Author: Dave Pickersgill

Dave has been a CAMRA member since the 1970s and has worked at almost 40 Sheffield CAMRA festivals, plus a fair number of others. He is Brewery Liaison Officer (BLO) for Abbeydale, Blue Bee, Bradfield and Loxley. He was also the Chair of the Local Organising Committee for the 2023 national CAMRA Members’ Weekend, AGM & Conference. A member of the National Pub Heritage Group, he leads on planning and pub heritage issues. He also edited the Sheffield's Real Heritage Pubs book, for which downloads vastly exceeded expectations. The hard copy was available in October 2018 and again in 2021. On both occasions, it was a sell-out. The 5th edition (2023) is available as both a hard copy and a free download.

Thornbridge gains Burton Union set

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

In the March edition of Beer Matters, we reported that Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) were ending the use of the Burton Union brewing system at their Albion brewery in Burton-on Trent. This is a method of brewing using an arrangement of wooden barrels and pipes which recirculates beer and yeast during the fermentation period. 

Marston’s established their Union System in 1898: described by Roger Protz as, ‘The Cathedral of Brewing,’ housed in a single brew-house, they had ten sets of Burton Unions, mostly used to produce, Pedigree (4.3% abv). They were the last remaining brewer to use this system, originally developed in 1838.

While the world was watching the snooker final, CMBC posted on both LinkedIn and X. Locally-based Thornbridge Brewery have been gifted one of the ten Burton Union sets. It is being installed at their Riverside Brewery (Bakewell), CMBC providing guidance both on the set-up and maintenance. 

Apparently the success of this transfer is due to the intervention of well-known New York brewer, Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery. Oliver has had a close relationship with Thornbridge and Brooklyn has a longstanding commercial relationship with Carlsberg. 

Oliver said: “When I heard that the unions were slated to go silent, I immediately thought that Thornbridge would be the perfect inheritors of this beautiful piece of British brewing heritage. I’m thrilled to provide the ‘assist’ on this historic play.” 

The plan is to initially brew a special batch of Jaipur (5.9% abv). The Union will then be used to brew other established beers, some brand-new new beers and collaborations with other brewers who are keen to see what a union-fermented version of their beers will look like.

However, there is no news on what will happen to the remaining nine Union Sets – they still seem destined for the tip. One down, nine to go – anyone want a Burton Union Set? 

Big Gun

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

After over 200 years, the Big Gun (13-17 Wicker, S3 8HS) closed in September 2023. Building work has since taken place. This includes the creation of a new shop front and the replacement of windows.

Sheffield City Council Planning are aware that these works have been carried out without appropriate permission. No planning application has been submitted and they are not aware of a proposal for a change of use in the building. Their Planning Enforcement Team is currently investigating.

The Big Gun has an interior of special historic interest and, as such, is listed on the national CAMRA Pub Heritage website: ( https://pubheritage.camra.org.uk/pubs/12118). We hope that the owner has not destroyed the many unique features, especially the Victorian fixed seating and the, possibly unique, draught screen. If this is the case, we expect that SCC will use their full powers to ensure that appropriate remedial action is taken.

A beer house has been on this site since 1796. The present building was built around 1900 by Messrs’ Wheatley and Bates Ltd, a local wine, spirit and cigar merchants. At the time of closure, there were many heritage features. For example, the right hand side of the snug had two bays of Victorian fixed seating with decorative bench ends that resemble a (acanthus) leaf.

Market Tavern update

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

It seems that the demolition, on 10 January, took place, in error: Sheffield City Council told Now Then magazine: “Our initial belief was that the top turret on the building had collapsed under its own weight on the morning of 10 January.”

“New information has since come to light which shows the demolition company were instructed in error at 11:53am to continue with demolition. As a result of this order, our understanding is the turrets fell because of the recommenced demolition works.”

The full story is available at on the Now Then website.

‘The Cathedral of Brewing’ to close

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

In early 2020, Carlsberg and Marston’s announced a joint venture: the Danish corporation taking 60% of the new Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) with Marston’s holding 40% and receiving a cash payment of over £270M. At the time, we commented that we had concerns regarding the future of the internationally unique Burton Union System as used in Marston’s Albion Brewery. http://tinyurl.com/498ss642

Almost four years later, these concerns have come to fruition: CMBC have announced plans to retire the historic Union System, a method of brewing using an arrangement of wooden barrels and pipes which recirculates beer and yeast during the fermentation period. This system was developed in Burton-on-Trent, patented in 1838, and used extensively for many years. Brewing scientists regard the system as unparalleled for the production of bright, clean, strong-tasting pale ales.

For example, Draught Bass, the best-selling cask beer in the 1970s was brewed using the Union System. Over the following decades, Bass fell into decline, in both quality and sales. The turning point came in the early 1980s, when Bass decided to rip out the System that had been used to produce its flagship Pale Ale for over 150 years. 

Across town, Marston’s established their Union System in 1898 when they relocated from their Horninglow Brewery (built 1834) to their current site, the Albion Brewery on Shobnall Road. Described by Roger Protz as, ‘The Cathedral of Brewing,’ there are ten sets of Burton Unions in a single brew-house, mostly used to produce, Pedigree (4.3% abv), a beer originally introduced in 1952. In recent years, volumes of Pedigree have declined and only four of the sets were in use during 2023. Until earlier in January, the Marston’s website described Pedigree as ‘the only beer to come through the Burton Union System. It gives Pedigree it’s one-of-a-kind taste. No Burton Union. No Pedigree. End of.’

After 125 years of use, including over seventy of Pedigree, Marston’s are now to follow the lead of Bass, leaving, world-wide, only one variation on this unique brewing method. The Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, California, USA) use a modified Burton Union system: forty, 65-gallon, American oak barrels.

This decision will see a unique, and historic, part of Britain’s brewing heritage extinct. Ideally, CMBC would reverse their decision or, at least, make the Union Sets, in situ, available to others. This is unlikely to happen – I’d hope to see them, as, at least, a working museum piece. However, with the recent closure of the National Brewery Museum, this is unlikely. For many years, one of the Bass Union sets was on display in the museum car park.

It seems Carlsberg have no care for the heritage they have acquired in the UK – in addition to this backward step, recent years have seen the closure, or disposal, of several cask breweries: Eagle, Jennings, Ringwood and Wychwood. In their home country, Carlsberg have a reputation as a patron of the arts and a respecter of heritage and tradition. However, not in the UK, where a race to the lowest common destination seems to be the plan.

Carlsberg: probably the worse respecter of brewing tradition in the world.

Market Tavern

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

December brought news that the Market Tavern (Exchange Street, S2 5TR) is to be demolished. While asbestos removal work was in progress, it was discovered that the  chimneys were structurally unsound.

The pub opened in 1797, was rebuilt to follow a new street line in 1909 and then completely rebuilt by Sheffield brewery, Thomas Berry & Co. in 1914. Opinion is divided regarding the origin of the then ‘Rotherham House’ name. Either this was due to ownership by Rotherham-based, Bentleys Brewery, or proximity to the start of the Rotherham tram service.

1961 plans illustrate the installation of a Wimpy Bar on the front of the pub (N.W.Oldfield, Architect & Surveyor for Tennant Brothers Limited: see Sheffield Archives: MC/DC/235 ). Introduced to the UK in 1954, Wimpy is a multinational hamburger restaurant chain.

In 1968, the pub became the ‘Old No.12,’ a Berni Inn, one of a chain of British steakhouses, established in 1955. Berni Inns, a forerunner of today’s pub restaurants, provided Tudor-looking false oak beams and white walls. 1982 saw a take-over by Mecca and a change of name to the Garden. In 1995, it was sold to Whitbread and rebranded as Beefeater/Brewers Fayre.

The pub closed in 2006.

Sportsman, Darnall

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

Recent planning applications bring the news that the Sportsman (Darnall Road, S9 5AD) is to become a House of Multiple Occupation for 16 people.

Opening as a beer house in 1859, the Sportsman was an ex-John Smiths, two-roomed pub with a central bar. 1953 plans (Wilburn & Atkinson, Architects, Doncaster for Messrs.Whitworth Son & Nephew Ltd.) show an identical lay-out with three external doors (left, central and right). At the time of closure, there was a mosaic on the floor entrance (often hidden by a mat) and tiling in the right-hand room. The most recent pub sign was based on ex-landlord, Darnall-born featherweight boxer, Billy Calvert (1933- 2016). He twice unsuccessfully fought for the British Title in a seven-year career which commenced in 1958. 

Sheffield’s Real Heritage Pubs

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

The fifth edition of the Sheffield’s Real Heritage Pubs arrived from the printer just in time for the 2023 CAMRA Member’s Weekend, AGM & Conference (1000 copies, A5, 128 pages, full colour throughout, £8.99 RRP). 

Copies are available at several local outlets: Beer Central, Draughtsman (Doncaster railway station), Famous Sheffield Shop, Fat Cat, Kelham Island Books + Music, Kelham Island Museum, Hop Hideout, Makers Store (Meadowhall), Millennium Gallery, Next Chapter Books, Old Shoe, SMOD and Rhyme & Reason.

Thanks again to the sponsors of this printed edition: Abbeydale Brewery, Alder, Bradfield Brewery, Crow Inn, Hop Hideout, Rutland Arms and Sheffield Beer Week.

For copies by post, email pubheritage@sheffield.camra.org.uk.

All copies of the pub heritage walk booklet have been distributed. The plan is to produce (at least) two further booklets in this series: Kelham Island/Neepsend (2024) and Little Chicago (2025). Launch events are planned for the Steel City Beer & Cider Festival.

Sheffield Beer Report 2024

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

It was recently announced that internationally recognised beer-writer, Pete Brown, is revisiting his 2016 report, ‘BEER,’ with an updated version to be launched during Sheffield Beer Week 2024 (4-10 March). The original report stated that ‘Sheffield is the real ale capital of the world – and can also stake a claim to being the birthplace of the UK craft beer revolution.’

At the time, I wrote: ‘I read the Report while en route for a few days in LambicLand (Belgium). It generated considerable discussion with both colleagues and also a number of local Brewers. At Itterbeek, we had a long beer-related conversation with the Flanders Region Minister of Culture. He expressed more interest in the Sheffield beer scene than seems to emanate from Sheffield Town Hall…… The Sheffield region needs to up its game regarding exports. The Sheffield Beer Report suggests that a local canning/bottling plant is an essential.’ (Beer Matters, 464, June 2016, 6-7).

Since then, the world has changed: Brexit, Covid, lockdowns, international uncertainty and continued inept UK government. However, almost eight years on, does Sheffield continue to justify the claim of the best real ale city in the world? My answer would be an undoubted ‘yes.’

The local beer range has grown dramatically over the last decade with several innovative new cask brewers coming on stream, for example: Grizzly Grains, Loxley and Triple Point. Innovative collaborations occur several times/week and several long-established brewers, including Abbeydale, Lost Industry and Steel City have taken-up barrel ageing with the Abbeydale, ‘Funk Dungeon’ project of particular note. Heist, despite their focus on Keykeg, recently won the gold award at the 47th Sheffield Steel City Beer Festival for their cask hazy session IPA, ‘The Bad Part of Gnome Town’ (4.6% abv) while, last year, Triple Point were winners of the World’s Best Gluten-free Beer at the World Beer Awards, for their Trivergence DIPA (8.5%). In addition, Fuggle Bunny, Stancil, Tapped and Toolmakers are celebrating a decade of brewing while brewSocial have recently completed their first year in operation.

Sheffield is also attracting, well-respected brewers from elsewhere. For example, after seven successful years managing the ‘Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project,’ in Boston, Massachusetts (established 2008), Dann Paquette and Martha Holley spent two years travelling. In 2018, they relocated to Sheffield, and, in deepest Attercliffe, established St.Mars of the desert (SMOD). Their aim is to ‘brew adventurous beers for interesting people.’ In this, they have succeeded: their ‘Secret World,’ is hidden behind old industrial units in a currently unfashionable part of the city. Here an exciting range of beers are produced and may be sampled in their taproom. On RateBeer, in 2020, they were named as amongst the top ten new breweries in the world. A second example is Mike Pomranz. Mike moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Sheffield in 2016 continuing his interest in cidermaking. In September 2021, he opened The Cider Hole – an urban microcidery, bar, and bottle shop – where he made, and served, his own Exemption Ciderhouse cider. Having become the 2023 Sheffield and District CAMRA ‘Cider Pub of the Year,’ the Cider Hole closed in June, Exemption relocating to become part of the Old Shoe, a new bar located in the city centre.

My suggestion regarding export has happened. Stimulated by lockdown, there has also been an almost exponential increase in the range, and variety, of small-package products: beers from many Sheffield breweries are now widely available in both bottle and can. For example, Abbeydale, Bradfield, Little Critters, Neepsend and Triple Point can be found nationwide. It’s also worth noting that the beer of ‘Sheffield Home of Football’ is brewed at Meadowhead by Little Mesters. There has also been a growth in high quality bottle-shops, for example, long- established favourites, the Dram Shop and Small Beer have been joined by the likes of Beer Central and Hop Hideout, both of whom recently celebrated their 10th anniversary.

As for pubs: Sheffield does not seem to have experienced the dramatic pub-loss suffered by many other parts of the UK. There have been closures but also many openings, especially of micropubs: we seem to have more micropubs than any other UK city of a comparable size. Local beers continue to be seen across the city with cask-only brewer, Blue Bee, a particular favourite. Beer tourism continues to provide massively more income to the city than the annual World Snooker Championship. This was recently illustrated when CAMRA held their annual Member’s Weekend, Conference and AGM at the University of Sheffield. Apart from one negative comment regarding the hills, almost 1000 attendees gave very positive feedback on local beers, pubs and importantly, their friendly welcome.

Sheffield also continues to be the only UK city with its own detailed Pub Heritage publication. Originally produced in 2018, this 120- page book is now in its 5th edition and is available as both a paper copy and a free download.

In short, since 2016, the Sheffield beer scene has vastly improved: more innovation, more choice, more venues and more information – it remains the undoubted beer capital of the world.

Pins

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

Green King recently announced that they are supplying pins (4.5 gallon casks of beer) of ‘Fresh Cask Releases’ to all their managed, leased, tenanted and free trade customers, as part of their seasonal cask beers calendar. The first releases, in July, were Ale Fresco (4.3%, golden ale) and New Tricks (a 4% collaboration with Nethergate, which includes ginger and lemon).

Are there any local breweries doing the same? If so, please tell us, as we know of several local outlets who are attempting to purchase pins of local cask beer, but having zero success. Pins have the advantage of both offering an additional choice and allowing the provision of cask beer when throughput is not high.

Farfield

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

The Farfield (376 Neepsend Lane, S3 8AW) was built in 1752 as a gentleman’s residence. As a pub, it was damaged in the 1864 Sheffield Flood, when the nearby bridge collapsed and the Don overflowed. The publican, Matilda Mason, was forced to shelter on the upper floors. She later claimed £162 13 s 9d for loss of property. This claim was ‘assessed by agreement incl. costs at £90’ on 10th June 1865.

1961 plans show four separate rooms on the ground floor. A Public Bar to the left of the entrance, Saloon to the right, with a Smoke Room behind. The Saloon includes a Servery. The far-left corner is a kitchen. Alterations (John Foster, Group Architect, Joshua Tetley & Son Ltd.) open out the Saloon and Smoke Room into a larger Smoke Room with the Servery moving into a more central position. The kitchen becomes inside toilets. 1992 saw the addition of several internal doors (Michael Self Partnership, Chartered Architects, Sheffield). Externally, between floors, to the right, is a distinctive moulded cement sign reading ‘Farfield Inn.’ The building was Grade II listed in December 1995.

For many years, the pub prospered as a Gilmours, and later, a Tetleys house. Personally, I recall attending a CAMRA ‘games evening’ in the early 1980s. Changes of name (Owl, Muff Inn) followed, before the building was gutted, and subsequently closed, as a consequence of the 2007 Sheffield floods. In January 2018, the building sold at auction, as a development opportunity’ for £250k. The guide price was £95k. The Auction Brochure described the building as requiring ‘complete restoration following floor damage.’

In February 2019, a planning application was made to Sheffield City Council: ‘Alterations to and refurbishment of Public House, formation of 6 flats on first and second floor, use of existing outbuilding as a workshop and erection of a two-storey building to form 2 workshops (Use Class B1) and erection of associated bin stores.’ This was validated the following February and a decision made in March 2021. The gap of over two years between the original application and the decision from SCC suggests that there was considerable interaction between the applicant and the decision makers.

The planning application was refused. The key reason seems to be: ‘‘On the face of it ….. the benefit of the proposed renovation of this listed building ….. appear to outweigh any less than substantial harm that may arise. However ….. there are inadequacies in the submission (in relation to noise and the impact of the development on the amenities of future residents) which cannot be dealt with by condition which mean that the full impact of the proposals on the listed building cannot be properly assessed and so the level of harm cannot be accurately determined or, therefore, justified.’

This imposing building has been closed for almost twenty years. In the interim, Kelham Island, described by Time Magazine as, ‘one of the coolest places on the planet,’ has slowly encroached. We look forward to seeing a subsequent planning application and the building both restored to its former glory and back in use.