Author: Dominic Nelson

Hopjacker Brewery

Posted on by Dominic Nelson
Edd Entwistle, Brewer at Hopjacker Brewery, is opening a bar called Pour at Heeley Bottom, next door to the White Lion. As a result he is looking to sell his 50% interest in Hopjacker. The brewery would be available either to purchase or lease, and all options would be considered. The brewery is a 5BB/800 litres plant and is located at the Dronfield Arms, S18 2XE. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Chris Sinclair on 07834 950693 or Edd Entwistle on 07841 487247.

Welbeck Abbey Brewery

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The countdown to Christmas has started here at the brewery and we are busy brewing up a storm in festive preparation.  Our specials this month are sure to get you geared up for the holiday season. Let’s kick off with a brand new special, Lost Boys.  Brewed in honour of those who fought for us during the Great War, this complex brew is crafted using British Propino barley blended with Kentish Pilot and new world hops. Hearty bready undertones from the malt and a sharp bitterness from the Pilot hops are uplifted by tropical fruits from the American varieties. Mistress of the Robe is our next brew this month and she’s an old favourite. This honeyed blonde beer is brewed with sweet malt and juicy New Zealand hops, giving it a luxuriously silky taste. Lastly from our Brewers Choice range we have a super-stellar collaboration with Ashover Brewery, bringing you Smashing Pumpkins. This spiced pumpkin beer is a North American favourite, and with an abundance available from the farm manager at Welbeck, we have decided to use their natural sweetness to make a deliciously warming, cinnamon-spiced red beer (I mean seriously, yum right?). Lastly, don’t wait last minute this Christmas and pick up some of our Brewery Tour – its the perfect gift for the real ale lover in your life (and you can always get one for yourself too!).  Tickets can be purchased via our website or at the Welbeck Farm Shop. Jess Low

Loxley Brewery

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Just a quick update from us this time… Our latest beer is now available – yes, you guessed it: Wisewood Six is our American pale ale (4.2%). In other news, our new beer van is now out and about at events and the next big event here at the Wisewood Inn is our firework display and BBQ on Saturday 3 November.

October is cider month!

Posted on by Dominic Nelson
Across the country, October is traditionally a month when apples and pears are harvested and the production of cider and perry can begin. Since 2003, CAMRA has dedicated October to promoting the availability real cider and perry in our pubs, clubs and festivals. Luckily for us here in Sheffield, cider month coincides with our Steel City Beer & Cider Festival. Last year’s festival featured almost 50 different ciders and perries, with more than 2,300 pints of the stuff being consumed over the four days. This year’s festival promises more of the same for fruit lovers, so why not head down to the Kelham Island Museum to try some?
Cider and perry at the Steel City Beer & Cider Festival
There are also a number of pubs around the city who make a real effort to serve quality cider and perry throughout the year. Our 2018 Cider Pub of the Month is the Clubhouse on London Road, which offers three hand-pulled ciders, often including fruit-flavoured cider from the Lilley’s range. Meanwhile, the Harlequin on Nursery Street serves more than 20 ciders, mainly on gravity, with a handy blackboard showing the latest offerings along with some tasting notes, so whether you prefer your cider dry, sweet, or somewhere in between, there’s something for everyone. Around the Kelham Island area, the Fat Cat often features hand-pulled cider, the Kelham Island Tavern serves Weston’s cider and perry, and Shakespeares offers three changing ciders on gravity. Wetherspoon pubs throughout Sheffield are also a good bet for boxed cider, and sometimes have cider festivals on during the year.
The cider board at the Harlequin
While there are no cider producers in our branch area, nearby Dronfield has two: Woodthorpe Hall Cider and the Drone Valley Brewery. For cider lovers heading out that way, real ciders are often available at the Travellers Rest at Apperknowle and the Miners Arms at Hundall. So if you’re out and about in October and spot real cider or perry on the bar, give it a go! Dominic Nelson

Pub of the Month October 2018

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Our October 2018 Pub of the Month winner is one that will be very familiar to those who have followed this award over the last few years. The Harlequin on Nursery Street has now been voted Pub of the Month six times since 2007, with the most recent before this coming in May 2016. Run by landlady Liz Aspden and Exit 33 Brewing owner Pete Roberts, the Harlequin is a free house which acts as the tap pub for the brewery. The bar features up to 10 well-kept real ales with the regular beers (Blonde and Northern Best) provided by Exit 33. All the latest seasonal and one-off Exit 33 brews feature too, as well as quality rotating guest ales, generally from Yorkshire and the North East. There is also a range of craft keg and bottled beers including an international selection, mainly German and Belgian. A regular winner of our Cider Pub of the Year award, the Harlequin is considered one of the best pubs in Sheffield for apple fans. Landlady Liz’s passion for cider is clear for all to see with as many as 14 different boxed ciders available, plus more in bottle and on keg. Keep an eye out (it’s hard to miss!) for the cider board with the current choice including descriptions and tasting notes. A popular quiz (affectionately known as the Harlequiz, of course) is hosted on Wednesdays, while live music features on Friday and Saturdays with rock bands normally dominating the Saturday slot. The second Thursday of each month is jazz and swing night and all music nights are free to attend. The Harlequin is a short walk from the City Centre or Kelham Island, or there is a bus stop right outside the pub served by routes 3, 7 and 8. We will be presenting the award on Tuesday 9 October, arriving from around 8pm for a presentation at 9pm.

Molly Malone’s, West Street

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A new bar will be bringing the taste of Dublin to Sheffield but will be keeping it strictly local when it comes to real ale. Molly Malone’s Irish-themed bar – formerly Hutton’s – opened in West Street on 14 September and has two real ales, both supplied by Abbeydale. Moonshine (4.3%) will be permanent alongside a seasonal ale, kicking off with Daily Bread (3.8%). Molly’s will also be a sponsor of the Steel City Beer & Cider Festival. Dave Henning

Dom’s Casks of the Month

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It was great to see some beers from further afield featured in Poppy’s Casks of the Month column last time out. GBBF was a great event and the range of beers on offer was simply staggering – I would have been hard pushed to only choose three! It’s back to business as usual this month though as we return to three of the best real ales spotted on Sheffield’s handpumps. A couple of weeks off work recently, as well as a stack of Good Beer Guide congratulation letters to deliver, have proved a good opportunity to try out a few pubs I visit less frequently. There’s nothing better than when a pub slightly off the beaten track rewards your journey with a selection of interesting and well-kept ales. Here are three of my favourites from the last few weeks: What: Stormin’ Norman (6.5%) – Great Heck (near Selby) Where: Devonshire Cat Not for the faint of heart, this beer certainly satisfied when I was in the mood for something a little stronger and hoppier than the average golden ale. A modern revival of one of the brewery’s old favourites, my pint had a rich golden colour with a pristine white head. The aroma was full of tropical and citrus fruits, with mango and grapefruit particularly coming to the fore. Upon drinking, the palate was remarkably well balanced, with malt in the background and dominant hops masking the percentage very well. What: Melba (5.2%) – Thornbridge (Ashford in the Water) Where: Cross Scythes I’m always a bit wary of beers that claim particular flavours, such as this peach IPA, but in this case there was no cause for concern. Originally brewed as a special beer for Thornbridge’s now defunct Dada bar, this one has been around for a while now but was in excellent condition on a recent visit to the Cross Scythes at Norton Lees. The beer delivered exactly what it promised, with both aroma and flavour characterised by definite, but not overpowering, peach. Very refreshing. What: Saltwick Nab (4.2%) – Whitby Where: Ale House Upon asking for a half of this best bitter, I was advised that it might be better to have a taster first to make sure I would like it. Not a promising start you might think, but I actually found this to be very decent. A deep amber colour in the glass, this was a little sweeter than your average bitter, with the malts bringing a pleasant hint of toffee which balanced the traditional English hops well. A nice, sessionable bitter. Next month, I’ll be bringing you my top three beers from the Steel City Beer & Cider Festival. What better excuse to try as many as possible? Dominic Nelson

September Pub of the Month presentation

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September’s Pub of the Month award took us into the city centre to the Devonshire Cat on Wellington Street. First-time winners of the accolade, manager Liz Casserly and her staff were delighted to receive the certificate from chairman Glyn Mansell. There was a real sense of celebration in the air and it was great to see how many members of the Abbeydale Brewery team made it down for the evening too. All CAMRA members who attended were offered a complimentary half pint of the newly released Voyager #12 IPA (5.6%), which was of course very much appreciated. There was, as always, a varied and interesting selection of cask ales on offer, with Abbeydale’s core offerings joined by a range of seasonal beers and guests from breweries such as Thornbridge and Hawkshead. Congratulations again to Liz and all the Dev Cat team on their success!

District Pub of the Season Summer 2018

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Our District Pub of the Season award is handed out four times per year and aims to recognise those pubs in the Derbyshire part of the branch that consistently serve quality real ale in a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere. It is our pleasure to announce that the very deserving winner of the Summer 2018 award is the Monsal Head Hotel, Little Longstone. Extremely popular with walkers and cyclists traversing the Monsal Trail, this traditional country inn offers a combination of locally brewed cask ale, good food and comfortable accommodation. The drinking area of the hotel is the Stables Bar to the rear, a delightfully rustic building which originally housed the horses that carried passengers from the railway station at the bottom of the valley. Nowadays though, you’re more likely to find hand pumps than horse tack.
The beer garden at the rear of the Stables Bar
The bar features three real ales: the house beer Stables Best Bitter is provided by Stancill and is joined by two rotating guests, often including breweries such as Pennine and Ashover. When the weather is nice, these can be enjoyed in the extensive beer garden while taking in the breathtaking views over Monsal Dale and the Monsal Viaduct. We are running a minibus trip out to the Peak District to present the award on Saturday 20 October. We will be picked up at the Old Queens Head on Pond Hill at 1pm and visit the Pioneer Club in Dronfield and a couple of pubs in Tideswell before making our way to the Monsal Head Hotel for the presentation. Places on the minibus cost £5 and should be booked in advance via our social secretary, Andy Cullen. Meanwhile, nominations are now open for next season’s competition so if you are a CAMRA member who regularly visits any of our Derbyshire pubs, please get involved by nominating your favourites! This can be done via our website or at any branch meeting. Dominic Nelson

Inn Brief

Posted on by Dominic Nelson
Pour is set to become the latest addition to the Heeley Triangle and Sheffield’s craft beer scene. The new bar (previously an Italian restaurant) is next door to the White Lion and will feature up to eight craft keg lines and a range of vegan and vegetarian pizzas. The owners – Jon Terry from the White Lion, HopJacker brewer Edd Entwistle and chef Simon Naylor – hope to open some time in October. The Shepley Spitfire at Totley, currently a Greene King managed pub, is set to become a leased pub in November. The Olde Mustard Pot in Midhopestones, the most northerly pub in our branch region, is currently closed. In Stocksbridge, the Silver Fox on Manchester Road has reopened after a period of closure. Work is still ongoing at the King & Miller in Deepcar, which was purchased earlier this year by Bradfield Brewery as their second tap pub. The Ale House on Fraser Road is hosting an American whiskey night on Saturday 24 November, which will feature a selection of rye and bourbon whiskeys with matched food pairings. Contact the pub for more details. Barrowboy on Abbeydale Road is now open, serving Korean bao buns and other street food. No cask ale is available but Abbeydale Heathen (4.1%) features on keg. The Old Crown on London Road has reopened but on our correspondent’s visit there was no real ale on offer. Thor’s Tipi Bar in the Peace Gardens is set to make its annual reappearance on Tuesday 20 November, where it will remain until New Year’s Eve. There will be a cask takeover featuring seven beers from Almasty Brewery at Shakespeares on Thursday 18 October from 5pm. Wander Beyond Brewing will also be taking over seven keg lines at the same time.