPA on cask at 6.5% or similar, which was incredibly mellow but still a hoppy IPA at its heart, and the amazing Buxton Trolltunga Gooseberry sour pale ale on keg. Not sour enough if you love sour or hoppy enough if you are a hophead, instead a mesmerising blend of sour and bitter refreshment which went down superbly.
I went in with Dave H from work recently and we started sensibly on pints of Blackjack Devils's something, a 5ish percent pale, then slowly moved onto slightly less sensible options, including the last bottle of Schlenkerla dubbel rauchbier, a Cloudwater DIPA3, a Trappist Rochefort 10 as well as one of the Kernel pales on keg. A very enjoyable night was had by all, including Emily, who joined us half way through at a quite thirsty stage.
I will be paid on Friday so the week after next should be refreshing, in the meantime am having to cut back as have no more furniture to sell to fund supping. Drinking eh - what does it mean?. Like memories, we'll never know.
Hic!
Cheese
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 21 February 2016
A Saturday crawl to the Beer Engine
Hello,
whilst yesterday myself and Christingpher spent hours battling mud and rain in the Derbyshire Dales, the Saturday before I was in town around mid afternoon and in need of somewhere to go. You know, to keep warm. And fed. And maybe watered....
I started in the Three Tuns where I bumped into the lovely Dave for a hug and to show her my valentines card for Tash. I had two pints of lovely Blue Bee Transatlantic Pale ale, a nice starter to an hour or five of supping. It was good to catch up with Nathan and later Siobhan, or Jamie, and I also had a delicious bacon sandwich. I did however fancy something a bit different so headed up to the Bath Hotel.
The pub was rammed when I arrived, with a crowd of the noisiest people on earth stood and sat in teh front bar. After buying a pint of Blackjack I sat down with Dan Ransome and Kara and friends and told them that I had come for a relaxing pint - seems they had too, but this was not happening! They soon left and I sat by myself for a while before venturing to the bar to find out of Chris and Stef and Mark were OK, before finding out that long departed Dada barman Jamie would be in town and maybe the Bth that night. Alas I couldn't hang around to see him, maybe next time.
Whilst there I tried the hops and dreams from Brew Foundation on keg - a great example of a beer that simply does not work on keg! Instead I had a pint of Blackjack and a half of Jaywick to tide me over.
Off next to the Devonshire Cat to try the rye IPA that Nathan had told me about - it wasn't to my liking, quite jarring and not very well balanced. It was either an Intrepid or Bad Co beer if memory serves. Instead I went for the pricey Siren Liquid Mistress on keg at over £6.00 a pint. As always this was a lovely flavourful beer, which I enjoyed supping whilst watching some rugby and chatting to Rich and Kath and Tom.
I was supposed to be heading home from here but on West Street I encountered a drunk mentalist supping Oranjeboom strong from a can - whilst doing which he didn't notice the 52 and ran into the road shouting and waving his arms. He then proceeded to kick the bus shelter and shout abuse. I was waiting for the 52A so assumed he would get on the bus with me so I jumped on the 95 instead and got off at the top of the Moor. A short walk took me down to he Beer Engine.
This is probably only my third visit this year but it ended up being just as good if not better than my last visits. Mind you, initially I was disappointed by the cask offerings, mainly dark or Intrepid or Bad Co or the now identifiably bland Hops and Dreams - which I can confirm tasted mainly of dreams. I spotted the Axe Edge on cask so asked for a pint but was told that had run out. In the end I opted for a bottle of Wild Sourbeast and supped that whilst talking once again to Rich and Kath.
At this point Baz turned up and asked me which one of the 5 beers he had on offer I wanted him to put on next. I immediately recommended the Bad Seed IPA at 7.2% on keg. By the time I had finished my lovely bottle of chocolate sour the keg was ready and I straight away ordered a lovely, thick, light orangey red IPA. It was tremendous. t may have been £6.00 a pint but it was worth every penny.
After a quick chat with David and Patrick and after Rich and Kath had departed I sat with Barry for a bit and had an enjoyable catch up. Another pint of the excellent IPA was purchased as well as a bottle of a Blackjack IPA at 10.1% which I am keeping safe in the fridge. I finished the IPA, now a trifle refreshed, and was very kindly assisted in getting home.
Once more, another fantastic afternoon, evening and night of drinking in Sheffield pubs ended perfectly.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
whilst yesterday myself and Christingpher spent hours battling mud and rain in the Derbyshire Dales, the Saturday before I was in town around mid afternoon and in need of somewhere to go. You know, to keep warm. And fed. And maybe watered....
I started in the Three Tuns where I bumped into the lovely Dave for a hug and to show her my valentines card for Tash. I had two pints of lovely Blue Bee Transatlantic Pale ale, a nice starter to an hour or five of supping. It was good to catch up with Nathan and later Siobhan, or Jamie, and I also had a delicious bacon sandwich. I did however fancy something a bit different so headed up to the Bath Hotel.
The pub was rammed when I arrived, with a crowd of the noisiest people on earth stood and sat in teh front bar. After buying a pint of Blackjack I sat down with Dan Ransome and Kara and friends and told them that I had come for a relaxing pint - seems they had too, but this was not happening! They soon left and I sat by myself for a while before venturing to the bar to find out of Chris and Stef and Mark were OK, before finding out that long departed Dada barman Jamie would be in town and maybe the Bth that night. Alas I couldn't hang around to see him, maybe next time.
Whilst there I tried the hops and dreams from Brew Foundation on keg - a great example of a beer that simply does not work on keg! Instead I had a pint of Blackjack and a half of Jaywick to tide me over.
Off next to the Devonshire Cat to try the rye IPA that Nathan had told me about - it wasn't to my liking, quite jarring and not very well balanced. It was either an Intrepid or Bad Co beer if memory serves. Instead I went for the pricey Siren Liquid Mistress on keg at over £6.00 a pint. As always this was a lovely flavourful beer, which I enjoyed supping whilst watching some rugby and chatting to Rich and Kath and Tom.
I was supposed to be heading home from here but on West Street I encountered a drunk mentalist supping Oranjeboom strong from a can - whilst doing which he didn't notice the 52 and ran into the road shouting and waving his arms. He then proceeded to kick the bus shelter and shout abuse. I was waiting for the 52A so assumed he would get on the bus with me so I jumped on the 95 instead and got off at the top of the Moor. A short walk took me down to he Beer Engine.
This is probably only my third visit this year but it ended up being just as good if not better than my last visits. Mind you, initially I was disappointed by the cask offerings, mainly dark or Intrepid or Bad Co or the now identifiably bland Hops and Dreams - which I can confirm tasted mainly of dreams. I spotted the Axe Edge on cask so asked for a pint but was told that had run out. In the end I opted for a bottle of Wild Sourbeast and supped that whilst talking once again to Rich and Kath.
At this point Baz turned up and asked me which one of the 5 beers he had on offer I wanted him to put on next. I immediately recommended the Bad Seed IPA at 7.2% on keg. By the time I had finished my lovely bottle of chocolate sour the keg was ready and I straight away ordered a lovely, thick, light orangey red IPA. It was tremendous. t may have been £6.00 a pint but it was worth every penny.
After a quick chat with David and Patrick and after Rich and Kath had departed I sat with Barry for a bit and had an enjoyable catch up. Another pint of the excellent IPA was purchased as well as a bottle of a Blackjack IPA at 10.1% which I am keeping safe in the fridge. I finished the IPA, now a trifle refreshed, and was very kindly assisted in getting home.
Once more, another fantastic afternoon, evening and night of drinking in Sheffield pubs ended perfectly.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Friday, 15 January 2016
The Three Tuns is pub of the month!
Hello,
as per usual with my blog am behind the times - after all, its Friday and the award was made on Tuesday night. That's not actually that bad by recent standards. So here's what happened on Tuesday at the Three Tuns public house Silver Street Head in Sheffield.
The Three Tuns public house Silver Street Head in Sheffield is a lovely long, thin, almost ships bow shaped pub not unlike the Talbot Tap or similar in Ripley. You've all been there. It has a bar opposite the top and bottom entrance, the lower being where all the lovely real ales are kept, the upper where the less meritable lagers ciders and one keg ale live.
The pub is fitted out to a high standard with lots of old woodwork and a wonderful area which I call the bow, probably erroneously, at the right end of the pub. The seating is mostly fixed in the right end and with stools and more fixed seating at the left where the entrance to the loos are. The sating is form the lovely wooden and brass bar. Its really rather attractive I have to say. A lovely place, assuming the quiz isn't on, to go for a quiet pint.
They also do food - much less now Phil has left, but the pork pies an chip butties with bacon and blue cheese are excellent, and I believe they still do a stew or curry - a note though, food is only served til 19.00. On Tuesday I asked Ethan if there would be any food - it was 19.15 so he said he would have thought not. Gawd blezzim. He was "pulling my leg". It was a POTM award night. Food was on its way!
On the bar I and Tash had pints of the interesting Ashover Fabrick Pale Ale, and Matty the Blue Bee Tempest Stout. After this opener, all of us moved onto the 6% Blue Bee Into the Void, a delicious Black IPA. Several, if not numerous, pints were supped, as the pub started to fill up, and we were soon joined by Mr P and Sean. Soon after the food arrived,and thronged by CAMRA folks and regulars alike, everyone massed to celebrate the recent achievements of one of my most frequently visited pubs.
I got some photos of the staff behind the bar, showing off their award proudly. At this point a bloke in the crowd at the front said to Kate, or Dave as you will know her if you read this blog and don't visit the Tuns "Get yer tits out love". I wasn't aware of this, I just saw Kate look at someone and say "why the hell would you say that to me?". Apparently the sexist prick thought it was hilarious and looked around us for support, as if it were 1951 in a town called Retard. It was not. He was still a prick. When confronted about it, he said that the pub was shit - despite having been there four or five hours and spending £40.00. Like I said. A prick.
Still, this din;t put a downer on the evening and after Tash and Mr P went, I finished off some of the excellent Blue Bee Geek (I did not see which one because it wasn't officially on yet, if you get me) and left about 23.30, five hours after arriving, whilst Siobhan and Methane took down the bunting and balloons.
Well done once again to Andrew Inns and their hard working staff, Nathan, Ethan, Mark (possibly?) Kate, Jamie and a lady with a French name which I have forgotten since last night (sorry lady with a French name that I have forgotten since last night). Its great to see for their customer service, hard work, choice of beer and tolerance, rarely I am happy to report, of simpletons from the past rewarded. Long may this excellent recipe for success continue.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
as per usual with my blog am behind the times - after all, its Friday and the award was made on Tuesday night. That's not actually that bad by recent standards. So here's what happened on Tuesday at the Three Tuns public house Silver Street Head in Sheffield.
The Three Tuns public house Silver Street Head in Sheffield is a lovely long, thin, almost ships bow shaped pub not unlike the Talbot Tap or similar in Ripley. You've all been there. It has a bar opposite the top and bottom entrance, the lower being where all the lovely real ales are kept, the upper where the less meritable lagers ciders and one keg ale live.
The pub is fitted out to a high standard with lots of old woodwork and a wonderful area which I call the bow, probably erroneously, at the right end of the pub. The seating is mostly fixed in the right end and with stools and more fixed seating at the left where the entrance to the loos are. The sating is form the lovely wooden and brass bar. Its really rather attractive I have to say. A lovely place, assuming the quiz isn't on, to go for a quiet pint.
They also do food - much less now Phil has left, but the pork pies an chip butties with bacon and blue cheese are excellent, and I believe they still do a stew or curry - a note though, food is only served til 19.00. On Tuesday I asked Ethan if there would be any food - it was 19.15 so he said he would have thought not. Gawd blezzim. He was "pulling my leg". It was a POTM award night. Food was on its way!
On the bar I and Tash had pints of the interesting Ashover Fabrick Pale Ale, and Matty the Blue Bee Tempest Stout. After this opener, all of us moved onto the 6% Blue Bee Into the Void, a delicious Black IPA. Several, if not numerous, pints were supped, as the pub started to fill up, and we were soon joined by Mr P and Sean. Soon after the food arrived,and thronged by CAMRA folks and regulars alike, everyone massed to celebrate the recent achievements of one of my most frequently visited pubs.
I got some photos of the staff behind the bar, showing off their award proudly. At this point a bloke in the crowd at the front said to Kate, or Dave as you will know her if you read this blog and don't visit the Tuns "Get yer tits out love". I wasn't aware of this, I just saw Kate look at someone and say "why the hell would you say that to me?". Apparently the sexist prick thought it was hilarious and looked around us for support, as if it were 1951 in a town called Retard. It was not. He was still a prick. When confronted about it, he said that the pub was shit - despite having been there four or five hours and spending £40.00. Like I said. A prick.
Still, this din;t put a downer on the evening and after Tash and Mr P went, I finished off some of the excellent Blue Bee Geek (I did not see which one because it wasn't officially on yet, if you get me) and left about 23.30, five hours after arriving, whilst Siobhan and Methane took down the bunting and balloons.
Well done once again to Andrew Inns and their hard working staff, Nathan, Ethan, Mark (possibly?) Kate, Jamie and a lady with a French name which I have forgotten since last night (sorry lady with a French name that I have forgotten since last night). Its great to see for their customer service, hard work, choice of beer and tolerance, rarely I am happy to report, of simpletons from the past rewarded. Long may this excellent recipe for success continue.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Supterday
Hello,
on Saturday I popped in the pub after overtime. I had earned some extra cash and decided to spend it about 7 weeks in advance. In the end, due to events far North in Cumbria, Tash was quite late joining me. Very quite late. Luckily, in the meantime, I decided to sup in the pub. And virtually remained sober. Here are the details of those twelve hours....
I got to Shakespeares at 14.15 and had a pint of the excellent, biting hopped Arbor Triple Hop at 4.0%. I supped this very slowly as it turned out, joined briefly by Paul and his family, before I spotted T_i_B from the internet. Having got his attention (he does not answer to Tib) I chatted with him for a good hour or two. He started on the super strong Brodies Simcoe for Breakfast whilst I moved onto a 7.2% Red IPA from Buxton - just a half of course. Tom (for it is he) then moved down to the Arbor and I joined him for a last couple of halves of the same, before heading for food nearby.
The Three Tuns was busy, as it often is thankfully, and I managed to get a seat at the right near the bow end of the pub. I had a half of Blue Bee Motueka and ordered a chip butty with blue cheese and bacon. The menu is reduced since this time last year and this was actually quite a small butty, but it still did the trick. I spoke to Tash and she was still trying to find out details of the flooding in Cumbria so I quickly got myself another half of Motueka and sat back down.
I walked very slowly (deliberately) around 19.00 up to the Bath Hotel - this was also rammed, and initially I had to stand at one end of the bar. I bumped into Nick out with some mates and supped a pint of the excellent Hopjacker Kansas City Shuffle, a 5.5% pale ale brewed at the Dronfield Arms. This was an excellent pint, and I eventually got sat down and ordered a half a pork pie and a glass of water. The pub was emptying a little now, around 20.00 and I moved on to a half of Jaipur on keg. Heading to the bar for more water, I was spotted by Clare and Gav.
They were in enjoying drinks having been out walking their dog Jezza and I was allowed by the same to join them. They were also on keg Jaipur (which I think is a good price at £3.90, or rather about 50p only, more expensive than the cask) and I stopped on my dwindling supplies until Tash turned up about 22.00. She was really stressed about the flooding since her Mum and Brother live in Carlisle - by Sunday morning they had been evacuated. In an attempt to distract her I bought her and myself a pint of Hopjacker each and we chatted to Clare and Gav.
About 23.00 we were joined by Emma, Matty's friend. She arrived quite late but just in time for a glass of wine and persuaded Matty to get out of bed to join us. I bought me and Tash another pint each of the excellent Hopjacker and Matty turned up just after last orders.
From here we secured funds and caught a taxi to Shakespeares. In all honesty I can only say for definite what I had for the last rather than the first round. I know Matty had a pint of Abbeydale Marshmallow Meltdown, a 7.0% stout brewed with Hop Hideout, and am guessing I sensibly went for a pint of the Triple Hop. We were joined by Katie and Lee and sat in both the clock room and outside in the yard catching up and putting the world to rights. I finished on a half of the Simcoe for breakfast, the 10.2% Brodies breakfast stout before we caught a taxi about 02.40.
Notwithstanding the ride home, when Tash was treated terribly by the taxi driver for reasons that I on't share on here, this was a great day of (mostly) restrained drinking of excellent real ales and keg beers in three different fabulous pubs. I may have had nine or ten pints in all but I wasn't that drunk and crucially I really enjoyed every one of them. Even if I forgot one of them....
With thanks to Tom, Gav, Clare, Emma Katie and Lee and of course Matty and Tash for their company on a wonderful long short pub crawl.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
on Saturday I popped in the pub after overtime. I had earned some extra cash and decided to spend it about 7 weeks in advance. In the end, due to events far North in Cumbria, Tash was quite late joining me. Very quite late. Luckily, in the meantime, I decided to sup in the pub. And virtually remained sober. Here are the details of those twelve hours....
I got to Shakespeares at 14.15 and had a pint of the excellent, biting hopped Arbor Triple Hop at 4.0%. I supped this very slowly as it turned out, joined briefly by Paul and his family, before I spotted T_i_B from the internet. Having got his attention (he does not answer to Tib) I chatted with him for a good hour or two. He started on the super strong Brodies Simcoe for Breakfast whilst I moved onto a 7.2% Red IPA from Buxton - just a half of course. Tom (for it is he) then moved down to the Arbor and I joined him for a last couple of halves of the same, before heading for food nearby.
The Three Tuns was busy, as it often is thankfully, and I managed to get a seat at the right near the bow end of the pub. I had a half of Blue Bee Motueka and ordered a chip butty with blue cheese and bacon. The menu is reduced since this time last year and this was actually quite a small butty, but it still did the trick. I spoke to Tash and she was still trying to find out details of the flooding in Cumbria so I quickly got myself another half of Motueka and sat back down.
I walked very slowly (deliberately) around 19.00 up to the Bath Hotel - this was also rammed, and initially I had to stand at one end of the bar. I bumped into Nick out with some mates and supped a pint of the excellent Hopjacker Kansas City Shuffle, a 5.5% pale ale brewed at the Dronfield Arms. This was an excellent pint, and I eventually got sat down and ordered a half a pork pie and a glass of water. The pub was emptying a little now, around 20.00 and I moved on to a half of Jaipur on keg. Heading to the bar for more water, I was spotted by Clare and Gav.
They were in enjoying drinks having been out walking their dog Jezza and I was allowed by the same to join them. They were also on keg Jaipur (which I think is a good price at £3.90, or rather about 50p only, more expensive than the cask) and I stopped on my dwindling supplies until Tash turned up about 22.00. She was really stressed about the flooding since her Mum and Brother live in Carlisle - by Sunday morning they had been evacuated. In an attempt to distract her I bought her and myself a pint of Hopjacker each and we chatted to Clare and Gav.
About 23.00 we were joined by Emma, Matty's friend. She arrived quite late but just in time for a glass of wine and persuaded Matty to get out of bed to join us. I bought me and Tash another pint each of the excellent Hopjacker and Matty turned up just after last orders.
From here we secured funds and caught a taxi to Shakespeares. In all honesty I can only say for definite what I had for the last rather than the first round. I know Matty had a pint of Abbeydale Marshmallow Meltdown, a 7.0% stout brewed with Hop Hideout, and am guessing I sensibly went for a pint of the Triple Hop. We were joined by Katie and Lee and sat in both the clock room and outside in the yard catching up and putting the world to rights. I finished on a half of the Simcoe for breakfast, the 10.2% Brodies breakfast stout before we caught a taxi about 02.40.
Notwithstanding the ride home, when Tash was treated terribly by the taxi driver for reasons that I on't share on here, this was a great day of (mostly) restrained drinking of excellent real ales and keg beers in three different fabulous pubs. I may have had nine or ten pints in all but I wasn't that drunk and crucially I really enjoyed every one of them. Even if I forgot one of them....
With thanks to Tom, Gav, Clare, Emma Katie and Lee and of course Matty and Tash for their company on a wonderful long short pub crawl.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Monday, 30 November 2015
Also in November.....
Now then,
I thought,. before the memories escape me on a tide of libation forever more, I should share some with you of other drinking and visiting of pubs carried out of late, and not previously covered in my blog. After the outrageous orgy of new and long ago visited pubs the other Sunday there are few new ones am afraid, but hey, am not a pub detective! Am not sure what I am if not however.....
On a recent Monday or Tuesday myself and Tash went to the Shakespeares for a change. We had, or rather I first had, a pint and a half at least of something very tasty which I think was Blue Bee Centennial and a half of their Little and large IPA. This collab with North Riding has a distinct Sorachi Ace flavour and is a very pleasing big hoppy real ale. This event could have happened earlier in November if am honest.....
On Tuesday we headed up to grab a quick one in the Three Tuns, for drinks which will inevitably have been a Blue Bee beer again, before me and Tash visited the Three Cranes.
Having not been in since their reopening I figured it was only fair that we visited - Tash has probably not been in for a few years or so. Ignoring the dubious delights of Sharps Atlantic thingy, we both had pints of the Taylors Landlord. Not as astringently hoppy as I come to think of it don't remember, but certainly a noteworthy pint.
On the 20th we were in the Three Tuns again - joining friends including Dan, Howard, Daniel, Nick and Emma, Ian, man from work and others for end of week pints. The Little and Large IPA was on - or it might have been another Blue Bee beer - but we had the last pints and moved onto American 5 Hop for me and an oddly named single hop beer for Tash. A number of pints later we finished in Shakespeares on pints of Kernel which am confident was an IPA, and Cloudwater - the chances are it was the same.
The next night I started, well, about 16.30 I think, in the Bath Hotel. I remember the excellent Liquid Mistress has been on but am not sure that is what I had - I dunno - lets say I had a pint. Tash joined me and I know I had a pint of Hopjacker Grifter Oatmeal Stout - a fine tasting oatmeal stout from young Edd at Dronfield. Tash had a pale or wheat beer if I remember - it was neither sorry, it was Eimbock a 2 year barrel aged Belgian beer. It was delicious....
We nipped out for some shopping and came back via BrewDog. I remember having a half of the Magic Rock Cross Collaboration as well as the excellent BrewDog Born to Die 27/11/2015 - an 8.5% fresh hop ale. Matty meanwhile, and Tash, had Magic Rock Salty Kiss and a bottle of Oud Broun Flemish Red Brown Ale, before returning to the Bath for last ones and seeing Jules and Will (Hello!).
A final note comes regarding the last day of Shakespeares festival. On Saturday I arrived at 16.30 and left about 21.00 - by which time I was a trifle refreshed. In addition to halves of Zoo Hop and North Riding Motueka I also tried what I now know to be Abbeydale Black Mess on keg and several halves of the excellent Grapefruit IPA from Siren. I spent most of my time sat with Steve and Sonia who were great company. I was later joined by Matty, and it was also good to see Mr Szumski and friends, and Fluffy. A cracking festival.
All in all, its been a very enjoyable if overtly expensive month November....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
I thought,. before the memories escape me on a tide of libation forever more, I should share some with you of other drinking and visiting of pubs carried out of late, and not previously covered in my blog. After the outrageous orgy of new and long ago visited pubs the other Sunday there are few new ones am afraid, but hey, am not a pub detective! Am not sure what I am if not however.....
On a recent Monday or Tuesday myself and Tash went to the Shakespeares for a change. We had, or rather I first had, a pint and a half at least of something very tasty which I think was Blue Bee Centennial and a half of their Little and large IPA. This collab with North Riding has a distinct Sorachi Ace flavour and is a very pleasing big hoppy real ale. This event could have happened earlier in November if am honest.....
On Tuesday we headed up to grab a quick one in the Three Tuns, for drinks which will inevitably have been a Blue Bee beer again, before me and Tash visited the Three Cranes.
Having not been in since their reopening I figured it was only fair that we visited - Tash has probably not been in for a few years or so. Ignoring the dubious delights of Sharps Atlantic thingy, we both had pints of the Taylors Landlord. Not as astringently hoppy as I come to think of it don't remember, but certainly a noteworthy pint.
On the 20th we were in the Three Tuns again - joining friends including Dan, Howard, Daniel, Nick and Emma, Ian, man from work and others for end of week pints. The Little and Large IPA was on - or it might have been another Blue Bee beer - but we had the last pints and moved onto American 5 Hop for me and an oddly named single hop beer for Tash. A number of pints later we finished in Shakespeares on pints of Kernel which am confident was an IPA, and Cloudwater - the chances are it was the same.
The next night I started, well, about 16.30 I think, in the Bath Hotel. I remember the excellent Liquid Mistress has been on but am not sure that is what I had - I dunno - lets say I had a pint. Tash joined me and I know I had a pint of Hopjacker Grifter Oatmeal Stout - a fine tasting oatmeal stout from young Edd at Dronfield. Tash had a pale or wheat beer if I remember - it was neither sorry, it was Eimbock a 2 year barrel aged Belgian beer. It was delicious....
We nipped out for some shopping and came back via BrewDog. I remember having a half of the Magic Rock Cross Collaboration as well as the excellent BrewDog Born to Die 27/11/2015 - an 8.5% fresh hop ale. Matty meanwhile, and Tash, had Magic Rock Salty Kiss and a bottle of Oud Broun Flemish Red Brown Ale, before returning to the Bath for last ones and seeing Jules and Will (Hello!).
A final note comes regarding the last day of Shakespeares festival. On Saturday I arrived at 16.30 and left about 21.00 - by which time I was a trifle refreshed. In addition to halves of Zoo Hop and North Riding Motueka I also tried what I now know to be Abbeydale Black Mess on keg and several halves of the excellent Grapefruit IPA from Siren. I spent most of my time sat with Steve and Sonia who were great company. I was later joined by Matty, and it was also good to see Mr Szumski and friends, and Fluffy. A cracking festival.
All in all, its been a very enjoyable if overtly expensive month November....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 14 February 2015
Give a sausage to someone cho love
Hello,
its the yearly orgy of fake messages of love, over priced cards and horrendous meals in places that normally might offer a decent service, but for this weekend, become incapable of doing so. There is schmaltzy cheese music playing, couples in their later years squeezed into clothes they loved when they met decades earlier, fake hearts everywhere you look, and everyone is ordering stuff to eat ans drink like their lives depend on it. If only there was a more agreeable way to spend Valentines day?
Well, luckily, there is. The Three Tuns, Silver Street Head, Sheffield, is until Sunday having Sausage Fest 2015. I did ask if this was the 2015th consecutive festival they had run but this was deemed to be a "joke" so I can't confirm, but it does at least take place in 2015, so points there for accuracy. I have to say however, am annoyed that they didn't realise this enquiry was representative of my renowned journalistic rigour....
I went on Thursday night to find Reet Pale on the bar from Blue Bee, their Tempest Stout and also Blue Bee Sausage Fest 2015, a dry hopped 5.0% IPA. This was deliciously hoppy, pale (obviously) and surprisingly easy to drink, so myself and the musician Mr David Howard had numerous pints of this beer. To be fair, and with the greatest respect to The Tuns, who is a person, the first night was slightly chaotic.
We definitely needed to drink a number of pints in the time we waited for our food. Well, my food. I'm not convinced that young David actually eats, instead subsisting on tobacco and alcohol. Issues with delays in food times included missing catering staff and a table of gluttons who, I was told by David, had ordered approximately 1 thousand courses of sausage, piled high on their table.
Whatever the reason for the delay, I am happy to confirm that the lovely Dave behind the bar apologised and recompensed us, and the three sausages and chips I had were delicious. And according to Faceache, many people have visited since and really enjoyed the food and beer on offer.
For those interested, I chose a chorizo, a game and venison and a pork and apple sausage. All were cooked to perfection and incredibly tasty. The range includes ones made with Blue Bee Brewery beer, with Sheffield Honey Co honey, steak and Guinness, smokey BBQ, caramelised onion and balsamic vinegar, a gluten free, 3 vegetarian sausage types, and many more. There is also a trio of Sheffeld sausages, and sausage and cider casserole. Its a porcine (or tofu) dream. The link to the pub on Twatter is here, for details, and their website is here.
So, if you have a loved one, an elderly relative, child or pet, or someone you care about at all, please take them to Sausage Fest today. Show them how you really feel with tubes of flavoured meat. It makes "porkfect"* sense.
*Clears throat.
Wee Beefy
its the yearly orgy of fake messages of love, over priced cards and horrendous meals in places that normally might offer a decent service, but for this weekend, become incapable of doing so. There is schmaltzy cheese music playing, couples in their later years squeezed into clothes they loved when they met decades earlier, fake hearts everywhere you look, and everyone is ordering stuff to eat ans drink like their lives depend on it. If only there was a more agreeable way to spend Valentines day?
Well, luckily, there is. The Three Tuns, Silver Street Head, Sheffield, is until Sunday having Sausage Fest 2015. I did ask if this was the 2015th consecutive festival they had run but this was deemed to be a "joke" so I can't confirm, but it does at least take place in 2015, so points there for accuracy. I have to say however, am annoyed that they didn't realise this enquiry was representative of my renowned journalistic rigour....
I went on Thursday night to find Reet Pale on the bar from Blue Bee, their Tempest Stout and also Blue Bee Sausage Fest 2015, a dry hopped 5.0% IPA. This was deliciously hoppy, pale (obviously) and surprisingly easy to drink, so myself and the musician Mr David Howard had numerous pints of this beer. To be fair, and with the greatest respect to The Tuns, who is a person, the first night was slightly chaotic.
We definitely needed to drink a number of pints in the time we waited for our food. Well, my food. I'm not convinced that young David actually eats, instead subsisting on tobacco and alcohol. Issues with delays in food times included missing catering staff and a table of gluttons who, I was told by David, had ordered approximately 1 thousand courses of sausage, piled high on their table.
Whatever the reason for the delay, I am happy to confirm that the lovely Dave behind the bar apologised and recompensed us, and the three sausages and chips I had were delicious. And according to Faceache, many people have visited since and really enjoyed the food and beer on offer.
For those interested, I chose a chorizo, a game and venison and a pork and apple sausage. All were cooked to perfection and incredibly tasty. The range includes ones made with Blue Bee Brewery beer, with Sheffield Honey Co honey, steak and Guinness, smokey BBQ, caramelised onion and balsamic vinegar, a gluten free, 3 vegetarian sausage types, and many more. There is also a trio of Sheffeld sausages, and sausage and cider casserole. Its a porcine (or tofu) dream. The link to the pub on Twatter is here, for details, and their website is here.
So, if you have a loved one, an elderly relative, child or pet, or someone you care about at all, please take them to Sausage Fest today. Show them how you really feel with tubes of flavoured meat. It makes "porkfect"* sense.
*Clears throat.
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 17 January 2015
Show of force in Sheffield pubs
Hello,
I used to go to DaDa a lot, and I used to also go to Harrisons 1854. I loved the Rutland, Closed Shop and Hallamshire House. Recently, my go-to favourite pubs have changed slightly. I'm almost always in either the Three Tuns, Bath Hotel or, as has been the case for a few years, at Shakespeares. There is no failure on the part of the earlier mentioned pubs, just changing circumstances.
By way of illustration, here, as experienced on Tash's birthday, are a number of reasons to drink in the current top 3......
I was meeting Tash, having got the day off specially, at 12.00. We eventually plumped to meet at 15.00. Arriving at 15.10, I called Tash to explain I was there - to be told to "get inside and keep warm" as she was only just about to leave. Following this advice I nipped in the Tap and Tankard on Cambridge Street. Sill finding its feet I think , but the pint and a half of Hand Drawn Monkey IPA at 5.0% shows much promise.
Me and Tash met up and did some birthday shopping before heading up to the Bath Hotel. I always like going in before 17.00 because its quiet (although in a change from what I put in my Exposed article there is music), there's few people in and ts warm and relaxing . Perfect. There was excellent Crouch Vale Brewers Gold on cask (amongst others!) and the unusual Rouge Red Ale from Summer Wine Brewery on keg. As it was Tash's birthday, and this was a pricey pint, I bought us a pint and a half of this.
We sat on a large table behind the screen, opening cards, seeing The Child of Ash and Beccy, supping our unusual but beautiful red ale, and enjoying the surroundings. A great start.
Next we walked down in the howling wind to the Three Tuns. We met Matty in here and he was already on his traditional dark pint, which alas my memory has hidden the name of. Stand out casks here were from Blue Bee, their Natural, a hoppy 3.5% session pale ale, and their slightly stronger Reet Pale. Me and Tash had a couple of pints of that, Matty another dark offering, and we ordered food. Being a greedy guts and 1.5 pints ahead, I had the baked belly pork with mash to myself, and they opted to share a cider pig sandwich and chips. All the food was, as is now the case, matchless, as was the Reet Pale.
Off down the hill we made a terrible discovery - it appears that legendary curry supplier West Bar Tandoori has closed down. Speaking to Dave Unpro, it trans[ired the rent they were paying was extortionate, which is a bit harsh for a block of shops with only one now open, and they had to sell something like 60 curries a day just to make ends meet. Their excellent food - especially the Biryani and Saag dishes we used to get, will be sorely missed.
The only thing that could cheer us up was some good beer - and in Shakespeares, by eck three was plenty. I think the Brewsmith 6% IPA was the starter for me and Tash, and Matty had the unhoppy but quite burnt roasted milk stout from HopCraft. We had something else next - and I have to admit that by this time details were becoming slightly less important than keeping up with the conversation with Tony and Matty, so I can't remember what it was, but it was no doubt enjoyable.
This lack of detail however pales into insignificance against the important next beer - a pint of the Weird Bear Holy Hoppin Hell, an astonishingly tasty Double IPA at 9.2%. And worth every penny at £5.10 (or lightly less or more to the power of 20p) a pint. This admittedly, slowed me down. I did however soon regain my thought processes sufficiently to buy another two halves to share with Tash on her birthday. Holy Hopping Hell is easily the best beer I have had in the last few years. Its...amazing - well balanced, gloriously hoppy, bitter but with citrus and orange notes to balance. Impeccable.
I then discovered that in the cellar was the Beavertown, Siren and Magic Rock Rule of Thirds! I was now, officially, in hop heaven. Although on Thursday this was cloudy in the cellar, it should be clear soon and hopefully on the bar soon as well. Chris made an interesting observation by the way - that none of the three beers used to make rule of thirds is more than (I think) 5.6% - so how odes it get to be 6.4%? I suspect there is an explanation, but we did not arrive at it.
By the way, Chris is apparently going to write a beer blog - Mr Bamford, would you share the address? The other, keener and more important observation, is that it will sell for £4.00 a pint. Significantly, I am sorry to say, less expensive than at the Bath.
So, above is a taster of the quality brews encounter in just one day in January in Sheffield. A tale of hoppy crapulence to warm even the chilliest soul in this wintry 2015.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
I used to go to DaDa a lot, and I used to also go to Harrisons 1854. I loved the Rutland, Closed Shop and Hallamshire House. Recently, my go-to favourite pubs have changed slightly. I'm almost always in either the Three Tuns, Bath Hotel or, as has been the case for a few years, at Shakespeares. There is no failure on the part of the earlier mentioned pubs, just changing circumstances.
By way of illustration, here, as experienced on Tash's birthday, are a number of reasons to drink in the current top 3......
I was meeting Tash, having got the day off specially, at 12.00. We eventually plumped to meet at 15.00. Arriving at 15.10, I called Tash to explain I was there - to be told to "get inside and keep warm" as she was only just about to leave. Following this advice I nipped in the Tap and Tankard on Cambridge Street. Sill finding its feet I think , but the pint and a half of Hand Drawn Monkey IPA at 5.0% shows much promise.
Me and Tash met up and did some birthday shopping before heading up to the Bath Hotel. I always like going in before 17.00 because its quiet (although in a change from what I put in my Exposed article there is music), there's few people in and ts warm and relaxing . Perfect. There was excellent Crouch Vale Brewers Gold on cask (amongst others!) and the unusual Rouge Red Ale from Summer Wine Brewery on keg. As it was Tash's birthday, and this was a pricey pint, I bought us a pint and a half of this.
We sat on a large table behind the screen, opening cards, seeing The Child of Ash and Beccy, supping our unusual but beautiful red ale, and enjoying the surroundings. A great start.
Next we walked down in the howling wind to the Three Tuns. We met Matty in here and he was already on his traditional dark pint, which alas my memory has hidden the name of. Stand out casks here were from Blue Bee, their Natural, a hoppy 3.5% session pale ale, and their slightly stronger Reet Pale. Me and Tash had a couple of pints of that, Matty another dark offering, and we ordered food. Being a greedy guts and 1.5 pints ahead, I had the baked belly pork with mash to myself, and they opted to share a cider pig sandwich and chips. All the food was, as is now the case, matchless, as was the Reet Pale.
Off down the hill we made a terrible discovery - it appears that legendary curry supplier West Bar Tandoori has closed down. Speaking to Dave Unpro, it trans[ired the rent they were paying was extortionate, which is a bit harsh for a block of shops with only one now open, and they had to sell something like 60 curries a day just to make ends meet. Their excellent food - especially the Biryani and Saag dishes we used to get, will be sorely missed.
The only thing that could cheer us up was some good beer - and in Shakespeares, by eck three was plenty. I think the Brewsmith 6% IPA was the starter for me and Tash, and Matty had the unhoppy but quite burnt roasted milk stout from HopCraft. We had something else next - and I have to admit that by this time details were becoming slightly less important than keeping up with the conversation with Tony and Matty, so I can't remember what it was, but it was no doubt enjoyable.
This lack of detail however pales into insignificance against the important next beer - a pint of the Weird Bear Holy Hoppin Hell, an astonishingly tasty Double IPA at 9.2%. And worth every penny at £5.10 (or lightly less or more to the power of 20p) a pint. This admittedly, slowed me down. I did however soon regain my thought processes sufficiently to buy another two halves to share with Tash on her birthday. Holy Hopping Hell is easily the best beer I have had in the last few years. Its...amazing - well balanced, gloriously hoppy, bitter but with citrus and orange notes to balance. Impeccable.
I then discovered that in the cellar was the Beavertown, Siren and Magic Rock Rule of Thirds! I was now, officially, in hop heaven. Although on Thursday this was cloudy in the cellar, it should be clear soon and hopefully on the bar soon as well. Chris made an interesting observation by the way - that none of the three beers used to make rule of thirds is more than (I think) 5.6% - so how odes it get to be 6.4%? I suspect there is an explanation, but we did not arrive at it.
By the way, Chris is apparently going to write a beer blog - Mr Bamford, would you share the address? The other, keener and more important observation, is that it will sell for £4.00 a pint. Significantly, I am sorry to say, less expensive than at the Bath.
So, above is a taster of the quality brews encounter in just one day in January in Sheffield. A tale of hoppy crapulence to warm even the chilliest soul in this wintry 2015.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Monday, 12 January 2015
Latest libations
Ay up,
I wrote earlier about not having an anhydrous January - please note, I realise that anhydrous relates principally to chemicals or crystalised salts - but in this respect is a reference to having no beer or other alcoholic drinks in a pub. I'm quite keen on the standpoint of drinking in January and as you will have seen last week, the Bath Hotel assisted in this respect by offering the stunning Rule of Thirds from Magic Rock, Beavertown and Siren Craft breweries. Here is what and where else I have been maintaining my position.
The Three Tuns continues to offer excellent food cooked by Phil and now another person, and I recently saw Mr Stephens, MD of Andrew Inns, a company I made up, in his own pub. Dave continues to run things behind the bar and recently they have sold the excellent Amarillo IPA from Blue Bee, their Reet Pale Ale and the Brass Castle Brewery Sunshine at 5.7%. Habit dictates that I had rather a lot of that!
I also went in DaDa the other day, twice in fact recently. I first found an unusual milk stout - not actually white in colour but very pale. Seemingly very clever but alas it didn't taste like stout. Instead I plumped for the Celt Experience Latene, which I tried and loved, but was very surprised to pay £4.20 a pint for. My initial question was "oh, is this really strong?" but it turned out to be 3.5%. To be fair the manager came over and explained why it was so expensive, and amends were made, but I still think that if you are going to sell a beer at that price you should tell people - especially considering the almost twice as strong Thornbridge Jaipur was right next to it at £3.40 a pint. I also went in Saturday and had a half of Pale but alas did not record the name or price....
Friday saw us back in the Bath Hotel drinking the Rule of thirds and Thornbridge's English hopped IPA Coritani at 7.4%. This was a surprisingly easy to drink beer and went down very easily. We followed this with a trip to BrewDog where we were once again overjoyed to find they had large bottles of Fantome saison in - this time their Hiver winter saison, at £10.00 a bottle.
Alas BrewDog close before midnight so we upped and left and went instead to Bungalows and Bears. Not exactly a haven of real ale it does still sell at least 2 and I had something which I was told was an American Pale Ale. Being in a busy bar I didn't bother asking who brewed it but it was an acceptable if not overtly hoppy offering - Tash drank a bottle of Redchurch Camden Gold which was also very easy to drink.
Saturday saw us down at Shakespeares and along with a pint of the excellent Welbeck Abbey Santa's IPA (or similar...) I had a pint of something from Hopcraft. or that might have been the night earlier in the week. Essentially, I am not fully back into recording of beers mode so apologise for my lack of detail. I can confirm however, tat I enjoyed our beers in the Shakespeares.
Details soon of some of the festive bottled beers that I have supped over the last 3 weeks.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
I wrote earlier about not having an anhydrous January - please note, I realise that anhydrous relates principally to chemicals or crystalised salts - but in this respect is a reference to having no beer or other alcoholic drinks in a pub. I'm quite keen on the standpoint of drinking in January and as you will have seen last week, the Bath Hotel assisted in this respect by offering the stunning Rule of Thirds from Magic Rock, Beavertown and Siren Craft breweries. Here is what and where else I have been maintaining my position.
The Three Tuns continues to offer excellent food cooked by Phil and now another person, and I recently saw Mr Stephens, MD of Andrew Inns, a company I made up, in his own pub. Dave continues to run things behind the bar and recently they have sold the excellent Amarillo IPA from Blue Bee, their Reet Pale Ale and the Brass Castle Brewery Sunshine at 5.7%. Habit dictates that I had rather a lot of that!
I also went in DaDa the other day, twice in fact recently. I first found an unusual milk stout - not actually white in colour but very pale. Seemingly very clever but alas it didn't taste like stout. Instead I plumped for the Celt Experience Latene, which I tried and loved, but was very surprised to pay £4.20 a pint for. My initial question was "oh, is this really strong?" but it turned out to be 3.5%. To be fair the manager came over and explained why it was so expensive, and amends were made, but I still think that if you are going to sell a beer at that price you should tell people - especially considering the almost twice as strong Thornbridge Jaipur was right next to it at £3.40 a pint. I also went in Saturday and had a half of Pale but alas did not record the name or price....
Friday saw us back in the Bath Hotel drinking the Rule of thirds and Thornbridge's English hopped IPA Coritani at 7.4%. This was a surprisingly easy to drink beer and went down very easily. We followed this with a trip to BrewDog where we were once again overjoyed to find they had large bottles of Fantome saison in - this time their Hiver winter saison, at £10.00 a bottle.
Alas BrewDog close before midnight so we upped and left and went instead to Bungalows and Bears. Not exactly a haven of real ale it does still sell at least 2 and I had something which I was told was an American Pale Ale. Being in a busy bar I didn't bother asking who brewed it but it was an acceptable if not overtly hoppy offering - Tash drank a bottle of Redchurch Camden Gold which was also very easy to drink.
Saturday saw us down at Shakespeares and along with a pint of the excellent Welbeck Abbey Santa's IPA (or similar...) I had a pint of something from Hopcraft. or that might have been the night earlier in the week. Essentially, I am not fully back into recording of beers mode so apologise for my lack of detail. I can confirm however, tat I enjoyed our beers in the Shakespeares.
Details soon of some of the festive bottled beers that I have supped over the last 3 weeks.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 28 December 2014
Beer. Twixt Christmas and New Year....
Ay up,
well, having finally gone mad after 3 or 4 days virtually exclusively in the house, today I ventured out to collect a prescription from town. Despite this well meaning intent, that is not what predominated my trip out. or, indeed, what happened. Here's what did.....
I met up with Angie instead. Myself and Angie have known each other for many years and today was a great chance to catch up for the first time in months and have some drinks.
Meeting on High Street we negotiated slippy slopes down to Bank Street, along Queen Street and then eventually up to the Three Tuns. They aren't normally open on a Sunday* but I'd seen a pic on Faceache which suggested they were - I'd already found out the Bath wasn't, so this was an ideal starting point.
On arrival Dave welcomed us and we opted for a coffee for Miss H and a pint of Cliffhanger for me, and we began supping and catching up. The Brass Castle cliffhanger was possibly the most bitter beer on despite being only 3.9%, and was a perfect starter. As the conversation continued we repeated the round and also bought a portion of chips and cheese, before we left the pub which, having been the only punters on arrival, was now filing up.
A treacherous tiptoe across the ice landed us at Shakespeares where things were a little busier. I had a pint of the Arbor Transatlantic Pale ale and Miss H a half of Cherry beer, and we retired to the clockroom to continue catching up. Peace was temporarily disturbed by a pub crawl of folk who virtually blocked access to the toilets - ample indication that they hadn't yet been - but otherwise even as other crowds joined, this was ideal.
My penultimate pint was the excellent Siren Craft Brew 10 finger discount IPA at 7.2% on keg, whilst Angie stuck to the fruit beer, and we finished our evening of refreshment with another pint of the same for me and a coke for her.
Overall, it was a quiet but enjoyable evening, and great to see that, as expected, despite the pressures of Christmas, there was still a range of excellent beers available to those braving the ice and cold.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*David informs me, just now, that nowadays they are. So there! Pop down......
well, having finally gone mad after 3 or 4 days virtually exclusively in the house, today I ventured out to collect a prescription from town. Despite this well meaning intent, that is not what predominated my trip out. or, indeed, what happened. Here's what did.....
I met up with Angie instead. Myself and Angie have known each other for many years and today was a great chance to catch up for the first time in months and have some drinks.
Meeting on High Street we negotiated slippy slopes down to Bank Street, along Queen Street and then eventually up to the Three Tuns. They aren't normally open on a Sunday* but I'd seen a pic on Faceache which suggested they were - I'd already found out the Bath wasn't, so this was an ideal starting point.
On arrival Dave welcomed us and we opted for a coffee for Miss H and a pint of Cliffhanger for me, and we began supping and catching up. The Brass Castle cliffhanger was possibly the most bitter beer on despite being only 3.9%, and was a perfect starter. As the conversation continued we repeated the round and also bought a portion of chips and cheese, before we left the pub which, having been the only punters on arrival, was now filing up.
A treacherous tiptoe across the ice landed us at Shakespeares where things were a little busier. I had a pint of the Arbor Transatlantic Pale ale and Miss H a half of Cherry beer, and we retired to the clockroom to continue catching up. Peace was temporarily disturbed by a pub crawl of folk who virtually blocked access to the toilets - ample indication that they hadn't yet been - but otherwise even as other crowds joined, this was ideal.
My penultimate pint was the excellent Siren Craft Brew 10 finger discount IPA at 7.2% on keg, whilst Angie stuck to the fruit beer, and we finished our evening of refreshment with another pint of the same for me and a coke for her.
Overall, it was a quiet but enjoyable evening, and great to see that, as expected, despite the pressures of Christmas, there was still a range of excellent beers available to those braving the ice and cold.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*David informs me, just now, that nowadays they are. So there! Pop down......
Saturday, 20 September 2014
3TPOTMA
Hello,
on Thursday 18 September 2014 in Sheffield, the persons in the CAMRA (you've seen the CAMRA) awarded a Pub of the Month, erm, award....to a Sheffield pub. For September this was the Andrew Inns owned Three Tuns on Silver Street Head. Here are some details of what happened when we got there. At, admittedly, 21.20....
We found Mr Andrew outside and he told us we'd missed the award presentation. Apparently, Dave had not needed a microphone and had used his considerable voice to deliver the speech. With the greatest respect, I hadn't persuaded my Mum and Step Dad to drop me off in town for the chance to hear a speech. Oh no. I was here to buy beer and catch up with friends. First reason achieved.....
Myself and Miss N went to the bar and bought two pints of the Blue Bee Simcoe IPA. As you may now know, Blue Bee is owned by Andrew Inns* and their recent beers have had a very strong hop presence. Their other beers on the bar included the Light Blue, which is excellent, Inov the Black and the Nycto Black IPA, and having tried this previously I felt it, along with their red ale, had too much bittering hops in to make it enjoyable. The Simcoe IPA however seems to have the prefect balance of acerbic hops and mellowing malt to make it a cracking pint.
We were quickly directed to the food table which, to our absolute surprise, had the joyous face of Mr Cullen next to it. Phillip the chef had offered to warm up the food as the cider pig was described as excellent - it really was. We had it with cheese and the crispest salad and a sauce or chutney and retired to a table near the bar to eat it. We later found out some of the recipe, so I think I will attempt a cider pig soon!
Next we moved onto a pint each of the 7% Inov the Black imperial stout. This was on excellent form, and both it and the Simcoe ran out whilst we were there. Having caught up with Ally, and Robin, once of Shakespeares, and placed brightly coloured arty hats on pints and heads and, erm, other bits, we were now ready to move up to the ships bow seating area and to catch up with more customers and staff.
The lovely Dave was working and she was also socialising, Phillip the chef won 5 beers in the raffle, Dave W and Josh discovered a shared love of balloons, and we got talking to the resolutely sensible Mr Alex Korner and his friend (insert name of friend who is chemist - sorry man with name who is a friend who is a chemist), and Laura who recognised me from when I used to drink in Trippetts. Which must be about 4 years ago. We moved onto pints of the Reet Pale from Blue Bee and watched the crowd get a little bit more drunk and to cheer the rather odd selection of music on the Juke Box.
We finished the night on two halves of mixed Reet Pale and Nycto which was better than the Nycto if nothing else, just as the music became more dancey and people lost their inhibitions and started dancing in attempted formation.
The Three Tuns has improved immeasurably under the Andrew Inns stewardship and this was a great chance to celebrate that achievement. Well done to all involved for putting on a fantastic spread and selling some excellent beers.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*Andrew Ins, of course, doesn't exist. However. the Reet Ale Pubs company most likely does, and more likely owns blue Bee. That's a brewery ownership factoid. Y'r welcome.
on Thursday 18 September 2014 in Sheffield, the persons in the CAMRA (you've seen the CAMRA) awarded a Pub of the Month, erm, award....to a Sheffield pub. For September this was the Andrew Inns owned Three Tuns on Silver Street Head. Here are some details of what happened when we got there. At, admittedly, 21.20....
We found Mr Andrew outside and he told us we'd missed the award presentation. Apparently, Dave had not needed a microphone and had used his considerable voice to deliver the speech. With the greatest respect, I hadn't persuaded my Mum and Step Dad to drop me off in town for the chance to hear a speech. Oh no. I was here to buy beer and catch up with friends. First reason achieved.....
Myself and Miss N went to the bar and bought two pints of the Blue Bee Simcoe IPA. As you may now know, Blue Bee is owned by Andrew Inns* and their recent beers have had a very strong hop presence. Their other beers on the bar included the Light Blue, which is excellent, Inov the Black and the Nycto Black IPA, and having tried this previously I felt it, along with their red ale, had too much bittering hops in to make it enjoyable. The Simcoe IPA however seems to have the prefect balance of acerbic hops and mellowing malt to make it a cracking pint.
We were quickly directed to the food table which, to our absolute surprise, had the joyous face of Mr Cullen next to it. Phillip the chef had offered to warm up the food as the cider pig was described as excellent - it really was. We had it with cheese and the crispest salad and a sauce or chutney and retired to a table near the bar to eat it. We later found out some of the recipe, so I think I will attempt a cider pig soon!
Next we moved onto a pint each of the 7% Inov the Black imperial stout. This was on excellent form, and both it and the Simcoe ran out whilst we were there. Having caught up with Ally, and Robin, once of Shakespeares, and placed brightly coloured arty hats on pints and heads and, erm, other bits, we were now ready to move up to the ships bow seating area and to catch up with more customers and staff.
The lovely Dave was working and she was also socialising, Phillip the chef won 5 beers in the raffle, Dave W and Josh discovered a shared love of balloons, and we got talking to the resolutely sensible Mr Alex Korner and his friend (insert name of friend who is chemist - sorry man with name who is a friend who is a chemist), and Laura who recognised me from when I used to drink in Trippetts. Which must be about 4 years ago. We moved onto pints of the Reet Pale from Blue Bee and watched the crowd get a little bit more drunk and to cheer the rather odd selection of music on the Juke Box.
We finished the night on two halves of mixed Reet Pale and Nycto which was better than the Nycto if nothing else, just as the music became more dancey and people lost their inhibitions and started dancing in attempted formation.
The Three Tuns has improved immeasurably under the Andrew Inns stewardship and this was a great chance to celebrate that achievement. Well done to all involved for putting on a fantastic spread and selling some excellent beers.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
*Andrew Ins, of course, doesn't exist. However. the Reet Ale Pubs company most likely does, and more likely owns blue Bee. That's a brewery ownership factoid. Y'r welcome.
Monday, 9 December 2013
Drunken spells with a slight chance of twats later
Yo ho humbug!
yes kids its that time of year again. Twat O Clock! Fancy a pint in a normally decent pub now full of twats? You can! For every night between now and Christmas guarantees nailed on twattishness at every turn. Even quiet pubs have decked out the halls with twats of all shades of festive cheer! Vomit, urine, WKD....
OK, I admit, the above is a bit cynical really because having managed to attend three Christmas "do's" on two consecutive nights I can confirm that its still possible to have a decent night, at this time of year, even if few of the people you are sharing the occasion with are bothered about the fine drop. Thus .....
Friday I read with a heavy heart that our team Christmas do, which was otherwise admirable for featuring a scheduled five and a half hours of drinking prior to the meal, was to begin in Yates. Early considerations included - why would you drink in Yates whilst sober? In fact, why would you drink in Yates at all? Well, because not everyone is so mardy about ale as I am and some people for reasons that I can't fathom like to dance and drink coloured shit with spirits in. And it pains me to admit that I probably should get over it. I still think starting at Yates is like having a kebab and then going out however...
In the end I only wandered in as the group were leaving so alas cannot report on the ale situation. Meanwhile, over the road is Lloyds Number One. I know its a Wetherspoons type of thing but it does sell real ale and so I was straight on to a couple of pints of Bradfield Belgian Blue. A seasonal favourite of mine, which makes me think I may be going soft, it was probably £3.00 a pint or something (I wasn't researching, although I concede this is no worse than my usual level of reportage) and went down very well.
Up next was Revolution De Cuba, whose high prices seemed to have kept the place tolerably busy, and whose drinks list kept the cocktail guzzlers happy. Beer wise they had Anchor Steam Ale in bottles so it wasn't all that bad. From here I switched do's and headed to meet Miss N in All Bar One. Granted they had Doom Bar on but I went for the Meantime Pilsner at £4.30 or similar instead. It had more hops in....
Members of Miss N's entourage wandered off to the Bessemer across the road, and against our better judgement we followed suit. Alas we missed the Moonshine but I had a half of Directors out of curiosity and Miss N a half of Hobgoblin from the remaining three beers. I'm not going to pretend its my kind of place but it sold real ale and people seemed to be happy. Not that I advocate such things, but if being happy is what they like then I suppose that's fine....
Off to DAda next, albeit having shaken off the do, and it was solid. I mean, I know the building is, but in a bar queuing sense. Here was my first wall of customers of the festive season. Luckily a pint of Thornbridge Christmas ale on Cask for Miss N and a pint of Chiron for me were purchased, and we found a space to have a chat before heading off once more in true Xmas do style.
The Three Tuns once again had some good Raw beers on and the lovely Dave behind the bar. Young Patrick was also in attendance and we stopped in there for a couple of pints of the Raw porter, which I think was Anubis but am unsure. It was bloody nice whatever it was. We ended the night at Shakespeares where we both had pints of late hopped Steel City All Hallowes which had hops in it and everything, and was also quite nice. And I definitely didn't fall asleep...
The next night we started at a rammed Sheffield Tap and were spoilt for choice. Pints in here were Hardknott Katalyst, a lower gravity extra hoppy pale, Buxton Rednik Stout (many) and the excellent Magic Rock Dark Arts (at least two). Understandably, despite queues in the heaving bar, I was reluctant to leave this beer utopia behind.
Yet we did as we headed for the Dove and Rainbow to see a friend's band play. The range is always a little underwhelming here but does usually feature at least one local beer with hops in it - so I had a few pints of the Abbeydale Absolution in the three hours we were there. Not a regular haunt as I have noted before but I actually had to admit that it was far and away the least intolerable pub in terms of sheer overcrowding that I experienced over the two nights.
Our final stop was DAda once again where I laughed at signs on the walls and tables on the left stating "reserved from 19.00" for an area comprising six empty tables and with four people sat at one table. Mind you, it was nearly midnight. Here I had two pints from the promising new Burning Sky brewery based in the south. Aurora was an intensely bitter pale ale and probably only let down by the dryness of the bittering hops, whilst Plateau was also a beer, which I drank about 01.20. That serves as my excuse for having no memories more specific than "I liked it".
All of the above suggests that once you have attuned yourself to the sheer volume of punters and the real possibility but not guarantee of extreme twattishness, it is possible to have a pretty decent night out at Christmas. And in Sheffield at least, you can expect to find some decent real ales in the majority of the venues you visit.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy.
yes kids its that time of year again. Twat O Clock! Fancy a pint in a normally decent pub now full of twats? You can! For every night between now and Christmas guarantees nailed on twattishness at every turn. Even quiet pubs have decked out the halls with twats of all shades of festive cheer! Vomit, urine, WKD....
OK, I admit, the above is a bit cynical really because having managed to attend three Christmas "do's" on two consecutive nights I can confirm that its still possible to have a decent night, at this time of year, even if few of the people you are sharing the occasion with are bothered about the fine drop. Thus .....
Friday I read with a heavy heart that our team Christmas do, which was otherwise admirable for featuring a scheduled five and a half hours of drinking prior to the meal, was to begin in Yates. Early considerations included - why would you drink in Yates whilst sober? In fact, why would you drink in Yates at all? Well, because not everyone is so mardy about ale as I am and some people for reasons that I can't fathom like to dance and drink coloured shit with spirits in. And it pains me to admit that I probably should get over it. I still think starting at Yates is like having a kebab and then going out however...
In the end I only wandered in as the group were leaving so alas cannot report on the ale situation. Meanwhile, over the road is Lloyds Number One. I know its a Wetherspoons type of thing but it does sell real ale and so I was straight on to a couple of pints of Bradfield Belgian Blue. A seasonal favourite of mine, which makes me think I may be going soft, it was probably £3.00 a pint or something (I wasn't researching, although I concede this is no worse than my usual level of reportage) and went down very well.
Up next was Revolution De Cuba, whose high prices seemed to have kept the place tolerably busy, and whose drinks list kept the cocktail guzzlers happy. Beer wise they had Anchor Steam Ale in bottles so it wasn't all that bad. From here I switched do's and headed to meet Miss N in All Bar One. Granted they had Doom Bar on but I went for the Meantime Pilsner at £4.30 or similar instead. It had more hops in....
Members of Miss N's entourage wandered off to the Bessemer across the road, and against our better judgement we followed suit. Alas we missed the Moonshine but I had a half of Directors out of curiosity and Miss N a half of Hobgoblin from the remaining three beers. I'm not going to pretend its my kind of place but it sold real ale and people seemed to be happy. Not that I advocate such things, but if being happy is what they like then I suppose that's fine....
Off to DAda next, albeit having shaken off the do, and it was solid. I mean, I know the building is, but in a bar queuing sense. Here was my first wall of customers of the festive season. Luckily a pint of Thornbridge Christmas ale on Cask for Miss N and a pint of Chiron for me were purchased, and we found a space to have a chat before heading off once more in true Xmas do style.
The Three Tuns once again had some good Raw beers on and the lovely Dave behind the bar. Young Patrick was also in attendance and we stopped in there for a couple of pints of the Raw porter, which I think was Anubis but am unsure. It was bloody nice whatever it was. We ended the night at Shakespeares where we both had pints of late hopped Steel City All Hallowes which had hops in it and everything, and was also quite nice. And I definitely didn't fall asleep...
The next night we started at a rammed Sheffield Tap and were spoilt for choice. Pints in here were Hardknott Katalyst, a lower gravity extra hoppy pale, Buxton Rednik Stout (many) and the excellent Magic Rock Dark Arts (at least two). Understandably, despite queues in the heaving bar, I was reluctant to leave this beer utopia behind.
Yet we did as we headed for the Dove and Rainbow to see a friend's band play. The range is always a little underwhelming here but does usually feature at least one local beer with hops in it - so I had a few pints of the Abbeydale Absolution in the three hours we were there. Not a regular haunt as I have noted before but I actually had to admit that it was far and away the least intolerable pub in terms of sheer overcrowding that I experienced over the two nights.
Our final stop was DAda once again where I laughed at signs on the walls and tables on the left stating "reserved from 19.00" for an area comprising six empty tables and with four people sat at one table. Mind you, it was nearly midnight. Here I had two pints from the promising new Burning Sky brewery based in the south. Aurora was an intensely bitter pale ale and probably only let down by the dryness of the bittering hops, whilst Plateau was also a beer, which I drank about 01.20. That serves as my excuse for having no memories more specific than "I liked it".
All of the above suggests that once you have attuned yourself to the sheer volume of punters and the real possibility but not guarantee of extreme twattishness, it is possible to have a pretty decent night out at Christmas. And in Sheffield at least, you can expect to find some decent real ales in the majority of the venues you visit.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy.
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Birra To' welco meto
Wha?
alas, not a "cool" new uber expensive Greek or Spanish nano brewery with their own kooky yet modernist bar in a tourist host spot. Oh no. Instead, the above is my proposed name for a beer brewed at Shakespeares ale and cider house. Not that they have a brewery. Or presumably any intention of installing one. However regular visitors to the pub may well recognise the inspiration behind my continental sounding concoction...
Anyhoo, over the past week, despite commitments to family and fannying around in the Manchestershire, I have found time to pop into Shakespeares for a pint or two. First up was a late night at work last week. Having successfully clawed back some flexi I found myself stood outside in the cold with Miss N, tired and in need of urgent obviation. Luckily, there was a pub only a few minutes away that we could visit. How perfectly pleasant!
We were soon in Shakespeares and started with pints of Thwaites Phelan fine, a tasty hoppy stout from Thwaites ickle brewery what makes better beers. A very pleasant start to the evening, but we soon moved onto stronger stuff - Miss N choosing a pint of Abbeydale Speculation (OK so that isn't stronger...) and I waded into a beer with an expertly hand-drawn pumpclip. That being the Arbor and Brew Dog Pirate Badger Attack imperial brown coconut black IPA saison with unfined English hops grown underground. OK, maybe not all of that description is correct, but most of it is.
Our final jars were of Brooklyn Smash IPA, which was distinctly disappointing, and the rather excellent Muirhouse Mango IPA which was excellent. Only nonsense like having work the next day prevented us sinking a raft of these.
On Saturday we were in for a last couple of the night. Obviously that is only sort of what happened. On the bar were a couple of ales from the rather lovely Art Brew who seem to have a knack, starting with their delicious orange IPA, of consistently producing interesting beers. We both had pints of their Snerge Bergusson (my notes say cuddy summat but I saw this name on the board so it must be right...) which was a brown ale. It takes a damn good brewery to produce a brown ale that I want to drink (Brooklyn Brown being an example of a good brewery with a bad brown) and this 6% beauty was exactly what I was after.
Later we discovered there was a cloudy Art Brew ready-ish in the cellar, which Robin claimed was called Art Now, was 6.5% and was an IPA. So naturally we had pints of this before more of the excellent brown again. All in all, in consideration of a hard day featuring some fairly unpleasant news, this cosy riposte in the behind the bar snug with Miss N and Origami Tom and Dave for company, was exactly the tonic we needed. So relaxing was it in fact, that we left our bag hanging on the coat rack....
Sunday inevitably saw us return to locate said item. and having got back to town for 20.00 we wandered round in the icy cold to find a warm and welcoming pub with a Dave W and a space at the back of the bar where we could sit on bar stools like cool kids. There was also a coat rack boasting a plastic bag with gloves and a bottle of pink grapefruit juice and 2 get well cards in. Two pints of celebratory Art brew purchased, we set about admiring the till messages and trying not to distract young Robin form his important work.
We also tried a half of the Allgates Blue Tea Pale which may have been "an joke" but tasted, mainly, like Allgates, and we finished off with yet more excellent and tasty Art Brew, on account of it being fantastic. Evidence, if any were required, that Shakespeares is a needful haven and hideaway from crap when you most need it. Sniff....
Finally a quick mention of the Andrew Inns pub empire's latest addition the Three Tuns. Firstly, I have cunningly worked out their roadmap for domination. If your local has a bar on one level with the majority of the pumps on, then another bit of bar on another higher level with a couple of pumps on, expect it to be Andrewfied soon - coz Mr Stephens luuuurves that split level thang. Think about it - Closed Shop? Yup. Three Tuns? Yup. Rutland? Um... well, anyway, this only applies to new acquisitions obviously...
Beer wise there was a decent range as always including two fab beers from Welbeck Abbey Brewery. Miss N sampled a pint of the Portland Black and me a lovely hoppy pint of Cavendish, before we both had a pint of the Portland. The pub has a fascinating design and is very pleasing on the eye and now serves (although it has for a while) excellent real ales at reasonable for town prices. Well worth popping in for a look, unless you fancy a Sunday pint Since they don't open Sundays. Probably....
More news coming soon!
Wee beefy
alas, not a "cool" new uber expensive Greek or Spanish nano brewery with their own kooky yet modernist bar in a tourist host spot. Oh no. Instead, the above is my proposed name for a beer brewed at Shakespeares ale and cider house. Not that they have a brewery. Or presumably any intention of installing one. However regular visitors to the pub may well recognise the inspiration behind my continental sounding concoction...
Anyhoo, over the past week, despite commitments to family and fannying around in the Manchestershire, I have found time to pop into Shakespeares for a pint or two. First up was a late night at work last week. Having successfully clawed back some flexi I found myself stood outside in the cold with Miss N, tired and in need of urgent obviation. Luckily, there was a pub only a few minutes away that we could visit. How perfectly pleasant!
We were soon in Shakespeares and started with pints of Thwaites Phelan fine, a tasty hoppy stout from Thwaites ickle brewery what makes better beers. A very pleasant start to the evening, but we soon moved onto stronger stuff - Miss N choosing a pint of Abbeydale Speculation (OK so that isn't stronger...) and I waded into a beer with an expertly hand-drawn pumpclip. That being the Arbor and Brew Dog Pirate Badger Attack imperial brown coconut black IPA saison with unfined English hops grown underground. OK, maybe not all of that description is correct, but most of it is.
Our final jars were of Brooklyn Smash IPA, which was distinctly disappointing, and the rather excellent Muirhouse Mango IPA which was excellent. Only nonsense like having work the next day prevented us sinking a raft of these.
On Saturday we were in for a last couple of the night. Obviously that is only sort of what happened. On the bar were a couple of ales from the rather lovely Art Brew who seem to have a knack, starting with their delicious orange IPA, of consistently producing interesting beers. We both had pints of their Snerge Bergusson (my notes say cuddy summat but I saw this name on the board so it must be right...) which was a brown ale. It takes a damn good brewery to produce a brown ale that I want to drink (Brooklyn Brown being an example of a good brewery with a bad brown) and this 6% beauty was exactly what I was after.
Later we discovered there was a cloudy Art Brew ready-ish in the cellar, which Robin claimed was called Art Now, was 6.5% and was an IPA. So naturally we had pints of this before more of the excellent brown again. All in all, in consideration of a hard day featuring some fairly unpleasant news, this cosy riposte in the behind the bar snug with Miss N and Origami Tom and Dave for company, was exactly the tonic we needed. So relaxing was it in fact, that we left our bag hanging on the coat rack....
Sunday inevitably saw us return to locate said item. and having got back to town for 20.00 we wandered round in the icy cold to find a warm and welcoming pub with a Dave W and a space at the back of the bar where we could sit on bar stools like cool kids. There was also a coat rack boasting a plastic bag with gloves and a bottle of pink grapefruit juice and 2 get well cards in. Two pints of celebratory Art brew purchased, we set about admiring the till messages and trying not to distract young Robin form his important work.
We also tried a half of the Allgates Blue Tea Pale which may have been "an joke" but tasted, mainly, like Allgates, and we finished off with yet more excellent and tasty Art Brew, on account of it being fantastic. Evidence, if any were required, that Shakespeares is a needful haven and hideaway from crap when you most need it. Sniff....
Finally a quick mention of the Andrew Inns pub empire's latest addition the Three Tuns. Firstly, I have cunningly worked out their roadmap for domination. If your local has a bar on one level with the majority of the pumps on, then another bit of bar on another higher level with a couple of pumps on, expect it to be Andrewfied soon - coz Mr Stephens luuuurves that split level thang. Think about it - Closed Shop? Yup. Three Tuns? Yup. Rutland? Um... well, anyway, this only applies to new acquisitions obviously...
Beer wise there was a decent range as always including two fab beers from Welbeck Abbey Brewery. Miss N sampled a pint of the Portland Black and me a lovely hoppy pint of Cavendish, before we both had a pint of the Portland. The pub has a fascinating design and is very pleasing on the eye and now serves (although it has for a while) excellent real ales at reasonable for town prices. Well worth popping in for a look, unless you fancy a Sunday pint Since they don't open Sundays. Probably....
More news coming soon!
Wee beefy
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