Memories - what do they mean? Like, birds, we'll never know........

 Afternoon

     just to point out that when I say birds I mean the Avian ones - am not being crude.

I realise that I might have pointed this out already but just to remind you that in 2019 I had a brain injury. Without going on, it was when I started taking Tresiba, a more effective Background insulin that am still on. My then diabetic nurse encouraged me to switch from possibly Novorapid Long  Acting or worse still Humalog, which I was taking twice a day, and to take just one injection in the morning, of Tresiba. She suggested I take 40 units, but that would have been nearly twice what I was already taking so I went for just 30. I still had an overwhelming hypoglycaemic attack, and leaning against a pillar eating chocolate I blacked out, fell forwards and split my head open. I was in hospital for 6 weeks, and upon returning to the pub world I initially struggled to remember names, and actually tolerate drinking strong beers. After a whole year of testing and memory training, they said it would take a minimum of 6 years to retrieve my memories, and those of you who see me regularly, will know that I continue to often forget persons names.

Its interesting however that if you read my pre brain injury, more prolific blog posts, I was already a bit "memory light" not least about beer names - so without overexaggerating, its sadly been a slow decline......

However - I recently reminded my Lancastrian chum about Sheffield's numerous off licences, and I mentioned the Dram Shop and this, reminded me about Brendan Dobbin at West Coast Brewing in Manchester which, after its closure, it, or Mr Dobbin, moved to Marble, brewing behind the Marble Arch. I think I got 4 different bottles of West Coast Brewery beers from there before it closed, and the Dram Shop was also the first place that I spotted Fraoch, then brewed by Heather Ales.

I remember that the three Wee men visited the brewery in the early thousands - then likely at Strathaven, and it was lovely to take away 4 pints of their Scottish fruited beer which was likely Grozet - not to mention what may have also been their kelpie seaweed ale.

They gave me 12 bottles of that and asked me to give a bottle to ten of my favourite Sheffield pubs with their email address - most of which were warmly received, except the guy at the Sheaf view who said he was offended by my giving him a free 500ml bottle of beer and their email address - um - what now?

The final memory I have of the still open Dram Shop is a full bottle of 1953 (or similar) whisky stood alone on a high shelf sticking out possibly from a support pillar? I wonder what happened to that?

More (or less) memories next time!

kind regards

Wee Beefy

Crackers

Greetings,

           as this is my day off work, I have decoded to use my time well. So, what better way than to relate some tales of excellent ales I have tasted recently Well, now I have said that, I can think of numerous better ways, personally, but lets not allow that to distract from this treatise on tasty tipples.

Although it has recently run out - it did Saturday when I tried to buy a half - the excellent Beavertown Holy Hoppin Hell made an appearance on keg at Shakespeares. This time it seemed to be stronger, myself and Doctor Pat remembered it being 8.5% last time, but this time its a whopping 9.5%. Being a that London brewer, and on keg, and 2% above the HSBD mark, it was £6.60 a pint. But given its more than twice the strength of beers half the price in other pubs I don't think that's bad value for money. And you wouldn't have wanted more than a pint. It had a vinous orangey quality with an aroma slightly of sherbet and citrus, and actually, the hops were obscured somewhat by the alcohol. It took me an hour to drink a half on Friday so that gives you a measure of its potency. Despite that, it is still far better than some of the clumsy depthcharge soups of the 1980's and 90's.

Also on the bar is/was the Maori Red from Blue Bee Brewery. Although only 4.8 (or.5, not sure) the beer is packed with flavour and the red element makes it very rounded and easy to drink, with a hoppy bite in the background. Well worth a try since its out and about at present.

The Bath Hotel today should still have on Fraoch from Heather Ales. Sorry - I meant Williams Bros. I say this because I first tasted Fraoch, which a brewery rep told me is pronounced "Frook" in 1994 when I bought a rather nice labelled bottle of it from the Dram Shop in Commonside. It was brewed by Heather Ales, and called Leann Fraoich. Catchy.  It was, I have to say, very much unlike anything I had tried before. I have tried it on cask a few times since, and also been to the brewery in Strathven many years ago to taste their Grozet Gooseberry ale straight from the conditioning tank - well, not straight - i had it in a glass.....

The brewery has now moved to Alloa and seems to have quite an impressive marketing machine behind it - and it helpfully tells you what the beer tastes like. If you see their link here there is much info, although personally I think its sweeter and less herbal and floral than previously. Well worth a try on cask either way.

Also at the Bath hotel is a Burning Sky Saison. With one rare exception I have always loved their saisons, and this is another fine example.  Its 6.7% and on keg. Alas the Bath has less freedom on prices than say, Shakespeares, so I recall it being pricey but it is a great refreshing beer that due to being on keg , takes that little bit longer to sup, and a little longer for you to savour.   

The final recent tipple to take the eye, and one which was delivered throughout Sheffield recently is another Sheffield beer from Blue Bee. Ella IPA is made with Australian Ella hops and is an easy drinking, slightly less ascorbicly hoppy 5.0% IPA. They have used Ella before in their Reet Aussie Pale and I have found it really easy to drink. It may not be on now at the Three Tuns where I had several pints, but it will no doubt be in the better Sheffield real ale pubs now.

Hope you all get chance to try some of the above beers soon!

Cheers

Wee Beefy