So, freshers, by the time this issue of Beer Matters hits the pubs you’ll have been in Sheffield a couple of weeks perhaps and moved into your accommodation, visited the student union, gone through a whirlwind of freshers fairs, society recruitment events, welcome parties and much more. Maybe you’ve even started venturing out and exploring the city you will call home for the next few years at University.
This is the annual article aimed at pointing you in the direction of good beer (we already know you are that way inclined – you’ve picked up this magazine, most likely in a good pub!). There is no shortage of good beer in Sheffield of course, but a variety of places to drink it is no bad thing.
If you are at the University of Sheffield we would encourage you to join their real ale society who meet in the student union at Interval Cafe Bar every Thursday for a social, heading out to different places each week. They also organise visits to breweries, beer festivals and more – a bit like CAMRA really (don’t forget if you are under 26 you get cheaper CAMRA membership!) If you are a Hallam University student there is no real ale in the HUBS but not to worry – there are loads of good pubs around the campus area and there is a newly formed real ale society organising beery socials.
Also worth noting that Sheffield Brewery open to the public for beer club the first weekend of each month (Fri/Sat evening) and True North Breweryat Devonshire Green opens to the public very ocasionally for special events. CAMRA’s Steel City Beer & Cider Festival takes place in October each year and SIBA’s BeerX takes place in March, with the Sheffield Beer Week running alongside it. In June (first Saturday of), at the end of the academic year, there is the 3 Valleysfestival nearby in Dronfield which is spread across around 15 venues linked by a free bus. So lots going on in our area all year round!
CAMRA volunteers maintain a national database of every real ale pub and you can search for pub information via our pub guide website, WhatPub. (if you find any wrong, out of date or missing information we would appreciate it if you help out by finding out the correct details and submitting them to us).
Below is a guide to real ale outlets in the city centre plus London Road and Bramall Lane. All these are walkable from both Universities, however if you can’t be bothered to walk there are plenty of buses and trams around.
