Update (14/3/19): for those taking part, our preferred method is to use the track.beer/survey website. However, those wishing to use a paper form can download this here: Beer Census form (Word version) or Beer Census form (PDF version).
As mentioned in last month’s Beer Matters, Saturday 30 March will see the return of the Sheffield Beer Census for 2019.
This city-wide survey is organised in order to collect information on which beers are available in the city on a particular day. We have been doing this for a few years now, and we are pleased to say that despite various claims from other cities such as Norwich, Derby and Nottingham, the information on the number of beers on sale usually shows that Sheffield can rightly claim to be Beer Capital of the UK.
This year we are looking for more keen volunteers to help collect the information. There are several routes you can join, or if you live in an area not listed you can help by simply visiting one or two of your local pubs. Each route will be led by a designated leader who will have the survey forms and a plan for visiting the various pubs. Many routes will involve public transport at some point, but your route leader will have details and can advise on costs and timings.
Daytime crawls will start at 12 noon, and eventually arrive at the Red Deer on Pitt Street by early evening to hand in the completed forms. Evening crawls then start from the Red Deer moving through the city centre before regrouping in the Kelham Island area.
If you would like to join on one of the crawls simply be at the start point for midday and look out for someone carrying survey forms or a copy of Beer Matters. If you are unable to join on a crawl, but would still like to help with collecting information, you can enter information directly onto our survey website, track.beer/survey.
We will need the name of the pub, and then for each cask ale on sale that day we need the name of the beer; the brewery; % strength; and price of a pint. There will be a Notes section where you can add if the pub serves real cider and keg beer. Please note only submissions made on 30 March will be counted towards the final totals.
The routes this year (and how to get to the starting points) are as follows:
Route A – Dore, Totley, Abbeydale Rd
Starting at Hare & Hounds, Dore
Route leader: Andy Cullen
Buses 81, 82, 181, M17
Route B – Woodseats, Norton Lees, Heeley
Starting at Woodseats Palace
Route leader: Dom Nelson
Buses 24, 25, 43, 44, 75, 76, X17
Route C – London Rd, Cultural Industries Quarter
Starting at Railway Hotel, Bramall Ln
Route leader: Poppy Hayhurst
Buses 18, 19, 252.
Route D – Hillsborough, Loxley, Bradfield, Stannington
Starting at Hillsborough Tap
Route leader: vacant
Buses 31, 35, 52, 52a, 61, 62, 97, 98 or Blue/Yellow tram
Route E – Ecclesall Rd
Starting at Sheaf Island
Route leader: Glyn Mansell
Buses 65, 81, 82, 83, 88, 215, 272
Route F – Chapeltown
Starting at Wagon & Horses
Route leader: Robert Douglas
Buses 1, 1a, 29, 86 or train.
Route G – Meadowhall, Carbrook, Attercliffe
Starting at Steel Foundry
Route leader: vacant
Buses 3, 3a, 18, 18a, 35, 36, 38, X1, X17, tram or train.
Route H – Walkley, Crookes, Broomhill
Starting at Walkley Cottage
Route leader: Paul Crofts
Buses 31, 53, 95
Route I – Lodge Moor, Nether Green, Ranmoor
Starting at Three Merry Lads
Route leader: John Beardshaw
Bus 51
Route J – Mosborough, Beighton, Crystal Peaks, Birley
Starting at British Oak
Route leader: vacant
Buses 50, 53, 71
Routes K, L, M – City Centre (afternoon)
Starting at Sheffield Tap
Route leader: various
Routes N, O, P – (evening)
Will be done in the evening after all volunteers meet at the Red Deer around 7pm.
It would be great to see a few more faces on the crawls, and even better if we can prove yet again that Sheffield is unrivalled in its range and quality of beer on sale. Hope to see you there!