Drinking.
once again, not exactly a revelation, but an appropriate back story to a week or more of libations that I hope to record some details of here.
Recently myself and Matty and Tash have found ourselves in the Harlequin more often than usual. Its not that I have anything against the Harlequin, more that in the beginning of the month when I have actual money I tend to travel or go to my usual haunts. By this week, I largely pay for my beer on card. Its cash only at the Quin. Despite this on recent visits I found sufficient funds to invest in pints of Five Towns and North Riding Golden Years IPA, which we all had several pints of, along with Exit 3 IPA, and on my last visit, a very palatable pint of Blue Bee Motueka Pale Ale. Motueka is not a hop I encounter that often but there was a definite and interesting tang to this beer, which I assume is a Motueka characteristic. Decent value as well at £3.00 a pint for a 5% beer.
I haven't been to Shakespeares that much of late. I was in last night after the Ship, not partaking in but observing with interest the punters at, their inaugural gin festival. There have been a couple in Gatsby's and the Harlequin over the last year but I have never been tempted to go. Had Tash been better this last week I think we could have snook in for a taster or two. Last night I started with a pint of Brodies Steam, a half of North Riding Citra and a half of Blue Bee Ginger beer. Good to see that during the gin fest the beers were still top notch.
I sat in the back room and met Tracey and Tom, Phoebe and Tom and Sarah and Tom. This isn't, despite appearances, a bizarre four way, instead three couples. These lovely folks were at Shakespeares to see a man playing upstairs whose three names probably included Steven and Adams. Its always nice to meet new people and this was no different, hopefully all six enjoyed the gig. I went back afterwards for another half of the excellent Blue Bee Ginger beer, and to pay my tab - another excellent Shakesperian visit.
Talking of Gatsby, sort of, on Sunday after our jaunt to Ull and a coffee in Tamper Sellers Wheel, we went up to the Double G. Its never been my favourite venue but they usually sell two real ales and we fancied a change. They appear now to be permanently selling cask Saltaire Cascadian Black and Roosters YPA. Am not really a fan of either but ordered a half of YPA each for me and Tash. I assumed the cloudiness was a chill haze but even when they warmed up they were still hazy. I think it might have been the end of the barrel - at least I hope so, because £3.60 a pint is a lot for a duff beer.
After this we went and ate two portions of Kumara fries each in the Red Deer. They were having a bit of a Stancil fest, but there was a Brewsters and a Welbeck beer on as well. So me and Tash both had a pint or two of Welbeck Cubits Voyage, a 3.5% session ale using New Zealand Hops. I also tried a half of the Brewsters hopped Porter which was delicious. Am not a Stancil fan however so didn't have any of theirs, apart from a taste of the unfined Blonde.
We finished the night having several pints of Blue Bee in the Three Tuns Silver Street Head. The food menu has again reduced and Jamie was wearing his chef's hat, am not sure if this means another chef has left or not! Once again the ale was excellent, as were the pork scratchings, am just struggling to remember which Blue Bee pale we had. More of the same in terms of quality, when we popped in Wednesday to see Matty off to London with his friends Stuart and Phil.
By the way, Welbeck Abbey Brewery are opening their first Sheffield venue, a micropub on Ecclesall Road called Portland House. Their Facebook page described the venue, opening a week on Thursday 29 October, as a pub, brewery and cafe. Am not sure of the brewery details but I heard about their potential opening some time ago from one of the guys behind the project. Its tag line is a "Micropub without the gimmicks" so it will be interesting to see the results.
Bath Hotel news now - was in the redoubtable boozer Monday or Tuesday drinking one of the beers of the year. The Cloudwater 6.7% Autumn IPA on keg is a revelation - citrus, resinous, spicy hops on a warming malt background is my half arsed attempt at a description - either way it was a fantastic pint which me and Tash had one of each. We found out earlier in the day the pub had some trouble from drug and alcohol abusing molluscs who threatened the two female staff and generally caused havoc. Whilst I was walking down with Tash there was a massive argument going on across the road, and at one stage the front door was locked as a maniac was outside with a knife and a block of wood. Credit to the staff at the pub for working under this kind of pressure. Such a lot to deal with as well as meeting profit and sales targets.
A couple of visits to the Bankers Draft have shown some interesting ales including a mild, Purity UBU amber ale and Fatheads Yakima Sun, part of their ale festival. The Bankers is not my favourite place by a long stretch but is somewhere worth popping on for a coffee or soft drink or an ale, as I have done a few times of late.
Finally, the Sheffield Tap continues to offer some decent real ales. I popped in on Friday with Tash as she wasn't well and needed to sit down somewhere for a coffee - an extra large Cappuccino was £3.50 but am assured was delicious. I thought I would have a Fyne Ales Highlander, but at £4.00 a pint for a 4.5% cask beer said no - a similar strength Bad Seed Brewing Comet (I think!) was much better value at £3.40 a pint so i had a couple of pints of that. Always worth popping in to sample the real ales - just check the prices first.
That's all the news I have for now, am hoping to have a Sheffield beer festival write up next week!
Cheers
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Great Gatsby Sheffield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Gatsby Sheffield. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Saturday, 28 March 2015
Edge of town crawls
Hello,
recently I took a few days off to spend with Tash after her long stay in Carlisle. Whilst she has been away and since she has come back, we have been craving pints in quieter pubs, but not ones that take ages to get to. Luckily, Sheffield has many decent, not always quiet but worthwhile pubs, on the edges of the city.
Starting in the Rutland I saw Clare from Sheffield beer week with Gav and her friend Gary. They were trying an exquisite dessert - and I was on a pint of Blue Bee Ella and a half of the excellent Broken Dreams from Siren. I have never tried this beer on draught and, aged in (I think) Ardbeg barrels, this complex beer was fantastic.
Just up the hill I popped in the Red Lion. I had a half of their Moonshine and went to sit in the beautiful back snug. Its not, I think, always possible to enter from the street so its useful to know that you need to go behind the bar - not literally, to each the room. Once there its often far quieter than the rest of the pub which can get very busy.
Further up is the Wood Street Brewery run/owned Roebuck. I went in with some trepidation since often I have gone in and the beer has been poor. This time there were a mix of Wood Street and guest brewery beers on 5 handpumps. The pub looked much cleaner and was very busy. I had a half a pale from a large regional brewer and stood in the beer garden. The Roebuck isn't my favourite pub but seems to be improving.
I finished off in the Tap and Tankard. I had a pint from Atom brewery and a half, but alas, the exhaustion of numerous overtimes caught up with me, and away tp nod nod land crept the Beefdozer. Zzzzzz.....
This week we met, after I had been to the Bath Hotel, Three Tuns and Red Deer, at the University tram stop and went to the University Arms. This was busy, but we managed to get a seat in the conservatory, whilst smokers braved the cold air in the garden, and being locked out after shutting the fire door properly. On the bar we almost tried an unusual beer from Welbeck Abbey brewery but went instead with a dark ale and a pale - now, I realise that details wise this is poor, but I had already had more than 3 pints by this stage.
Down the hill we went next to Fagans. Only halves in here, of Moonshine, but we were lucky enough to sit in the tiny snug. I think you can get 10 punters in, but only small ones - am sure the max is normally 8. We listened in on a folk session in the back room including a song called "A pint of old peculier". I've not been in for a while and this was a worthwhile return visit.
We finished the night in Shakespeares and after getting a pint of the Raw/Steel City collab that has the word opposites in it, we finished on several halves of the excellent Kernel Centennial IPA at 6.9%. As mentioned previously, Centennial is one of my favourite hops so this was a no brainer to try. Others must have liked it too - it had run out the following night.
During which we came into town and caught the 95 up to Howard Road, and walked down to the Blake. We'd seen their beer mats in the Sheaf View on Tuesday and decided to make a return to the pub, which Tash has only been in twice. This turned out to be an excellent decision. Of the real ales on the bar we stuck with two - the Spitting Duck pale ale from Green Duck brewery, and the Welsh Black from Great Orme brewery. The pork pies were excellent and well priced as was the beer. Had we not been restricted to limited funds we could probably have stayed all night.
Instead after a couple of hours we walked down through Upperthorpe to the Wellington. Two pints of Flying Scotsman were purchased and we sat down in the room on the left in again, a very busy pub - or plans for a quite night were not met on these visits but I assure you that the Blake, Red Lion,l Uni Arms and Welington are all places where you can enjoy a quiet drink.
We finished at Shakespeares with more Steel City and a beer from a new brewery, followed by half a Sorachi Face Plant, a delicious grapefruity and lemongrass-ed pale ale at 8.1% from Weird Beard. Once again Shakespeares provided the perfect finishing point to a short pub crawl.
Our final pints came last night - we popped in the Great Gatsby where Tash had a pint of Staropramen for old rimes sake, and me a pint of Saltaire Bavarian Black. Although the inside was rammed there were few people in the beer garden, so we sat outside and supped our pints slowly.
We finished in the Bath Hotel and had halves of the Wiper and True Amarillo Amber, a fantastic keg amber ale, the Buxton Moor top, a refreshing 3.6% Pale ale and the excellent Oakham Ales Citra Pale at 4.2%. We were joined by Clare and Gav and Neil and his mate which livened things up, and I had an absolutely excellent roast pork sandwich - the price has gone up to £4.00 but the portion is massive. Another great place to end what was our shortest crawl (we started in the Rutland but it was rammed) of Sheffield's edge of city pubs.
Maybe see some of you later at the Brothers Arms beer fest.....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
recently I took a few days off to spend with Tash after her long stay in Carlisle. Whilst she has been away and since she has come back, we have been craving pints in quieter pubs, but not ones that take ages to get to. Luckily, Sheffield has many decent, not always quiet but worthwhile pubs, on the edges of the city.
Starting in the Rutland I saw Clare from Sheffield beer week with Gav and her friend Gary. They were trying an exquisite dessert - and I was on a pint of Blue Bee Ella and a half of the excellent Broken Dreams from Siren. I have never tried this beer on draught and, aged in (I think) Ardbeg barrels, this complex beer was fantastic.
Just up the hill I popped in the Red Lion. I had a half of their Moonshine and went to sit in the beautiful back snug. Its not, I think, always possible to enter from the street so its useful to know that you need to go behind the bar - not literally, to each the room. Once there its often far quieter than the rest of the pub which can get very busy.
Further up is the Wood Street Brewery run/owned Roebuck. I went in with some trepidation since often I have gone in and the beer has been poor. This time there were a mix of Wood Street and guest brewery beers on 5 handpumps. The pub looked much cleaner and was very busy. I had a half a pale from a large regional brewer and stood in the beer garden. The Roebuck isn't my favourite pub but seems to be improving.
I finished off in the Tap and Tankard. I had a pint from Atom brewery and a half, but alas, the exhaustion of numerous overtimes caught up with me, and away tp nod nod land crept the Beefdozer. Zzzzzz.....
This week we met, after I had been to the Bath Hotel, Three Tuns and Red Deer, at the University tram stop and went to the University Arms. This was busy, but we managed to get a seat in the conservatory, whilst smokers braved the cold air in the garden, and being locked out after shutting the fire door properly. On the bar we almost tried an unusual beer from Welbeck Abbey brewery but went instead with a dark ale and a pale - now, I realise that details wise this is poor, but I had already had more than 3 pints by this stage.
Down the hill we went next to Fagans. Only halves in here, of Moonshine, but we were lucky enough to sit in the tiny snug. I think you can get 10 punters in, but only small ones - am sure the max is normally 8. We listened in on a folk session in the back room including a song called "A pint of old peculier". I've not been in for a while and this was a worthwhile return visit.
We finished the night in Shakespeares and after getting a pint of the Raw/Steel City collab that has the word opposites in it, we finished on several halves of the excellent Kernel Centennial IPA at 6.9%. As mentioned previously, Centennial is one of my favourite hops so this was a no brainer to try. Others must have liked it too - it had run out the following night.
During which we came into town and caught the 95 up to Howard Road, and walked down to the Blake. We'd seen their beer mats in the Sheaf View on Tuesday and decided to make a return to the pub, which Tash has only been in twice. This turned out to be an excellent decision. Of the real ales on the bar we stuck with two - the Spitting Duck pale ale from Green Duck brewery, and the Welsh Black from Great Orme brewery. The pork pies were excellent and well priced as was the beer. Had we not been restricted to limited funds we could probably have stayed all night.
Instead after a couple of hours we walked down through Upperthorpe to the Wellington. Two pints of Flying Scotsman were purchased and we sat down in the room on the left in again, a very busy pub - or plans for a quite night were not met on these visits but I assure you that the Blake, Red Lion,l Uni Arms and Welington are all places where you can enjoy a quiet drink.
We finished at Shakespeares with more Steel City and a beer from a new brewery, followed by half a Sorachi Face Plant, a delicious grapefruity and lemongrass-ed pale ale at 8.1% from Weird Beard. Once again Shakespeares provided the perfect finishing point to a short pub crawl.
Our final pints came last night - we popped in the Great Gatsby where Tash had a pint of Staropramen for old rimes sake, and me a pint of Saltaire Bavarian Black. Although the inside was rammed there were few people in the beer garden, so we sat outside and supped our pints slowly.
We finished in the Bath Hotel and had halves of the Wiper and True Amarillo Amber, a fantastic keg amber ale, the Buxton Moor top, a refreshing 3.6% Pale ale and the excellent Oakham Ales Citra Pale at 4.2%. We were joined by Clare and Gav and Neil and his mate which livened things up, and I had an absolutely excellent roast pork sandwich - the price has gone up to £4.00 but the portion is massive. Another great place to end what was our shortest crawl (we started in the Rutland but it was rammed) of Sheffield's edge of city pubs.
Maybe see some of you later at the Brothers Arms beer fest.....
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Wee Beefy's midweek pub bites
Hello,
having fallen gratefully into the welcoming bosom of payday my drinking and socialising has received a timely boost. So here are a few details of some of the Sheffield pubs I've visited in the last week.
Shakespeares
I popped in here on Tuesday to buy a beer festival ticket for Thursday night at Magna. Naturally it would have been tremendously rude not to stop for a half at least. I tried a half of a beer that (yes, I have forgotten, duh) was almost certainly called chocolate malt stout, which tasted only vaguely of chocolate, and a lot more of malt. Not quite what I was expecting, or it seems, remembering.
Interestingly I also noted a first 2.8% real ale. I was fairly confident that I would like it but a quick sniff and a taste persuaded me otherwise. Straight furrow from Wincle, a brewery who's beers have been very nice whenever I have sampled them, was just not right. Not off, but tasting of malt and biscuits and some sort of unidentifiable sweetness, with little hoppiness. I am anxious to try some more sub 3% beers but didn't venture to purchase a whole half of this one alas.
Three Cranes
As promised the Welbeck offerings were making their debut on the bar at the venerable Cranes. It seems I missed the Blue Bee Tangled Up IPA but the Welbeck Abbey Brewery Cavendish and Dark Horse were on offer when I popped in on Wednesday.
I only had time for one so having tried neither before I opted for the Dark Horse. This was served in good condition and was a well rounded bitter dark ale, probably half way between a porter and a dry stout. At 4.8% it was slightly weaker than the Cavendish but it was a substantial starter to the evenings drinking. Blue Bee Rugbee Rugbee Rugbee may be coming soon as well.
Dada
After the unbridled joy of Pollards I am still awaiting the arrival of the much vaunted Magic Rock beers at the Da (Christ on a bike, I hope no-one calls it that). Despite claims as yet and likely to be forever unsubstantiated, by Jamie, that Cannonball was on its way, it now seems that Curious and another strong ale are the likely offerings from this excellent micro.
On my visit I had alas missed the McConnells, so had a choice of Brother Rabbit, Sequoia and Kipling. Despite its strength, from that range, Kipling was the obvious choice. Along with a good selection of Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green era, obviously) and other blues this was a good preparation for our meal out later.
Old House
I have somehow contrived to visit the Old House 3 times in less than a week. On my first visit I had a pint of the True North (I checked the pumpclip just to be sure) First Born, and a half of the Bradfield Farmers Stout. On the other two occasions, slightly later on in the evening, I had pints of the Bradfield Stout only. The stout was in good condition both times (but running out on one visit, although thankfully we were spared that trauma) and being late visits this afforded me chance to confirm that they open until 01.00 on a Thursday (so, maybe every "early" week night) and 02.00 on Saturday.
Mind you, I think they should take a look at their drinking up policy. I thought twenty minutes was your entitlement not a favour? I fully appreciate that staff want to get home but I would be surprised if there was more than about 12 minutes available on Saturday. A minor but annoying blemish.
Great Gatsby
Briefly, nothing much has changed in the overall set up here but notably there is no longer a Blue Bee beer on the bar. They now in fact have two handpumps, on my visit selling a Kelham Island beer (also spotted in the Old House) with a record label theme, and Thornbridge Sequoia. I tried the Kelham, it was a little tired but on the plus side, the change in ales offered does perhaps suggest that the range may alter more regularly.
That's all the pub news for now, as I have a separate weekend pub news update to come later in the week.
Wee Beefy
having fallen gratefully into the welcoming bosom of payday my drinking and socialising has received a timely boost. So here are a few details of some of the Sheffield pubs I've visited in the last week.
Shakespeares
I popped in here on Tuesday to buy a beer festival ticket for Thursday night at Magna. Naturally it would have been tremendously rude not to stop for a half at least. I tried a half of a beer that (yes, I have forgotten, duh) was almost certainly called chocolate malt stout, which tasted only vaguely of chocolate, and a lot more of malt. Not quite what I was expecting, or it seems, remembering.
Interestingly I also noted a first 2.8% real ale. I was fairly confident that I would like it but a quick sniff and a taste persuaded me otherwise. Straight furrow from Wincle, a brewery who's beers have been very nice whenever I have sampled them, was just not right. Not off, but tasting of malt and biscuits and some sort of unidentifiable sweetness, with little hoppiness. I am anxious to try some more sub 3% beers but didn't venture to purchase a whole half of this one alas.
Three Cranes
As promised the Welbeck offerings were making their debut on the bar at the venerable Cranes. It seems I missed the Blue Bee Tangled Up IPA but the Welbeck Abbey Brewery Cavendish and Dark Horse were on offer when I popped in on Wednesday.
I only had time for one so having tried neither before I opted for the Dark Horse. This was served in good condition and was a well rounded bitter dark ale, probably half way between a porter and a dry stout. At 4.8% it was slightly weaker than the Cavendish but it was a substantial starter to the evenings drinking. Blue Bee Rugbee Rugbee Rugbee may be coming soon as well.
Dada
After the unbridled joy of Pollards I am still awaiting the arrival of the much vaunted Magic Rock beers at the Da (Christ on a bike, I hope no-one calls it that). Despite claims as yet and likely to be forever unsubstantiated, by Jamie, that Cannonball was on its way, it now seems that Curious and another strong ale are the likely offerings from this excellent micro.
Old House
I have somehow contrived to visit the Old House 3 times in less than a week. On my first visit I had a pint of the True North (I checked the pumpclip just to be sure) First Born, and a half of the Bradfield Farmers Stout. On the other two occasions, slightly later on in the evening, I had pints of the Bradfield Stout only. The stout was in good condition both times (but running out on one visit, although thankfully we were spared that trauma) and being late visits this afforded me chance to confirm that they open until 01.00 on a Thursday (so, maybe every "early" week night) and 02.00 on Saturday.
Mind you, I think they should take a look at their drinking up policy. I thought twenty minutes was your entitlement not a favour? I fully appreciate that staff want to get home but I would be surprised if there was more than about 12 minutes available on Saturday. A minor but annoying blemish.
Great Gatsby
Briefly, nothing much has changed in the overall set up here but notably there is no longer a Blue Bee beer on the bar. They now in fact have two handpumps, on my visit selling a Kelham Island beer (also spotted in the Old House) with a record label theme, and Thornbridge Sequoia. I tried the Kelham, it was a little tired but on the plus side, the change in ales offered does perhaps suggest that the range may alter more regularly.
That's all the pub news for now, as I have a separate weekend pub news update to come later in the week.
Wee Beefy
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