Pub of the Year 2018
It will come as no surprise to many that the winner of our Pub of the Year award for 2018, as voted for by branch members, is the Kelham Island Tavern on Russell Street.
The pub was previously known as the White Hart and until Trevor and Lewis opened it in its current guise back in 2002 it was closed, boarded up, and in danger of becoming derelict. The pub proved popular from day one and an extension was built at the rear to cope as well as the yard outside being developed into a pleasant beer garden.
The pub serves three regular beers – Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Pictish Brewers Gold and Bradfield Farmers Blonde – and up to ten changing guest ales on handpump. The range covers a variety of beer styles with a dark beer (stout or porter) and a mild always available. A cider and perry is also available and on the keg lines there are various continental beer styles, plus a range of malt whiskies.
A simple food menu is served at lunchtimes from 12-3pm every day except Sunday. Outside these hours there are often sandwiches and pork pies available. The bar is open from midday until midnight daily.
The Kelham hosts their annual beer & cider festival at midsummer when an outside bar pops up in the beer garden. The pub also takes part in the folk music session festival spread across a number of venues over the Easter weekend. The rest of the year folk and other musicians gather in the back room to play most Sunday evenings. There is also a weekly quiz on Mondays.
Part of the ongoing success of the Kelham including its many awards has been due to maintaining high standards. The beers are always well kept, reasonably priced and served by friendly staff into oversized lined glasses to ensure a full measure, the pub is always kept clean and tidy (they are also proud of their 5* food hygiene rating!) and customers are encouraged to keep their language civilised (if you have to swear, please drink elsewhere!).
Although the standards and principles that the Kelham is run by hasn’t changed in the 15 years, this doesn’t mean there has been no innovation – there is now an extra keg line serving modern UK craft beers and bottled gluten free beer is available.
We’ll be presenting the award certificate to the Kelham Island Tavern at 3pm on Saturday 12 May, so please come and join us for what is sure to be an enjoyable afternoon!
Large additions of late hopping and continuous dry hopping throughout fermentation ensures the distinctive citrus flavour imparted by the amazing Citra hop is there in abundance.
Meanwhile, Exit 33 continues to support the local community. The brewery raised £460 to help the Sheffield Tree Action Group (S.T.A.G) with our beer Yellow Ribbon. The Harlequin continues to raise money by selling STAG badges behind the bar, with £80 donated so far.
To date they have also raised over £1,700 for the animal rescue charity, and £400 split between Refuge and Women’s Aid charities. The pub will also be hosting a monthly charity quiz night from June onwards and is asking patrons to nominate their chosen charities.
Pete Roberts
Talking of those new releases, as always we’ve got a few of our own coming up this month. Following on from Waltzer, the next in our Fairground series designed by Carl Flint will be Carousel (4.1%), a pale ale with Sorachi Ace and Mount Hood hops for herbal notes with a zing of fresh lime.
We’ve also got a collaboration with Manchester’s Alphabet Brewery on the cards, and between us we’ve rustled up Kid Rynamite – a Baltic-style porter with a hefty amount of rye in the malt grist for robust spiciness alongside the classic roasted flavours you’d expect. This one is to be released in cans as well as cask and keg so keep your eyes peeled!
Doctor Morton’s Non Stick (4.1%) is making a comeback having last been seen on bars in 2016. A deliciously refreshing golden ale with mango and subtle melon flavours and a crisp, bitter finish. We absolutely guarantee this one won’t stick in the glass for long!
The Wanderer returns this month, and this time it will be a Bergamot and Grapefruit Tea Beer (4.5%), using the delicious Duchess Georgiana blend from our friends at Birdhouse Tea Co. We’re all really looking forward to trying this one and it sounds a perfect springtime brew. Let’s just hope we start getting a bit of beer garden weather to sit and drink it in!
Until next month, cheers and beers!
Laura 
The first brew, Wisewood One, a 4.0% Pale Ale utilising Chinook Hops, made its way upstairs to the bar, and disappeared very quickly. Wisewood Two, a 4.3% New Zealand hopped golden ale quickly followed. Wisewood One is likely to remain the core brew. Head brewer, David Woodhead, and his assistant, Michael Hampshire, aim to increase brewing from weekly to twice-weekly with an increasing variety of styles. Their first outside sale was at the Norfolk Arms at Ringinglow.
The Wisewood Inn itself has a long history. It was a Tennants Pub, and then Greene King (via Hardy’s & Hanson’s) before it was purchased from Mayfair Leisure. It reopened in August 2015 and was awarded Sheffield and District CAMRA Pub of the Month in July 2017. The pub takes all its water from the natural spring. Hence, it is one of few businesses in Sheffield who do not pay water rates. There are plans to add CO2 and bottle this natural spring water in the future.
The brewery logo, a crow, was originally drawn as part of a college project by the son of the owner, Steve Wesley. Branded beermats, glasses, casks, T-shirts and tote bags are all available.
Dave Pickersgill 
Over the coming months, we’ll be releasing beers in a variety of beer styles from across the globe. These include Common People (4.6%), a dry, hoppy California Common beer often referred to as ‘Steam Beer’, as made famous by Anchor Brewing Company. Berlin Black (6.5%) will be a hearty breakfast stout made with coffee beans, smoked malt, oats, and lactose sugar. And our biggest beer to date, Renovator (8.0%) will be a mahoooosive Double IPA with a serious hop bill that would make even the Treasurer faint!
And, you’ll be pleased to know, we’ve just invested in some more bottling equipment to get these bad boys from fermentor to bottle whilst they’re super fresh.
Don’t forget, as ever, the Brewery Tap Room is open during the first weekend of every month with beer being served fresh from our beer cellar, street food from a variety of artisan food vendors, and live music from local artists. Be sure to check out 
Meanwhile, the England football team are warming up (and let’s hope the weather is too!) for this year’s World Cup! We’re playing the field with Farmers World Cup Ale (4.2%) this year. We’ll keep brewing it as long as England keep winning – how long do you think we’ll be brewing it for?
Jackie 
Once again we’ve got 3 fantastic specials this month, starting with The Governor. This luscious, robust dark beer is black in colour but deceptively hoppy. There is a touch of light roast to give body and depth as a backbone for a blend of resinous American hops. At 5.5% it’s a real treat.
Our next special is a real beauty to behold. Our Rapunzel is a very pale blonde, brewed with a blend of New World Nelson Sauvin and continental lager hops. Subtle hints of summer gooseberries and floral overtones are present throughout. Delicious!
Finally from our Brewers Choice range we have Tom’s Firey Fox. This year, Tom graduated from delivery driver and occasional mash-tun digger, to a fully-fledged full time brewer. With renewed enthusiasm and vigour, this gas-fuelled, turbo-charged chap is virtually on fire. His classic pale ale is brewed with the addition of fresh root ginger with a hint of lemon citrus.
Lastly, if you’re interested in attending one of our seasonal brewery tours you can grab tickets via our website at