Ar'tnoo
Its been a quiet weekend, this one. Granted, it hasn't finished, but I have delighted in planning to do precisely nothing except a bit of shopping, a soupçon of social media gubbins, uploading some pics and watching telly. No beer. No public transport. No problem.
Part of the reason for this sabbatical from excess is the effects of Friday night. An absolutely great demonstration of how to end the week on a high. It wasn't an orgiastic spasm of gulping ale however, just a great night out with a friend, accompanied by astonishingly good beer. A bit like this....
We met after work, myself and fledgling pale ale drinker Middlemarch, and headed through the throngs of directionless dawdling folk around the markets to get to the Rutland Arms. We had come for food. It was just after 5. There wasn't a table to be had. The specials board had taken a hammering already as well, but we decided to get beer first, and then worry about a lack of seating. I ordered a pint of Welbeck Abbey Portland Black for me, and a pint of a Greene King beer, the shock of which' appearance made me forget what it was called.
Interestingly, a browse around their website searching for the beer's name indicated that Hardy and Hansons Dark Mild is available only in keg, (probably old news) and also, shows the pump clip for the Bitter next to it! I know that by owning a sizable chunk of Britain's regional breweries poor old Greedy King have a job keeping track, but given that their own XX Mild is only referred to as "other great beers" its surprising just how little interest the brewery has its low strength darker beers. Shameful.
Anyhoo, whilst discussing setting up a tab new guy (sorry new guy) informed us there was a table upstairs. So with tumultuous excitement we headed to a large empty room. It felt like we'd be sent upstairs in disgrace, but as it got ever more rammed downstairs other people joined us.
The food was beef and ale pie for me, which came with tremendous buttery almost sweet pastry, and a chorizo burger for Middlemarch. Both were fantastic, and really hit the spot. I also had another pint of the excellent Portland Black, before we headed off, via not spotting members of the Uni real ale society, AKA stalkers#1....
The Sheffield Tap was our next port of call and although also busy it was possible to sit in the brewery room. Middlemarch has never been in and was suitably impressed, and we set about catching up and admiring the architecture, watching a random mentalist shout at a door, and supping excellent beer. I was on a pint of Marble Stout, she on a ladies drink. Now, before you rise in uproar, I am even handedly including three possibilities in that category - soft drink; spirit and mixer, or fruit beer. Not being a research night I neglected to note which.
Next up it all got a bit silly. Middlemarch had a can of Maui coconut porter, which I had a bit of, and I got a half of Magic Rock Bearded Lady. Because it's amazing. Much like the price of the Maui.... I finished on a pint of Oakham JHB because I wanted something easy to drink, and it was once again on fine form.
I had to bade fare well to Middlemarch at this point and headed up to town. I popped in the Church House to address a need and found it, erm, exclusive. It was 22.00 on a Friday night and I think there may have been less than 20 people in. Much worse was there was no Caledonian Double Dark - in a move that the barman shared my surprise at, there was some other Caledonian guest, even though the Double Dark had been popular. I had a half of the XPA Gold, and retired to an empty corner to sigh.
My penultimate stop was the Bath Hotel. Here I was very sensible - apparently, if you have halves, then no matter how many they number nor how strong the beer they contain, that's responsible drinking. Putting this theory to the test, during an enjoyable chat with Ed and some people who adopted me later on, I had halves of Saltaire Hazelnut Coffee Porter and New World Red, and Thornbridge Juvenia and Halcyon.
The Halcyon was terrific, in that it tasted how it should, the Juvenia wasn't hoppy enough to call it a hoppy porter, but that's a trifling complaint as it was very tasty. Meanwhile the New World Red was really enjoyable, and the Hazelnut Coffee Porter was really a chocolate porter with hazelnut in. But hey, you can't win them all.
My final stop was at DAda where, in a relaxed frame of mind, I opted to not have another beer, but instead a cool and refreshing beer cocktail, Jive Juice with Chiron being the obvious choice, thus allowing me to quickly and easily sup a refreshing beer, and to be noticed by stalkers#2, Dronfield CAMRA.
This lengthy tale may perhaps serve as an illustration of why I need a couple of days of rest. A more positive message though, is that it shows the value of a great friend, and having great pubs to drink great beer in with them. AKA a Friday night in Sheffield.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Welbeck Abbey Portland Black. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Welbeck Abbey Portland Black. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 February 2013
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Wee Beefy's July beer bites
Hello,
I realise its only early in the month but here is a summary of bits and bobs of info from the last few days.
Cricketers John Street
I start with a pub I have never visited before, because I was fairly determined to do so tonight. Alas, arriving at about 20.30 I found the Cricketers steadfastly closed. As you may know from Beer Matters, the pub is selling 3 or more real ales, all I think from Kelham Island brewery, and at decent prices.
A quick search on the tinterweb offers little but they used to close Tuesday so perhaps Wednesday is the new closing day. I note that in the past landlords came and went regularly so I really hope the pub hasn't fallen on hard times and closed again. I will try again Saturday dinner and see what happens.
Welbeck Abbey Brewery Portland Black.
I was given a bottle of this for my Birthday and finally succumbed to trying it on Tuesday. This was perhaps one of the easiest drinking beers I have ever tried in bottle, but with no less flavour for it - masses of roast coffee notes and a lovely burnt toffee aftertaste that made me crave more.
Tonight I popped in the Three Cranes for more ever reliable beer choices and since the Portland was still on opted for a pint of that, at £2.95 a pint. The Henrietta was also on, but the quality of the Portland renders pondering a waste of time, and I was very happy with my choice.
Rick also confirms that as suggested elsewhere, Blue Bee Lustin for Stout is a permanent replacement for Guinness. And, even better, that Light Blue will be on again soon - the first cask only lasted three hours, so get your skates on if you want to try it!
Shakespeares
It would be silly to live another few days and not find myself in the Shakespeare. Here I had a delicious pint of the Blue Bee Red White and Blue, a little cloudier than I prefer but still a refreshing brew with plenty of character. I also tried a half of the Raw MADD Golden Ale, brewed in aid of a charity the details of which have managed to escape me. This was the Shakes 600th guest ale since opening 11 months ago.
I finished with a half of the Bradfield Tramlines since I was determined to try it in more than one venue (and if its anything like the SheffieldBC one last year I'll be confronted with it endlessly...), and it was still desperately inoffensive, with a slight sweetness balancing some of the drier and more lumbering bitter flavours.
Rutland
I was in only briefly but to my delight spotted the Blue Bee Light Blue. Since I was only stopping for a half I only had that, but it was a very refreshing half, and a beer that had I been in earlier I'd have probably had more of.
Sheffield Tap
Into the Tap, tonight perhaps the warmest pub on earth. On the bar the less than salubrious promise of the Skinners had disappeared but in its place was empty handpumps and seven Thornbridge beers. I realise, as I remarked before, that Thornbridge and Pivni/Pivovar have a tie in, but really, all Thornbridge? Most disappointing.
I eschewed the reliable pleasure of the Beadecas well to try a half of the Craven Silk on cask and a half of St Peters Old Style Porter, sensibly priced at less than £4.00 a pint (I think), on keykeg.
The Craven was only marginally better than the Wye (also available), being more like a beer for its saving grace, but tasted of gherkins and eventually piccalilli, nothing like the elderflower proclaimed on the clip. The St Peters, a sweetish but hugely flavoured roast delight in bottle, was initially that, but the keg dispense nullified the sweetness to replace it with a weird caramel and bitter taste that jarred with the other malt flavours.
Mind you at least it was a sensible temperature - the Craven silk was warm. And, in an inspiring move, there was only one table to sit at outside, on the muggiest night of the year. One assumes,and indeed hopes, this is a temporary blip.
Overall a good few days of ale, let down by a bus driver style interpretation of grey weather being cold not hot, but rescued by gems like the Portland Black and the Blue Bee Light Blue.
Wee Beefy
I realise its only early in the month but here is a summary of bits and bobs of info from the last few days.
Cricketers John Street
I start with a pub I have never visited before, because I was fairly determined to do so tonight. Alas, arriving at about 20.30 I found the Cricketers steadfastly closed. As you may know from Beer Matters, the pub is selling 3 or more real ales, all I think from Kelham Island brewery, and at decent prices.
A quick search on the tinterweb offers little but they used to close Tuesday so perhaps Wednesday is the new closing day. I note that in the past landlords came and went regularly so I really hope the pub hasn't fallen on hard times and closed again. I will try again Saturday dinner and see what happens.
Welbeck Abbey Brewery Portland Black.
I was given a bottle of this for my Birthday and finally succumbed to trying it on Tuesday. This was perhaps one of the easiest drinking beers I have ever tried in bottle, but with no less flavour for it - masses of roast coffee notes and a lovely burnt toffee aftertaste that made me crave more.
Tonight I popped in the Three Cranes for more ever reliable beer choices and since the Portland was still on opted for a pint of that, at £2.95 a pint. The Henrietta was also on, but the quality of the Portland renders pondering a waste of time, and I was very happy with my choice.
Rick also confirms that as suggested elsewhere, Blue Bee Lustin for Stout is a permanent replacement for Guinness. And, even better, that Light Blue will be on again soon - the first cask only lasted three hours, so get your skates on if you want to try it!
Shakespeares
It would be silly to live another few days and not find myself in the Shakespeare. Here I had a delicious pint of the Blue Bee Red White and Blue, a little cloudier than I prefer but still a refreshing brew with plenty of character. I also tried a half of the Raw MADD Golden Ale, brewed in aid of a charity the details of which have managed to escape me. This was the Shakes 600th guest ale since opening 11 months ago.
I finished with a half of the Bradfield Tramlines since I was determined to try it in more than one venue (and if its anything like the SheffieldBC one last year I'll be confronted with it endlessly...), and it was still desperately inoffensive, with a slight sweetness balancing some of the drier and more lumbering bitter flavours.
Rutland
I was in only briefly but to my delight spotted the Blue Bee Light Blue. Since I was only stopping for a half I only had that, but it was a very refreshing half, and a beer that had I been in earlier I'd have probably had more of.
Sheffield Tap
Into the Tap, tonight perhaps the warmest pub on earth. On the bar the less than salubrious promise of the Skinners had disappeared but in its place was empty handpumps and seven Thornbridge beers. I realise, as I remarked before, that Thornbridge and Pivni/Pivovar have a tie in, but really, all Thornbridge? Most disappointing.
I eschewed the reliable pleasure of the Beadecas well to try a half of the Craven Silk on cask and a half of St Peters Old Style Porter, sensibly priced at less than £4.00 a pint (I think), on keykeg.
The Craven was only marginally better than the Wye (also available), being more like a beer for its saving grace, but tasted of gherkins and eventually piccalilli, nothing like the elderflower proclaimed on the clip. The St Peters, a sweetish but hugely flavoured roast delight in bottle, was initially that, but the keg dispense nullified the sweetness to replace it with a weird caramel and bitter taste that jarred with the other malt flavours.
Mind you at least it was a sensible temperature - the Craven silk was warm. And, in an inspiring move, there was only one table to sit at outside, on the muggiest night of the year. One assumes,and indeed hopes, this is a temporary blip.
Overall a good few days of ale, let down by a bus driver style interpretation of grey weather being cold not hot, but rescued by gems like the Portland Black and the Blue Bee Light Blue.
Wee Beefy
Saturday, 30 June 2012
Dangerously drinkable
Afternoon,
this is just a quick mention of a few pints I had last night, showing two contrasting beers, but both eminently drinkable, and excellent examples of their styles.
Not a Shakey Start
Starting at Shakespeares I was dallying with having a Raw Solstice pale, or having a reliable and slightly less expensive pint of Deception, until I noticed, to my delight, that Dark Star Saison was on. Having been my clear winner of the beer of the festival at Three Valleys (no mean feat in the face of some of the Raw, Buxton and Ashover offerings), I was chuffed to see it, and despite the cantankerous weather Gods serving up wind, hail and sunshine all at once it was still relatively warm, so Saison was the ideal choice.
To liven up the experience I should really have bought a bottle of Saison de Silly to compare - instead, putting my droughty gullet before hard research I just bought another half of the Saison and a typically Belgian delicacy, of a pork pie and some Beefy crisps. A tremendously Flemish approach to refreshment I'm sure you'll agree....
I had bought another half because I was conscious of the fact that the Saison would not linger long in my glass. I was right. Pint number one barely passed a five minute lifetime. More was required. So I had a further two pints of this nectar before moving on, once again leaving Shakespeares having had a memorable drinking experience. Full marks.
Cranes
Up next to the Cranes, as per Beer matters now leased by Rick and Luke and featuring Blue Bee as usual and more Vale. Initially I was stopping only for a half, and had the Welbeck Abbey Portland Black. A terrific super dark roasted malt tribute of a beer, that tasted far too fantastic to fanny about having only a half. So I had another.
The fact that I only stopped for one more half was down to a desire to get myself home like a good boy and cook tea instead of getting hammered, however had I not had so pious a calling I think I would have been in there for a good few more, such was the excellence of the Portland Black.
Am off out later and really really hope both beers are still on. And Rick tells me that they are going to try and stay open late on Friday and Saturday nights when, surprisingly, its actually quiet, so maybe I'll get the chance of another Portland Black at least.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
this is just a quick mention of a few pints I had last night, showing two contrasting beers, but both eminently drinkable, and excellent examples of their styles.
Not a Shakey Start
Starting at Shakespeares I was dallying with having a Raw Solstice pale, or having a reliable and slightly less expensive pint of Deception, until I noticed, to my delight, that Dark Star Saison was on. Having been my clear winner of the beer of the festival at Three Valleys (no mean feat in the face of some of the Raw, Buxton and Ashover offerings), I was chuffed to see it, and despite the cantankerous weather Gods serving up wind, hail and sunshine all at once it was still relatively warm, so Saison was the ideal choice.
To liven up the experience I should really have bought a bottle of Saison de Silly to compare - instead, putting my droughty gullet before hard research I just bought another half of the Saison and a typically Belgian delicacy, of a pork pie and some Beefy crisps. A tremendously Flemish approach to refreshment I'm sure you'll agree....
I had bought another half because I was conscious of the fact that the Saison would not linger long in my glass. I was right. Pint number one barely passed a five minute lifetime. More was required. So I had a further two pints of this nectar before moving on, once again leaving Shakespeares having had a memorable drinking experience. Full marks.
Cranes
Up next to the Cranes, as per Beer matters now leased by Rick and Luke and featuring Blue Bee as usual and more Vale. Initially I was stopping only for a half, and had the Welbeck Abbey Portland Black. A terrific super dark roasted malt tribute of a beer, that tasted far too fantastic to fanny about having only a half. So I had another.The fact that I only stopped for one more half was down to a desire to get myself home like a good boy and cook tea instead of getting hammered, however had I not had so pious a calling I think I would have been in there for a good few more, such was the excellence of the Portland Black.
Am off out later and really really hope both beers are still on. And Rick tells me that they are going to try and stay open late on Friday and Saturday nights when, surprisingly, its actually quiet, so maybe I'll get the chance of another Portland Black at least.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
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