Fir Vale to City Centre via West Street pub assessment

Hello,

I recently had time to kill after an appointment at the Northern General. I had been going out later anyway so had made no plans for getting home, although my original arrangement had been cancelled. It was a nice sunny day so I went for a walk, intending to catch up with the Corner Pin on Carlisle street and the East House.

The walk to the Pin took quite some time, I know the route onto Upwell Street and you can either head up and then down to the Pin past the Hallcar Tavern, or right down to the railway bridge and along which is what I did. Its worth pointing out that I didn't try all the pubs en route, mainly because I was heading to the two above and also beccause I wasn't hopeful of finding any real ale at the Sheffield Arms for example, although the Hallcarr sold a decent pint of Pedigree back in 2009.

Prior to reaching the Pin, I noted with dismay what a ball ache of a walk it was along desolate and dusty Carlisle Street, quite possibly the side effects from which were less halthy than the exercise. Luckily I was soon at the pub, admiring the promise of real ales on the board outside.

Alas, as the lady behind the bar explained, the handpumps are "for show " and their guest offering was Caffreys. I didn't question what had happened to the Ossett and Bradfield real ales from 2009, but in a state of dry mouthed exhaustion plumped for a half of magnet, which was invariably keg, but an acceptable enough drink.

I got chatting to two gents at the bar about pubs in the area and it was a friendly place to be, but it rankles that the sign is knowingly misleading, and that the change of ownership had resulted in the disappearance of real ale, when it was likely the only place in the area you could drink it.

So i trudged on, noting the apparrently still closed Royal Oak on a sideroad between two giant factories, and eschewing the temptation of visiting the Staffordshire, which would only be for old times sake and would not be selling anything I'd fancy drinking. I arrived at the East House to find an "under new management " sign on the door and inside, most of the artwok gone, a large speaker rig on one of the tables, and a noticable shift in the portion of the community who now owned it.

When I heard, with dismay, that the Kashmir across the road had closed, I wondered if the removal of the slow drip of irregular and one off visitors coming to buy beer and take it to the curry house, or even returning after for a pint, would affect the pub. The East House did seem to have a few regulars when I came in, usually a good mix of ages and cultures as well which is unusual for a traditional pub, but never seemed overly busy.

Now there were three handpumps still but only the Moonshine seemed to be on. The barman laboured for what seemd like 10 minutes to pull me a pint of slightly hazy moonshine, which tasted OK, but this may have had more to do with my thirst than anything else.

The barman left the pub after I had sat down and I listened in on the conversation between two guys sat at and parallell to the bar watching a rerun of the 2009 champions league final. One was from South Africa, the other Zambia, and they were earnestly discussing the changes in South Africa, as the screen flicked back to the modern day fixture about to be played. When I left, the guy at the bar asked if the beer was OK, which I confirmed was ok, and I quietly left to jump on a bus.

I don't know what the future holds for the East House as a traditional pub. Its not impossible to think that the real ale is on because of a recent change of ownership and one had been left in the cellar ready. Or perhpas there is still demand for pints to be taken to the Mangla up the road. I don't know the nationality of those running the pub or of course of its visitors, so I wouldn't try and guess how popular real ale is likely to be, but I can't be sure and am not confident that the Moonshine wiill have a place long term either. Since I have promised myself I wil try the Mangla, that will provide the opportunity to see how things develop beer wise.

Once in town I walked past the Three Cranes on Queen Street again, unfortunately there is still no sign of it opening, so I made my way to the Dog and Partridge. Here I got chatting to Bill and Stuart who, only afterwards I realised I recognised for the Bath Hotel. The irony is I had made certain I went to the Dog and was not going to let any perceived lack of customers or atmosphere deter me, but unlike last time they were now only selling Tetley. I opted for a half, and had a brief chat about the beer with the staff. This is another classic punch versus reality scenario regarding beer.

Not oly do Punch appear to be reluctant to let them choose which real ale they have as a guest, but they want to provide it instead of it coming from the brewery. This is a familiar scene from almost any pubco managed house, but this unjustifiable license to print money means Punch can charge £50.00 more than the cask should cost, which then has to be reflected in the price and met by the customers. Its situations like this which make the Governments slow stuttering amble towards reigning the pubco's in look incredibly negligent and ill thought through. Punch are quite simply bad for pubs, as are most other pubco's. Sort it out.

Next I popped into Trippets for a pint of Lord Marples and to take some pictures which I promise will appear on this post soon. One of the guests as well as the regulars, which includes the Red Lion which is almost certainley Thornbridge White Swan, was a Wentworth spring offering featuring summer fruits ( it may be spring fruits for practical reasons ). This ewasn't to my taste, but its nice to have a choice, and shows that along with the Kelham offerings theers usually a good range of styles and brewers available.

I should really have taken this opportunity to sit in the back with the high ceiling admiring the postsers and bottled beers, since I almost never seem to go in this part anymor. This is a a shame because on a sunny evening its a bright and cool place to relax, waiting for the stampede of suits which inevitably occurs after 18.00on weekdays.

From here I headed for the Wick At Both Ends, my original intended venue, and bumped into Namesake, who was somewhat incongrously drinking a vodka and coke. I opted for the Thornbridge beer, which on their website states Airtight, although i couldn't see this on the clip. They also had Sheffield brewing Co Tramlines, and, perhaps because it was now after 19.00, the beer was £2.90 a pint, not the £2.60 touted on the website. The WABE looks a tad different from when it was the Mailcoach and sold Tetleys and that empires various guests, and it no loinger seemed to have an area behind the bar where they used to have the DJ playing rock music on a Wednesday, or possibly Thursday night - my uncertainty stems from not having been in since about 1996. Insie now is comfy with plenty of seating and tables and some decent music playing.

I stopped for a pint and a catch up with Namesake but turned down the chance to try the food and went instead to the Red Deer. Here the beer range was much changed since it seemed now to include many more guests than regulars, alsa I can only remember my choice which was Castle Rock pale ale, which I washed my homemade fishcake and chips down with greatfully. I also bumped into the Bath drinkers again, now with companion James in their ranks, and suggested I may see them later on, depending on where my wander took me.

In the end I never reached the Bath but tried a few new or past places whilst I was out and about. Bar Lounge on West Street used to sell a good range of bottled beers although am unsure of its previous draught credentials, but I also noticed it had changed its name to Route 66. On entering, the music was good but there were not even any fonts tp be seen on the bar - I asked optimisticly about the range of bottled beers but only Sam Adams was even vaguely tempting, and when I politely declined to stop the barman said " we did away with all that draught tap stuff ". Whatever could he mean ?

I also looked in the Green Room to find empty handpumps yet again, although the lady behind the bar did confirm it may be back on in a couple of weeks. Further diwn Devonshire Street, I popped my head round the door of Bar Olive, but the handpump in the former Foresters pub has disappeared altogether.

So I headed for the good old Rutland, which had a good range of beer on, and, to its credit and my amazement, Hollow Hills by Bauhaus playing on the jukebox. My beer choice was Twist and Stout from Spire Brewery at an eye watering £3.10 a pint, which I supped slowly whilst listening to what else the jukebox had to offer, and smiling contently at the sign beseeching users not to play Meatloaf...

So, a mixed trip, with 1 confirmed real ale loss, a few maybes, a gain and some reliable stalwarts of the scene.

Wee Beefy.

Sheffield crawl and news

Hello,

news from the cradle of Chartism (this may well be incorrect, but hey, not everything on the Internet is factually accurate) and news of a memory lane pub crawl and a new pub for yours truly.

I had planned to travel over the Pennines to marvel at Manchester's magnificent unspoilt and beer replete hostelries, but instead overslept and felt grim, so a jaunt around the home turf was required

After catching up with a friend and grabbing food at Gusto Italiano, we initially headed for Trippets for a quiet pint, which is more or less possible if you grab a pew on the left as you enter. The Bradfield Farmers Stout was tasty as always but inexplicably cold so had to put it near the radiator for 10 minutes to get the proper flavour.

Alas this first post hangover pint put me out of sorts and my companion was coming down with the plague so she headed to the comfort of home and I weighed up my options. I had thought about a quick jaunt to Chesterfield but decided instead to visit a few Sheffield pubs for a change.

I walked onto Arundel Gate towards St Mary's Gate and headed down past The Scream through the back lanes to the Rutland. Here I had a slow supped and much enjoyed half of Blue Bee brewery Lustin For Stout at 4.8%. This gave me chance to take stock and begin a fruitless search for a copy of beer matters, since I fancied gracing a new (to me) venue on my journey.

Alas no magazine but I headed to the Sheffield Tap and had a half of Great Ridge Moonlight Shadow, a beer that usually comes in keg as far as I know, since its stronger stable mate was on the row of fonts further down. A strange taste, perhaps, assuming its American, reflective of the low gravity which you rarely find in U.S beers ( it may have been 3.4 or 3.5%). No beer matters mind...

I headed on diagonally to the Royal Standard on St Mary's Gate, easily reached from the station by following Leadmill Road. Chala did her cellarmanship course here many moons ago, and I know Davefromtshop supped his first Darleys here as well, but neither would likely recognise the style and type of pub now, even if the layout might not have changed - I was last in about 12 years ago!

The pub appears aimed at students and offers a discount card, pool is popular and they seem to attract a mix of students and locals. There was one real ale on, St Austell tribute, so at least I had something decent to sup, but mid afternoon is not the Standard's cue to sparkle, and sat on a neutral coloured modern leather sofa surrounded by dark shaded areas of block colour and modern furnishings, I felt out of place. The size of the room on the right means that all but a full pub makes it seem bare and unenticing so I lingered only briefly before heading on.

Walking between Bramall lane and Queens Road I joined the main road at the Earl of Arundel and Surrey ( though I note its shared name now, which I forget ) - another pub from the past, perhaps 12 years ago as well, once a Wards pub used to trial seasonal real ales form the Vaux range. i didn't tarry as it looked shut and , perhaps unfairly since I didn't try and visit, assumed no real ale would be sold.

Further up Chesterfield road I reached the White Lion, a pub I have more recently visited when there have been bands on, still retaining its interesting and in Sheffield fairly unusual surviving multiroom layout. It also still serves real ales - 3 or 4 regulars and a couple of guests, my choice being Saltaire Blonde which was fantastic.

Here I picked up a copy of said beer tome and sat down to see where I might venture next. The February edition is perhaps prone to December and January news as its the first of the year, so that might explain why my next stop didn't work out - the Crown further up the road was apparently selling real ale but the two bare handpumps in the back room attested otherwise and I couldn't really quiz the barman since he was asking what I'd like whilst he was on the phone.

From here I took a slightly odd detour to Nether Edge, and the Union, bypassing the Broadfield, not on a beer basis but assuming that now 18.00, it would be heaving and no place for a quiet solitary pint.

I found the Union despite not having visited for perhaps 13 years, and I have to say was pleasantly surprised. I had recalled that it was traditional in decor and layout, but seemed to have remembered the bar somewhere else ( probably erroneously) and offering nowt but Whitbread and Greedy king on the bar. Thankfully this time there was Landlord, Pedigree and an Abbeydale brew on amongst others, with 7 handpumps in use.

The Abbeydale was very drinkable, as was the reassuringly Burton smelling Pedigree, although I worry that this statement may hide a misconception - is it still brewed in Burton ? You'd hope so....

I enjoyed a couple of pints watching the pub fill up with regulars and enjoying listening to gentle banbter at the bar, before heading off via purchasing fuel to the Byron, another long lost acquaintance. Last time i had visited the barmaid was murdering a pint of Tanglefoor through a sparkler and even after I suggested she remove it must have pulled 3 pints for me to end up with one

Now the pub has a good ale selection, including Kelham Island Riders on the storm which I enjoyed nearly as much as the song, whilst sitting in the bar on the right.

My trip took a more boomerang route now as I returned to Chesterfield Road and up to the Sheaf View, packed to the rafters and offering only a smoking shelter table to sit at. I bumped into a friend and enjoyed several pints of Phoenix porter and even managed to find a seat near the bar before caving in and ordering a taxi home about 23.30.

Overall I had some excellent beer and mostly really enjoyed my revisits of former haunts.

One final word on a new pub for me, the Lescar. Everyone has probably heard of the above and many probably visited, but eating at Greedy Greek at Hunters bar on Saturday provided me a chance to try it at last. Very busy, which I had expected, the decor and range of drinks was a big surprise to me, including (perhaps a fleeting nod to Valentines night) subtle red lighting and candles and range of seating and old furniture. Better stil drinkers were well catered for what with Leffe and other continental classics on draught and regular regional real ales, plus on that night 2 Saltaire brewery beers including their Triple Chocolate stout. Best of all, was the fantastic Museum Brewing Co. White Shield, which despite its chewy, hoppy bite I demolished two of prior to eating.

Tomorrow am banished from my own home whilst Thangor the Mortherinlaw and wife take a sledgehammer to all we own, or tidying up as she calls it, so am off to the Blake and hopefully a couple of Crookes and Walkley pubs, before they knock anymore of the buggers down.

Wee Beefy.

News from sheffield and west yorkshire pubs

Hello,

    during the (literally and metaphorically ) foggy days of the Christmas break, I did manage to to visit a few pubs that i don't usually do, and some new ones, so here is a quick run down.

Between Christmas and new year me and Wee Keefy went out for a drive between Barnsley and Penistone, coming off the M1 at Darton. We were soon out into countryside heading for a very British experience, going for a drive and then a a walk in dense fog, and visiting a pub renowned for its views.

The Cherry Tree at High Hoyland has been in the GBG for a good few years now ( possibly not 2011 ) and is a traditional long stone building, which, i am assured, affords spectacular views to the visitor. Alas, the fog put paid to that idea, but I was feeling good about my choice when I saw a chalkboard sign outside advertising a husband creche. Inside is a long bar and 3 different areas, the end two being intended, I think for diners.

The beer was Black Sheep and something Greedy King based, and possibly another national. Much is made in the last 2 beer guides about the Eastwood and Sanders beers, which, from personal experience, i can confirm are excellent. There didn't look much chance of a guest beer though so opted for the Sheep, which was a well kept if uninspiring choice.

In keeping with the British theme, we were able to witness some archetypal British service when a customer rang requiring a table for 20 or so for that afternoon. The lady at the bar was very helpful and went to chck the bookings in what is a notoriously quiet period after Christmas, but the bloke at the bar, who i wished for the pub's sake was a customer but later it seemed more like he worked there, chuntered loudly about the potential customers lack of planning and called them wankers. When the lady returned it seemed that was not heard by the customer on the phone, but that is a miracle. The grumpy bloke carried on complaining after she had finished the conversation, which gave the bar person chance to say just how few customers they had of late, and to suggest that it was customers that helped him get paid. We left thinking that this wouldn't happen in other places in Europe, where thy appreciate the custom and sometimes the company of visits, and do not share our bizarre mind set of customers being an inconvenience that keeps us away from doing what we love.

Anyway, we headed on through the soup and into West Yorkshire and the village of Emley. The fog was so thick here that even when we found the White Horse you almost couldn't see it through the mists. Inside there were about 8 ales on the bar as you enter and a long room with a real fire and a large tastefully decorated Christmas tree, with another room off and one at the end.

We had the Ossett Christmas beer and a strong stout from Fernandes and another porter, which I think was from Ossett. Adding friendly and helpful staff and customers meant we would, with hindsight, have come straight here. A must return to pub I reckon.

Next we headed for Ingbirchworth and the reservoir, where we had our walk in the fog. The dense plumes on the frozen reservoir made an eerie and surprisingly photogenic subject and it was an enjoyable if brief couple of miles round and back to the car. From here we headed to Victoria - by accident, and the pub wasn't open anyway - before making our way to flouch and on to the Dog and Partridge at Hazelhead.

 Inside this very large roadside inn is a comparatively small old wooden bar, with 4 handpumps dispensing Barnsley bittier ( which I had ) a regional and a Robinsons guest - Wee Keefy had a hot drink since he was driving. There is also an enormous fireplace with a fire roaring away, although you probably have to queue to get a seat at the table nearest to it. For all its old world features there's no escaping that this is a food orientated pub, but it was a decent pint of Acorn nonetheless, and a nice change.
Sheffield

Back to Sheffield news, and in January I visited the Sportsman at Lodge moor, heading out to Redmires. I was meeting for a family meal, and this too is a pub that makes a lot of its money and attracts a lot of its patrons from food. The Sunday lunch comes highly recommended ( not stingy with the meat ) and there are two real ales, tetley and Landlord. I had a few pints of the landlord which was nice, but the price is steep - £3.20 a pint (if my maths is right) making it nearer to town prices.

The thing is though, the pub is always full when I have been in the last 4 times, and I'd rather have sensibly priced food with two albeit standard expensive real ales, than expensive food and nothing to sup.

My final news is of them what er in town. To my surprise, the other night All bar One was selling real ale with two somewhat overly modern handpumps in evidence, Black Sheep and Sharps Doom Bar being on offer, not sure of the price. This is supplemented with some excellent continental draught beers such as Rothaus wheat beer and Paulaner lager from Germany, and Sierra Nevada from the U.S, a fine strong hoppy pale ale ( which is orange in colour, but will let them off ) which packs in a huge amount of flavour. Granted its not everyones idea of a pub, and it can be pricey, but its still a positive development to see cask available.

Round on Trippets lane, the Trippets wine bar (above) is open as a pub, with predominantly Thornbridge and Kelham beers on, but all locally brewed. We go in fairly regularly, probably once a fortnight, and the picture above us from our anniversary drinks back in October last year.

Over the road, the Grapes, for decades a music pub with a strangely ultra traditional interior, has always had a Flynns sign on the side. It turns out the Flynns own the Grapes but leased it, as well as the Dog and Partridge. The Grapes now has a traditional carpeted interior and, alas, no pool table, but one piece of excellent news is that they have reopened the snug bar on the left. I admit that regulars of the Grapes who went for the music are likely to be bewildered and disappointed by what is quite a big change, but the bigger impact appears to be on the dog and partridge.

Visiting the other night was like stepping into an empty house, with almost nobody in, only Tetley on the bar ( I know it was never renowned for real ale but usually had some Abbeydale on, which has been retained at the Grapes ) and absolutely no atmosphere. Hopefully this won't see the decline of this great old building, with its fantastic and unusual back snug, and the small room on the left. I will certainly go to the dog and partridge again to see how it is going, but I can't overemphasise the change. So overall positive real ale news and some new pubs that i have tried. I will update again soon on South Derbyshire and elsewhere.

Wee Beefy.