Branch bits
BEER MATTERS DISTRIBUTION
We currently print 3,500 copies of the magazine which are delivered by courier from the printers to the Rutland Arms where volunteers, who we really appreciate, collect a stock and take them out to pubs across our branch area which is huge – the entire city of Sheffield plus Killamarsh and a big chunk of the Derbyshire Peak District.
At the moment we have no record of who is taking the magazines and where they are going, which means from time to time some pubs get missed out and on other occasions some pubs get more than one delivery.
Additionally distribution from the Rutland is getting problematic at times for all involved – this is a small pub that is much busier than when we first started using it as a base – obviously the format with good beer, quality food, a jukebox and staff with personality is working!
Therefore we will be making some changes soon and starting from scratch. we’ll be moving to a different City Centre pub as our main distribution base and are also considering introducing some secondary out of town distribution points to help those that live in, and deliver to, locations that are a fair distance out of town. At this point we ask that ALL volunteers that deliver magazines get in touch with Andy Shaw, who has agreed to volunteer as our new distribution co-ordinator, to sign up to a specific delivery run so we have a record of where magazines are going. Andy will advise you of where to collect the magazines from when you sign up for your run. His email address is andshaw@gmail.com.
CIDER PUB OF THE YEAR
We’ll be choosing our Cider Pub of the Year winners at the March branch meeting. These will be put forward to the Yorkshire and Derbyshire county rounds of the national competition. If you know a pub in our area that is a good place to drink real cider and perry let us know and nominate it as a potential Cider Pub of the Year. Our winner last year was the Harlequin on Nursery Street.
Our friends in Dronfield branch have already announced their winner – the Travellers Rest at Apperknowle, which will also go forward into the Derbyshire round of the national competition.
SHEFFIELD PUB OF THE YEAR / DISTRICT PUB OF THE YEAR
Member voting has now closed for our main Pub of the Year competition and our team of volunteer judges are all in the process of individually visiting the top pubs from the vote to see which is the overall winner. They will be scoring pubs based on the same criteria used in CAMRA’s national competition – the majority of the score is based on beer qualiity, however other factors that set one good beer pub above another are also taken into account such as value for money, service, cleanliness, sympathy with CAMRA’s aims, participation in community and clientele mix.
Black Gold
It may be a certain Irish drink which dominates the Stout sector, but Stancill Brewery’s hearty stout recipes have proved to be a surprise hit with Sheffield’s beer drinkers: so much so that a new variation of the black stuff is back in production!
Black Gold is a new 5% variation on its Movember Stout special. Featuring a hearty combination of roasting malts and brewed with traditional fuggle hops, the result is a full bodied rich stout which balances nutty and caramel notes with bitterness and a hint of coffee.
According to Managing Director Thomas Gill, the decision to create the new stout was driven by public demand: “At this time of year we usually turn our attentions to creating lighter beers to coincide with the longer nights and warmer spring weather, but such has been the popularity of our stout that we decided to re-visit the recipe and bring it back earlier than we had originally anticipated.
“Black Gold shares many of the characteristics of our popular Movember stout, but we’ve adjusted the recipe slightly to give the stout a richer combination of flavours and bitterness. We began production back in February and if it continues to remain as popular as our previous stouts then it’s highly likely that we’ll continue to produce stouts throughout the year on a semi-permanent basis.”
Stancill’s latest batch of stout will see more than 6,500 pints produced and will be available in selected pubs from the beginning of March.
American Pale: Stancill’s first dry-hopped beer
In stark contrast to the creation of Stancill’s new stout, American Pale is the brewery’s first venture into producing a dry hopped brew. The result is a powerfully hopped beer which features a trio of all-American hop varieties.
Brewed using Summit and Simcoe hops, additional cascade hopes are loaded into hessian bags and added to the fermenting tanks to create a powerfully hopped beer from first sip to last.
Not content with adding dry hops to the fermenting tanks, additional quantities of hops are added to each individual cask, allowing the beer to continue absorbing the hoppy flavour as it travels from the brewery to your local.
Dean Pleasant, head brewer at Stancill Brewery said: “The sacks act a little bit like a giant tea bag when added to the fermentation tanks, allowing the flavours of the hops to infuse with the beer. This helps to create a stronger hoppy taste as well as helping to give the beer a strong hoppy aroma.
“Traditionally dry hopping was used as a way of helping to preserve beer for longer periods of time and was commonly used in traditional IPA’s as a way of extending the life of the beer. When hops are added to beer after the fermentation takes place this helps to give a fresh hop aroma which blends with the brew to create a powerfully flavoured hoppy beer.” 
So instead for gyle 400 we brewed something quite different: Land of the Long White Cloud 3.5% the lowest abv Beer we’ve brewed for a long time. This New Zealand hopped session pale is packed with Motueka, Rakau and Waimea hops which impart citrus, lime and pine like flavours. Although low in alcohol this beer won’t be short in flavour.
On top of that, March will see Chinook Red 4.7% hitting the bars of Sheffield. This red beer has a biscuity malt base along with punchy grapefruit hop flavours from the American Chinook hops.
This month’s single hopped IPA is Waimea IPA 5.0% showcasing the New Zealand hop Waimea which is said to have tangerine, citrus and pine characteristics; expect a bitter finish from this high alpha hop. 
Dave Pickersgill, Pub Heritage Officer 
Here at The Sheffield Brewery Company, we are proud to present our range of Finely Polished Beers. Drawing design inspiration and names directly from the original polishes as made by Joseph Pickering & Sons, made here in rustic building where the brewery now resides, our first two Finely Polished Beers have gone down a treat. Razor Paste (5.6% Razor Sharp IPA), crammed full of Mosaic and Citra, and Brightshine (4.0% Crisp Golden Ale) have been greatly received by consumers and landlords alike. March sees the release of American IPA, Knife Powder. Combining a variety of malts with all American hops (Simcoe, Chinook, Athanum and Willamette), Knife Powder is intensely hoppy and immensely drinkable.
March also sees the return of Peddler Night Market, meaning that we’ll be throwing our doors on Friday 3rd & Saturday 4th March for beer, banter and good times. Live music will be provided by fiddle, guitar and mandolin trio ‘The Peddlers’ (Friday night only). Make the most of the opportunity to sample our beers fresh from the source, check out our fantastic venue, and eat some great food whilst you’re at it.
We are delighted to announce we now have an off-license, meaning you can purchase beer directly from the brewery. Whether you’re looking for a gift, a pin/cask for a party, or just something for yourself, we have a beer for you! Pins/Casks are available to pre-order. Contact us at 
Generation X 4.2% – A pale session ale big in citrus & tropical fruit notes. Hopped generously with Azzaca, Bravo & Mosaic hops. Definitely a beer for the latchkey kids of the 70’s (or anyone born before or after to be fair!)
*Can be drunk without adult supervision!