Hello,
back in February I wrote about my experience of a bottle of Durham Temptation Stout, perhaps my favourite bottle conditioned beer, that I had tried, and found to be orf. This was an incredibly disappointing outcome for me, since I rated Durham and this beer so highly. As I said though, the only thing when you have a fall is to get back on the horse - so seeking suitable reward for my exhausting endeavours today, I decided to open another bottle.
Please4 accept my apologies for a lack of pics - my phone camera decided to refuse to recharge, and Chala has taken hers to bed with my pics on it!
Here's what I found :
Brewery : Durham, in Durham
Name : Temptation ( May 2007 vintage, BBE September 2012)
Strength : 10.0%
BCA/none BCA? : BCA.
Purchased : Archer Road Beer Stop Sheffield.
Colour : "Black! Black! (No Johnnyy...) All black! Like the procession of night that leads us into the valley of despair " (apologies to the Fast Show for borrowing this, here's a cursory link by way of recognition) . Anyhoo, also a thin, white-ish but gently fizzing layer of bubbles sits atop the dark chasm of drinkability.
Style win I say.
Carbonation/Pouring : Loud and reassuring fizz on opening - pours silky smooth with a lot of beer coming out before we hit the yeast.
Aroma : Alcohol! Plenty of it, its five years old and clearly not an old ladies drink. There's roast malt, molasses, tar and coffee fighting through in there as well.
Taste : There is an enormous initial mouthfeel of molasses, burnt toffee, massive alcohol, following to an incredible intense sweetish creamy malt finish, with a further bitter burnt aftertaste, which simply increases the desire for more. Even after that lingering wave of taste sensations has left there is still a hint of malt and maybe currants in alcohol? (am struggling for the drunken fruit here).
On the second taste you get more molasses and once again that initial burst of alcohol and warming roast and burnt malt, with that joyous creamy malted aftertaste, as the beer pushes you from creamy to bitter to burnt to toffee and back again over and over again with every swig.
I added the yeast to a small amount of the clear (as far as that's possible!) beer about 10 gulps in, because I noticed a very minor imbalance which I felt the addition of the bottling yeast might remedy. Straight away, the barely 50ml of sediment caused a massive head to form, with a striking yellow brown toffee colour, before receding back into the glass. The result is an even better beer - less burnt, more toffee notes, and and an even longer lingering creamy finish which makes the beer dangerously moreish (note, drinking 500ml of 10% beer is quite tiring, even if it is incredibly enjoyable!).
Head retention - its not really appreciably a head after a bit. The bubbles disperse after about 20 minutes leaving a luscious tar black sea of roasted creamy goodness with enough alcohol in it to confuse a rhino. .
WBrating : 9.0.
Sorry but this is beervana. Perhaps this score is skewed slightly by my disappointment last time but this is an amazingly well rounded tasty, vinous behemoth of a stout.
So, it seems that all is not lost. I have my faith partly restored, and I am happy about that.
I do have a 2010 and 2011 vintage in storage so five years from now I hope to be enjoying one of them, but in the meantime they'll have to wait (hopefully) with the Durham yeast doing its job and taking the coarse strands of the strong stout and melding them together into the ultimate beer, which if you'll forgive my somewhat muddle headed hyperbole, is precisely what the 2007 vintage is.
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 10 June 2012
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Shalesmoor and Kelham pub crawl
Evening,
this post in essence follows on from my Shakespeares beer festival post earlier, as that was the first place I went on my night out with Mr C. Here's the details of where we got to next, and a new pub opening...
Kelham Island Tavern
Here I had a very nice pint of porter from the new Blackjack brewery in Manchester, who have already won a prize for their ale at the Stockport beer festival last weekend. Despite detailed notes ("blackjack porter") I remember the pumpclip very well, with a white background and a circle of images, which caught my eye. I am looking forward to this being precisely nothing like the actual pumpclip, and instead being something I dreamt. If not dreamy perhaps, the porter was certainly a good beer, which we supped in the back room which was, understandably, a little quieter than normal.
Ship Inn
More pale beers for me (no dark on last two visits, humph!) whilst Mr C stuck to Carling I had a pint of the excellent Spire Diamond Jubilee ale. Being the only customers in having recklessly arrived at about 20.00, we got chatting to the barman, and before we knew it, round 2 was on the cards.
Enjoying the beer and some rather eclectic tunes on the haunted jukebox (we spent ages trying to work out what buzzword alerted the spiritual realm to our need to hear the jukebox, because it was certainly on a random setting!) it was soon time to have yet more beer. All in all we had three in the Ship, in what was one of the most enjoyable sessions I've had for ages. Come to think of it, its probably ages since I had an actual session on just one beer. Not that it was necessarily sessionable strength.
Caskington
Our final port of call was the excellent Wellington, where I had a pint of Stout, which may have been from a Manchester based brewery such as Boggart, or may not. All I know is it was a stout and it was jolly tasty. Mr C somehow managed to find a beer to drink given his lager fondness (it may even have been a bottle?) but this didn't impinge our enjoyment, and a fine finish to the evening was had, including a most excellent misremembering a persons name event, which I won. Sorry Mr S!
New pub opening soon....
To finish here's a smidgen of news from Chesterfield. Walking past the Cathedral towards the train station yesterday (report on my adventures coming soon) I noticed a sign proclaiming that Raw Brewery were opening a new pub selling real ales, food and something that my phone has decided is called puag. No, I have no idea what I was typing either, but the pub is the White Swan and its on St Mary's Gate in Chesterfield. Couldn't find any info on Raw's website and the pub is listed on the closed pubs website but no info on there either.
You'll just have to wait and see!
Wee Beefy
this post in essence follows on from my Shakespeares beer festival post earlier, as that was the first place I went on my night out with Mr C. Here's the details of where we got to next, and a new pub opening...
Kelham Island Tavern
Here I had a very nice pint of porter from the new Blackjack brewery in Manchester, who have already won a prize for their ale at the Stockport beer festival last weekend. Despite detailed notes ("blackjack porter") I remember the pumpclip very well, with a white background and a circle of images, which caught my eye. I am looking forward to this being precisely nothing like the actual pumpclip, and instead being something I dreamt. If not dreamy perhaps, the porter was certainly a good beer, which we supped in the back room which was, understandably, a little quieter than normal.
Ship Inn
More pale beers for me (no dark on last two visits, humph!) whilst Mr C stuck to Carling I had a pint of the excellent Spire Diamond Jubilee ale. Being the only customers in having recklessly arrived at about 20.00, we got chatting to the barman, and before we knew it, round 2 was on the cards.
Enjoying the beer and some rather eclectic tunes on the haunted jukebox (we spent ages trying to work out what buzzword alerted the spiritual realm to our need to hear the jukebox, because it was certainly on a random setting!) it was soon time to have yet more beer. All in all we had three in the Ship, in what was one of the most enjoyable sessions I've had for ages. Come to think of it, its probably ages since I had an actual session on just one beer. Not that it was necessarily sessionable strength.
Caskington
Our final port of call was the excellent Wellington, where I had a pint of Stout, which may have been from a Manchester based brewery such as Boggart, or may not. All I know is it was a stout and it was jolly tasty. Mr C somehow managed to find a beer to drink given his lager fondness (it may even have been a bottle?) but this didn't impinge our enjoyment, and a fine finish to the evening was had, including a most excellent misremembering a persons name event, which I won. Sorry Mr S!
New pub opening soon....
To finish here's a smidgen of news from Chesterfield. Walking past the Cathedral towards the train station yesterday (report on my adventures coming soon) I noticed a sign proclaiming that Raw Brewery were opening a new pub selling real ales, food and something that my phone has decided is called puag. No, I have no idea what I was typing either, but the pub is the White Swan and its on St Mary's Gate in Chesterfield. Couldn't find any info on Raw's website and the pub is listed on the closed pubs website but no info on there either.
You'll just have to wait and see!
Wee Beefy
Beer festival goodness at Shakespeares
Hello,
well, after two days of vigorous research I have now sobered up sufficiently to tell you about the Shakespeares 3rd (are you sure folks?!) real ale and cider festival which started on Thursday and runs until tomorrow.
Being a fest stalwart I was there Thursday evening, with my friend Mr C. We were in fact, the first people to sit upstairs in the concert room or Bards Bar as its more likely called. From a very good selection of ales I started with a pint of Steel City Parasite God, Spoof mild. This was a very interesting beer because firstly, it wasn't a mild by any stretch of the imagination, and secondly, its the first 2.7% beer I have tasted that I really enjoyed. Mores the shame it wasn't my round because I could have found out if it cost much less.
I bemoaned the lack of drinkable or useful sub 2.8% beers before and nothing has changed since, but here is one that actually tastes rather nice. Mind you, even knowing its a spoof, I still can't over emphasise just how un-mild it was! It was like any one of Steel City's excellent roster of 5-6% hoppy beers but with less alcohol. I'd have called it a modern luncheon ale.....
Next up I had an actual mild, half a Stringers Dark Country, and an excellent half of Arbor Ales Weissbeer. Mr C had bravely offered to try a real ale and he had a half of the Ascot Ales Aurole, and he liked the Weissbeer as well, but he is a staunch lager drinker at heart so went back to Becks for uor next round! The Weissbeer was a very good attempt and had that fruity Belgian quality that you find in Little Valley Hebden Wheat, which is far and away my favourite British wheat beer. The Stringers was a nice enough drink, but didn't really match up to the wheat.
Our final halves were of Ironbridge Citra, Botanist Q Gold and the excellent Yorkshire Heart Nightliner Stout. This was easily the best beer I tried at the festival, though the citra gave it a good run for its money. Alas we were only having a short visit as we were headed for the Kelham Tav, Ship and Wellycutler later.
There should still be plenty of beers on if you fancy it, like I say its on till Sunday - here are a few other Breweries who's beers are on the programme that I didn't try :
Attwood Ales
Black Hill
Brewshed
Cotswold Spring
Full Moon
Geltsdale
Liverpool Organic
Offbeat
Prospect
Llangorse
Quantum
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Wilson Potter
Blue Bee
Revolutions
Abbeydale
Summer Wine.
An impeccable selection, with bands on as well, and a range of ciders and Perrys including Millwhites, Orchard Pig and Pure North. All good!
Wee Beefy
well, after two days of vigorous research I have now sobered up sufficiently to tell you about the Shakespeares 3rd (are you sure folks?!) real ale and cider festival which started on Thursday and runs until tomorrow.
 |
| Alespeares |
Being a fest stalwart I was there Thursday evening, with my friend Mr C. We were in fact, the first people to sit upstairs in the concert room or Bards Bar as its more likely called. From a very good selection of ales I started with a pint of Steel City Parasite God, Spoof mild. This was a very interesting beer because firstly, it wasn't a mild by any stretch of the imagination, and secondly, its the first 2.7% beer I have tasted that I really enjoyed. Mores the shame it wasn't my round because I could have found out if it cost much less.
I bemoaned the lack of drinkable or useful sub 2.8% beers before and nothing has changed since, but here is one that actually tastes rather nice. Mind you, even knowing its a spoof, I still can't over emphasise just how un-mild it was! It was like any one of Steel City's excellent roster of 5-6% hoppy beers but with less alcohol. I'd have called it a modern luncheon ale.....
Next up I had an actual mild, half a Stringers Dark Country, and an excellent half of Arbor Ales Weissbeer. Mr C had bravely offered to try a real ale and he had a half of the Ascot Ales Aurole, and he liked the Weissbeer as well, but he is a staunch lager drinker at heart so went back to Becks for uor next round! The Weissbeer was a very good attempt and had that fruity Belgian quality that you find in Little Valley Hebden Wheat, which is far and away my favourite British wheat beer. The Stringers was a nice enough drink, but didn't really match up to the wheat.
Our final halves were of Ironbridge Citra, Botanist Q Gold and the excellent Yorkshire Heart Nightliner Stout. This was easily the best beer I tried at the festival, though the citra gave it a good run for its money. Alas we were only having a short visit as we were headed for the Kelham Tav, Ship and Wellycutler later.
There should still be plenty of beers on if you fancy it, like I say its on till Sunday - here are a few other Breweries who's beers are on the programme that I didn't try :
Attwood Ales
Black Hill
Brewshed
Cotswold Spring
Full Moon
Geltsdale
Liverpool Organic
Offbeat
Prospect
Llangorse
Quantum
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Wilson Potter
Blue Bee
Revolutions
Abbeydale
Summer Wine.
An impeccable selection, with bands on as well, and a range of ciders and Perrys including Millwhites, Orchard Pig and Pure North. All good!
Wee Beefy
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Another day, another celebration
Evenin
well its not quite as dishearteningly familiar as the title may imply, but after a 5th day of Jubilee fever I am craving a more temperate physiology. Today, despite my grand plans for travelling afar and sampling delights from Derbyshire, we have been out on a nearer to home pilgrimage to the Jubilee festivities here in Sheffield.
Except, its noticable that apart from pubs making an effort, and a free music event in Western Park, absolutely nothing civic was going on at all. Not even a flag, not bunting, not a union jack painted or hoisted or even showing in any municipal space or capacity across the whole of the centre. Excuse my text parlance here, but WTF?
Those who know me well know I am not a monarchist. Never have been, never intend to jump onto the hereditary privilege boat and never cared a jot about how the Royals might continue to stamp or smear their marks on society. However, this is the diamond Jubilee. I assure you this isn't likely to happen again (and I mean any 60th year of reign, obviously not W-Liz, as the kids probably call her) in our lifetimes. So irrespective of your views, you'd surely want to have something to declare that you did on the weekend of the Jubilee? If you are pro monarchy you'd surely want something to attend, if you are anti Royal, surely your protest by absence needs an event or happening to be absent from?
Who knows what the council's reasoning is, maybe our Chartist past in Sheffield means we are eternally dissident (I realise that dissident is usually political not monarchical opposition), or maybe our socialist republic past confirms us universally anti inherited rule and suspectly acquired wealth so we have to abstain from all celebration? Either way, its a shame that the only people making an effort are individuals and pubs.
Forum
Still, that means I could shoehorn a trip to a pub or three into the legitimate celebrations of the last day of the Jubilee Holiday. We started by taking a trip to Western Park, and having a look around the museum and the free music event, then walked towards town. A required loo stop meant a trip to the Forum (please note, we don't have to go to the Forum everytime we need to visit the lavatory. That would be silly).
Here there were two True North brewery real ales on, First Summer (I think, not tried) and First Porter, which was a really very nice drink. I had a pint of that, Chala a Peroni, then we stopped for dinner, with which I had a pint of refreshing Franziskaner wheat. There was flags and other red white and blue theming on beams inside but it was understated. Probably looked better for it.
Fat Cat
After getting to town I pointed out to Chala that we needed a further walk after dinner and sold her on the idea of a vintage red bus ride from the Cat. We walked down past Bower Spring furnace remains and arrived at a busless pub. We enquired about there being another trip (based on a lack of info on their website) and were told it would return soon and would probably go out again.
The bus duly arrived and we went to chat to the driver and found out it would be a bit before our tour began, so I had another half, this time the Derby Brewing Co Diamond Jubilee (unless they wrote it on the board wrong, that wins a prize for the most unimaginative Jubilee beer name) which was a pleasant enough drink.
Eventually departure time arrived and we set off on a half hour tour of the city, which, if nothing else, starkly highlighted the astounding lack of any outward recognition that it was an important day. Thank God when we returned to the Fat Cat there was a nice line in mini flags strung up and a barbecue, where we filled up on beer soaking snacks. Well done to the Cat for putting on a celebration.
Shakespeares
Our last point of call, and with rather a lot less celebratory paraphanalia than the Cat, was Shakespeares, although they did have a Jubilee beer or two on. Here I had an excellent pint of the Arbor Brigstow Bitter at 4.3% and £2.60 a pint, and Chala had a half of the Fernandes Jackdaw mild, a jet black slightly strong mild at 5.0%. I also had time for a quick half of the Cotswold Spring Ambler, which was a pleasant malty bitter but paled in comparison to the dry fruity bitterness of the Arbor.
Just a reminder by the way that the Shakespeares beer festival starts Thursday, and a quick neb at the brewery list (posted on the wall and door) shows ales from Locale breweries including two new from Blue Bee and Steel City, along with the likes of Ironbridge, Revelations, Tynebank, Llangorse, Black Hill, Arbor and many others that I didn't write down (pushed for time, sorry, indeed these are all remembered, i.e mostly, but not entirely factual!).
Make sure you go along for a pint or 6.
So, that concludes my details of a rather unusual Jubilee weekend celebration for myself, with not as many pubs as I would have preferred, but plenty of beer and celebrations to help me along.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
well its not quite as dishearteningly familiar as the title may imply, but after a 5th day of Jubilee fever I am craving a more temperate physiology. Today, despite my grand plans for travelling afar and sampling delights from Derbyshire, we have been out on a nearer to home pilgrimage to the Jubilee festivities here in Sheffield.
Except, its noticable that apart from pubs making an effort, and a free music event in Western Park, absolutely nothing civic was going on at all. Not even a flag, not bunting, not a union jack painted or hoisted or even showing in any municipal space or capacity across the whole of the centre. Excuse my text parlance here, but WTF?
Those who know me well know I am not a monarchist. Never have been, never intend to jump onto the hereditary privilege boat and never cared a jot about how the Royals might continue to stamp or smear their marks on society. However, this is the diamond Jubilee. I assure you this isn't likely to happen again (and I mean any 60th year of reign, obviously not W-Liz, as the kids probably call her) in our lifetimes. So irrespective of your views, you'd surely want to have something to declare that you did on the weekend of the Jubilee? If you are pro monarchy you'd surely want something to attend, if you are anti Royal, surely your protest by absence needs an event or happening to be absent from?
Who knows what the council's reasoning is, maybe our Chartist past in Sheffield means we are eternally dissident (I realise that dissident is usually political not monarchical opposition), or maybe our socialist republic past confirms us universally anti inherited rule and suspectly acquired wealth so we have to abstain from all celebration? Either way, its a shame that the only people making an effort are individuals and pubs.
Forum
Still, that means I could shoehorn a trip to a pub or three into the legitimate celebrations of the last day of the Jubilee Holiday. We started by taking a trip to Western Park, and having a look around the museum and the free music event, then walked towards town. A required loo stop meant a trip to the Forum (please note, we don't have to go to the Forum everytime we need to visit the lavatory. That would be silly).
Here there were two True North brewery real ales on, First Summer (I think, not tried) and First Porter, which was a really very nice drink. I had a pint of that, Chala a Peroni, then we stopped for dinner, with which I had a pint of refreshing Franziskaner wheat. There was flags and other red white and blue theming on beams inside but it was understated. Probably looked better for it.
Fat Cat
After getting to town I pointed out to Chala that we needed a further walk after dinner and sold her on the idea of a vintage red bus ride from the Cat. We walked down past Bower Spring furnace remains and arrived at a busless pub. We enquired about there being another trip (based on a lack of info on their website) and were told it would return soon and would probably go out again.
Whilst we waited I had two halves, the Spire Queen of Diamonds, a fruity and refreshing ale, and a half of the excellent Salamander Black Eyed Boy stout, whilst Chala had a half of Erdinger Dunkel.
Eventually departure time arrived and we set off on a half hour tour of the city, which, if nothing else, starkly highlighted the astounding lack of any outward recognition that it was an important day. Thank God when we returned to the Fat Cat there was a nice line in mini flags strung up and a barbecue, where we filled up on beer soaking snacks. Well done to the Cat for putting on a celebration.
Shakespeares
Our last point of call, and with rather a lot less celebratory paraphanalia than the Cat, was Shakespeares, although they did have a Jubilee beer or two on. Here I had an excellent pint of the Arbor Brigstow Bitter at 4.3% and £2.60 a pint, and Chala had a half of the Fernandes Jackdaw mild, a jet black slightly strong mild at 5.0%. I also had time for a quick half of the Cotswold Spring Ambler, which was a pleasant malty bitter but paled in comparison to the dry fruity bitterness of the Arbor.
Just a reminder by the way that the Shakespeares beer festival starts Thursday, and a quick neb at the brewery list (posted on the wall and door) shows ales from Locale breweries including two new from Blue Bee and Steel City, along with the likes of Ironbridge, Revelations, Tynebank, Llangorse, Black Hill, Arbor and many others that I didn't write down (pushed for time, sorry, indeed these are all remembered, i.e mostly, but not entirely factual!).
Make sure you go along for a pint or 6.
So, that concludes my details of a rather unusual Jubilee weekend celebration for myself, with not as many pubs as I would have preferred, but plenty of beer and celebrations to help me along.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Apiarists favourite wins beer accolade
Now then!
just a quick update about a bit of good news for the Sheffield brewing scene, and more celebratory goings on.
Blue Bee Brewery
have won Gold at the Stockport Beer and Cider Festival for their Nectar Pale Ale. This is a great bit of news for the brewery, possibly their first award (please don't take my word for this particular fact, I recall summat in Chesterfield last year maybe?) and is great recognition for a brewery that's only been brewing for about 18 months or so.
You can find them on Twitter here if you want to wish them well, or their website can be found here . I am hoping they will heed my entirely serious request to brew a smoked marzen next, a feat which, speaking as someone with absolutely no brewing experience whatsoever, I would expect to be a cinch....
Fat Cat hire a massive automobile
Not the whole story, since mercifully its not a monster truck (although, would that necessarily be a bad thing?) and importantly its a red bus hired for the Jubilee celebrations which is taking people on a tour of the Kelham Island area throughout the Jubilee weekend, until tomorrow evening. Well worth a trip I'd suggest, along with a pie and a pint in the Fat Cat. Thanks to the Postcode Gazette for this info.
Please also note they are not open until 18.00 on Friday 8th of June for the funeral of Dave Wickett.
Some festivals still on....
Don't miss the Tramway at 192 Chatsworth Road Chesterfield, The Commercial Chapeltown, The Organ Grinder Canning Circus Nottingham, The Lescar Sheffield, and MoCa bar in Matlock. Apologies if I missed any pubs off, am sure any pub hosting a festival for the jubilee will still be selling beers so keep an eye out!
That's all the gen for now, thanks.
Wee Beefy
just a quick update about a bit of good news for the Sheffield brewing scene, and more celebratory goings on.
Blue Bee Brewery
have won Gold at the Stockport Beer and Cider Festival for their Nectar Pale Ale. This is a great bit of news for the brewery, possibly their first award (please don't take my word for this particular fact, I recall summat in Chesterfield last year maybe?) and is great recognition for a brewery that's only been brewing for about 18 months or so.
You can find them on Twitter here if you want to wish them well, or their website can be found here . I am hoping they will heed my entirely serious request to brew a smoked marzen next, a feat which, speaking as someone with absolutely no brewing experience whatsoever, I would expect to be a cinch....
Fat Cat hire a massive automobile
Not the whole story, since mercifully its not a monster truck (although, would that necessarily be a bad thing?) and importantly its a red bus hired for the Jubilee celebrations which is taking people on a tour of the Kelham Island area throughout the Jubilee weekend, until tomorrow evening. Well worth a trip I'd suggest, along with a pie and a pint in the Fat Cat. Thanks to the Postcode Gazette for this info.
Please also note they are not open until 18.00 on Friday 8th of June for the funeral of Dave Wickett.
Some festivals still on....
Don't miss the Tramway at 192 Chatsworth Road Chesterfield, The Commercial Chapeltown, The Organ Grinder Canning Circus Nottingham, The Lescar Sheffield, and MoCa bar in Matlock. Apologies if I missed any pubs off, am sure any pub hosting a festival for the jubilee will still be selling beers so keep an eye out!
That's all the gen for now, thanks.
Wee Beefy
Monday, 4 June 2012
A short Sheffield pub crawl
Hello,
what with the unbridled excitement of beer festivals of late I have neglected to tell you about some of the Sheffield pubs that sell a decent pint of real ale at all times, irrespective of commemorative events. Thursday was payday, thank goodness, so me and Mr P went out for a jar or two to celebrate.
Cranes
We started in the Three Cranes, neither of us had been in for a while so it was decided this would make a nice change. It was a Sheffield ale extravaganza on the bar, with Blue Bee and Abbeydale providing all the beers that were on. We both went for pints of the Blue Bee Nectar Pale, and due to a mix up behind the bar, ended up with a large taster of Abbeydale Daily Bread as well, which was much darker than I recalled but very nice all the same.
The Nectar may not have been selling too fast since my first out pint was a little sharp, but soon mellowed, if that's not contradictory for a zesty hoppy beer, into a fine pale ale. We then went for a half and a pint of the Blue Bee Lustin for Stout. This was the stand out beer of the night, brilliantly balancing the bitter roast malt with a satisfying creamy malt finish. I am told that the Cranes have removed Guinness and put the Lustin for Stout on in its place - whether this is mere conjecture or not, it was in fine form, so they are obviously selling plenty of it.
Shakespeares
Next we headed down past the old Moseleys Arms and across the ring road to Shakespeares. Here there was a surprising lack of beers that tempted me, which doesn't happen very often. I dallied with the idea of a half of the Ossett Mild but went instead for a more standard strength bitter from a brewery I wasn't expecting to enjoy the wares of. Great then that my notes have gone for a wander and I can't recall what it was! Shamefully lackadaisical of me...
Bath
After these Mr P headed off home and I hot footed it to West Street and off down to the Bath Hotel, where I bumped into Ken from Harrisons.
In here they had the excellent Oakham Citra on, not as weak as other Citra offerings but still a really excellent 4.0% beer, hoppy, but more citrus hop than dry hop, and with that noticeable Oakham signature background malt. Or, as it may be, yeast. Have yet to understand the way that would show in the beer's flavour, but will let you know when I do.
Harrisons 1854
My final resting place was the 1854 where it was Farmers Blonde all the way. Fellow project member JW turned up and we had an impromptu and not desperately sober convening of the project team, accompanied by rather a large amount of refreshments as it happens. This was a great way to end my night out, celebrating the glory that is payday.
And further still in the past....
What with wretched finances I haven't been out that often in the last week of May, and my disappearing Internet meant I forgot to update you on the Rutland.
Me and Chala were in a Wednesday or two ago supping excellent Blue Bee Bees Knees bitter (the darkest bitter ever?) with the lovely brewing team, and along with Chala enjoying the Freedom Organic lager I was ploughing my way through a number of excellent pints of Stroud Brewery Budding.
This is only the second beer I have tasted from this brewery, noticeable on the bar for its excellent traditional pumpclip designs, and both have been delicious. As it was this was in fact a trifle hazy but it didn't mean that it tasted any worse for it. It was a fantastic malty beer (but there were some hops) which had me rushing back to the bar for more.
Sheffield Tap
My final update is on the Tap, where I went after the Commercial beer festival in Chapeltown on Friday (and (its on) today and tomorrow don't forget!). From a goodly range with plenty of Phoenix I think, I went for a half of the Marble Mild, and a pint of the Cromarty Brewing Co Red Hop Rye Ale.
Unusually for me I actually wrote some notes on my phone - since this is time consuming and fiddly it must have been a really good or bad ale to warrant such an action. As it was, it was a negative review, but not as bad as I have suggested above. Essentially, I thought the Red Hop Rye was too dry and one dimensional, and almost every mouthful tasted of sage or rosemary - not good ingredients in a beer, nor good bedfellows for hops. The burnt toffee notes and dry bitterness that you get in red ales were there, but they clashed with the weird herbal notes.
The drinking experience was alas made all the more disappointing by the decision by the staff to start using what must have been a gallon of bleach before last orders, meaning that sat in the panelled room at the back I soon started to smell nothing but. The smell was so overpowering that I had to go and sit back in the busy bar. Here the more ascorbic and jarring flavours of the beer lessened slightly, but I still enjoyed my Marble Mild far more.
A slightly disappointing end to a great night, which better bleach management could have avoided...
That's all for now, I have a craving for some dinner (alas not getting out and about on the bank holiday, disgraceful!) so must leave you. More news and views coming soon.
Wee Beefy
what with the unbridled excitement of beer festivals of late I have neglected to tell you about some of the Sheffield pubs that sell a decent pint of real ale at all times, irrespective of commemorative events. Thursday was payday, thank goodness, so me and Mr P went out for a jar or two to celebrate.
Cranes
We started in the Three Cranes, neither of us had been in for a while so it was decided this would make a nice change. It was a Sheffield ale extravaganza on the bar, with Blue Bee and Abbeydale providing all the beers that were on. We both went for pints of the Blue Bee Nectar Pale, and due to a mix up behind the bar, ended up with a large taster of Abbeydale Daily Bread as well, which was much darker than I recalled but very nice all the same.
The Nectar may not have been selling too fast since my first out pint was a little sharp, but soon mellowed, if that's not contradictory for a zesty hoppy beer, into a fine pale ale. We then went for a half and a pint of the Blue Bee Lustin for Stout. This was the stand out beer of the night, brilliantly balancing the bitter roast malt with a satisfying creamy malt finish. I am told that the Cranes have removed Guinness and put the Lustin for Stout on in its place - whether this is mere conjecture or not, it was in fine form, so they are obviously selling plenty of it.
Shakespeares
Next we headed down past the old Moseleys Arms and across the ring road to Shakespeares. Here there was a surprising lack of beers that tempted me, which doesn't happen very often. I dallied with the idea of a half of the Ossett Mild but went instead for a more standard strength bitter from a brewery I wasn't expecting to enjoy the wares of. Great then that my notes have gone for a wander and I can't recall what it was! Shamefully lackadaisical of me...
Bath
After these Mr P headed off home and I hot footed it to West Street and off down to the Bath Hotel, where I bumped into Ken from Harrisons.
In here they had the excellent Oakham Citra on, not as weak as other Citra offerings but still a really excellent 4.0% beer, hoppy, but more citrus hop than dry hop, and with that noticeable Oakham signature background malt. Or, as it may be, yeast. Have yet to understand the way that would show in the beer's flavour, but will let you know when I do.
Harrisons 1854
My final resting place was the 1854 where it was Farmers Blonde all the way. Fellow project member JW turned up and we had an impromptu and not desperately sober convening of the project team, accompanied by rather a large amount of refreshments as it happens. This was a great way to end my night out, celebrating the glory that is payday.
And further still in the past....
What with wretched finances I haven't been out that often in the last week of May, and my disappearing Internet meant I forgot to update you on the Rutland.
Me and Chala were in a Wednesday or two ago supping excellent Blue Bee Bees Knees bitter (the darkest bitter ever?) with the lovely brewing team, and along with Chala enjoying the Freedom Organic lager I was ploughing my way through a number of excellent pints of Stroud Brewery Budding.
This is only the second beer I have tasted from this brewery, noticeable on the bar for its excellent traditional pumpclip designs, and both have been delicious. As it was this was in fact a trifle hazy but it didn't mean that it tasted any worse for it. It was a fantastic malty beer (but there were some hops) which had me rushing back to the bar for more.
Sheffield Tap
My final update is on the Tap, where I went after the Commercial beer festival in Chapeltown on Friday (and (its on) today and tomorrow don't forget!). From a goodly range with plenty of Phoenix I think, I went for a half of the Marble Mild, and a pint of the Cromarty Brewing Co Red Hop Rye Ale.
Unusually for me I actually wrote some notes on my phone - since this is time consuming and fiddly it must have been a really good or bad ale to warrant such an action. As it was, it was a negative review, but not as bad as I have suggested above. Essentially, I thought the Red Hop Rye was too dry and one dimensional, and almost every mouthful tasted of sage or rosemary - not good ingredients in a beer, nor good bedfellows for hops. The burnt toffee notes and dry bitterness that you get in red ales were there, but they clashed with the weird herbal notes.
The drinking experience was alas made all the more disappointing by the decision by the staff to start using what must have been a gallon of bleach before last orders, meaning that sat in the panelled room at the back I soon started to smell nothing but. The smell was so overpowering that I had to go and sit back in the busy bar. Here the more ascorbic and jarring flavours of the beer lessened slightly, but I still enjoyed my Marble Mild far more.
A slightly disappointing end to a great night, which better bleach management could have avoided...
That's all for now, I have a craving for some dinner (alas not getting out and about on the bank holiday, disgraceful!) so must leave you. More news and views coming soon.
Wee Beefy
Sunday, 3 June 2012
Jubilee pubs
Hello,
the Diamond Jubilee has meant bunting and flags on pubs, plus festivals and other events in pubs this weekend. Its interesting because with the unfortunate associations that people make between patriotism and bigotry, more so with the Ingurrlish flag of the Israeli Saint George, the site of bunting and Union Jacks can sometimes be a bit off putting.
Add to this the rather vexatious issue of sovereignty and the monarchy and you have quite a few weighty issues attached to the way pubs are done out during the jubilee, but personally, irrespective of my feelings about Royalty, Jubilee flags on pubs means only one thing to me - the Vine Inn, Tunstall, Stoke On Trent.
Back in 2002 Wee Fatha was collecting firkins of real ale for Del at the Hillsborough Hotel. I was accompanying him on a jaunt round Cheshire picking up some Weetwood ales or similar, and I twisted his arm to drive us to the pub in Tunstall. I didn't have Internet at home or at work back then so information was very limited, and a good part of the visit comprised of trying to find the place. Once there it was quickly apparent why I'd wanted to go, and the effort had been worth it.
With only the address to go on, we stopped somewhere near Pitts Hill to ask directions, got some to Pitts Hill, and then stopped on Pitts Hill itself to find someone who knew where Naylor Street was. Luckily they did, because its off a little side street, and you can't see the pub from the road. We inched up the street in the van and pulled up just past the tiny back street gem which is the Vine, resplendent in flags and bunting for the Silver Jubilee.
I had rang earlier in the week and had one of those conversations that you only seem to have with the owners of redoubtable old boozers. Having taken a few goes to ascertain that it was the pub, I then enquired if it would be open at the time we would be in Tunstall. "Why do you want to know" came the puzzled response. I explained that the pub was on the National Inventory and I wanted to visit but needed to know ir would be open. Further questions followed about where I was coming from, and who I worked for, before I stated that in fact, I was a customer. Silence followed, then reiteration of opening times, and the lengthy process was finished.
Arriving at the pub it was busy and we just managed to grab a seat in the tiny bar room on the right. The interior of the pub is its draw, and it still retains three separate rooms. A long corridor led to the private kitchen, where I understand, one of the old ladies who owned the pub were sat. Down the corridor on the left was the games room, with a hatch for service opposite. On the left as you entered was the lounge.
This was the most unspoilt room in the pub. The lounge really was just that. Tables with tablecloths and mats, net curtains, period furnishings and a lot of older ladies sat nursing delicate drams of the spirit bars finest. Its a phrase you hear a lot about unspoilt pubs, that its like walking into someones house, but this room really was. It wouldn't have looked out of place if someone had brought in a pot of tea, popped on the radio and opened a pack of biscuits.
Back in the bar there was no real ale (still is) but there was keg Double Diamond on the bar, a novelty if not entirely enjoyable beer if nothing else. Unfortunately, our stay was short, as we had to get the beer back to Hillsborough, and this coupled with how busy the pub was prevented me from taking any photo's whilst I was there. I did get one or two when I visited in 2009 though.
The Vine is an amazing example of an unchanged back street pub, and I highly recommend a visit - bunting or no bunting. And no matter whether I get to go again or not, I'll still remember how it looked decked out red white and blue in 2002.
There is a link to the CAMRA heritage pubs website page for the pub here . The photo's are far better.....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
the Diamond Jubilee has meant bunting and flags on pubs, plus festivals and other events in pubs this weekend. Its interesting because with the unfortunate associations that people make between patriotism and bigotry, more so with the Ingurrlish flag of the Israeli Saint George, the site of bunting and Union Jacks can sometimes be a bit off putting.
Add to this the rather vexatious issue of sovereignty and the monarchy and you have quite a few weighty issues attached to the way pubs are done out during the jubilee, but personally, irrespective of my feelings about Royalty, Jubilee flags on pubs means only one thing to me - the Vine Inn, Tunstall, Stoke On Trent.
Back in 2002 Wee Fatha was collecting firkins of real ale for Del at the Hillsborough Hotel. I was accompanying him on a jaunt round Cheshire picking up some Weetwood ales or similar, and I twisted his arm to drive us to the pub in Tunstall. I didn't have Internet at home or at work back then so information was very limited, and a good part of the visit comprised of trying to find the place. Once there it was quickly apparent why I'd wanted to go, and the effort had been worth it.
With only the address to go on, we stopped somewhere near Pitts Hill to ask directions, got some to Pitts Hill, and then stopped on Pitts Hill itself to find someone who knew where Naylor Street was. Luckily they did, because its off a little side street, and you can't see the pub from the road. We inched up the street in the van and pulled up just past the tiny back street gem which is the Vine, resplendent in flags and bunting for the Silver Jubilee.
I had rang earlier in the week and had one of those conversations that you only seem to have with the owners of redoubtable old boozers. Having taken a few goes to ascertain that it was the pub, I then enquired if it would be open at the time we would be in Tunstall. "Why do you want to know" came the puzzled response. I explained that the pub was on the National Inventory and I wanted to visit but needed to know ir would be open. Further questions followed about where I was coming from, and who I worked for, before I stated that in fact, I was a customer. Silence followed, then reiteration of opening times, and the lengthy process was finished.
Arriving at the pub it was busy and we just managed to grab a seat in the tiny bar room on the right. The interior of the pub is its draw, and it still retains three separate rooms. A long corridor led to the private kitchen, where I understand, one of the old ladies who owned the pub were sat. Down the corridor on the left was the games room, with a hatch for service opposite. On the left as you entered was the lounge.
 |
| A not very good picture of the hatch and corridor. |
This was the most unspoilt room in the pub. The lounge really was just that. Tables with tablecloths and mats, net curtains, period furnishings and a lot of older ladies sat nursing delicate drams of the spirit bars finest. Its a phrase you hear a lot about unspoilt pubs, that its like walking into someones house, but this room really was. It wouldn't have looked out of place if someone had brought in a pot of tea, popped on the radio and opened a pack of biscuits.
Back in the bar there was no real ale (still is) but there was keg Double Diamond on the bar, a novelty if not entirely enjoyable beer if nothing else. Unfortunately, our stay was short, as we had to get the beer back to Hillsborough, and this coupled with how busy the pub was prevented me from taking any photo's whilst I was there. I did get one or two when I visited in 2009 though.
The Vine is an amazing example of an unchanged back street pub, and I highly recommend a visit - bunting or no bunting. And no matter whether I get to go again or not, I'll still remember how it looked decked out red white and blue in 2002.
There is a link to the CAMRA heritage pubs website page for the pub here . The photo's are far better.....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Commercial, Chapeltown, Queens 60th Jubilee beer festival
Good afternoon,
The Commercial is on the right as you walk up Station road from the railway bridge, and retains a traditional layout of separate rooms inside. The entrance corridor leads straight to the bar, with a narrow corridor running its length, with doors at the end for the loos. On the right is an archway into a lounge room, with another entrance further up, and there is also a games room on the far left past the loos. This also leads to the very tiny bar snug, which is a great place to end up in on a cold night, or indeed any other time of year. Last time I was in it was festooned with hundreds of pumpclips.
Being the festival weekend the pub was packed at 18.00 on a Friday and stayed busy for the whole of the three hours I was in. There were 40 beers on over the whole festival, along with 6 real ciders - in fact, some probably haven't been on yet with two days to go. I bought 6 different beers, but this included 3 pints of the excellent West Coast Brewing Riptide Black IPA, surprisingly light in alcohol for a beer of this style, but very drinkable, hoppy and refreshing.
The other beers I tried were :
its not all gallivanting about in North East Derbyshire, there are beer festivals to be found in Sheffield as well. On Friday afternoon I was invited to the Commercial at Chapeltown for their beer festival. This one had obviously slipped under my radar somehow, but Mr Robbery, Ally and Malc were off out so I decided to join them for a few. The festival started on Thursday and runs through until Tuesday if you fancy popping down.
Getting there has always been a bit of a spoiler for me - I was thinking only last week about how it was years since I'd last been, and then immediately started to remember how much of a ball ache journey it was. Mind you, I should have considered all the options. You can catch the First bus 75 from Sheffield, which stops a ten minute walk away from the pub, or the train (also stops at Meadowhall, and much much quicker) or the 265 from Waingate which actually stops across the road, so its not so bad. And to my surprise, I got there in less than 40 minutes from town.
The Commercial is on the right as you walk up Station road from the railway bridge, and retains a traditional layout of separate rooms inside. The entrance corridor leads straight to the bar, with a narrow corridor running its length, with doors at the end for the loos. On the right is an archway into a lounge room, with another entrance further up, and there is also a games room on the far left past the loos. This also leads to the very tiny bar snug, which is a great place to end up in on a cold night, or indeed any other time of year. Last time I was in it was festooned with hundreds of pumpclips.
Being the festival weekend the pub was packed at 18.00 on a Friday and stayed busy for the whole of the three hours I was in. There were 40 beers on over the whole festival, along with 6 real ciders - in fact, some probably haven't been on yet with two days to go. I bought 6 different beers, but this included 3 pints of the excellent West Coast Brewing Riptide Black IPA, surprisingly light in alcohol for a beer of this style, but very drinkable, hoppy and refreshing.
The other beers I tried were :
8 Sail Jubilation, 4.0%
Kelham Island Hoppy and Glorious, 5.0%
Oakwell Dark Mild, 3.4%
Pennine Street Party IPA, 4.8%
York Legacy, 4.0%
And I had tasters of :
TSA Red Bush Raspberry Ale, 4.8%
Durham Redemption, 10.0%
Caledonian Coffee Porter, 4.3%
Talking of some of the above, its probably a good idea not to buy a pint of Redemption, let alone a half, but Ally had two halves I think - I would have been asleep! As it was I left around 21.00 in full working order, to head back into town and the Sheffield Tap, more of which to come tomorrow.
There are other beers still to come like I said, and its a shame I can't get back again because there were a couple I really wanted to try. Along with the excellent food, which looked very tempting. Theres more details at the pub's website here including a list of beers on the bar. The Commercial is a great place for a drink if you are in the area. Highly recommended.
Wee Beefy
Three Valleys Beer Festival report 2012
Morning,
yesterday was my third trip out to the Three Valleys beer festival, being held over one day across 10 pubs in the Drone, Lineker and Sheaf Valleys (I still don't know if these are the three!). Here's some of the details of how my trip went...
I was setting off early since in a break with tradition I wanted to start at the Totley end, catching the bus to Dronfield to start at the Three Tuns. I got the bus into town, then chewed my fist in anxious worry as the 10 minutes late 97 dawdled aimlessly toward my destination, Dore Station, which I made with 4 minutes to spare.
Bus to Beelzebub
Well, officially I did. Except that 11.48 came and went with no sign of a bus. Then it arrived at 12.00 - at the bottom of Twentywell Lane, and picked up some people. Realising that Dore Railway Station was incorrect we waved at te bus but to no avail, it set off up Twentywell lane leaving us a 20 plus minute wait for the next one. Looking at the programme today, there is a section that says that you catch the bus at Dore Station across the road from the car dealership. Well that's great, but why do I need to download a programme to find out this mystery?
If it doesn't stop at Dore Station like it did last year, say Twentywell Lane Bottom instead. The other 2 people at the station of lies walked up to Bradway and I went to the "bus stop" to fume and wait. In the end Barraharri graciously offered to drive from Dronfield and pick me up. He arrived 5 minutes after the next bus was due, and we didn't see it heading toward Totley. Considering that NotDorestationatallactually is the second stop, its inconceivable that the first bus of the day could be 12 minutes late. Seemingly though, expectations of incredulous unreliability needed ramping up throughout a day where the festival experience was soured by absurdly bad transport links.
Three Tuns, Hallowes
Anyhoo, froth finished, we arrived by car at the Three Tuns to find a hog roast, clay oven, hay bails and outside seating, and a pub bar heaving with handpumps and a whole list of tasty treats in the cellar. As Barraharri was driving he stuck to a low gravity pint of Barlow Heath Robinson, whereas I had a very tasty pint of their Deepdale Pale Ale. Alas, served in plastic glasses. Apparently,. some sort of deal allowing them to do something or other that am not sure about. This was not a good start.
Luckily things improved and we had another drink, I a half of RCH Old Slug Porter and a pint of Burton Bridge XL mild, and Barraharri a delicious pint of diet coke. The driver's lament. The XL was a very tasty dark malty ale that dispelled any misconception about mild lacking flavour, and the Old Slug was drier and more bitter than I remember but excellent all the same. Here we met up with Rich and Tim, two friends of Barraharri who were heading eventually for the Horns Inn. They joined us in the car to Barlow (the car was the best option since the people who I had seen at the bottom of Twentywell lane when I got a lift arrived after our first pint, with the bus over half an hour late, followed ten minutes later by the next one. It was clear the bus would be a waste of time).
The Barlow Brewery
Barlow brewery had an outside bar this time, perhaps because the little bar in the brewery buildings was just too small. There was a range of Barlow beers on, and music (alas not the excellent Whisky Bob Shaker til later) and excellent sensibly priced food. Barraharri had another Heath Robinson and the rest of us all had the Dark Horse, another full flavoured mild (although it might have been an old or dark ale) which was very nice. Plastic glasses here as well, but there was last year, and its not a pub, so plastic is easier.
We filled up on food and had another beer - me a half of the excellent Anastasia Imperial Stout, with its fabulous yellow cream head, and Tim and perhaps Rich tried the Three Valleys Pale Ale. This was another good showing by Barlow that made it the best venue so far, although the beer range at Three Tuns topped it.
Taxiharri very kindly drove us to the Hearty Oak next, as he had to go home and get changed for work. The Hearty Oak was where I was charged twice last year (I didn't notice til about 5 weeks later) and it was important that I remembered to get over it, which of course I have, which is why I haven't mentioned it. And definitely didn't at the bar.
Hearty Oak Northern Common
Here there was another excellent choice of ales and we all started on pints of the impressive Buxton Moor Top Pale, a refreshing hoppy beer bursting with dry bitterness despite its 3.6% strength. We navigated the heaving crowds to dins (this says find, honest, but it makes so little sense I've left it in) a spot to sit and survey the scene whilst supping our ales. The pub was even busier than it was last year so they must be doing something right - perhaps the brilliant beers on offer swung it.
Our next pint certainly did - Ashover Brewery Liquorice Alesorts, a fine stout with the natural bedfellow of liquorice sitting in amongst the dark dry roast malts brilliantly. A poor flavoured stout is one where the additional tastes overtake the base beer but this was not the case. The excellent stout was a fantastic beer to finish on - but we had many more pubs and beers to go....
Rutland, Holmesfield
Next we walked to the Rutland Arms, again eschewing the random delights of guessing the time of the bus. The Rutland was a surprise omission this year, since for many years it had been the best pub for beer in Holmesfield, though now its a closer contest what with the excellence of the Hearty Oak. Inside it was quite quiet for a Saturday and there were about 6 ales on offer - Tim and Rich had Sharps Doom Bar, and I had a half of the Castle Rock Harvest Pale, and a hot dog.
After the flavour blitz of the Ashover and Buxton beer there was widespread disappointment with the dull, malty sweetness of the Doom Bar. Because I had only just met my drinking companions I didn't want to seem like a patronising expert so hadn't steered them away from Doom Bar, but it transpired that it would have been better if I had.
Horns Inn
Off next on foot to the Horns Inn, a surprise inclusion to my mind. In 2010 the Horns was easily the worst venue we visited, with off beer and no apparent interest in getting something else in to replace it. I wanted to go, if nothing else, to see what had changed, and also because Tim and Rich were there to see their mates band the Nervous Triggermen.
Straight away on entering it was clear that this was a much improved pub. Three real ales on the bar and a bar set up in the back room dispensing ales from the barrel. There was an informative beer list provided, with the pub mainly showcasing Raw Brewery beers, and guests that they had supplied from Offbeat and Prospect and others. And there were glasses, just like in the last 2 pubs. Thank Christ.
I started with the Raw Solstice Pale and its probably useful to point out that I had lost track of what my companions were drinking by this stage! I also tried a pint of the excellent Raw Anubis Porter but the best beer of the night, and possibly the festival, was the Dark Star Saison. A wonderfully refreshing cloudy Belgian style ale with zesty pineapple notes and a wheaty body that went down like pop. I don't know how many pints I had of this - possibly three - but it was an awesome beer. We managed to get a seat near the bar to watch the band as well, who were quite good. Had I not been hindered by the need to get home, I could easily have gone nowhere else that night....
However, home it had to be, and |I wanted to visit the Coach and Horses as well. So this meant putting my trust in, and exhausting my patience waiting for, the festival bus.
Twenty minutes after the bus to Dronfield was due the Barlow bus arrived. The programme says it stops outside the pub but it doesn't, although I concede that it wouldn't make much sense for it to do so. Having checked it wasn't Dronfield bound I went back to standing outside the pub awaiting the other bus. And what a wait.
I think it may have been 45 minutes late, but it might have been more, when the barely driveable tractor of exasperation trundled up, to a round of sarcastic applause. We struggled down into Dronfield and when we finally got near the station we found the road closed due to a serious road accident. I haven't heard anything on the news but I hope it wasn't fatal - it did seem to involve a number of vehicles.
Coach and Horses
The driver went for a bag of chips and I walked quickly up to the Coach and Horses, where I bumped into a gent who used to come in the shop many years ago, embarrassingly he knew my name, but I couldn't recall his. Sorry about that, if you are reading this! Once inside there was a selection of beers on the bar from Thornbridge and elsewhere, and 6 outside in the outside bar. I started with a pint of the Dark Star Summer Madness, which was not really to my liking, too fruity and slightly sweet, but was, after asking nicely, served in a real live glass, and everything.
I managed to secure a comfy settee to sit at and nipped outside to fetch a half of the Bridgehouse Stokers Ale, which was a very pleasing dryish bitter, and a half of the excellent Magic Rock Dark Arts as my finisher. These were served in plastic being from an outside bar, but I took them in and fed them into my pint glass as it became available. I also got some free chicken wings to tide me over.
By half 9 I was in need of a trip home and not fancying the walk to the Station and then waiting an unguessable length of time for the bus back to Totley and then catching two more buses home, I jumped on the 43 instead, and was in town by about 22.00. One more bus hop later I was at home, making a gastronomic delight of bacon and fried bread, whilst my chop cooked in the oven. The bacon was delicious, and I even remembered to turn the oven off when I went to bed two hours later. I'm sure that chop would have been lovely....
Overall this was probably the best organised Three Valleys, especially the level of detail about beer and venues on the website, and stand out pubs were the Hearty Oak, Coach and Horses and the Horns Inn.
The downside, and lasting bad memory for me was the utterly shambolic transport. They really really need to get that sorted if the festival is to maximise its undoubted potential.
Wee Beefy.
yesterday was my third trip out to the Three Valleys beer festival, being held over one day across 10 pubs in the Drone, Lineker and Sheaf Valleys (I still don't know if these are the three!). Here's some of the details of how my trip went...
I was setting off early since in a break with tradition I wanted to start at the Totley end, catching the bus to Dronfield to start at the Three Tuns. I got the bus into town, then chewed my fist in anxious worry as the 10 minutes late 97 dawdled aimlessly toward my destination, Dore Station, which I made with 4 minutes to spare.
Bus to Beelzebub
Well, officially I did. Except that 11.48 came and went with no sign of a bus. Then it arrived at 12.00 - at the bottom of Twentywell Lane, and picked up some people. Realising that Dore Railway Station was incorrect we waved at te bus but to no avail, it set off up Twentywell lane leaving us a 20 plus minute wait for the next one. Looking at the programme today, there is a section that says that you catch the bus at Dore Station across the road from the car dealership. Well that's great, but why do I need to download a programme to find out this mystery?
If it doesn't stop at Dore Station like it did last year, say Twentywell Lane Bottom instead. The other 2 people at the station of lies walked up to Bradway and I went to the "bus stop" to fume and wait. In the end Barraharri graciously offered to drive from Dronfield and pick me up. He arrived 5 minutes after the next bus was due, and we didn't see it heading toward Totley. Considering that NotDorestationatallactually is the second stop, its inconceivable that the first bus of the day could be 12 minutes late. Seemingly though, expectations of incredulous unreliability needed ramping up throughout a day where the festival experience was soured by absurdly bad transport links.
Three Tuns, Hallowes
Anyhoo, froth finished, we arrived by car at the Three Tuns to find a hog roast, clay oven, hay bails and outside seating, and a pub bar heaving with handpumps and a whole list of tasty treats in the cellar. As Barraharri was driving he stuck to a low gravity pint of Barlow Heath Robinson, whereas I had a very tasty pint of their Deepdale Pale Ale. Alas, served in plastic glasses. Apparently,. some sort of deal allowing them to do something or other that am not sure about. This was not a good start.
Luckily things improved and we had another drink, I a half of RCH Old Slug Porter and a pint of Burton Bridge XL mild, and Barraharri a delicious pint of diet coke. The driver's lament. The XL was a very tasty dark malty ale that dispelled any misconception about mild lacking flavour, and the Old Slug was drier and more bitter than I remember but excellent all the same. Here we met up with Rich and Tim, two friends of Barraharri who were heading eventually for the Horns Inn. They joined us in the car to Barlow (the car was the best option since the people who I had seen at the bottom of Twentywell lane when I got a lift arrived after our first pint, with the bus over half an hour late, followed ten minutes later by the next one. It was clear the bus would be a waste of time).
The Barlow Brewery
Barlow brewery had an outside bar this time, perhaps because the little bar in the brewery buildings was just too small. There was a range of Barlow beers on, and music (alas not the excellent Whisky Bob Shaker til later) and excellent sensibly priced food. Barraharri had another Heath Robinson and the rest of us all had the Dark Horse, another full flavoured mild (although it might have been an old or dark ale) which was very nice. Plastic glasses here as well, but there was last year, and its not a pub, so plastic is easier.
 |
| Rapscallions |
Taxiharri very kindly drove us to the Hearty Oak next, as he had to go home and get changed for work. The Hearty Oak was where I was charged twice last year (I didn't notice til about 5 weeks later) and it was important that I remembered to get over it, which of course I have, which is why I haven't mentioned it. And definitely didn't at the bar.
Hearty Oak Northern Common
Here there was another excellent choice of ales and we all started on pints of the impressive Buxton Moor Top Pale, a refreshing hoppy beer bursting with dry bitterness despite its 3.6% strength. We navigated the heaving crowds to dins (this says find, honest, but it makes so little sense I've left it in) a spot to sit and survey the scene whilst supping our ales. The pub was even busier than it was last year so they must be doing something right - perhaps the brilliant beers on offer swung it.
Our next pint certainly did - Ashover Brewery Liquorice Alesorts, a fine stout with the natural bedfellow of liquorice sitting in amongst the dark dry roast malts brilliantly. A poor flavoured stout is one where the additional tastes overtake the base beer but this was not the case. The excellent stout was a fantastic beer to finish on - but we had many more pubs and beers to go....
Rutland, Holmesfield
Next we walked to the Rutland Arms, again eschewing the random delights of guessing the time of the bus. The Rutland was a surprise omission this year, since for many years it had been the best pub for beer in Holmesfield, though now its a closer contest what with the excellence of the Hearty Oak. Inside it was quite quiet for a Saturday and there were about 6 ales on offer - Tim and Rich had Sharps Doom Bar, and I had a half of the Castle Rock Harvest Pale, and a hot dog.
After the flavour blitz of the Ashover and Buxton beer there was widespread disappointment with the dull, malty sweetness of the Doom Bar. Because I had only just met my drinking companions I didn't want to seem like a patronising expert so hadn't steered them away from Doom Bar, but it transpired that it would have been better if I had.
Horns Inn
Off next on foot to the Horns Inn, a surprise inclusion to my mind. In 2010 the Horns was easily the worst venue we visited, with off beer and no apparent interest in getting something else in to replace it. I wanted to go, if nothing else, to see what had changed, and also because Tim and Rich were there to see their mates band the Nervous Triggermen.
Straight away on entering it was clear that this was a much improved pub. Three real ales on the bar and a bar set up in the back room dispensing ales from the barrel. There was an informative beer list provided, with the pub mainly showcasing Raw Brewery beers, and guests that they had supplied from Offbeat and Prospect and others. And there were glasses, just like in the last 2 pubs. Thank Christ.
I started with the Raw Solstice Pale and its probably useful to point out that I had lost track of what my companions were drinking by this stage! I also tried a pint of the excellent Raw Anubis Porter but the best beer of the night, and possibly the festival, was the Dark Star Saison. A wonderfully refreshing cloudy Belgian style ale with zesty pineapple notes and a wheaty body that went down like pop. I don't know how many pints I had of this - possibly three - but it was an awesome beer. We managed to get a seat near the bar to watch the band as well, who were quite good. Had I not been hindered by the need to get home, I could easily have gone nowhere else that night....
However, home it had to be, and |I wanted to visit the Coach and Horses as well. So this meant putting my trust in, and exhausting my patience waiting for, the festival bus.
Twenty minutes after the bus to Dronfield was due the Barlow bus arrived. The programme says it stops outside the pub but it doesn't, although I concede that it wouldn't make much sense for it to do so. Having checked it wasn't Dronfield bound I went back to standing outside the pub awaiting the other bus. And what a wait.
I think it may have been 45 minutes late, but it might have been more, when the barely driveable tractor of exasperation trundled up, to a round of sarcastic applause. We struggled down into Dronfield and when we finally got near the station we found the road closed due to a serious road accident. I haven't heard anything on the news but I hope it wasn't fatal - it did seem to involve a number of vehicles.
Coach and Horses
The driver went for a bag of chips and I walked quickly up to the Coach and Horses, where I bumped into a gent who used to come in the shop many years ago, embarrassingly he knew my name, but I couldn't recall his. Sorry about that, if you are reading this! Once inside there was a selection of beers on the bar from Thornbridge and elsewhere, and 6 outside in the outside bar. I started with a pint of the Dark Star Summer Madness, which was not really to my liking, too fruity and slightly sweet, but was, after asking nicely, served in a real live glass, and everything.
I managed to secure a comfy settee to sit at and nipped outside to fetch a half of the Bridgehouse Stokers Ale, which was a very pleasing dryish bitter, and a half of the excellent Magic Rock Dark Arts as my finisher. These were served in plastic being from an outside bar, but I took them in and fed them into my pint glass as it became available. I also got some free chicken wings to tide me over.
By half 9 I was in need of a trip home and not fancying the walk to the Station and then waiting an unguessable length of time for the bus back to Totley and then catching two more buses home, I jumped on the 43 instead, and was in town by about 22.00. One more bus hop later I was at home, making a gastronomic delight of bacon and fried bread, whilst my chop cooked in the oven. The bacon was delicious, and I even remembered to turn the oven off when I went to bed two hours later. I'm sure that chop would have been lovely....
Overall this was probably the best organised Three Valleys, especially the level of detail about beer and venues on the website, and stand out pubs were the Hearty Oak, Coach and Horses and the Horns Inn.
The downside, and lasting bad memory for me was the utterly shambolic transport. They really really need to get that sorted if the festival is to maximise its undoubted potential.
Wee Beefy.
Friday, 1 June 2012
Three Valleys Beer Festival 2012
Hello,
apologies for a long stint without posts - I have swapped Internet provider, and after having a reckless 3 hours connectivity on Wednesday night, have had no chuffing signal since! Intermittent signal my arse...
3 Valleys
Anyhoo, the main purpose of this post is to remind you of the excellent Three Valleys beer festival 2012 which is taking place tomorrow, Saturday the 2nd June. This year, as you would expect, the venue list is reflective of a burgeoning real ale scene in Dronfield, and it seems there is much less interest in Holmesfield, which is a shame - not even the consistently excellent Rutland appears to be involved this time, which is surprising.
As usual there will be a festival bus running between the Castle Inn at Bradway, Barlow, Holmesfield and Dronfield, and as last year Barlow Brewery will open up their bar and their premises to accommodate drinkers bands and food for the day.
A link to the festival website can be found here , including a download of the rather perplexing bus timetable - my reading is that the Miners Arms at the top of Dronfield is the centre of the route, so for instance you can get there by festival bus from Dore station, then either wait for a bus to Barlow, or carry on down past the Three Tuns to Dronfield. That's what I'm doing, starting at the Three Tuns.
One last tip is to check which side of the road the bus stops on at the Coach and Horses in Dronfield - it seems to only stop on the side of the road heading towards Sheffield, then turns round at Bowshaw roundabout and comes back past the other side heading for the station - but in previous years the driver hasn't picked up on the opposite side, even though there have been 30 or 40 people waiting. Lets hope its a little more clear this year!
Hope you can get along on Saturday, all the best
Wee Beefy
apologies for a long stint without posts - I have swapped Internet provider, and after having a reckless 3 hours connectivity on Wednesday night, have had no chuffing signal since! Intermittent signal my arse...
3 Valleys
Anyhoo, the main purpose of this post is to remind you of the excellent Three Valleys beer festival 2012 which is taking place tomorrow, Saturday the 2nd June. This year, as you would expect, the venue list is reflective of a burgeoning real ale scene in Dronfield, and it seems there is much less interest in Holmesfield, which is a shame - not even the consistently excellent Rutland appears to be involved this time, which is surprising.
As usual there will be a festival bus running between the Castle Inn at Bradway, Barlow, Holmesfield and Dronfield, and as last year Barlow Brewery will open up their bar and their premises to accommodate drinkers bands and food for the day.
A link to the festival website can be found here , including a download of the rather perplexing bus timetable - my reading is that the Miners Arms at the top of Dronfield is the centre of the route, so for instance you can get there by festival bus from Dore station, then either wait for a bus to Barlow, or carry on down past the Three Tuns to Dronfield. That's what I'm doing, starting at the Three Tuns.
One last tip is to check which side of the road the bus stops on at the Coach and Horses in Dronfield - it seems to only stop on the side of the road heading towards Sheffield, then turns round at Bowshaw roundabout and comes back past the other side heading for the station - but in previous years the driver hasn't picked up on the opposite side, even though there have been 30 or 40 people waiting. Lets hope its a little more clear this year!
Hope you can get along on Saturday, all the best
Wee Beefy
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