On Friday 6 May it was announced that having brewed their final batch of Pale Rider, Kelham Island Brewery will be going into voluntary liquidation and closing.
Under the instigation of Dave Wickett, their original brewery, the first new independent brewery in Sheffield for over fifty years, opened in 1990. This building is now an extra outside bar for the adjacent Fat Cat pub. The current brewery came into operation in 1999, Pale Rider (5.2% abv) becoming CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain (CBOB) in 2004. It remains the only South Yorkshire brewed beer to reach the top three in this competition.
Ex-Kelham Island brewers have been involved in a growing number of influential breweries. Among many others, these include: Abbeydale, Brewdog, Tapped, Thornbridge and Welbeck.
The Brewery comments: ‘It is with deep sadness that we are having to announce that we and the brewery will shortly be closing. We would like to thank everybody who supported us over the last 32 years- especially our staff and customers. The Fat Cat will remain open, with Kelham Island Brewery beer available on cask and in Bottles/Cans whilst stocks last.’
WTChuff..Thus ain’t reyt.. What’s happening to Sheffield?? It’s another fricking nail through the soul..What can we do? At least the Leadmill’s got all the people and musicians fighting in their corner! We need to know why this is happening and how to turn it around…do we have to make the brewery a people owned business? Come on CAMRA, could that work? What’s the future….car park for designer housing? Maybe a nice Blue Plaque?… “Here lies a moment in history that no one’s really bothered about anymore”
It’s only beer, after all.. you can get it everywhere now, derr…..
Fricking turning point….
Sheffield, You know it, spiritual Heart and Soul of what makes what we know now… I’ve not had a bad pint in Sheffield, to really think about it, since… I can’t remember.. even the supermarket’s have up their game! Reyt, I’m rantin on nah, soz, just upset..crap.