A night out in sunny Sheffield!

 Afternoon readers - long time no write I admit!

Yesterday was my day off and I decided to make my first ever trip to the Itchy Pig up at Banner Cross - its been open a year or so (possibly) and I felt I deserved a look...

I was quickly into town on the peasant tractor, and after much guesswork I figured out where the Ecclesall Road busses left from, and walked a long way up the side of Arundel Gate to find a timetable free bus stop - although to be fair I didn't wait long for the 88, and the driver assured me he was going to Banner Cross. Within 15 minutes had got off at a building numbered near that of the Itchy Pig, but  having worked out it was on the other side of the road I popped in the Banner Cross Hotel.

Inside they had a choice of 4 cask from the past, but nothing I wanted to taste on keg, but I opted for a pint of Moonshine at £3.90 a pint and sat by myself at a big table ignoring the darts being shown on a big screen - the pub was quite busy, but I didn't linger long.

Accross Ecclesall Road and up I found the Itch Pig and was likewise pleased to discover a good range of real ales on cask (ftp) along with an excellent range of Keg. I started on a pint of Torrside and Grizzly Grains collab at 4.8% on cask called Big Words, and sat at one of the tables near the entrance. Its notable that the door needs to be closed properly to stop it partially opening once you are in, and sadly about 3 people entering and sitting at the back did not maanage this, but I was more observant of how popular it was! There were absolutely loads of people after about ten minutes!

Next up was a p[int of Azvex Disco Castle pale ale at 4.2% on keg from the future and that was likewise excellent - got chatting to two gents sat near me and I asked them if it was feasible to walk to the Rising Sun at Nether Green and they assured me it was. After some early confusion about direction I found the first turn on my directopms but sadly not the next...

After stopping somebody I headed for what I thought was Carrington Road but nevertheless ended up on Rustlings road before finding Oakbrook Road to clamber up - sadly I did not find Nethergreen road but I did make it up to Ranmoor on Fullwood road and so I was soon at the Rising Sun.

This pub was likewise very busy and I started on a pint of Abbeydale Black Mass at 6.6% on cask from the past, and found an empty table to sit at viewing the crowd of people who were drinking - and drinking only - as the kitchen was closed.

After finishing my cftp I had a whole pint of Deliverance on keg - with Sabro, Talus and HBC 472 in a gloriously hoppy IPA with Yakima Chief! I will say that the cask was quite expensive - I know am way out with my desire not to pay more than a pound a percent but the Black Mass was £5.40 a pint on cask from the past - a style in which my experience is that its always far cheaper...

Leaving for the 120 I was soon heading down West Street and got off half way along to head onto Trippet Lane. I popped into the Dog and Partridge for one and had another Sheffield brewed pint - Abbeydale Hibernator pale on cftp and it was delicious!

I finished my night in the Shakespeares where I know I had another pint of Electric Bear also on cftp, although am unsure what I had next - am guessing a pale...

So, 5 busy pubs, one new route, and plenty of excellent beers to plug the gap between Christmas and New Year in fine, sunny, Sheffield!

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Citra everything

 Evening!

          Last month I bought two cans off Sean from Other Half Brewing. I had become a fan of their stuff, along with Veil Brewing, and other's whom I have temporarily forgotten the names of, for a while now. Despite the height of their prices (remember kids - I do still perhaps pointlessly strive to pay no more than a pound a percent), I managed to order 2 x 6.5% DDH IPA's. Citra everything is the second.

I realise that people - like myself - could suggest that Citra everything should simply be a can filled with green Citra hops - and it wasn't. Luckily I had brought this to enjoy a tasty hoppy cloudy beer. It did not disappoint.

It's actually called small CITRA EVERYTHING and is in a can with a lovely pinky red label. Taking the lid off  I straight away smelled the lovely Citra flavours as they wafted over my nose.I realise that numerous unsavoury undertakings could have taken place at Other Half Brewing, but their lack of more than the most basic information about the brew simply meant that I loved the flavour even more. The only frustration, and even then minimal, was a lack of explanation of the use of the word small....

Aroma wise it was almost all Citra - but despite my poor memory of the specifics of Citra am confident enough to suggest there was a mild, none hoppy, sweetness in there. In the end it mattered not. The overall taste is clean and suppable - so much so that I have had to ignore this half a can that I have left whilst I set up the P.C. After an unusally long 50 minutes in the glass am now convinced that the Citra is even more noticable - but am equally aware that this could be a trick of the mind.

I may have mentioned previously that I have had a mixed series of encounters with American, and recently also Canadian brews - but this ticked almost all of my boxes. Probably but not entirely based  on my not having been to my second home for 7 months, I do remember that the fab staff at Shakespeares supplied a large number of frankly wonderful USA breweries whose products I love - although the only one I can remember is Founders Brewing Co and their Kentucky Breakfast Stout - and I know I have not had that for years.

Finishing the murky soup was a very pleasant and equally long awaited achievement. I know its a tad pricey, but on this basis it's worth every penny.

Next time you spot a few cans I would suggest you grab some!

Your very best of health.

Wee Beefy

Chubbles

 Evening all,

        When there was a Magic Rock Cannonball run at Shakespeares way back in the days when Verdant changed Howl to Allen, I started on a third of Chubbles. Arguably the fact it was a third, in my mind, somehow normalises the fact that this combo with The Veil Brewing was a whopping 10%. On that day, much of which was spent sat in the sunshine with the lovely Vikkie, I tried halves of all three of the Cannonball versions and enjoyed a can of Verdant Allen, but the Chubbles really stood out.

Since then have likely only ever had a can of it once. And this year, I missed buying a can from Beer Central on two separate occasions, such was it's popularity......

Luckily the man Luke at Dronfield Beer Stop has got quite a range of Cloudwater beers in. As I may have already mentioned, probably because am using a roobish version of Windows on my PC I registered as a key worker (as I am) on the Cloudwater website but that said my card wasn't valid. I have since found out this is due to using Vista. I have therefore been unable to order beers from Cloudwater brewery's website. Luckily there were cans of both Chubbles and chubbles 2 available - in fact, as a chum in the business confirmed, there is even a third version. Being a sensible chap I simply ordered a can of each. They were exceptional.

Am all too aware that there's a chance I may like "easy drinking" aspects more so even than the blend  of hops in the soupy brews that I sup. That's my suggestion, based solely on my own observations. The thing is, I do rank that aspect very highly. And I have tried many beers recently which lasted 5 or 10 minutes a can. Had I not enjoyed it so much previously, one of these cans may have been dispatched similarly quickly.

In addition to the above that includes the balance of a drink - and Cloudwater do now and again confirm the specific hops they use in particular brews. As not in this case, all I can say is that it tasted exactly how I remembered it - although I sadly have to admit that the amount of boohar I consumed thereafter possibly renders my memories of that exercise somewhat less supportive.

Interestingly the Chubbles 11 is an 8% version that states "discovery of pilsengris" on the front. Sadly, as the oldest man on earth, am not sure if this is an ingredient or beer style but I have to say that am certain that this was even better than the mighty first Chubbles!

Its important to admit that usually 8% is not a noticable drop in strength (although those brilliant original Cloudwater DIPAs were all 9% if I recall) but I was a little disappointed pre trying - and I had no reason. This of course makes the tasting of other Cloudwater + 6% beers afterwards  even more interesting. And now I have a regular supply, albeit without my key worker discount, I fully intend to purchase a few every month.

Am not sure how many were brewed and canned, but if you aren't concerned about higher ABV beers, and also didn't discover your impression of strong beers based on sickly sweet 1970s barley wines, I would highly recommend you give a can a try.

The very best of health!

Wee Beefy

Weekend wanders

Artanoo yall,

        the last two weekends have been a great opportunity to try new places to sup, including Chester, and Nottinghamshire - here are a few scarcely remembered details from the last two weeks....

Last Saturday I joined the lovely Vikkie along with Jill and Rich at the Industry Tap. Sadly I never got when it was owned and run by Lost Industry but they still supply a lot of the excellent beers there and despite the gusting wind it was a glorious place to sit outside in the bright sunshine. I started on a can of excellent Clamp from Sheffield's St Mars and finished on a half of the equally excellent Abbeydale Deliverance DIPA.

From here we walked to the Rutland for my first post lockdown visit and we sat on the last available bench in the beer garden where I definitely had a half of IPA......it was simultaneously busy and well managed and everyone enjoyed the drinks. From here we got two taxi for the four of us to the Crow Inn where I had at least one half, maybe two, of the excellent  BBNO IPA which was on excellent form. Lovely to sit in the garden there for the first time in ages, and to see Paul and Lisa, who may have other names......

We went to Bar Stewards next where I may have had a pint of Cask from the Past, and got a few cans to take out, and we once again enjoyed our drinks sat in the beer garden. We finished our crawl in the mighty Shakespeares where I  had a pint of something whose name sadly escapes me.

On Sunday me and WK went for a walk around Newstead and the related pit sight where there was lots to see, but also alas a lot of rain - and I hadn't bought a coat. Before heading back to Sheffield I popped in the Pit Micropub in the sports hall and had a choice of three real ales, all from Magpie, as well as a keg of Northern Monk. Sadly as I was soaking wet and short of time I didn't tell them the 5.2% Magpie summer ale was at best very tired - and at worst off. So I am both an awful customer and a dreadful blogger. Am surprised nobody else had noticed it but am well aware I should have said something.

Back in fine sunny Sheffield and me and WK popped in the White Lion - although I almost always go for Dancing Duck both me and WK had pints of a Salopian 3.6% session ale which the barman recommended. Am always a fan of their brews and this did not disappoint. We sat in the small room on the right and although we had to get off after just one we enjoyed our sup along with the excellent new exit down the passage at the side.

This weekend me and WK took a surprise trip to Chester - a place which I last went to aged 17 to watch a play with the janitor from Grange Hill in it which was by Shakespeare, but was also a place I have never been drinking in. Having booked last minute accommodation at a hotel about 20 minutes or less walk from the centre we arrived at 1500 and by 16.00 we had wandered into town. Seeing the crowd outside the Lodge on the way down I thought I had wandered into Crosspool, with some well rehearsed toffy-nosedness on display, but then having passed a few outdoor cider enthusiasts I thought I was back in Sheffield city centre - that aside though Chester has an amazing centre and we started our trip at the Old Hawkers Arms by the canal.

From an excellent range of beers I started on a pint of Abbeydale Aftershave at about 4.2%, and followed this with a pint of Hobsons stout - a brewery whose beer I haven't had for years! Whilst here we found out about micropubs and similar places to visit and headed with a mix of success to the 18.00 closing Beer Heroes where we had arranged a table for 17.30. The combination of Google maps and some confusion over the name of separate venues meant wqe got a little lost but Soon found it and WK was on a pint of session ale and I was on a pint of excellent Shindigger, sat on a small table inside. Sadly we only had time to stop for one as we had to leave just after six but from here it was a leisurely walk up  Northgate and just out of the centre to what turned out to be the best pub of the trip.

Goat and Munch was a micropub selling about 5 kegs as well as two local cask beers and we sat in the back room along with regulars and a dog called Rory, with WK on half a Marble stout and myself on a fabulous pint of Kernel IPA at 6.8%. Rory was very well behaved and loved by the customers and the atmosphere was relaxing, warm and friendly. After having got some directions we headed to the Brewery Tap next which I think may have been in a former Linen hall - 6 Cask from the Past by Spitting Feathers along with a couple of keg - I had a pint of the strongest pale on cask and finished on an excellent half of Hacker Pschoor!

After this WK went for some scran whilst I headed own the road to the  Bear and Billet where having given my details I quickly got a pint of Adnams whilst awaiting WK before getting him a pint of Weetwood Eastgate and myself a pint of Okells - another brewery whose output I haven't tried for ages.

Our last stop was the Cellar Bar where WK had a cloudy half of something refreshing and I had a fabulous pint of excellent Manchester Lagonda IPA in a venue where we initially sat outside but were later allowed back in. Excellent end to the night!

Yesterday although we nipped to the Oakwood pub next door for breakfast, we only made one pub stop - we nipped in the Lockkeepers next to the canal and WK was on tea as he was driving and I had a rather dire pint of BrewDog Punk IPA. The staff were nice but overall the visit was quite disappointing, since as well as the garbage selection of beers they also didn't offer the 50% off discount having only opened a week earlier.  We nipped into henious Co-op en route back to pick up the car to get some local take out, and made it back to fine sunny Sheffield in good time - where I had a can of a Northern Monk collab IPA at 7.2% with Alpha Delta and Pomona Island and others which was absolutely delicious!

Overall I continue to enjoy my lockdown drinking and am looking forward to finding some new places this week as am off. And Chester was a fabulous place to go for both cask and keg and scran, along with excellent architecture.

Your very best of health!

Wee Beefy

Oldies and Newbies

Hellall,

      apart from my Derbyshire based sojourn recently I really haven't been out as many times as normal. But this month I have at least tried some venues that are new to me, whilst also trying out some old faves from the past. Here are some memories of such visits that have somehow filtered through.......

Starting on the 30th July (just to undo my previous statement), and myself and my friend Mr G went out for a few boohars starting at the Nags Head at Stacey Bank.  I first went for beer here when I recall it was still a Kimberley's pub when me and our lass were on a CAMRA pub of the month trip to none other than the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires. The Three Stags was as always wonderful, but I don't recall being that impressed with the Nags. Nowadays it does a range of about six beers from Bradfield, sadly including their lower gravity and awful fruit nonsense, but noticably and crucially their excellent Farmers Pale and the Sixer. Once I had provided my details (I think....) I had two pints of the Pale and Mr G a beer shandy followed by a soft drink. We sat outside in the sunshine and chatted lengthily, enjoying our rural location. I then suggested we went somewhere new....

Using a mixture of knowledge and Nav suggestions we soon found our way out of Stannigton and it wasn't long before we dropped into Bakewell. We immediately found the Joiners Arms pub and parked in the yard outside. It was initially busy when we went in but soon quietened down and Mr G had a soft drink and I a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on keg from the future. Once we had acquired a seat at a table we relaxed and spent a good couple of hours in the pub on what was both our first visit's. We got chatting to the lass behind the bar, and found the atmosphere was enjoyable, and crucially they had installed an in one end out the other system along with markings on the floor to keep people apart. I went for a pint of the 6% Peak Ales  IPA on Cask from the Past, and despite being surprised by it's high cost am well aware that Bakewell is an expensive place to rent - and of course, they had been shut for nearly 4 months so needed to recoup some costs. Overall this was a highly enjoyable first visit.  And we still had time to be seated and table served at the excellent Shakespeares in Sheffield en route home, where I had beers, which had names, and everything......

Earlier this month I met up with the excellent Robert J Ward and his mate Mr Pickles in Bar Stewards before we headed for a pop up pub in Neepsend. I started on a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on cftp and then had a can of the excellent North Kveik IPA before we set off. Ace boohars as always here. After walking past the K.i.T and then the Ball Street Bridge bars and the Gardeners we eventually found Heist Craft Brewery's pop up bar set in a car park further along Neepsend lane. Sadly by the time we got there around 19.00 or so they had run out of much of their beers, sadly including their one featuring the wonderful Kveik, but their All Together beer industry IPA was still available in cans, so we had a can each of this whilst sat in the far corner watching people come and go, including a group of six who simply grabbed take out food from the burger van and escaped by taxi! Having never made it Heist's place in Clowne, am really looking forward to them opening their multi kegged tap room next door to the Gardeners in the next year.

Speaking of which, we couldn't get in the Gardeners as it was filled up so we wandered up the hill to the Forest for a pint each, somewhere elese I haven't been for a while. There were three Tool Makers ales on and I had a red one and the other two a pale before we got sat down in the back for a natter and a sup. Robert J Ward (for that is his name) had never been here before but quickly realised its a good friendly boozer.

From here the three of us sat in the Kelham Island Tavern in the back room, after a minor hassle getting in, where I was on a couple of pints of  the Blue bee Confusion Black IPA which was delicious, as we thoroughly enjoyed our Yorkshire Day supping!

The last place I have been for the first time is the Early Bar on Crookes. I had heard a micropub had opened in the former butchers shop at the top of School Road just before lockdown but having closed on 20th March I was worried it may never open again. Luckily, owner Joe reopened quite soon in July and I have now been there twice, including stopping for a couple of pints with WK after our walk up Rushup edge and down into Edale. I was on pints of Abbeydale Orion on cftp, and a keg American IPA whose name sadly escapes me. Before we left we managed to get a seat on the tables outside and sat there watching the last of the day's sunshine. Here's hoping this place stays open and thrives as restrictions are slowly reduced.

The last two gasps from the past were the Old Queens Head, where I went on Friday and enjoyed half a bottle of wine along with three excellent pints of Abbeydale Orion once more - and I hear they are still doing their excellent Garlic soup so it's somewhere I intend to revisit. And the last was the recently reopened Three Tuns on Silver Street Head. My friend Peter Hudson had been in that day and had a pint of Old Peculier on cask for £3.00 a pint, and although it's not as good as it used to be I had a pint of that last night and it was excellent. The pub was busy and playing some excellent music and rumour has it that they may start serving food again so that is somewhere to keep an eye on!

Overall I have really enjoyed my pub visits, and am glad to see that all those visited have installed their own regulations and sensible restrictions in order to try and reduce the spread of Covid-19 whilst allowing safe supping.

Your very best of health!

Wee Beefy  

Kveik

Hello again,

        I should firstly point out that I am not suggesting that I am obsessed with hops - I admit that I do really love the hoppier beers, but then who doesn't? Well, I admit that there are a large number of people who don't. but this isn't about them. This is about my original understanding of the product in the title, and what I have recently learnt....

Some time between November and March I started seeing beers listing Kveik as either an ingredient, a feature or in the beer's name. Either due to my eyesight, slight memory issues, or more unlikely, because on all such occasions I had too much to drink (and even if I had found out the facts I then forgot them) - but for any of the above, I "remembered" that Kveik was a hop.  And further lack of clarity allowed me to invent an idea that this was also a type of Eastern European beer style. Get that citric bite from Kveik - I would no doubt have mis-remembered....

Today I was flicking through Friendache and noticed a post by Polly's Brew Co. Regular readers may know that I have really become a fan of Polly's output (there is a link to the post on the same here ), and the last couple of messages from them suggested they were interested in making a deeply fruity and hoppy IPA or DIPA for our entertainment. So seeing this latest notification I was eager to read on.

Their latest information was about an IPA called The Daphne Touch. In their information they included the following in their list of ingredients - Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic and Azacca Hops, Kveik Scandanavian Super yeast, and lactose. They were particularly impressed with the performance of Kveik - which is a yeast, not a hop - since they described it as a brewers dream - "quick to ferment, active at practically any temperature, and oh so many incredible flavours". As well as being understandably impressed with this information (and the rest) I decided to hope I could get hold of some of that, and also to search for info online, where everything is true, lets not forget....

Kveik is in fact a Norwegian dialect word meaning yeast, mainly (but not exclusively I think) referring to a type of yeast that has been used for generations. A blog post by Blogger Lars Marius Garshol makes much of the fact that Kveik is a type, rather than a strain of yeast, and differs in a number of ways from other farmhouse yeast styles - there is a link to his blog post on the same here . The fact that it is described as a farmhouse yeast from Western Norway is interesting, because my knowledge of farmhouse yeast is very restricted - and I always and indeed only link it to Fantome in Belgium. Their sours are amazing., but I was after mad hoppiness.  The Polly's IPA filled me with the reassurance that in fact it was it's notoriety as a super yeast that would be of importance - and thereafter of delight - to drinkers of pungently spicy and bitter small brewery outputs, when Kveik was used. 

Regarding when I last tried it in a beer - things are a tad unclear. Its five weeks since I went to the pub last and admittedly I have had "one or two" further drinks in that time which may have erased some of my memories. Because even though I keep all of the print outs from Shakespeares which they do about their beer range, as well as having about four months worth of photos on my phone, many of boohars tasted,  I struggled to find any information about Kveik as a style, ingredient or name of anything I have tasted recently.  I did imagine that the ever informative Shakespeares webpage from my second home might help - they did, as it turns out they had a Three Hills Brewery Of Juice IPA or DIPA on - but I missed it, and alas I couldn't find any pictures of their beer board which might help prove my claim (I probably wasn't looking correctly) . It is at this point that I have to most humbly suggest some possible qualities to the Untapped app. That said, I have no plans to involve myself in he near future, am just thinking it may assist forget-me-lots like myself.......

So it's an admittedly low level finish to this post, because although I have approximately 2600 photos on my phone I am not confident of finding the three or four pictures I have taken that would possibly identify that I have had a Kveik beer at any stage in the past!

Meanwhile I would keep looking for beers online that may contain it and, most crucially in this case, I would see how easy it may be to get hold of cans from the fab folk at Polly's Brew Co. In hops we trust!

Your very best of health

Beefy

Salt Beer Factory

Hello,

          after last Friday and Monday's announcements by the government about restrictions on movement and socialising, a point reiterated a number of times since, I thought I might try remembering the sort of things I got up to in the recent past. Admittedly some shops and breweries are doing deliveries but lets be honest, even home delivered bowze comes no where near the enjoyment of meeting up with friends, or strangers, in an excellent boozer and drinking the night away in company. To which end I thought I might try as best as my slightly less effective brain can manage, to recollect those same halcyon days.

Its probably a year or two ago that I first came across Salt Beer. I recall I was in my second home, Shakespeares, and found an IPA or possibly a DIPA from the same on keg, at a very reasonable price for it's strength. Not only that but I was equally surprised by its flavour - well balanced, fruity and hoppy but without any lingering sweetness.

After this episode I saw them a few times more and I may have purchased a can from Beer Central - although I may have not - but despite enjoying the first two I tried I was still somewhat concerned. Am guessing it must have been their residing in Saltaire that reminded me of some of the rather disappointing and middle ground market led beers of Saltaire Brewery, whose brews I had quickly started to avoid for fear of the way their flavour profile had changed. Against this backdrop, I was interested then to see their cans in Bar Stewards, selling at a comparatively low price, and was pleasingly chuffed when I started tasting them.

Suddenly they were launching - or perhaps I should instead claim all along they had been launching, hoppy and fruity beers with sufficient bite and citra notes to blend well with their background bitterness. In effect this describes many of the beer styles that I love, but I was sufficiently impressed to try a couple of IPA's and, if am right, as well as a DIPA.

As my supplies of scran and beer dwindles pre payday, I found that I had two Salt Beer Factory beers left, and last night I tried a can of their Alpaca, a 6.6% DDH IPA with tropical flavours and once again very well balanced by the bitterness. What's more, and I realise I perhaps favour this more than necessary, the beer was unfined and therefore reassuringly cloudy. I still find it disappointing to hear drinkers observing a beer with a sign below, or indeed written on the clip, stating that it is unfined and therefore cloudy, claiming that this fact alone means the beer is off. Sadly that still happens, but luckily this has not dissuaded Salt from encompassing this process, and as a result, their beers are blessedly easy to drink.

During a recent conversation in Bar Stewards it was suggested that a former Cloudwater brewer or other employee had moved to Salt. Whether this is true or not remains irrelevant as, although they might share the latter's reluctance to confirm the hops used, they also share the ability to make excellent beers. And as I have previously pointed out, it had got to the stage in a number of cases where knowing the hops and yeast used perhaps changed the level of enjoyment based on the gaunt spectre of expectation. Their beers are good, tasty, and accurately described. That matters, and is an aptly satisfied desire.    

Once we escape from the stultifying doom of isolation I am indeed looking forward now to seeing their beers both on keg and cask - although, if am honest, am not certain whether they do the latter or not.

Either way, I shall anticipate the next tasting of their brews with confidence.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Sheffield Beer Week

Eefnin,

      I think its fair to say that the timing of this year's Sheffield Beer Week was simultaneously brilliant and horrific - it was especially fortuitous that the event finished on the 15th of March, especially given the horrors announced on the twentieth, but that also represents the worst outcome - the initial closure of all pubs followed by their resounding efforts to arrange collection to take out which has now also been scuppered, is one of the worst things that could have happened to the many excellent folk running many equally excellent boozers. And worse than that it is entirely understandable, hence the finishing date representing such bad news.....

As many of you may know, I have found myself a trifle brassic of late - so I only got to four other Beer Week events in total, three of which alas were just brief stops. And only one was a full on "session" at my third home, details of which will follow on further down...

The first in fact came after I had already been to the Indy Beer Feast at Abbeydale Picture House. I chose not to post about it here since I was blogging exclusively about the festival but afterwards I did have sufficient crumbs to visit the marvelous Jabeerwocky on London Road. I had seen on Faceache that they were having a Wylam tap takeover on that same day so despite aiming to head out for scran I popped into the same to spend a few cohens, as WF would say, on a third - this time of the ace "Its not the end of the world but you can see it from here", an excellent DDH extra pale featuring El Dorado, Idaho 7, Citra and Azacca. I really enjoyed supping this sat at the table on the left and reading the other delights on offer.

On the Thursday, which I believe was the 12th, I headed into Bar Stewards after work for their excellent Pressure Drop and North Brew Co tap takeover. Original plans had been to perhaps set up a bar outside to serve more kegs but as supplies had already been a little low there were only two kegs not on so that idea was scrapped. Some folks did venture outside but I got a seat near the right hand wall and supped my delicious half of 5.2% Pressure Drop Tomorrows World which was an NEIPA. Alas this was simply too easy to drink and it wasn't long before I had finished that and moved on. Up next was a half or possibly two thirds of the North Brew Co Waving Flags which was a 7% DDH IPA, also on keg. This was likewise too easy to drink but I did slow down a little with some scran.

The 5% Voulez Vous saison on keg from Pressure Drop was my next half, an event which co-incided with my bumping into Michelle and her other half Vin for the first time in ages! I got them sat near me and, alas for them, that little fire, and we got chatting. It was great to catch up and upon hearing the maudlin announcement of a quiz, I decided to help us through it with a whole pint of the 8.5% DIPA Big House Waltz from North Brew Co - every bit as wonderful as I had hoped, and went down a lot slower than I had expected.

It turned out the quizzings was about boozers so I would probably have done alright but I persuaded my two chums to head up to the Crow for their last one. Here I had a fabulous half of IPA or perhaps a DIPA also from North, possibly, on keg from the future, and I thoroughly enjoyed it whilst we planned how to get M and V up to the tram to escape home.

Beer finished they headed off and I went back to Bar Stewards to find out that the quiz had finished and to have a couple of finishers, including another half of tomorrows World DDH NEIPA which I sat at one of the tables to drink, and possibly another, before sensibly deciding to head home. Despite not perhaps having much involvement with the Crow's event I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed both events entirely, the Tomorrow World and Big House Waltz probably being my favourite brews of all.

The final event was with Mr Grant on Friday the 13th that same week where we popped into Shakespeares to discover that they had their Collabracadabra on, mostly upstairs. On the recommendation of Jason I started on a fab pint of Shakespeares and Pentrich Brewing IPA on cask from the past and only £3.90 a go! It was a Hazy Pale, assuming, optimistically, that my memory works, and having quickly dispensed that I headed upstairs to grab a Beatnikz Republic US IPA and fetched a half of the Atom IPA for Mr G. It was good to bump into Curtains up there, as well as Dave Unpro and many others, and I followed this with another pint on cask of the Blue Bee pale which, given its appearance was not a black IPA, before I got a last half of Abbeydale dry hopped Voyager. It was great to catch up with the man from Blue Bee brewery - whose name I forgot then so you have no chance! - as well as various folk from Shakespeares including brewing sensation Lucienne Pinglewick to whom a massive amount of credit must be applied.

Thanks once again to the fabulous Jules for organising yet another sensational selection of beers and events and again to all the excellent folk running our cracking Sheffield boozers who made such a huge effort to up their game and provide a scintillating selection of ales for the event.  

Alas I do not know when trips to any of such boozers can happen again but I hope that in the upcoming period of closure we can outstay the COVID 19 outbreak and return, healthily, to trips to the pubs as soon as its safe.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy    

Payday away day

Afternooo

     I once again must apologise about the use of the phrase I have chosen for this post - since, whilst I am treating myself to a trip to York later this month with Tash and Matty, I haven't in the details below, in fact left the wonderous area that I most regularly imbibe in.

So, after getting some fairly crap news at work, whatever that is, I met up with Tash on the 27th and bless her, to cheer me up. she took me out to the Bankers Draft for a curry tea and a drink. That said, although I appreciate the low prices, and sometimes the local ales, I do tend to find all visits to such a place quite a long winded episode with as many lows as highs. This time there were twenty people at the bar, most ordering food, and only one member of staff serving and this explains, rather than justifies, them not turning round the pump clips of the beers that were off, and perhaps also them recommending a gin for Tash that wasn't on the list of free drinks, along with not telling me that the naan bread or another snack was extra. That said I did order it to the wrong number of the table, and it came quickly. And the pint of Pride of Sheffield from Kelham Island was nice.

After seeing Tash off on the tram I wandered down to Shakespeares where they had a Howling Hops TTO and meet the brewer evening on, with the launch of some Yonder brewing keg stuff later. I and many others love Howling Hops beers and we were not disappointed - however, being the day before pay day I only managed to afford two thirds before heading home.

I started on Flashpoint, a 6.2% NEIPA on keg from the future which was excellent. Whilst at the bar I had a quick chat to Sean, who had a surname beginning with G, or any other numerous British letters, who was a sales rep and possibly also a brewer at the brewery. He kindly gave me a taste of his Roll on NEIPA at 7.1%. Both beers were beautiful, and he referenced their tank bar in London, which I am fairly sure is the only tank served brewery tap bar in London, or perhaps in the UK? It was great to catch up with him either way, and having seen Adam and Brett Morgan and others briefly, including a char with Brian who is still "ticking" at the age of eighty, this was the perfect inspiration to get a third of the Roll On NEIIPA next. A fabulous night.

Yesterday, having left work at 17.30. I returned to my second home and had a couple of pints of the excellent Howling Hops XX Pale at 5.2% on cask from the past. Loved a lot by Adam and many others this was on fabulous form, and went down well whilst I caught up with Mizzder Grizzwiggs from work with his three friends, Ian, Dave, and Jordan, whom am certain will be entirely happy with my pointing out, that  reminded me a lot of John Rchardson.

I then had a half of the Neepsend 8% IPA or DIPA Hanuman, which was wonderful, and which I despatched sat round the back of the bar with fellow Sheffield beer blogger Peter Hudson.

After popping across the road to Bar Stewards to make a payment I didn't have time to stop,  and next walked straight up to the Crow where I saw Mizzder Grizzwiggs once again as well as Steve Lycett with a number of folk. Having splashed out on a black pudding scotch egg I joined them at a table drinking a whole pint of North Brewery DIPA on keg from the future, before they very generously offered me a chunk of one of many pizza's they had ordered. As they went to the bar they very kindly bought me a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on cask and I was just supping the same when Chris Grant surprisingly wandered in! As we were both quite warm and it was very busy I went outside to dry a couple of chairs and we sat in the beer garden together finishing our drinks and chatting.

Despite only having had 4 and a half pints I suggested to Mr G that he drove me home, but I did get a take out can of 8% DIPA from a Netherlands Brew Pub called De Krommer Harring. I will be drinking this later today whilst watching the undoubtedly awful football results coming in....

So, despite somethings, its been an absolutely fabulous few days so far, and in the month ahead its Sheffield Beer Week - so have a look at the events and other details on the website here for details on what is happening, when, and where!

Wishing you your very best of health on what is possibly my first ever February 29th blog post!

Cheers!

Wee Beefy
      

New year, new decade, new tastes

Hello,

        so far in this new decade I have tried one or two new styles of beers. In fact, some of them are not my usual favourites of gloopy hoppy pales, although they do feature, but non soupy potions also feature in this post as well.

Not strictly this year but I started the new decade the night before in Shakespeares and Bar Stewards, where I eventually saw in the new year. One of the highlights of the first was a pale ale from Errant Brewery, who may be based in Newcastle - recommended by Jason, I have to say that I really enjoyed this, and had a couple before we headed across the road. And whilst eating at Vikkie's earlier, we tried the excellent St Mars of the Desert and Zapato brew for Indy Man Beer Con, which sadly I missed this year - am led to believe they are fairly rare, and I wasn't disappointed.

Soon after the start of the year I purchased some cheap beers from Asda - and I really enjoyed them. This does not for a second undermine the qualities of sometimes more costly micro and nano brewery outputs, it just serves as a reminder that you can purchase beers in supermarkets that stand up to the quality of ones bought on a smaller scale. The Vocation Life and Death was on at a very low price and still as excellent as I would expect, whilst the Off Tempo cloudy pale at 6.1% from Bad Co was also very enjoyable at very little, along with the Cleanwater Scottish lager.

I also tried a few Lervig beers in the Crow - a collab with Verdant called its not you its me was fabulous, as was their collab DIPA on keg from the future which I have sadly since misplaced the picture of. There was likewise an excellent IPA on at the Wellington as well as a number of excellent beers from Duration Brewery in Suffolk. I tried a can of their 5.5% Turtles all the way down, a pale ale, in Bar Stewards, as well as a third of their 3% Table beer on keg, and even, in a rare event, enjoyed a can of their warm hugs stout as well. Good to see previously rarely seen brewers popping up in the Stewards!

This sudden liking for dark beers probably stemmed from the wonderful Keep it Impe-Real big stouts bash at Shakespeares. I was supping with Tony and we only had thirds, not least because all were strong and only available in halves and thirds. Some of those on offer were very interesting - such as the Alvinne Mano Negra which I thought was a little like wine, and the De Molen and Hel and Verdomenis Gin BA at 10.8% which was just as odd as it sounded. The strongest on offer was an Ultje Staff Sergeant ice distilled Imperial stout at a whopping 18.6% - now lets not get into a discussion about whether ice means a beer is not a beer please - it was our last of the kegs and acceptably tasty, but understandably strong. Meanwhile the best of the show were both on cask from the past - Atom and Northern Monk Neutron Death Star at 12% was ludicrously easy to drink. but the real star was the Boutilliers and Emperor's Leia Cake at 10.8% featuring honey, vanilla and cocoa. It was likewise easy to drink but was probably the most enjoyable of those that I tried.

The final tastes I had were also at the Crow Inn, of Verdant Putty, along with their excellent strong stout and an excellent DIPA at £6.80 or thereabouts on fabulous keg. I have been wanting to try the Putty ever since they first brewed it but a number of reasons means I have always missed out. Although I missed out on buying a can by a few minutes I did get to try two marvelous halves along with a third of the excellent stout. The people I was sitting with agreed that this was perhaps the beer of the night, from an absolutely excellent selection.

Finally, I should point out that I enjoyed a couple of pints of the Anthology Session IPA at 3.9% on cask in Shakespeares. Since the weird tastes and negligence (in some quarters) of the previous below 3% beers push, many small UK microbrewers have taken to perfecting the ideal flavours in lower gravity and now more accurately described session ales on both cask and keg and in can. At the moment with the impact on the trade caused by Dryanuary it is noticable that a lot of low very low and zero gravity beers along with numerous session pales and IPAs have found their way into local bars.

May this interest in providing a full and choice of all gravities of beers long continue.

Your very best health!

Wee Beefy            

Drinkcember

Hullabalall,

     luckily the title does not represent an avoidable non drinking pub destruction plan for the madness of this month, instead it rather aptly describes my drinking and related agendas for the same period. I was inspired to write this after a lunchtime wander to the pharmacy where I observed an alarming epitome of excessive methylated misuse in such a small space. I did not set out to espouse my dissatisfaction, instead to dress you with some of the related baubles of nonsense encountered on one of only a small number of sober days thus far in December, and to also highlight some of the hugely enjoyable crapulence therein.

Arriving at Wicker Chemists after 13.00 I immediately spotted two outdoor Spice enthusiasts, maudlin and emaciated, raging at every evolving happenstance with delirious (on his part at least) mumbled rage, as if every aspect of mans existence was sent to try them. Luckily I was served quite quickly as this internal inferno of garbage prevailed but having escaped, I walked down Stanley lane out onto Nursery street. I used to work on nearby Joiner street and despite the excess of litter and unreadable graffiti I thought about popping my phone out to snap the sun reflecting off the Waverley windows - until I spotted two further outdoor mentalists pressing themselves against some otherwise forbidden garage doors and "enjoying" the partaking of some subcutaneous matter. Wanting to avoid a listenation, or worse still, losing my legal meds or phone, I did not remove the same from my pocket, and walked by thinking "Christmas, ambling aimlessly through our streets with your disparate and exacerbated cousin, what have you brought upon us?"

In my own case the answer is simple - luffly bose. And although I admit to an occasional nodding, and indeed three separate incidences of falling, I would like to point out that at the very least, my unwise enjoyments do not make their way into my blood stream via syringe. And to somehow support this fact, here are a few recent examples.....

On pay weekend I collected my take away cans and a bottle from Beer Central. What with a direct request from the dark lord himself I have to admit that I have already finished these, but a number stuck in my memory.  Wylam Greenbutt Skunk was a September or so brewed green hopped masterpiece at about 8.3% and blew me away - I had a can in Bar Stewards and then one at home with Matty and we both loved its complex but unrestrained mix of flavours.

Matty himself bought me a 9% Cloudwater New Zealand DIPA with, strangely I thought, Southern Cross and Amarillo as its hops. Luckily this likewise blew my mind, and finished off a whole evening of other classics including the Triangle referenced 8.3% Garage speciality with fabulous malt and other flavours, and the Pressure Drop Domino Topple IPA at 7.1%. I have to say that I have loved almost every Pressure Drop can I have had recently and this was no exception.

A trip to Bar Stewards not only provided a range of bottled wines for the first time in...ever? but also some excellent Loca Polly - their Rosa at 8.5% was fantastic, as was the Deya and another False coloured eyes (this, along with all my memories, maybe mildly inaccurate) but as well as this joy there were three fabulous pints at my second home Shakespeares - I had over three pints of Wylam Jakehead on cask from the past, a pint of 6.5% Cloudwater pale on keg from the future and a few nights ago my last visit of the year provided three pints of the excellent Pentrich IPA at 5. something% which was cloudy as a small bag of soup and as well as being on cask from the past, tasted amazing!

Final highlights included a catch up with chums at the St Mars of the Dessert Tap where I had a pint of their excellent Levy Greve which I am certain I have mis-spelled, as well as other classics, before catching a bus into town and up to Walkley to meet WK in the Walkley Beer Co for their fifth birthday. I then finished in the Raven on Palm Street, now a much improved version of the Palm!

As I return to the unending horse gin of despair tomorrow to lug sacks of garbage up out of the depths of the earth to pleasure the otherwise disaffected, I can safely say that my every libational undertaking in this fine month has ended up making me a very happy chap indeed.

Cheers!

And a very happy new year

Wee Beefy
        

Shakespeares beer festival 2019

Hello chums,

       about three weeks ago I thought to myself "why don't I quickly write up details of that fantastic beer festival that I have just left at my second home?" Mind you - they were just thoughts. And after all what are thoughts? What are they, and what do they mean? Like birds, we'll never know. We will now, however, know what it was that I got round to trying at said event. It went very much like this.....

Arriving on Thursday I jokingly said how surprised I was that everything was available, including, as I picked it up,  the lengthy list of cellar and upstairs bar beers. Suffice to say that Chris was keen to point out that he dd not have time to joke as he was incredibly busy. He was right. The whole pub was absolutely rammed with tickers and other festival goers. I caught up in the back room with Rich and chatted to him, enjoying a pint of the excellent number one, an Abbeydale Brewery Shakespeares special at 6.5%. This was incredibly bitter and zesty, and I soon moved on to the wonderful cloudy Beatnikz Republic I love Simcoe, a 5% Simcoe triple hopped pale ale which was on top form on cask. I finished on the slightly expensive but still wonderfully drinkable Turning Point Demon's Eye a 7.1% ale marked as a DIPA but although too week for such a description it still packed a heck of a lot of punch.

From here onwards my knowledge of exactly when I had everything becomes distorted. So as I may have done previously I am going to make a list based on my excellent print out which I have been keeping safely ever since. Hence:

Cask from the past:

Anthology Azacca Dry hopped pale at 5% (downstairs)
Chapter Shadows 6% saison (downstairs and then upstairs)
Neepsend and Walkley Beer Co Ancillary On Sales  5.2% (downstairs)
Red Willow Guilless 4.2% one off cask (upstairs)
Steel City and Shakespeares - To BBQ or not to BBQ 7.4% (upstairs)
Steel City & Lost Industry & Boutilliers  Burn the Kirsch 6.66% Raucbier (Upstairs)
Beer Ink & Boutilliers 10/6 polish grodzizkie (Upstairs)        
Abbeydale Shakespeares Special #2  Thai Green Pale at 5.5% (downstairs)

Keg:

St Mars of the Desert El Cameo 6.9% NEIPA
St Mars of the desert Winter on Mars 9.3% mixed fermentation Foeder
Omnipollo & Dugges Anagram Barrel Aged 15% - I only had a third!!

Although I visited about five times during and just after its worth pointing out that I had numerous pints of the Beatnikz, the Chapter and the excellent turning point. I was fairly refreshed by the time I left as were a lot of other visitors!

Overall I think the range was incredible - a few beers stayed on longer than the whole weekend but that is not to criticise their wares. This was a festival of weird rarities, super strong ones and excellent hoppy outings which I enjoyed considerably!

The only minor down side is that having it in December does regrettably entice the more grumpy drunkard, one of whom I spotted on the Saturday refusing to move his chair a few inches for my friends to get out easier than the clambering over the end of the settee which they ended up doing. But on the other side of the coin I bumped into many people I know very well and spotted many fine suppers of excellent beers along the way.

Well done to Shakespeares and its staff for organising a truly excellent event!

Cheers!!

Wee Beefy  

Wednesday evening wander

Hellall,

         a quick apology first of all for a noticeable lack of input throughout August - I am still going through training help and support in Sheffield following my brain injury in April. I am assured that my replenishment of skills and abilities is going well but, although its very likely down to gaps in the number of posts made, I am struggling to ignore the fear that my reduction in hits is down more to my injury caused typing and writing failures, as opposed to the way that stats drop when you find yourself out of the habit of making posts for a period of time....

I am aware incidentally, that I currently suffer noticable and indeed deal-able with problems with the way I currently write, however I also equally realise that this is more minor than it previously was, and also, to not misjudge my readers. If there are unavoidable issues am certain some of you would very kindly point such things out, but, crucially, you haven't. Therefore its only the nagging worries in the back of my mind which require any action, an event I propose undertaking over time.

So, with wild concerns aside, I have taken the opportunity to tell you about some recent events. Firstly, I have known my friend Mr G for about fifteen years. Current chums may know that I didn't talk to him for the first few weeks as I bizarrely assumed he had mutilated and buried his parents - as I am certain I have mentioned previously, I made my first attempt at conversation with him by asking to check his fingernails for soil. And we have remained strong friends ever since....

I left work about 17.15 and Mr G was on the busily trafficked road over the river. He parked up whilst I joined him and we then undertook a lengthy and fairly frustrating ten minute wait getting off that road and onto Derek Dooley Way to head for Gibraltar Street, and to park outside my Second home, the Shakespeares. As it was Wednesday, we were all too keenly aware of the upcoming horrors of the nidorous harridans the Mother Folkers, so having been bought an excellent pint of Anthology (or similar) low gravity IPA, and Mr G on Deception, we went and sat in the as yet unsoiled clock room for a very enjoyable pint. And it was here I suggested that given he unavoidable horrors ahead we should drive to the Blake Hotel. So we did.....

Arriving at the Blake to find an excellent range, we sat in the window of the room on the left with me supping a 5.5% Neepsend Pale and Mr G on a soft drink, washing down our wonderful Wateralls pork pies with English mustard. We were both in good moods and in a further moment of recklessness, and very much despite my enjoyment thus far, I suggested we now moved on yet again, this time to the Nags Head at Stacey Bank. Once more this idea seemed good and we arrived there thirteen minutes later using the Sat Nav. I dislike such devices in principal. but felt this was very helpful on this occasion.

The Nags Head was busy as always and the beer was well priced as always as well. I had a pint of the Pale Ale on cask from the past at £2.60 a go, possibly two of the same, and Mr G another Soft drink, and we sat outside in the warmth of the evening enjoying both our drinks and the atmosphere.

Taking us home via the village of Dungworth nearby am pleased to say that Mr G hasn't been to the Royal Hotel more than once, so in a surprise final stop we popped inside for finishers. I had a pint of Bradfield, I think, and Mr G a half of the same, and we sat in the area on the right enjoying, once again, both our selected drinks and the atmosphere around us. From here, using the Nav once again, it didn't in fact take long to get home and it was about 21.00 when I returned to open a finishing can, and to prepare for my meeting the next day. Thus far, all has gone well. And, crucially, it was great to catch up with and go out for drinks with Mister G.

Your very best health!

Wee Beefy  
        

The Gibraltar and West Bar Triangle

Hello,

      suffice to say I have been a trifle unclear on what the name of this section of my living actually is. I asked both Lucienne and Chris at the Shakespeares as well as the folks at the Crow and Bar Stewards, what they thought the "scene" thought the area of all three was called. In the end two different answers were supplied, hence the oddness of the title. This uncertainty luckily deprives nothing from my second, third and forth homes in fab sunny Sheffield...

As you all know I have been drinking in Shakespeares on Gibraltar Street regularly since 2011. This was, a few days before the Robin Hood at little Matlock closed, the day the Shakespeares reopened, after Red House Jeff left and William bought it. I met the lovely Tash about two years later and have been going in Shakespeares at least four times a month ever since, including for my fortieth birthday party, with a wonderful cake from Ally. I admit I met someone from the poetry group up at the Cross Keys in there once, and Andy the DJ on the same night, probably about 2009, and I did once pop in with Abz around 1994, but since 2011 it has become one of my and my friends favourite pubs, selling some of the most amazing halves and pints and thirds of excellent ale in cask from the past, keg, bottle, and can, along with a wonderful selection of gins, whiskies and wines, served by some of the finest bar staff I have ever met. This makes me very pleased that it is the longest visited of the three excellent venues on the trail....

Across the road is the Bar Stewards micro pub and bottle bar. Although I missed their opening night I soon went in when the bar was on the left, which may have been in November or so 2016. After many original one off opening nights to sample their original choice of cask ales from the barrel, the bar was soon changed over a month and now appears facing you as you enter with  boards advertising both the cask as well as the keg guests, along with their regular cider and lagers, and which points you to their two fridges containing a frankly mahoosive slab of wonderful IPAs, pale ales, sours, stouts, lagers, DIPAs and other items of wonderment. As a regular drinker in there for a good few years am very happy to find that my third home, complete with excellent bajis and samosas, is the next feature on this wonderful trio of excellent pubs.

The last venue to feature is the newly opened Crow Inn on Scotland street - here is a link to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheCrowInn/  which is one of many sites sharing information on keg and cask ales for you to choose from. Crucially they also serve Kevins pies, which I may have indulged in at the Closed Shop when I used to go in when it was run by Andy Stephens. Sadly, the earlier versions featured misplacement of an apostrophe, but regular readers will know that I am also involved in a lack of knowledge in the same respect so I think I may never have mentioned it....

The pub is owned by Wendy who used to own the Harlequin (I think...) and work at Shakespeares, and is run by Chris Bamford and David from the Rutland and Adam from Dronfiled - since that is where everyone knows he comes from....

There are five real ale handpumps selling a range including Abbeydale Daily Bread plus many locally produced and further afield guests, and it also has ten keg lines, along with a barrel load of excellent cans and bottles in the fridge, to add to an excellent gin rum and whisky list. I admit I went in the former Crown Inn a number of times in the naughties but have never bothered with Sleep as a venue before. I now find myself ordering a range of excellent cask and keg drinks and cans, whilst sitting in the small but wonderfully formed beer garden, often with friends, often in bright sunshine, or being inside enjoying the artwork on the walls in the two seating areas.  

Am pleased to say that three of my favourite Sheffield pubs have been joined in a double named, shape featuring caravan of excellent trade in an area currently changing and improving very well indeed. I know that some people I know well have never visited the Crow so I would strongly insist that you do, and then, hopefully, also attend the other two parts of the triangle, Bar Stewards and Shakespeares, thus enjoying three excellent Sheffield boozers in one go.

Cheers!!

Wee Beefy

Bluvver Duck! It's Sheffield Beer Week!

Evenin all,

     I have to admit that I do not know how to spell Bluvver Duck. I mean, I know that duck is correct but it could likewise be Bloover....to those that don't know, which many now include me, the phrase, in my experience, was used by my Belper born Mum instead of bloody. It seemed that during her childhood in the fifties that was too rude a word to espouse, and she used said phrase to avoid contempt. I was going to call the post "Fuck me sideways, its Sheffield beer week!" . And that's swearing. As a former manger used to say. There. Am glad we sorted that out....

Five years ago the wonderful Jules Gray assisted by numerous friends and fellow beer enthusiasts including my chum Clare, set up a celebration of all that is beer in Sheffield, and all that is good about it. This has since grown to include the Fem.Ale  celebration of women in beer along with Indie Beer Feast, a festival of beers and breweries held in Abbeydale Picture House. This year, and previously, numerous pubs have put on showcases of numerous beers from numerous breweries, so here is a flavour of what I have enjoyed this year.

Monday night I headed to BrewDog to taste some excellent Left Handed Giant beers. I started with a half o their excellent Out of Sight, a four hopped 6.6% IPA. I also tried a third of their own Juicy IPA, as well as a third of their Paradox Islay. Its worryingly easy to sup at 14% and the hit of the peat and smoke comes in the wonderful aftertaste. Am not sure if this was in aid of Sheffield Beer Week but it was a great start to the celebration anyway...

On Tuesday I met my friends Vikkie and Matthew in Shakespeares where they were serving the excellent Amundsen Dessert in a can beers on draught. Given that they are all over 10% I only had two, the Coconut chop chip cookie and the pecan and maple pie imperial stouts, in thirds. I also had a pint of the excellent Vision Quest 7% IPA on cask, and a pint of the four way or more way Hop City Colab IPA. I then popped over the road to Bar Stewards to enjoy a pint of a Verdant beer and a beer whose name has since escaped me. Can't think why....

On Wednesday I popped into Shakespeares once again to enjoy a hugely satisfying pint of Turning Point Vision Quest, before meeting Reason, Gazza, Suethebrew and Dave and Patrick in the Bar Stewards for a pint of Loka Polly Spur, and to grab a final bottle of Yellow Belly. This was mostly part of their excellent South West Tap Takeover, although I understand there was a delivery issue with the Deya which may not be on yet...

On Thursday I went to see a gig by a "duo" and popped in the Rutland Arms first for a pint of Blackjack and a ridiculously strong and similarly delicious third of De Molen imperial stout, from a frankly amazing range of beers including Siren Maiden 2018.

My last "do" was at Shakespeares yesterday. Having taken the day off to recover and to arrive early I didn't actually get there until about 13.45, to behold and hugely enjoy the North versus the rest of the world Tap takeover. North Brewing had very kindly agreed to put five or six special keg lines into cask and these were competing with a range of keg lines from a variety of international breweries. I started on a half of the Dots and Loops, a super hazy DDH IPA at 6.5% that woke my palate perfectly. I then risked a pint of one of my all time favourite beers, North Transmission, a fabulous 6.9% IPA on cask at £4.20 a pint. This was despatched swiftly, and was frankly wonderful. After this wonderment I then had further, a half of their excellent Ursa Major, an extremely drinkable and joyously hopped DIPA at 8.1%.

One thing that I did like was seeing the stronger cask beers served in more appropriate, usually keg and can beer glasses - especially sine the transfer from Keg to cask was done so well and with such success.

More Transmission followed, now joined by Tony and Laura, before a final Full Fathom 5, a fabulous coffee and a half on keg of the Fierce and Verdant 01 Citra hop series, which went down far too well.

This was also the last shift at Shakespeares by Adam, very much a man of Dronfield, who will soon be moving up the hill on the other side of the road to the Crow Inn. I look forward to seeing you there soon mate!

All in all I have enjoyed every one of the events I have attended at Sheffield Beer Week 2019 and am now looking forward with just as much anticipation to a similar robust roll call of beery delights in the event next year. Well done to Jules and Will and all their many friends and volunteers in the brewing and pubs sectors who helped to once again make this a fantastic Sheffield Beer Week.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Back in Sheffield

Urllorr,

    I should point out first of all that I haven't drunk much in January - not because of Dry January - regular readers will know that I do not support the idea, even if  potential, of hitting struggling pubs and bars in the pocket harder in what is already their most dismal month of the year. No, instead this was almost entirely down to a lack of funds. So here are details of just two crawls completed this month.

On the first Sunday of 2019 I went to Crookes. In the Two Sheds, Arthur two sheds Jackson (assuming at least part of that is his real name) was not there,  instead it was quiet and calm and filled when I left by happy fellow Scots. I even stayed for two pints of Thornbridge Jaipur, which in comparison to  other offerings was good value at £3.70 a pint.

Across the road the Punch Bowl had just one cask on, and almost no keg. The landlord had enjoyed his Christmas roster of ales but had somewhat fallen out with Greedy King, and so wasn't especially busy. He didn't do pizzas or like the oven, and didn't want ales that GK couldn't sell. Whilst I also dislike Greedy King, I stayed only for a half and left.

Down the hill the Walkley Beer Co was having no such issues. Packed when I arrived, I did get a seat on one of the tables and enjoyed some beer. In the months ahead am sure I will remember what it was. Am going to guess Pressure Drop - no, wait, it was Wiper and True IPA possibly involving the colour indigo and it was about 6.9%. It was bloody lovely.

I finished the night in Bar Stewards, where I had an excellent cask version of the Magic Rock barrel aged Bearded Lady, and in Shakespeares. where alas details are unclear.

On the second Saturday I met up with Vikkie and Matt outside my second home to walk to the Wellington. I started on a pint of Neepsend Amarillo IPA on cask from the past, and also had a half of the Siren Ryesing Tides on keg. Matt had a stout, am certain and Vikkie had a Ryesing Tides and a sour before we headed to our second stop.

This was at the Gardeners. Being virtually next door to the Cutlery Works seems to be helping trade and I had a pint of something pale which I used to be able to remember on CFTP. It was an enjoyable visit but it was definitely very busy.

Off to the Old Workshop next where I had a half of a pineapple and Yuzu IPA from a brewery that may have been in London. Claret had tried a half earlier and loved it so I knew I was making  a good choice. From here we went to a packed K.I.T where I enjoyed a pork pie and a pint of Peach IPA or similar from Blue Bee. Once again the pub was very busy, which is always a good sign at this time of year. Good for Josh and Louise that all seems to be going well!

Back in Bar Stewards I had a half of Lervig Supersonic soundwave or similar, an excellent DIPA, before we finished in Shakespeares where I had a pint of keg - I know this because I took a picture. Alas I don't recall what it was of...

Sheffield continues to do very well in multiple venues at filling spaces and seats with the derrieres of discerning drinkers throughout the year. Hats off to my sunny city for once again reminding me why it is I am so lucky.

Your very best health!

Wee Beefy

Shakespeares Beer festival November 2018

Hellall,

           one thing that makes me happy is a beer festival at Shakespeares, which is my second home. I mean, fair enough, a beer fest at mine would probably be better, especially if the beer was free, but its not, and this isn't where this took place.

I managed to cobble together sufficient funds to visit on Thursday night, the 29th of November. The unspeakable horror that is the day before pay day. I manged to purchase an excellent half of the Turning Point Soothsayer Cascade Pale on cask from the cellar, and went to join Ally and Malc, who as dark ale aficionados were already on with trying some of the more troublingly strong offerings from Atom and Imperial and Steel City. The Neutron Star, Rum Tiramisu and Rogue 3 offerings were very easy to eat. sorry, drink, but even just a taste of each a going to my legs.

I meanwhile was very kindly bought half a Kurios Oranj, a Mandarina hop, orange and oat IPA at 6.0% from North Brewery which was once again very easy drinking and not as sweet as it may sound. I then had a half of the Siren suspended in Citra which was excellent, followed by more Soothsayer and a half of Wilde Childe Adoption Process passionfruit IPA,  now joined by Steve and Sonya.  

I returned on Friday where I had more pints of the Soothsayer and two pints of the excellent North Brew Co Hallertau Blanc and Mosaic pale which was on excellent form, very refreshing and packed full of two types of hops that balanced the beer out perfectly. I also tried the Atom Pathfinder Mosaic pale at 4.5%, the Cloudwater AW18 DDH Pale at 5.5% (which may have been on "cask" or some such), as well as their excellent DIPA on keg, from the future.

I finished on pints of the excellent Almasty Breakfast IPA, Howling Hops Pale XX APA and North Riding Brew co Biotic Orb which was a 5.8% mango American pale, which sadly featured too much mango and too little bittering hop, but was still a nice sup.

Rodney said that he had enjoyed it but that there had been nothing that made him say "Wow" but I disagree - the North Pale, Turning Point Soothsayer and Almasty Breakfast IPA were all stunning beers which I had more than one of, and apart from the soilly taste in the Abbeydale plum sour I didn't try a bad beer all fest.  

Well done once again to Adam, Chris, Nate and the rest of the team at my second home for making this another classic beer festival, and I look forward to visiting you once more before the unspeakable horror of harassment descends upon us, that being the C word.

Huzaah!

Wee Beefy

Shakespeares Scandinavian Tap Takeover 2

Evenin

   when my dear friend Vikkie asked me if I was going to this event, after first thinking I was a week further ahead and this was the Thursday of the beer fest, I said no. Having correctly established it's identity, I reminded her that I had already decided not to go because I knew I would be free of funds. Vikkie very kindly offered to buy me a couple, so I decided it would be a great idea to go. It was....

Arriving not long after 17.00 we were being sensible and started on halves. In fact, we stayed on halves. Some of the sensibility may have been undermined by our starting on half of the O/O Bangatan (which may have had an extra a on the clip), which was a deliciously easy drinking Nelson, Mosaic, Simcoe and Citra hopped pale at 7.5%. I really like O/O brewery beers, mainly because they seem so flawlessly produced and easy to drink. This was no exception.

Sitting in the front bar we were well placed to see a trail of people we knew amassing at the bar and enjoying numerous similarly excellent ales. Messers Marshall, Cheetham and S.o.J to name but a few, and I also saw Unpro just before he left, John, Tony and Jack. The S.o.J joined us briefly as well, also on the Bangatan, and we had a good chat about beer, beers had, and beers to try.

The next we tried was the Alefarm Standing Shallow, a 5.8% IPA hopped with Mosaic and Ekuanot. This is probably my first Alefarm brew and very enjoyable it was too. One thing I did notice about the Norwegian and Swedish beers we drank was that even their IPA's weren't pale in the same way Northern UK ones are with their number 1 and 2 malts. I wondered if this was to differentiate them from the pervasive appearance of Scandinavian lagers?

The Mikkeller Spontan Elderflower was next, a 7.7% sour beer aged in oak barrels. It was sour, but not acidic, and incredibly easy to drink. In fact, its strength was somewhat lost in the hazy refreshing mix of this excellent beer.

Vikkie stayed on her second Bangatan whilst I embarked on the Amundsen Marshmallow Psycho, a huge 12.3% barrel aged stout with a massive flavour, but which once again was worryingly easy to drink. As it was a school night this was the only one of the three 12% or above stouts which we tried, but it was well worth it.

Our final beers of the takeover were halves of the Amundsen Collective Arts Basket Case,  7.5% double dry hopped DIPA. This held on to its citrus hoppiness brilliantly, although am not sure what I think of the idea of a sub 8% DIPA - I realise the double does not refer to strength but instead hops or IBU but I want to know that I have drunk a DIPA and these days my starting strength is already 6%. Well, that's my keg starting strength any road. Cask is understandably easier to start low on...

We may have ad a second of the Basket case before heading oer't road to have a can of Verdant Photon Trails and a bottle of the Track and Verdant path of least resistance, a fruited brut DIPA, which was a very interesting and enjoyable combo of styles. I also went back the next day to try a couple of pints of the excellent Beatnix Republik session IPA which had a name, and was probably about 3.8% - a wonderful beer!

All the beers we tried at the Scandinavian Tap takeover were excellent, and its always interesting to try beers from further afield and outside the normal comfort zone of Verdant Cloudwater and Northern Monk. Well done once again to Shakespeares for putting on an excellent range of beers nor previously tried, and which told us much about the Scandinavian brewing scene.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Turning Point

Evernin,

       don't panic bar owners, the event of the title is not a declaration of temperance or other sobering horror. Instead its the name of an brewery. and everything. I am not about to give up luffly bose. I do after all want to retain one scintilla of pleasure from the suppurating sump of sewage that laps over my every sodden, heavied, footstep every stinking day of my life. Luffly bose kids. Luffly luffly bose....um...where was I?

Ah yes, Turning Point Brew Co. I think I first met these guys and tried their beer at the Indie Man Beer Feast in Sheffield back in March. I definitely remember trying their Disco King American Pale Ale at that event, long before becoming discombobulated and mistaking them for a brewery based in Liverpool instead of Kirbymoorside near York....

Their Tap takeover of Shakespeares was a fabulous affair, as (imaginably) previously noted, not least because I found out that I had them mixed up with an entirely different brewery. What was that brewery's name I hear you ask? I don't chufffing know. Neither did they, bless em. It was important to get it all cleared up regarding who they were at any rate...

On Friday when I was, once again, lucky enough to be in my second home, I tried a beer from Turning Point on "cask",. an old fashioned method of beer dispense. It looked like mud. It tasted like gold. Well, not in fact like gold, but it was bloody marvelous. A thick, unctuous potation, heavy with hops and dank of flavour. It was a perfect starter as well, being over 7%.

Add to that their Rainbow Road 3.0 % Citra nano IPA and their delicious Vision Quest Mosaic IPA  at 7.0% on keg, as well as their Afterglow De Molen colab, and you already have a fab line up of soup. I likes soup. Hoppy only of course. And Turning Point create chewy murky mud beers to delight and tingle all our tastebuds. I should point out that their beers are  unfined and unfiltered, for those who unwisely drink with their eyes, as per their website.

In truth I have never had a bad beer from Turning Point (and I must mention their mango and mint sour with Lost Industry, or whatever ingredients they put in it, which was exemplary). Its unusual to try so many styles of beer from a newish brewery and be resolutely impressed every time. The nano IPA was an absolutely fabulous low gravity session ale bursting to the gunwales with marvelous Citra goodness.

Here's hoping that Turning Point continue on their upward curve of product excellence for years to come, meaning I can enjoy their excellent beers on many more occasions in the future.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

A Fine, Friday, Sheffield crawl

Hellall,

      not yesterday, as am always a week behind, but the first Friday in August, I arranged to meet Christingpher at the Portland House on Ecclesall Road. Given that he had never been there, and we hadn't seen each other for five months, he agreed. I left my appointment nearby around 14.00 and having been unable to find any opening times was surprised to see C standing uncomfortably outside the closed pub. Christingpher still hasn't been to the Portland House. Does anybody know if its still open?

We headed instead to the Ecclesall Ale Club and found Dylan behind the bar, and soon had a pint and a half of Bad Seed Juice Box on keg. I had thought of trying the Burnt Mill beer but was offered a taste of the Bad Seed and it was a perfect juicy IPA. I sat outside with C supping and chatting before he decided to head off after a half - he was driving.

My next stop was the Garden Room, which was offering a beer called Cheers at £2.00 a pint. It was a keg pale and brewed by Thwaites. It was a decent drop, and between 17 and 19.00 they have cask on at £2.50 a pint, this time including Jaipur. Alas I couldn't stay around but may pop back. I like the Garden Room, in a weird way. Its like a Brit owned Spanish bar in Yorkshire. If they don't do roast beef and Yorkie puds I will be very disappointed.  

The Beer Engine came next and the pub is currently being managed by the Man of Ash. As always there was an excellent range of beers, and I had halves of BBno's session IPA and a sour, which was also brewed at a brewery.  I also had a small plate to put me on til later. It was ham and manchego and Dijon mustard potato croquettas. They were fab.

A rarer stop for me next at the Clubhouse. Having ordered a tasty pale ale I was disappointed to find a five pound limit on the card machine, but stumped together over £3.00 in loose change and got the pint a little cheaper. I did think about having more snap but was conscious of time as I was headed for my second home. The beer was well kept and refreshing.

I walked to the Railway on Bramall Lane next. I may only ever have been in winter because this was the first time I had sat in their beer garden. A pint of pale cask was accompanied by a pint of Abbeydale Heathen on keg, and some snacks. A fine stop once again. I did hope to visit the Cricketers, but it was closed, and have been told by those in the know that he only opens matchdays now.

A wander onwards found me at the Lord Nelson, also a first visit for some time. I had a pint of pale ale on cask which was served in a glass, and which entered my throat through my mouth. Am just trying to provide an absurf and unnecessary level of detail in order to pretend that I have clear memories of this event. The beer was very nice as always, and I paid on card.

From here I walked to Shakespeares where I finished on other glass housed liquids. As I was too poorly organised to take any photos am not sure what I had but Friendache tells me it was Boon Kriek. So that will have been a pint then. Evidence of photos in my garden the next day also tells me that I got home, which is where I continue to live. This also what I mostly managed to achieve on Saturday and Sunday...

Its always nice to revisit pubs that one hasn't been to for some time, and with such a massive range of good quality boozers here in Sheffield that is often the case. A big three cheers to all the pubs visited for the continuing efforts to water and feed the thirsty drinkers of Sheffield.

Huzaah!

Wee Beefy