Wee Beefy's beer bites at home and out round Sheffield and Derbyshire

Hello, here are some bibulous updates for you.

Beefy's UK and continental beer tasting

I recently met up with Davefromtshop for a few pints in town, a bite to eat and a beer tasting at mine. Instead of doing stuffy old paper notes we recorded videos of us reviewing each beer in turn so that we could, to an extent at least, be sure what we had been saying!

The line up was (i.e in order of when tasted, not preference):

1. Brinks Rethymnian Organic Blonde, Rethymno, Crete
2. Purple Moose Snowdonia Ale, 3.5% Porthmadog, Wales
3. Bath Ales Gem, Bath.
4. Thornbridge Jaipur, Derbyshire,
5. Fullers Bengal Lancer IPA, London bottle conditioned (BCA)
6. Chiltern Lord Lieutenants Porter, Terrick, Buckinghamshire (BCA)
7. Kernel India Porter, London (BCA)
8. Achouffe brewery N'ichouffe, Belgium 2007 (BCA)

General thoughts were that the Bengal Lancer was particularly disappointing, with marmalade and biscuit flavours replacing any anticipated, and essential hops. The Brinks stood up well in the context of it being brewed in Crete to satisfy a hot climate market, but was a welcome catch since its not for sale in the UK, the Gem was a nice malty and orangey beer providing a contrast to the usual pale Northern beer styles, and the  two porters were equally good with the Kernel maybe edging it for being less carbonated.

The Top 3 were :

3. Jaipur - initially seemed lacking in hops but they came up to surprise you mid drink;
2. Snowdonia Ale - due to its incredible amounts of flavour packed into such a low gravity brew;
1. N'ichouffe - a reliable classic, 10%, 750 ml bottle conditioned matured strong Belgian ale with tons of flavour and a soporific after effect.

Video evidence of me and Davefromtshop in a state of mild inebriation, to make its way onto Facebook soon, in the meantime, using the new edit settings on my blog, here is (or might be), a video summary of the winner, 3 out of the 4 times we attempted to reach this conclusion, the N'ichouffe. (note, opinions expressed in this video are those of two drunk people, and should not be afforded any credibility whatsoever).

White Lion Heeley Oktoberfest 2011

Last weekend saw 2 days (possiby more?) of music and beer, a fab mix of treats, in which the redoubtable multiroomed Heeley classic The White Lion held a beer festival with microbrewery beers and one or two regionals from round the UK. From a range of 20 the highlights for me were Enville Gothic, Hambleton Nightmare Porter, and my final and most oft ordered pint, the amazing Blue Monkey BG Sips pale ale. Had I been more than once I would have found time and room for an RCH Firebox, Moorhouses Blonde Witch, Thornbridge Jaipur, Absolution or Ossett Silver King. Overall a fantastc event which shows how a pub festival should be run.

Derbyshire real ale yomp

On Sunday I fitted in a somewhat arduously long walk based loosely on the Monsal trail. Starting in Hassop we walked up to and along Longstone edge, down into Little Longstone and visited the Packhorse. There wer 5 ales on here, including 4 from Thornbridge, and two real fires - we both had pints of Lord Marples. Up the road we felt compelled to pop in the Stables bar and I was pleased to see an excellent choice - Moor Top and Stables Ale from Buxton, and  Sir Phillip and Undertaker from Wincle. This is the first time I have been able to find their beers on tap anywhere and I wasn't disappointed.

Down into the dale next we followed the path all the way along to the Anglers Rest in Millers Dale. The beer range was the same as last time so we both had pints of the Storm Silk of Amnesia. From here we clambered up onto the trail and walked to Thornbridge Station and into Great Longstone. We visited the Crispin, which has a range of 4 or 5 Robinsons beers on, including excellent Hatters Dark and their seasonal offering, Black Beauty porter. We walked into Hassop next and had a pint of the Peak Ales Swift Nick in the Eyre Arms - alas we had already missed the bus so extended our walk along Church lane into Baslow to catch the 240 home. We still had time to pop in the Rutland, a drab pastel colour fest food pub with 1 real ale available, an average Jennings Cumberland of which I had a half. Still, a fantastic walk and some great pubs and beer were encountered along the way.

Rumour Mill

Two wildly unlikely guesses this time. Firstly, an ongoing impossible to quash rumour that Ossett brewery are to open a real ale outlet in one of the empty units at West One. This is actually old news so don't be surprised if nothing happens anytime soon! And, I hear that maybe a Walkley real ale pub may potentially reopen, hopefully once again serving a decent pint. You heard it hear first! And probably never again...

Optimistically Early Advance Notice

Just to let you know that Cropton beer festival will take place at the brewery's pub, the New Inn at Cropton,  in the last weekend of November - camping available! Well worth a trip I am told, more details to follow.

Take care, stay thirsty and Cheers!

 Wee Beefy.

Wee Beefy's beer bites - for every good pub news story there's a bad one....

The three cranes soar high whilst Pubco dogs savage the Partridge.....

First, the good news - Three Cranes official reopening night

Well after a week or so practising the Three Cranes Queen Street Sheffield finally officially reopened on Friday 14th October. (see http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Three-Cranes/243249239055249 if you have access to Facebook) Having assumed that this would be well attended I made the effort and got there about 17.30 to secure seats, as a few people were hoping to join me for drinks and to listen to the evenings entertainment.

Clearly everyone else had the same idea and we initially found only a small inconveniently placed table, for me Chala, Maureen and Rox, but luckily Middlemarch and Jones (sounds like a solicitors!?...) had secured seating in the right hand side and we moved into the space when they left. So now to relax and imbibe.

As promised there were 6 real ales available - Stones Bitter, Sharps Doom Bar, Abbeydale Moonshine, Blue Bee Bee's Knees Bitter and Nectar Pale Ale and Camerons Strongarm, along with a real cider and some decent bottled continental beers. Alas the Birra Moretti draught did not make the starting line and it was only through the much appreciated kindness of the staff that we secured snacks, but that aside everything was in working order.

Entertainment came courtesy of Jack of Harps around 8pm, but to be fair we didn't hear a lot from our far corner, and besides we had a lot of catching up to do, so all worked out well. With the Nectar on imperious form I had a good 6 pints (you know, just to make sure it was OK) as the evening rolled merrily by. Overall this promises to be an exciting new addition and crucially, the pub is only 5 minutes walk from work so I hope to be spending a lot more time in there now its open again. The only downside? How to fit it in my expanding roster of favourite pubs......

Harrisons beer

Harrisons 1854 have lost control of their minds and added a third beer (although this may be a temporary addition in place of Moonshine, which means its still two - watch this space, or better still, go and see for yourself ). Sheffield Brewing Co Blanco Blonde was the new arrival on Thursday night when I popped in, hopefully this beer can be as popular as the Abbeydale Deception, which, I concede, is always my first choice beer in the 1854...

The Wick at Both Ends

Two recent visits have seen Thornbridge Sequoia on handpump, sometimes with a friend down the bar for company, in addition to the decent range of continental draught and bottled offerings. A mercifully good music selection on Friday meant an enjoyable visit, although I can confirm officially that I shouldn't have been headbanging, at my age.

Fat Cat special ale

I am reliably informed that the Kelham Island Brewery have brewed a special ale to celebrate the recent contesting of the Anglo Galician Cup. The ale was aparrently on the bar at the Fat Cat on Saturday, along with a plaque presented by the Galicians. I report all of this story in the style of repeating rumours because, having accidentally drank at least 9 pints and had nowt to eat on Friday night, the very last thing I could stomach on Saturday was a trip to the pub. Thanks to my friend Maureen for his nod ahead of the event, hopefully he tried said ale and took a photo....


And now the bad news PUB UNDER THREAT

Since the Flynn's decamped to the Grapes, where I was on Thursday enjoying a pint of Absolution in the snug, things have gone rapidly downhill in the Dog and Partridge, Trippet Lane. New licensees took over and created an initial interest with bands and other events and even had the rare treat of serving a guest ale before the pubco got wind and pissed in that souffle. Their tenure soon came to an end and the pubco, always mindful no doubt of how many thousands it had to take each week to consider not selling it for redevelopment or turn it into offices, installed a manager to oversee the day to day running until a solution could be found, a term nicely used to avoid saying closure.

On Thursday night, even though the nearby Trippets bar was closed for a refurb, and despite the recent influx of students, there was just me in the Dog at about 20.30. And I only stayed for a half - it was only Tetleys, and only average Tetley at that.

The Dog looks like it has somehow lurched from profitable venerable Sheffield institution to forgotten failure in less than a year. Depending on who you listen to (and how well, i.e not dreadfully so, I recall my chat with the manager ), it would seem the pub company have absolutely no interest in continuing to keep the pub open and are set on closing it in the next few months.

What, and I'm going to swear here, a fucking travesty. Honestly. Which planet do pubco's live on? What can't they see in terms of potential for this fine original Gilmours fronted, large multi-roomed Victorian classic boozer one wonders?

The Flynn's ran it very successfully and to great acclaim for decades, but the greedy pubco decided that the only way to get what they wanted was to punish them for their success and hike the rent up (I heard doubled - yet to be confirmed). Naturally, the Flynn's didn't need to lose all their profit in one fell swoop having worked hard to build up a fantastic business, so, given that they owned the Grapes, rightly dismissed the punitive and derisory reward from their megalomaniac building owners and moved out.

Mindful of the sudden earth shattering change this would entail, surely the pubco would have taken a step back, offered a reduced rent and given any new tenants longer than usual to start rebuilding trade. As I said myself at the time, the transition was breathtaking, even though, in essence, only the decor had gone from the physical building, the pub seemed completely different and devoid of its soul and character. But of course it did - its incumbents of many decades had moved up the road and in effect created the Dog and Partridge all over again in the Grapes. So it needed a massive input and stoic belief to return the pub to anything like its former glory.

Cue shortsightedness in the extreme form the pernicious blight of the British pub the pubco. It would appear that they expected the pub to turn its fortunes around despite all of the above in a matter of months. When that didn't work out, they simply placed a temporary manager in charge, likely with no remit and am sure no ability to get something interesting in for punters to drink, and then sat back and waited for the inevitable stagnation so that they could close down a historic city centre pub without having made the slightest effort to allow it to come back to life.

If whichever faceless foreign bank owned accountant breeding pool of a pubco owns the Dog and Partridge aren't interested in making it work, it should be sold, at a realistic price. Or, failing that, a plan should be put in place to temporarily close the pub whilst a proven, experienced tenant with a realistic remit is found to be put in charge and start the slow process of bringing the business back to life.

And just how realistic is that prospect? Well just look at pubco's track record around the UK and see what you think they will decide. If its not to be apartments it will be offices. The lazy business template for disinterested, immoral and unsuitable landlords of period properties all over the country. How terrifically sad, yet despairingly prominent, this story is. A pathetic waste of a pub to please shareholders. Shame on them.

So, that wraps up a good cop bad cop story of Sheffield pubs for now. Drink well, stay active and sign or better still start, a petition to save the Dog.

Wee Beefy.

Breaking beer bite news!

Just a quick extravasation of pulsing beer facts tonight.....

The Three Cranes, Queen Street, Sheffield, Reopens!

(Rumour Mill win....)

Its official launch night is still 48 hours away but as of Monday 10th October 2011 the 3 Cranes was open and serving a range of real ales and most other drinks (snacks en route ) accompanied by a decent selection of piped music ( so often dreadful but, as demonstrated by the Red Deer, potentially brilliant) to test customer interest and levels of trade.

Inside there doesn't appear to have been radical change, likely just a clean up, but the island bar has been retained, and flyers are available now proclaiming this new addition to the real ale scene in Sheffield, in an area sparse on choice, despite obvious bibulous choices Fagans and the Three Tuns being nearby.

Friday i am told promises live music and a full selection of real ales and draught continental beers and crucially snacks. For this visit, it was notable that nearly all the handpumps were in use, dispensing : Stones Bitter (£2.55 a pint ), Westons Old Rosie, Sharps Doom Bar (possibly not yet on ) Abbeydale Moonshine, Blue Bee Bees Knees bitter (pending) and an excellent pint of Blue Bee Nectar Pale Ale (£2.70 a pint).

Although its not strictly in the city centre, the prices bode well, since previously, despite the efforts of numerous licensees, the strangulating policies of the pubco's made beer expensive, and even as long ago as 1995 I considered the Three Cranes the most expensive pint in Sheffield, long ago breaching the £3.00 a pint mark for real ale. The recent sensible pricing policy will hopefully entice customers back to this venerable paradise quarter venue.

And in other news....

Anglers Rest Millers Dale

Omitted from my last essay was news of the Anglers Rest Millers Dale. Out on a Monsal trail amble appreciating the tunnels recently, I forgot to mention that I visited the Anglers for a mid walk pint. On the bar were 3 real ales, including Adnams Southwold and local brewery Storm Silk of Amnesia, at below £3.00 a pint. This proves that you can get decent local ale from within 50 miles in a traditional pub and not pay bistro prices. Looking forward to visiting again in the next few months.

Wee Beefy.

Wee Beefy's beer bites

Now then browsers,

A few more spoonfuls of wholesome beer news to digest and maintain a healthy diet of bibulous information, in no particular order.


The Railway Wadsley Bridge.

The inimitable Jean continues to single handedly steer this previously neglected ship along the treacherous waterways of the beer and pubs business, seemingly with consummate ease. On my recent visit there were only two beers on, Bradfield Blonde and Acorn Barnsley Bitter, and a decent number of punters in. I would have preferred a stronger beer option but I have to say that the Acorn was in cracking nick, and duly warranted a second pint. This pub has restricted opening hours of Friday Saturday and Sunday only, with the pub open all day Sunday and on the other two from 5 onwards, so ringing ahead may be advisable if making a trip, but its well worth a look.


Shakespeares

Recent ales seen on the bar include an incredibly bitter Three Swords from Kirkstall, Blue Bee Lustin For Stout (the brewery of which now have their own website at http://www.bluebeebrewery.co.uk/w/doku.php?id=beers ), a couple of underwhelming Geeves Brewery offerings (alas not found a good one yet!) Summer Wine Brewery Dark Mild, and 2 from Hornbeam brewery Manchester. On a recent visit one of theirs that i tried, the White Swan, was very, very strange, even though I should have read the description on the board (although poor eyesight makes this near impossible), I was really unhappy with the bubble bath taste.

I returned to the bar and asked if, given that i knew that the beer was not off, they would be kind enough to replace it anyhow since it was so affrontingly vile. They duly did, cautioning that no-one else had complained and replaced it with the Hornbeam bitter which was a much better beer altogether. Well done to Shakespeares for their admirable focus on customer satisfaction.


Ship Inn Shalesmoor


You know how it is, you don't know what it is you've missed until its gone. I have had that dread feeling many times and often rued my decision making and priorities in not getting to visit pubs that have been swallowed up by progress or disappeared altogether. Luckily, this has not happened to me regarding a pub I have passed many times without popping in, the Ship at Shalesmoor.

You can't miss it. Every time you drive from West bar past the Shakespeare (erm, you probably can't do this in a car any more, but you get my drift ), or swing round the corner to Shalesmoor tram stop on the tram, you can see this fine tiled building, proclaimimg proudly its Truswells Ales, standing steadfastly on its own on a road previously blessed with at least 5 pubs, I am told.

Its not like I haven't been in either. I went in with Chala years ago, and took a handpicked selection of the Gloystarne lads there on an epic chrisrtmas pub crawl in the late nineties, amongst other visits. The problem is, I was never totally sold on Kimberly ales, and then when the pub and Kimberly brand became owned by Greene King, I kind of lost my inspiration to go, and missed the chance to appreciate what a refreshingly traditional local this was.

I tried to pop in a couple of Sundays ago but alas it closes during the day Sunday I think, but remedied this on Friday night. Inside to my surprise there wasn't a Grim King beer in site, instead 3 guest beers, Bradfield Blonde, Thornbridge Sequoia, and the one I had, Spire Dark Side of the Moon, at £2.60 a pint. I picked a table near the door with a draught repelling snob screen to my right and sat down to take in the hub of conversation and the stream of regulars (based on their being addressed by name) to the bar to order beer.

It dawned on me that Grim King through their objectionable megalomania had previously deprived me of a great pub experience. So now I have the opportunity to make up for lost time, I strongly recommend you do the same, and give the Ship a try.

P.S - don't forget the 50p a go pool!

Double H

Earlier that same evening I had been in the Hillsborough Hotel. Always a handy stop after a slake in the Blake, especially since they serve food til 21.00. Alas I chose the wrong night for a visit. Unfortunately the manager had been in an accident and wasn't in and, whether related or not, there was only a third of the cheffing staff and it seemed, an occurrence of beermageddon.

My first pint the Crown HPA was on its last legs, but not enough that i would take it back. I knew there was a wait for food so decided to drink it quickly and move onto my favourite, the Stannington Stout. Alas, this had run out so I had a try of the Cottage - I can't recall its name, but it wasn't Golden Arrow, and to be fair their beers are usually very samey - i.e all incredibly poor. It was true to form so I got a pint of Blue Bee Bees Knees. Not my favourite Blue Bee beer, but it sufficed.

I toyed after this with the idea of a Crown bitter but after trying another grim offering I had a half of the Derby 30 hop which went off straight after, and then a half of the Cottage Golden Arrow, mainly in desperation at the lack of available options. The HPA soon disappeared and it was quite late into the evening before any beers were replaced.

I have been going to the Double H for yonks so won't be making plans to avoid it on this showing when there was a clear explanation - and significant sympathy and apologies from the staff - for this poor display. It just means I'll have to go back sometime when all is working well again and secure a pint of the fantastic Stannington Stout.

Harrisons 1854

Just a quick note about the above, to remind you if nothing else that they continue to sell two real ales from Abbeydale, at £3.00 a pint which is reasonable for West Street. Make sure you pop in for one of their DJ nights or other events - find them on Facebook (I am told this is a public page! http://www.facebook.com/Harrisons1854 - please ignore the Harrisons link posted yesterday, twas raang am afraid, sorry for any confusion.)

Ay up duck! A pub crawl with a difference


On a recent trip out with Mr Ashman, I happened across a great new idea that is being promoted in fairest Sheffield. A local artist is (with the agreement of the premises involved!) spray painting pictures of ducks on a number of Sheffield's best hostelries from the City Centre right out to the fringes of the city.

The idea is that participants will strive to find pubs emblazoned with the painted canards (the Latin name for the genus duck is Anas, so I have helpfully sidestepped that for the French instead......) and visit them to sample their unique atmosphere, appearance, music, beer garden, or hopefully decent ale, (although am not sure that everyone is guaranteed to be a real ale stockist). Each duck will carry an archetypal Sheffield phrase, and participants are encouraged to visit as many as possible to get the best drinking and pub experiences, as well as scoring points along the way.

The anticipation is that "duck hunters" will find their way to all of the duck emblazoned hostelries, and in doing so, drink some Sheffield beer and discover some pubs they may not have done before. There are prizes on offer to those who visit every venue and for other achievements in the field. To find out more details, visit Facebook and search Ay up ducks (spelling important) or follow the link (note, i am unsure if this is public) on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/ayupducks .


On the Slake in S6


The above meeting happened at my regular after work destination the Blake at Walkley. As ever the pub strives to provide a range of excellent beers on its 6 hand pulls, along with real cider and an impressive range of continental draught and bottled beers. Not forgetting of course, the fabulous pork pies. On my last visit a notable choice available on the bar was an excellent West Coast Brewery California Pale Ale. This is a beer from a new brewery from North Wales who I understand are brewing using the Conwy brewery kit at present. For (not much more) info see
http://www.conwybrewery.co.uk/16.html .

This news serves as an introduction to a recent trip round Walkley to see how the ever changing scene there is progressing. Across the park from the Blake both the Firwood and Belle Vue appear to still be trading. Try as I might, I have never been tempted to go in the Vue but note changes afoot at the Cottage.

On South Road the Freedom House has just reopened its doors, its first night was Friday 7th October. On my visit I found there was no real ale but was assured it was being delivered Tuesday and would be on by Friday. I seem to recall its only Bombadier (which I subconsiously just mis-spelled as Bombadire) but its a start, and hopefully this will be the nub of a revival. The Firwood connection is that according to Beer Matters, the new licensee is a former Firwood Cottage landlord, although am not sure if they have moved directly from there.

Further down towards Hillsborough, and on Walkley Bank the Florist had no real ale on when I visited, but I was told that they usually do, and that the Farmers Blonde was being substituted by the Bitter.

37th Sheffield Beer Festival


This year I was at two sessions of the fest, alas this is a rather expensive way of doing things, but I had hoped to see some people there on the Friday. Normally I would never go Friday, instead Saturday all day only, or maybe Thursday as well at a push. Much as I enjoyed the festival overall, I think I'd have rather used my normal plan.

Friday was a very hot day as you all know, so its important to note how impossible it would have been to predict the record breaking temperatures that week. That said, the sports hall at Ponds Forge was boiling. The beer was warmer at the cider bar end than the other (cooler beer stopped around the letter H?) and no one seemed to have thought of opening a door at each end of the hall to create a through draught, like they do in Crete for example.

That said the Hummingbirds were good, if a little quiet for such a large space, and there were some notably good beers on. Saturday was less sweaty and being a quieter session it was easier to get sat down, and near to a door at that. The quiz was as tough as always (I failed miserably again) but it was nice being there for the afternoon and still able to sample a decent range of beers, with plenty available when I left at 18.30.

The only puzzle not solved was the prices. Some lower gravity beers were well above town prices - for example a half of the Blackedge Pike which is a 3.8% session beer was £1.70. One member of the bar staff alluded to the fact that some casks had come by courier, and I also heard that some beers were as low as £2.20 a pint (Acorn perhaps?), but there were far too many beers that should have been affordable at sensible strengths that topped £3.20 a pint and some of the stronger ones, which are naturally more expensive, were over £4.00 and thus a pound more than nearby pubs. In summary - a welcome return indoors, the venue size and location are perfect, but sort out the prices!

Forum 3 - or the York at Broomhill.

Now kids, don't get all up in arms, am not sure for definite that the forum own the York and the Old House, but if they do, then visiting the three establishments shows an interesting transition, from hit and miss beer to beer heaven, but without a traditional boozer in sight.

Have not been in the forum for a couple of month but noted a reduced emphasis on the real stuff, and a friend informed me that last week there was no ale to be had at all. Up the road the Old House is also one I have missed of late but last time I went it was still serving decent beer and great food. The York, all the way out at Broomhill, is an interesting addition. The pub interior boasts a mish mash of classic and modern pub interior styles, with emphasis on food, and a good range of beer, including the Anvil Porter brewed for them by brew Company. The interior is warm and comforting and the bar is reassuringly classic looking.

Having only been on a Sunday I haven't had chance to see what the food side entails regarding seating. The impression I get is that the right hand seating is for drinkers and the left and to the back is for diners. I don't mind this per se - its no doubt essential to have dining as part of the set up given the money laid out in its transformation (the bar has moved a third time since the early nineties) but I would like to think that the drinking area is not encroached when it gets busy - I will have to come back soon and see for myself.

Drinks wise, there are 5 or 6 real ale pumps including the porter, and one or two used for real cider and perry, along with a decent range of continental bottled beers (too few darks though!) and a very impressive wine list, coupled with cocktails, softails, spirits and even speciality teas. So do give it a try, preferably to compare and contrast it with the Old house and Forum.....

Aaagh! Not the Nottingham House....

I was to have had a third trip to the above featured pub, the York, but en route my mate Carlos told me it was rammed and so we decamped to the Notty House. What a travesty this turned out to be! The pub was quiet for a Saturday night, and the plain white walls hinted at the fact that it may only have just reopened. On the bar were four handpumps, with none serving real ale. The staff were inattentive and seemingly inexperienced, more interested in the fact that me and my mate both had soft drinks (as he was taking it easy and there was no decent beer) than anything else.

I made a trip to the loo and found 7 empty toilet roll holders and some piles of hopefully unused bog roll on the floor, away from the cubicle there were no hand towels with the holders left open (assumedly by desperate blokes in the cubicles?) and along with the lack of hot water, I also had no opportunity to make my hands clean as there was also no soap or handwash.

I found Carlos in the beer garden where we paused very briefly to drink our soft drinks before heading off for a professional and enjoyable pub experience down the road at the University Arms. I don't normally rate a pub on toilet cleanliness alone, and am not going to now, but i have to say the Notty House was memorable for just how gross its facilities were, coupled with its apparent lack of management and of anything worth drinking. The fact that anyone was drinking in there at all I think says a lot about its former qualities and maybe a little about the fact that some students it seems will drink anywhere. 1 out of 10 - for having an outside space.

So that ends a beer bites that was really a beer 3 courses, hope to to be back soon with some more info and details of trips away from sunny Sheff.

Wee Beefy.

Wee Beefy's beer bites - Part 4

Good evening

despite money running out faster than patience at an automated checkout, I have still managed to cram a lot into the nearly two weeks since I last posted. So here's some news....

Dove and Rainbow Hartshead

The Dove seems to be on its usual tri-annual rollercoaster of fortunes - in the past few years it has gained plaudits a plenty for its range of beers and been an incredibly popular venue despite its hidden city centre location. Now I can't possibly comment on its popularity amongst music fans as I am in my dotage and listen only to the soulful babble of Jim Reeves et al, but I can make an observation on my Monday night visit recently.

Essentially, Mondays are unsurprisingly slow to get going. There were a few people in, a man who disliked Gary Moore but appeared at ease with wearing a cowboy hat behind the bar, some pool players, and the hatted fella's acolytes around the bar.

Beer wise the choice was about 6 but with little of interest - the Kelham Easy Rider was a god send amongst almost exclusively super regional or worse still Grim King offerings, but as always, i can use my sense of perspective to note that choice is the saviour of any good venue and so did not even mind being accused of being a smoker and given a plastic glass in anticipation of my inevitable sojourn outside.

Overall I reckon that a busier Dove is likely a better Dove - the service was an odd mix of aggressive and matey and the lack of any noticable hubris probably laid bare a few failings that would otherwise not matter or be seen. I think a return visit is required, to sample the best of the pub, and see whether it is still the only decent mix of rock bar and real ale pub in Sheffield.


The Venerable Cat

So spoilt are we in Sheff that often folks forget that there used to be but 1 place (quickly followed, admittedly, by about 4 others ) in the town to get a decent range of beer. The Fat Cat on Alma Street is where this trend kicked off and I was in there for a retrospective last week with Stevo. She was on lady beer of some kind, but i was able to enjoy two fantastic pints of the Wellbeck Abbey brewery Portland Black whilst we munched on sublime pork pies. This is a timely reminder that I don't actually have to walk miles round the city for a relaxing after work imbibe, and reminds me, as it should some of you, that the Cat is always worth a visit.

Henrys - Beer Cafe?

I was acutely aware that after an initial flurry of visits I had somewhat neglected Henry's so popped in for a couple of halves one recent Wednesday. Am pleased to report that their enthusiasm for real ale has not wained, and it still commands a central and important place on the bar.

On offer was a fantastic range of 9 real ales including the two I tried, that being Dark Star American Pale Ale, and Brew Company Smokey Joe (note this is a guess - my somewhat vague notes proclaim only the word "smoky" for this ale...). As well as sampling these two fine beers, the Dark Star being excellent and the Brew Co beer exceeding my expectations of just how Rauchbier-like it would be, I also managed to snaffle some free sarnies en route to my next stop. Top marks!

Bungalow and Beers

Yes, that's a deliberate mis-spelling. To my shock and discombobulation, what I had previously considered a trendy bar offering nowt more tempting than expensive continental fare found everywhere, was now worth a visit for the real ale alone. In a shock move, which has somehow evaded my radar, it turns out that popular bar Bungalow and Bears now , and has for 9 months or more according to the barman, sold real ale! Add into the mix a decent selection of music and some eclectic but comfy seating to tempt the dotards in our midst, this makes the Beargalow worth a look.

On my visit there was 1 cask cider and two cask beers; York Guzzler, and to my surprise, Oakleaf IPA from Hampshire. I didn't even find Oakleaf beer when we were in Hampshire never mind oop ere in Sheffield, and this was one of the best beers of the night. This is a pleasant change and an encouraging development matched by nearby venues as I shall report now....

Great Green Gatsby's

The Great Gatsby, formerly the Olive Bar and before that the Forresters, now has real ale. Only one handpump is used, but it proudly proclaims the sale of a Blue Bee brewery beer, and is served in their Pint glasses. The beer, a 4% pale beer called High Bouncing Lover, with a flavour nearer to Bees Knees than Nectar (based only on the fact that I have tried Bees Knees only once and associate it with a maltier style than the nectar) is £3.00 a pint and heralds a swift return to visitability for a venue, which, like many of its neighbours, has noticed that people do actually care about what they drink and want something tasty and well made. This infectious drive towards choice and ultimately the supply of quality independently produced products can only be a good thing.

Up the road, having derided them in May for leading me a merry dance concerning the provision or not of the beautiful drink, I also noted that the Green Room had gone and got a Blue Bee beer as well. This time it was the Nectar Pale, a little less balanced than at the Rutland where it has been excellent of late, but nonetheless signs of a seachange in bar ethos with regards to drinks choice, started by the Old house and the Wick at Both Ends, and now encompassing almost every venue in the Devonshire Green area.

The Rutland Arms, Brown Street.

Just a quick mention for the above, my recent acquisition of a Blue Bee brewery loyalty card for the venue has prompted a few visits of late, where on my first visit I had a truly fantastic pint of the Nectar Pale at £2.60. On my second just this week, I had a half of the light tasting slightly foxed ale from Slightly Foxed Brewing Company ( see http://slightlyfoxedbrewery.co.uk/ ) and a rather unwise, given its early appearance in my drinking line up that night, pint of Blue Bee Tangled up IPA. Always a pub worth a visit, the addition of these Blue Bee cards makes it doubly worth popping in, although am not sure where one gets the cards from ......

And finally, the rumour mill....

No, not the name of a pretentious bar or themed restaurant, but an object that when twisted dispenses an enticing selection of granules of truth and supposition. I am informed that the Three Cranes on Queen Street, shut for some time now, is finally due to reopen. Real ales will e available, but only a few at first in order to gauge demand. I understand the owner purchased this and another pub with more pressing needs (lets face it, the Three cranes, superficially at least, appears in damn good nick) hence the delay in its reopening. Here's to a potential new addition to the Sheffield real ale scene!

More soon, with updates from North of the border. Slainte!

Wee Beefy.

Wee Beefy's beer bites and Blue Bee Brewery too

Hello

another rapid fire round-up following my epic trip round the mid counties of England (and two in Wales ) with Mr P, Davefromtshop and Wee Fatha, ending a frenetic (but enjoyable August of trips away.

Blue Bee Brewery launch new beer - Rugbee Rugbee Rugbee!

I was lucky enough to be present and taking snaps for the launch of Blue Bee Brewery's new beer Rugbee Rugbee Rugbee. ( see http://twitter.com/#!/bluebeebrewery ) The launch took place at the excellent and now annual Abbeydale Sports Club/Shefield RUFC beer festival on the side of the pitch at the club, near Dore Station.

The club (with able assistance from Sarah Louise Morton) organised a troop of volunteer bar staff, some home made samosas and curry from a local restaurant along with the assembly of an impressive list of beers and ciders to tempt customers to the free festival where all beers were £2.50 a pint, regardless of strength.

Among the beers on sale was Blue Bee's new 4.8% beer Rugbee Rugbee Rugbee. This beer was launched at the festival, and brewed to coincide with the Rugby world cup being held in New Zealand, and brewed using Pacific Jade hops.

I started with a pint of the Blue Bee Nectar Pale by way of a comparison, and found the Rugbee had just as much hoppy bite, and a little more body than the pale, presumable because its a stronger brew. Along with some other fantastic ale this was a beer I tried a few pints of, along with (not in order) the excellent Boggart Rum Porter, Raw Anubis Porter, Spire Twist and Stout, Steel City Brewing Raw Steel IPA, Leadmill Rapture, and Thornbridge Summer ale (not all pints!). Sensibly my last beer of the night, was Thornbridge Geminus, a fearsomely hoppy 8.5% bed coaxer that meant despite heading to Dave's for a last one, I instead swiftly ended up in a taxi unable to recall the way home....

The festival was very busy especially with the crowds enjoying the band, Mahogany Newt, and runs for three days until, well, possibly 18 minutes ago, depending on when they close. Definitely a date to make in your diary for next year.

Forum Cafe Bar

A recent visit saw the beer range down to one, not that this is a venue renowned for its real ale or anything, but the surprise was the choice of beer. Springhead Olivers Army (see http://www.springhead.co.uk/olivers-army) is a ruby beer with strong malt notes that is somewhere between a bitter and a brown ale. I reckonm, if you are only to have one real ale on, this is either an edgy but confident idea, or a risky gamble. The beer was very quaffable but it was a hot day and I was dreaming of a pale ale all the way there.

Otherwise though, no real changes, with cocktails and wines still taking centre stage (and some decent continental draught). My only gripe - table service - sort it out!

Drinks seem to spend upwards of 10 minutes on the bar when they are busy, going warm or worse still, going nowhere - after waiting 15 minutes they then told me that they didn't have the product I ordered after all. A badly executed good plan am afraid....

York, beer from the shire.

Over the bank holiday weekend I was in sunny (and torrential rainy ) York, the capital of our county (that's right, its not chuffin Leeds) and beholder of an excellent range of pubs. Primarily this was a weekend away for me and Chala so tricky excursions to pubs on the outskirts was out of the question, we just wandered around and went in those we found, mostly.

On day one we holed up for an hour in the excellent Pivni near Newgate market and Swinegate. This fabulous old building has a wonderfully quirky tiled floor downstairs, some disconcertingly warped wood upstairs, and a beer to suit all tastes on the bar. In addition to an unusual selection of continental draught, and 77 lager in keg from BrewDog, there were 4 or 5 real ales on the bar.

I tried a pint of a low gravity Salamander Brewing Co beer which may have been their Axolotl but i concede I don't remember, as well as a half of the BrewDog (cask) Alice Porter, which was fantastic. Its a shame we didn't have more time to stick around, but on our way out later we stopped at a typically rammed Maltings, to sample a pint of Dow bridge mild, and half a Kirkstall Pale, both of which were very suppable.

On the Sunday we got to the Blue Bell at just gone midday to be puzzled that they had hired the front bar out for a private party - that's half of the pub! We did however get a seat in the back and enjoyed a Roosters Yankee, which is a beer I haven't had for a while, and Chala had to settle for coke as the Erdinger was all gone.

Later on we finally found the York brewery Yorkshire Terrier pub on Stonegate - not because its necessarily difficult to find, but because Chala had imagined it was accessed from the shambles. This excellent little pub has 4 separate drinking areas and a range of about 7 real ales. I had a very quaffable pint of the York Yorkshire Terrier, which unless am mistaken, seems to have lost a little hoppiness over the years ? Come on the York Brewery, terriers have bite!

Further up Stonegate is the excellent but real ale free Evil Eye lounge, an uber cool cocktail and tapas bar with a range of good bottled beers and a 4 page menu of cocktails and slammers for those who like the harder stuff. As well as trying some truly unwise and quaffable drinks, like a few B52's for yours truly, I also had a refreshing bottle of Schlenkerla Rauchbier. York bottled beers are also available, and there is a specialist off licence at the front. Well worth a look if in York...

Our penultimate pub stop was new to me, the Brigantes bar, a real ale pub similar in style to the Harlequin in good old Sheff, serving a range of about 8 real ales and once again some continental draught. I tried a half of the Kostritzer Schwarzbier from Germany which was a delicious if unusual find, along with pints of York Guzzler and a Brew Company IPA that tasted very faintly, but enjoyably, of oranges.

We did have a real ale with our meal - a half of Sharps Doom Bar at All bar One, a beer now starting to taste more and more malty and less like something I would choose to drink, but ABO only has one pump.

On Monday we somehow contrived to visit no real ale pubs, but with time to spare at the station made the mistake of visiting the coopers Bar. 6 Handpumps, all turned round and having sold 3 beers, Grim King IPA and Abbot, and Theakstons best. Not a continental lager in sight (not even a Kronenburg wheat or similar) and nowt more inspiring in bottle than Newky Brown. In the end, if only to fill in time, I opted for a tonic water and Chala a coke. That really was as food as the place got!

All in all (despite the lack of a decent station bar) York is a magnet for lovers of real ale and pubs, not forgetting of course my absence from the Golden Ball, Swan, 3 Legged Mare, Last Drop Inn, Fleece, Three Cranes and Rook and Gaskill to name but a few.

That's all the beer news I have for now, not withstanding that I have more Scottish cask ale travels to tell of, and our trip round the shires of England and Wales.

Take care and thirst no more

Wee Beefy

Wee Beefy Drinks in Dalriada - Day 2 (finally)

Day 2

Welcome to my celebration of celtic casks, in 7 parts (time period between posts not specified!)

We woke up at Taigh Lusnambansith to a fantastic Scottish breakfast which set the scene for a week of quality morning foods, and 20 minutes, or rather 90%, of the day's sunshine. After a quick wander round the centre of Clackmannan we headed off to Loch Leven castle, in thick grey cloud and a biting wind.

The castle is situated on an island in the centre of the Loch and is reached by a small boat. We had a good hour or two there looking round the castle and grounds before we headed off up over the Tay bridge into Dundee for our first pub stop of the day.

The Speedwell Tavern is one of Dundee's most famous pubs, and shares its place on the Regional and National Inventories with Frews bar, The Clep, and the Tay Bridge Tavern just down the road. Inside is a magnificent multi roomed pub with a panelled room on the left, a long bar curving to run parallel as you enter with an ornate back, a second lounge room on the back left, and a fantastic ornately plastered ceiling, all bathed in warm subdued lighting that shows off the wood brilliantly.

There are two real ales, Deuchars and a Greedy King offering which was off. The Deuchars was OK so we had that in the back lounge admiring the ornate fixtures and fittings - not least the excellent tiling in the gents.

Next we headed down the road to the Tay Bridge Tavern, sporting a red and cream colour scheme with angular almost futuristic style writing and signage on the outside. The main room as you enter is a magnificent high ceilinged bar with a good bar back and a small snug off on the left, reached through a separate entrance within the room, all topped by the striking patterned red and cream ceiling plasterwork. There is another room through a door on the right, with a distinctive sloping (or self emptying) spittoon, also accessed via a small and likely unused side entrance off the main entrance.

The room was not in use on our visit but we asked if we could take a few pics and the barman obliged, before we took our seats, supping McEwans 70/-, in the raised seating area looking towards the entrance.

After dinner we travelled north to the fabulous Dunnottar castle, a sprawling and well preserved picture postcard castle on a rocky outcrop on the Aberdeenshire coast. We managed to get round almost all of the enormous site before struggling back up the path to the car park and heading for a deserved pint at the Marine at Stonehaven.

This is a CAMRA award winning real ale pub on the harbour, with a great reputation for food, and a rather optimistic pricing policy for its accommodation. The old 1900's bar is long and narrow with about 7 handpumps and a board at the end displaying the beers available, next to which is the restaurant.

Alas even the best of pubs can be plagued by idiots who insist on blocking the bar and your view of the handpumps, but we overcame this annoyance to order and enjoy a pint of Burnside Mpire (thats what the clip says anyway), half a Strathven Summer Glow, and an Inveralmond Dunnottar ale, all in excellent condition. The pub two doors up on the quay also does real ales, but we wer short of time and so did not visit.

Before reaching our destination for the night we headed to the Creel Inn at Catterline, the least photogenic pub I have ever visited (unless you are stood on top of a Double Decker bus), but which hides within a small cosy local with an emphasis on real ale as well as their famed food menu. Here we enjoyed a pint of Orkney Corncrake and half of the Iveralmond Lia Fail.

Our final stop was at our accommodation. The Douglas Arms at Banchory is on the Scottish Regional inventory of unspoilt pub interiors, with a splendid unchanged traditional bar retaining the features of a 1900 refit, with a stunning collection of mirrors inlcuding huge Devhana and Thompson and Marshall ones at either end of the room. The room next door is traditional but slightly altered and the rest of the hotel radically changed to encompass a restaurant, a hotel bar and its hotel rooms, all in a sadly jarring modern style.

The food attracts restaurant prices but, despite WF's complaints about the portion size, was fantastically prepared and presented. There were two real ales in the bar, Caledonian Deuchars and Kelbun Pivo Estivo, a fantastic pale ale that I had 3 or 4 pints of just so as to be sure not to miss out.

Alas WF retired early after the exertions of walking to and from and around the castle and his driving, so I retired to a corner of the smaller bar with a copy of Private Eye for my Kelburn appreciation society meeting.

Up next time - more Aberdeenshire drinking, and real ale near Fraserburgh, without a Brewdog in sight.


Wee Beefy.

Wee Beefy's beer bites part 2

Hello suppers of ale,


developments and trips out continue a-pace for Beefy at the moment so am afraid its a whistlestop rundown of recent news rather than polished prose.

Whitby Ales.

First weekend in August I was with Bert on his stag do in the seaside town of Whitby. I have been many times and had fallen out of love with the place considerably, a situation inescapably linked to its dearth of good pubs. Things have changed in the last few years though as this trip proved. On our first night we ventured out after midnight and still found a pub or two open - the Ship, on the station side of the harbour, had an acceptable pint of Black Sheep on offer.

Saturday saw us slow off the mark but our fist stop in the afternoon was The Shambles over the shops in the market place. A large lofty room with comfy seating, a snooker room and a small quay side balcony this pub had 9 real ales on, mainly from super regionals but some unusual offerings from Cotleigh and Wold Top. I also managed to sneak in a very enjoyable pint of Black Dog Whitby Abbey Ale in the Station, formerly the Tap N Spile.

Later we headed out and stopped off (having walked past the Granby/Gatsby? advertising 5 beers including Snecklifter) at the Little Angel. This is a multiroomed very old pub up from the station selling Tetley and Mordue Workie Ticket which was a nice surprise. Being a large group we couldn't visit the tiny Black Horse over the bridge so headed up to the Duke of York at the bottom of the Abbey Steps. This had 5 or more beers on including Deuchars IPA and Taylors Golden Best. The less said about final real ale free stop the Wellington the better.

On the final day only I walked into town for beer (was not that thirsty it turned out!) and I visited the Black Horse. Definitely saving the best for last, i sat at the far end of the back bar room and then next to the entrance in the front bar supping two excellent pints of the Black Dog again. Overall most pubs seemed to advertise real ale and I would suggest that Whitby is well worth a visit.

Robin Hood Little Matlock, Stannington

There is less than a week now until the pub is closed forever, I was in a fortnight ago with Mr P and the sole beer on offer was Tetley, although it was a good pint of it. Usually there are Bradfield and Burton bridge beers if you are considering a last visit - however it might pay to ring and check they have real ale on if they are thinking of exhausting their cellar stocks prior to closing - there were beer glasses and plates and cutlery for sale when I was last in. Only 6 more nights of trading starting tomorrow if you fancy a look.

Walkley news.

Most recent Walkley trips have centred on the Blake so have no recent news or visits to report on, however, on a frustrating hunt for a bus to town recently I noted that the Freedom House had closed. I understand that some of the staff have moved to the Walkley Cottage but as yet do not know what the plans are for the Freedom. It would be a crying shame to lose it, but I would suggest that pivotal to any revival is the retention and availability of the comfy left hand room, which is the antithesis of the stark and less welcoming environment in the bar on the right. Customers love choice - so give em a choice of rooms and all is well.

Trippets, Trippet Lane.

Continue to serve a decent range of real ale although reduced slightly midweek on a recent visit. I tried the excellent Kelham Island Festival Ale and Thornbridge Chiron pale ale, both in excellent form although with contrasting flavours. Across the road I note the Dog and Partridge does not appear to open Monday lunchtimes.


The Lescar

Gawd love um the Lescar are striving to win an award I haven't yet created called "most disorganised and /or perplexing pub experience". On my last visit I was caught out by a yo yo price for the Moonshine, as were the bar staff. On a recent visit it was virtual chaos behind the bar. I spotted the excellent St Peters brewery IPA on handpump and opted for a pint. Although cloudy I wasn't concerned until I smelt and tasted vinegar. The pint was swapped graciously for an excellent pint of Northern Star from Moor Beer Co in Somerset - note this was also served in a handled beer mug, an increasingly common sight in pubs once again. So far so good...

My second pint was Moonshine in the same glass but that ran out and my replacement, back to Northern Star was in a straight glass. Its may seem unimportant but surely my handing back the mug means I require a mug? Although I admit I did not stipulate. My friend asked for an Erdinger from the same barman and he told us they didn't sell it any more, despite us having had two already and him going straight to the pump when I asked. And throughout, the IPA remained on the bar, on sale.

If you have a drinks menu, which the Lescar do, and I have to say its very good and offers a brilliant choice of beers and wines; then any claims made about the real ale need to be supported in real life. The menu proclaims " we know our beer "(unq.) and references Cask Marque accreditation but am not sure that the blurb matched my experience. On returning later the Northern star had run out so it was Doom bar, now a Coors puppy that travels poorly, or the IPA from earlier. I tried a mouthful in the sample glass and here's my admission - it tasted OK, so I ordered a pint. The thing is, as soon as I tasted the now clear pint I realised it was not in fact, any better. I have no idea how I made this mistake and am aware it made my argument a little weak thereafter.....

To their credit they refunded my money and I bought another none real ale - they didn't have to since I had tried the beer - but no-one would admit the St Peter's beer tasted of vinegar (albeit slightly, but noticeably ), and claimed that IPA tastes sharp - as opposed to astringent, or bitter one assumes. When I'd mentioned the yukky taste earlier they suggested it was because it was fresh on - erm, what?

Either that means they don't clean the lines (and I have had too many good beers in there to believe that) or they think that beer at the beginning of the cask is normally sour. I think perhaps a better knowledge of IPA is in order and perhaps a top up of staff and management product knowledge would bring the pub in line with its printed claims, and we could all be happy then. Must try harder, 6/10.

The Firth Hall, Sheffield University

On Saturday I attended a wedding bash at the above and noted that, even on a bar crammed in a corner, the length of a school bench, they had real ale in the form of Kelham Island Pride of Sheffield. Not that this is a venue open to the public (as far as I understand ) but I have to say I was surprised and pleased to be at a wedding with something worth drinking on offer. The Firth hall shows the way, wedding venues!

Real ale to take away

The Crookes branch of Rhythm and Booze has started doing take away real ale, usually from Kelham Island brewery. Whilst this is a welcome development for Crookesians and visitors alike, lets remember who the daddy of take away real ale in Sheffield is, and always will be. The Archer Road beer stop still carries a range of real ales to take away along with cider and bottle conditioned or otherwise conditioned British and world beers. Go there now and buy some beers!

Am awaah in York this weekend then in the Home Counties and Midlands in September so after that normal service will hopefully resume. In the meantime, drink well and live long

Wee Beefy.

Wee Beefy's beer bites

Afternoon

recent activity surrounding beer and pubs has been frantic so am going to give you a few small tit-bits to try and cover all that's been going on.

BrewDog vs Asda

Asda recently put up the cost of the reduced strength Punk IPA to over £2.30 a bottle. Responsible you might think - but its still in the 3 for £4.00 offer. Once more Asda's alcohol irresponsibility reigns supreme - the less you buy, and the weaker alcohol in the beer you buy, the more expensive it is. Genius.

Shakespeare Gibraltar Street Shalesmoor

Work continues on the interior and upstairs rooms in particular, bookings are now coming in for bands to play in the large upstairs function room, where a bar is hoped to be installed in the future. A good range of local beers has always been available on my 4 visits so far, last night I had Abbeydale Deception, Spire Dark Side of he Moon, and not so local but the best of the lot, Hornbeam Black Coral Stout. The new signage is half up - one is waiting to presumably go on the side wall; and this identifies the pub as Shakespeares Ale and Cider House.

Welbeck Abbey Brewery

Continue to get their beers into Sheffield, having been seen at the Harlequin, Shakespeares (to reflect their new signage and differentiate between them and the Olde Shakespeare on Well Road Heeley ) and the Old House. Their First Brew was very quaffable at the Harlequin, and their low gravity session beer Henrietta at 3.6% was the stand out beer of an evening at the Old House recently. Me and Davefromtshop caught a pint of the surprisingly heavy ruby biter Red Feather at Shakespeares last week as well. Although they have excellent mentors and distributors in the form of Kelham Island brewery, its noticeable how quickly they have created a recognisable brand, and found that crucial consistency and quality. See their blog on this site or follow http://welbeckabbeybrewery.blogspot.com/

Toad Brewery

The flip side of the Welbeck story is the demise of short lived Doncaster brewery Toad, who have gone into liquidation. I rarely found their beers and I have to say that when I did I was likewise rarely impressed. Perhaps their apparent intention to supply the unusual/one off guest beer market caught them out - an over ambitious beer roster maybe contributed to a lack of consistency and a prevalence at beer festivals. A shame for South Yorkshire to lose a brewery though.

Robin Hood

News of their impending conversion to luxury housing has drawn a few people together to visit - a friend of mine told me he'd met his now wife when she was working behind the bar there and was off for a final visit last week, meanwhile I have finally visited with Davefromtshop - his first visit, and let countless other people know through the debatable wonders of Facebook. Get to the Robin Hood before August Bank Holiday weekend and see what you'll miss.

Wick At Both Ends West Street Sheffield

Two recent visits have seen Sheffield Brewery Tramlines and Thornbridge Sequoia on hand pump, served in handled beer mugs as beer should be - top marks for that. As well as a decent range of music I was also able to experience some excellent bottles of Budels Alt and some offerings from Goose Island brewery. The only drawback is - no beer menu! Sort us a list out The WABe and more people will buy your range of beers.

Old House Devonshire Street

Table service is on offer at the Old House and some very very nice food at sensible prices for the quality provided. Flowers IPA, a beer enigma in that you can rarely be sure where its brewed or by whom, along with Bradfield Farmers Stout, seem to be regular features on the bar now, with the total number of handpumps increased to 5. Drinks offers on Weekdays until eight and large for small wines until nine mean it needn't be extortionate to drink their either.

Tramlines festival beers

I got to a few pubs at Tramlines - more pubs than I saw bands actually, and sampled some decent beer along the way. The Abbeydale Deception at Harrisons 1854 was in fantastic form, perhaps helped by its quick turnover with the venue 8 thick at the bar at times. The Red House was offering two beers including Hancocks HB and Marstons EPA, Shakespeares of course had the biggest range of those tried and I had a very nice pint of something low gravity and pale from Acorn, then there were about 5 beers at CADS in Shalesmoor for the blues and ale festival, including the Tramlines beer and Brimstone from Abbeydale. Our final stop was the Red Deer which was offering, from a range of 7, a very nice pint of Moorhouses Blonde Witch, and serving til gone midnight - showing you can get decent real ale after 11PM.

More news soon, and, I promise, more of my Scotland adventure...

Cheers

Wee Beefy

Shakespeare, Gibraltar Street Shalesmoor reopens; Robin Hood and Anvil, little Matlock and Stannington

Hello


I was heading out to the Robin Hood with Mr P earlier and spotted signs of life at the Shakespeare, which seemed to have been dormant until quite recently, following the announcement that it had been bought by the owner of the New Beehive, Bradford. Mr P spotted a sign announcing its reopening, and we added it to our list of venues for the evening.

Arriving about 21.00 we found the main bar packed out, and the room to the left empty but for its seating and a generous table of nibbles - although as noted by many, for a Sheffield pub launch, there were precious few items of cutlery available to divvy up the quiche....

Furnishings and fittings are basic tables and old chairs with bare flag floors throughout, making it quite echoey in places. This crisp resonance, along with the very real smells of fresh paint varnish and wood, means you can be in no doubt that this is a recently refurbished pub.

There were 8 handpumps dispensing local ales, including a new one from Welbeck Abbey brewery - more on that soon; and 2 real ciders in a box, as well as Continental draught beer including Bellevue Kriek. I had a pint of the Welbeck Red Leather and Mr P a half of a surprisingly dark Blue Bee Bee's Knees bitter, both of which retailed at a sensible £2.30 or so a pint.

The cosy fireplace in the wall feature behind the bar sadly seems to have disappeared, but there is another room to the right of the back of the bar, created by bricking up the former coach entrance on the right, and the loos are much improved; the smell of fresh paint possibly masked any lingering horrors, but i can safely say they were some of the worst pub toilets in Sheffield before.

Being launch night there were about 6 staff behind the bar, which is quite difficult to pull off, and i think i spotted the owner, but did not have time to ask him anything even if it were him. In the left hand room is a fabulous old clock and a number of pump clips all around the walls at dado height. The only potential downer is the fact that the Wards window in here appears to have been lost - perhaps broken ?

Its always a risky business reopening and working in an old pub with an unspoilt or old interior, and the loss of the window - its sibling still visible on the right as you look at the pub - is a real shame. That said, there is now a subtle and attractive new sign outside and the room gained on the right gives more space to what I hope will be throngs of drinkers visiting the pub from now on. There is also a large beer yard/area to the rear.

The pub was getting busier as we left before 22.00, and it looks like even at this early stage there is potential to make something of a business that successive pub companies failed or perhaps wanted to fail at making successful. Here's wishing the Speare (sorry) all the very best for the future.

Robin Hoodoo
As part of my succession of visits to the pub between now and August bank holiday, I continued tonight by taking Mr P to the pub at Little Matlock near Stannington. Luckily they had real ale on but only one, a very nice pint of Yorkshire Farmer. We sat outside defying the threat of rain for most of our visit before heading inside.

The beer situation appears to be that they get a delivery Friday each week, and put the beer straight on - not sure if this is ideal - and its clear that they are operating a hand to mouth ordering system, since on my visit tomorrow I will be having more beer from the same 9 on tonight if I am to get any at all. I understand the need to keep the cellar stocks light but this risks running out of beer, which, as mentioned before, if you don't do food Wednesday and Thursdays, is surely a key component in keeping customers there and buying ?

After we walked back along Greaves lane to the Anvil on Stannington Road. The makeover is complete and doesn't seem to have radically altered the layout i have seen on my last few visits. There are 4 beers on, Kelham, Bradfield Blonde, Lees Bitter with Black Sheep on soon. Not a life changing selection, but both the Lees and the Blonde were very well kept.

More info on Scotland and Welbeck Abbey brewery soon.

Wee Beefy.