Author: Andy Cullen

The Little Critters single batch cask special in July was a mango sorbet session pale. It is designed to be a refreshing summer beer at 4.4% ABV with sweet mango, creamy lactose, citrusy hops and a solid malt backbone.

The monthly cask special from Thornbridge in July (apart from the Union beers!) released under the year on beer scheme was called “Red Rye at Night”, a red rye IPA with 5.4% ABV. This has been followed by the comeback of a beer that some may consider a favourite from the past – “Melba”, a peach flavoured IPA.

Emmanuales, who brew in very small batches and generally only package in cans or bottles, recently released a couple of cask beers available at only two outlets – Swinton beer festival and Walkley festival. The beers were both pale ales called “Cask and it will be given” but with different hops and ABVs – one used British hop varieties and was a sessionable 4.3% whilst the other used Calypso hops and was a stronger 5.6% ABV.

Eyam brewery are hosting another open day on 27 July, from 1pm to 7pm. As well as a range of their beers there will also be pizza and coffee. They are located in Great Hucklow and bus 65 will get you there from Sheffield. In other news they have started putting beer into minikegs again with the first release in this format being Antidote Pilsner.

Drone Valley Brewery this year celebrate an anniversary, being 9 years since they were registered with the FCA to become a community interest company. They are hosting a music festival at the brewery on 1 September. Tickets are available to buy online or from the bar at their weekend tap sessions.

Last month we mentioned Collyfobble brewery’s summer special, it is now available and is called “t’inna code owt” (roughly translates as “it isn’t cold out, you won’t need your big coat”). The beer is an nice, refreshing 3.6% ABV blonde ale packed full of Amarillo hops. We’re told it is perfect with a BBQ, after a day on the beach or after a long walk in the woods!

A couple of new beers already out from Chantry Brewery, King of Hops in cask (a light refreshing pale beer at 4% ABV brewed with Chinook, Mosaic and Harlequin hops) and The Beer Inspector in keg, a 4% ABV hazy pale ale brewed with Citra, Mosaic and Amarillo hops.

Fuggle Bunny Brew House in Halfway (a short walk from the tram terminus or bus 120k) holds a tap session every Friday when they open the bar in the brewery with a range of their beers to sit down and enjoy at source.

From July the “Fuggle Friday” events will also have a food trader on site serving from 4pm to 8pm (the bar continues to be open until 11pm).

The food changes each week with a number of traders on rotation. On the roster from July to September are The Tacho Trailer, Lush N Loaded, Spud Buddies (Greek), Poblano (Mexican) and Bear Grills (gourmet burgers).

Chantry Brewery launched a couple of new beers for June at their brewery tap bar – Wizard’s Spell and The Beer Inspector. Both are 4% pale ales.

June saw Little Critters release a new beer in their pets range with Luna’s Peach Pale Ale, a refreshing 4.4% ABV beer with fruit juice combining with US hops.

The special limited edition bottled beer released by Bradfield Brewery we previously mentioned was Highland Pale Ale, an 8.1% ABV beer that was aged for 3 months in Scottish oak whisky barrels.

Thornbridge have released the first beer brewed using their newly acquired Union fermenting system (the old historical Burton Unions decommissioned by Marstons brewery in Burton on Trent). Look out for Thornbridge Union Jaipur on a bar near you!

Eyam brewery released a special in time for the Euros – Surely it’s coming home this time (pale ale, 4.2% ABV)!

Collyfobble brewery have embarked on a series of quarterly seasonal specials. The summer special is a pale ale brewed with Amarillo hops to a sessionable strength of 3.6% ABV.

The May Day bank holiday weekend not only saw extended hours and live music at the Drone Valley Brewery tap but a new beer release – Vienna Dark Mild.

Eyam Brewery are now supplying pubs and bottle shops further afield via Sellar. Meanwhile back at the brewery they have an open day coming up on 15 June featuring beer, pizza and music. Visitors are encouraged to buy tickets in advance (just £2.50 including first pint!), however you can just turn up on the day subject to capacity. The event runs from midday until 6pm.

Bradfield Brewery continue with their usual calendar of season ales, the cherry beer went down well in May and it is time to move on in June to Farmers Wim-Bull-Don (yes, tennis themed!) which is a pale coloured fruity ale with a burst of summer fruit flavours. July will see their Elderflower Ale make a comeback, brewed with blooms freshly picked from the farmers fields! Additionally the brewery have been putting teasers out on social media about a new limited edition special bottled beer to be launched in their brewery shop on 24 May.

Intrepid Brewery at Brough (between Bamford/Hope and Bradwell) have open day events planned for 10 August and 5 October. On these days they open a pop up bar in the brewery and have seating outside with Sunshine Pizza Oven trading outside and a neighbouring business providing the tunes! There is a bus stop at the end of the drive – buses on route 272 (Sheffield-Castleton) that serve Bradwell go there along with buses on route 173 (Castleton-Bakewell).

Stancill Brewery had two suitable beers out for the Mild in May campaign with “India” (a 4% ABV ruby coloured mild) and “Tom’s Mild” (a 3.4% dark mild which was their second ever brew after Barnsley Bitter) both making a comeback!