Author: Dominic Nelson

Tour de Yorkshire in Sheffield

Posted on by Dominic Nelson
On Sunday April 30, the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire cycling race finished in Stocksbridge. The final 20 km included 4 top category climbs, but also passed a number of local pubs in our area. They all reported good business on the day, extending opening hours and utilising extra serving space. The Friendship, for example, had an extra bar to the rear of the pub and was involved in an all-day extravaganza on the precinct opposite. The Castle Inn (Bolsterstone) had a marquee and the pubs in Deepcar (King and Miller and the Royal Oak) both put on a show. However, the prize for ‘best-dressed pub’ went to the Castle in Bolsterstone.
Bolsterstone - 3rd.May 2017
The Castle Inn, Bolsterstone – 3 May 2017
We expect to see the Tour de Yorkshire return to Sheffield in the future and hope that the Tour de France is back before too long! Dave Pickersgill

Heritage Pubs – Rutland Arms

Posted on by Dominic Nelson
The Rutland was built, in 1936, on the site of a previous pub. Plans from the time (Wm.Fenton, Architect, Sheffield for Duncan Gilmour and Co.), indicate that the footprint of the new pub moved about 10 m back, thus allowing the corner between Brown Street and Furnival Street to take up its current position. The new pub had a corner entrance, a vestibule leading into a public bar with a service bar. Before the Public Bar, on the right is a ‘Smoke Room,’ and on the left is a ‘Tap Room,’ both fronting onto the street. Upstairs is a club room. Off sales are available from an entrance on Arundel Lane, behind the ‘Service Bar’ (left rear). The remnants of this entrance can still be seen under the current-day window which is to the right of the ‘Off sales’ window. To the right of the ‘Smoke Room’ are both male and female ‘Urinals.’ The fact that these are not situated in the yard is an indication of the relative importance of this new build. 1952 plans (J.Foster, Architect for Duncan Gilmour and Co.) show the opening out of the public bar and smoking room into a larger Lounge Hall – see image. 1988 (L.B.Percival, Architect for Josuha Tetley and Son Ltd.) saw the lounge and tap room merged and the reconfiguration of the bar into its current position. Rutland Arms 1952 (3) In addition to a considerable amount of Art Deco-style interior glasswork (installed in 1952) and eight original exterior windows (including ‘Smoke Room’ (2) and ‘Off Sales’), the Rutland has a very impressive tiled exterior. ‘DUNCAN GILMOUR & Co. LIMITED. RUTLAND ARMS.’ Dave Pickersgill

Music in the Gardens

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One of Sheffield’s biggest open air concerts has teamed up with Bradfield Brewery to offer four day summer spectacular which will bring together, beers, bands and much more! Taking place between 29 June – 2 July, Music in the Gardens is organised by the Rotary Clubs of South Yorkshire and will feature a diverse entertainment line-up including headliners The Zombies, famous for hits such as “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No” (Thursday 29 June); the best known Beatles tribute band in the business The Bootleg Beatles (Friday 30 June) and Classic 70s Rock outfit 10cc (Saturday 1 July). The event will culminate on Sunday 2 July when Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra and Unite the Union band come together to perform a “Night at the Movies” as well as brass band favourites, proms and fireworks spectacular. To celebrate the twelfth anniversary of Music in the Gardens, organisers have teamed up with Bradfield Brewery, who also celebrate their twelfth anniversary in 2017, to host a mini beer festival during the event. Set to feature a variety of Bradfield Brewery’s popular farmers ales range, a special MitG Blonde will also be available exclusively during the event. For non-ale lovers, a range of wines, spirits, Pimms and soft drinks can also be purchased at the Bradfield Brewery bar, as well as a selection of hot drinks available from Café Carte. To soak up the abundance of alcohol on offer, food stalls including Spoilt For Choice Catering, Rotherham Hog Roast Company, Whirlow Hall Farm Trust and Our Cow Molly, will also take up residence at the four day festival. Music in the Gardens organiser Phil Sherriff said: “We first started working with Bradfield Brewery five years ago and the beer and since then, the food and drink offering for Music in the Gardens has really grown. I think when most people think of visiting a music festival, they automatically assume that it is going to mean paying exorbitant prices for a pint of flat lager and a cold hot dog. Instead we have teamed up with some great local food and drink producers which will all be available at sensible prices.” Josie Gill, Director of Bradfield Brewery said: “2005 saw Bradfield Brewery open its doors for the first time, and coincidentally it was also the same year that Music in the Gardens was first held. To mark this year’s anniversary we will be selling MitG Blonde, a beer available exclusively during the festival. We were thrilled to support Music in the Gardens once again this year, the music line-up is always fantastic and there’s always a really pleasant and friendly crowd, resulting in a true party atmosphere. and we are delighted to be a part of this wonderful event once again.” Tickets for Music In The Gardens are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 0114 22 33 777 (Monday – Friday 9am to 8pm), visiting www.sivtickets.com, from Sheffield City Hall Box Office (Monday – Thursday 9am to 2pm and Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm) or from selected outlets across Sheffield, including Design Studio and Spoilt for Choice Catering (both on Ecclesall Road) and The Curator’s House Bistro in Sheffield Botanical Gardens.

Steel City Brewing

Posted on by Dominic Nelson
Hot on the heels of all the collabs last month came a double brew weekend featuring guest brewer Jamie. Saturday was an Iron Brew (lawyers to note spelling!) sour at Lost Industry with Beer Ink, named Do You Even Iron, Bro?. Then on Sunday a Chocolate Raspberry & Coconut Stout at Imperial entitled Bunch of Cnuts, with an imperial version Abbott Does Cnutdown on the minikit at 7.0% with added dealcoholised rum. Those of a craft beer persuasion may have noticed a recent trend for ‘murky’ IPAs… so while brewing at Lost Industry Dave and Jimmy decided to take things to their logical conclusion and created IPA Jelly! They haven’t figured out how to make it available on draught yet… In other news, there are some things that one may only see once in a lifetime. Halley’s Comet. A total solar eclipse. Dave Unpronounceable smiling. Now, we can add Steel City repeating a brew. Yet another collab, Dave is resurrecting 2011 brew DILLIGAF at Imperial. Dave Szwejkowski

The Closed Shop closed no longer

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The Closed Shop will be open again from Thursday 11 May at 4pm. The pub is now being funded by the community on a short-term tenancy basis while the long-term lease is being negotiated by a Sheffield-based brewery. Most of the old staff are back and we have eight real ale pumps sourced mainly from SIBA. Food will also return when the kitchen is back up and running. ClosedShopBW

Welbeck Abbey Brewery

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Something new and exciting will be coming from Welbeck Abbey Brewery this spring, as for the first time since 2011 the brewery will be boasting a fresh new look. Lovers of their heritage-inspired ales need not fear as their range will be remaining the same, just with a more modern look. As part of the re-brand, and due to popular demand, the brewery have also decided to add the 4.1% ABV lager-style pale ale Kaiser to their core range. Welbeck Abbey Brewery was established in 2011 and has quickly become one of the country’s leading microbreweries, brewing roughly 15,000 pints a week. General Manager Claire Monk says: “We felt it was time to redefine our brand. We always aim to produce the highest quality beers with a rich heritage behind them, but having been quiet about these stories in the past, our new image really focuses on the tales and legends behind each beer.” Along with redesigning their packaging, the brewery has also launched a new and interactive website. “This new website will give drinkers an insight into stories from the estates history, all of which we have used for inspiration when creating our beers”, says Claire. You may have already caught a glimpse of the new branding across the brewery’s cask or bottle range down at your local, but if not and you’re anxious to get a sneak peek then they invite you to visit their new website at www.welbeckabbeybrewery.co.uk.

Pub Quiz at The Wellington

Posted on by Dominic Nelson
The Wellington in Shalesmoor is very pleased to announced the return of its Tuesday night quiz, starting at 9pm, with the first one being Tuesday 16 May. The new quiz also has a new host, Andy, who has hosted Andy’s Quiz at both the Rutland Arms and The Closed Shop over the last 7 years and is now bringing it to The Wellington. Expect the usual array of fun questions, bonus rounds and great prizes, mainly in the form of free beer! As well as the quiz the usual variety of real ales will be available for quizzers to enjoy. The Wellington is located at 1 Henry Street, Sheffield, S3 7EQ. On public transport, you can take the Blue or Yellow tram to Shalesmoor, or the 57, 61, 62, 81, 82 and 85 buses will all get you there.

Blue Bee Brewery

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As we head towards the longer nights and hopefully better weather we have brewed a couple of session pale ales perfect for the sunny weather. First up is Cascade Pale 3.9% brewed with the classic American hop Cascade; the hops give citrus and floral flavours which lead to a dry crisp refreshing finish. Secondly we have managed to get our hands on some Nelson Sauvin Hops for the first time in around three years. With these the first beer to come out of the brewery will be Nelson Pale 3.6%, this New Zealand hop gives bags of grapefruit flavours and sure is not to lack in taste even at this beer’s low ABV. For those who like beer a little stronger we are brewing NZ IPA 6.0% again but this time with a different concoction of hops. This version will bring together: Pacific Jade, Motueka, Waimea and Rakau to give a sharp citrus flavour with pine like notes. Along with this we are going a bit mad with hops from New Zealand so June’s single hopped IPA will be Rakau IPA 5.0%. Also look out for American 5 Hop Version 21 4.3%, which at the time of writing this was being brewed and set to include Columbus, Sorachi Ace, Comet and two other US hops. Also in the pipeline is the next in the Geek series using all Mosaic hops and a German hopped pale combining Magnum, Huell Melon and Manadriana Bavaria.

Pub of the Month June 2017

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Broadfield Our Pub of the Month awards are voted for by our members and are designed not as a competition between pubs as such, more to celebrate those pubs and bars around our area that serve great real ale in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere, day in, day out. This month’s winner, The Broadfield on Abbeydale Road, was built in the 1890s in the heart of Sheffield’s Antiques Quarter. In 2011, it became part of what is now the True North brewery. The pub was refurbished in 2012 and since then it has strived to serve quality ales and good food in a friendly atmosphere. The Broadfield last won our Pub of the Month award in May 2015. There are nine cask ales available, including three regular True North beers alongside Abbeydale Moonshine, plus five guest ales. The beer garden is a delightful place to enjoy a pint or two on a warm summer’s day. Alongside the beers, a wide selection of whiskies and gins are also offered, and the food menu includes award-winning pies and sausages, and everyone’s favourite – a proper Sunday roast. We are heading to the Broadfield to present their certificate on Tuesday 13 June from 8pm, and everyone is welcome to come and join us for a celebratory pint. The pub can be found at 452 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, S7 1FR. Buses 10, 10a, 75, 76, 86, 96, 97, 98 and 218 will all get you there. CAMRA members, don’t forget to vote for your next pub of the month! This can be done either through our website or at any branch meeting.

Club of the Year 2017

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We are pleased to announce that Stocksbridge RUFC has won this year’s Club of the Year award. As well as the rugby, the clubhouse hosts regular events and has become well known in the area for the quality of beer available. The bar offers three regular real ales; Hobgoblin, Bradfield Farmer’s Blonde and Farmer’s Brown Cow. Seasonal Bradfield brews are also available. Last year saw the club host its first ever beer festival, which is set to return this year. The festival will see eight additional real ales on offer. The presentation of the award has been timed to coincide with the beer festival on Saturday 17 June. Sheffield & District CAMRA members are invited to come along from 4pm onwards for a presentation around 5pm. Of course, if you’re keen why not head down a bit earlier and sample some of the many beers on offer! Stocksbridge RUFC can be found at 634 Manchester Road, Stocksbridge, Sheffield, S36 1DY. Bus 57 from Sheffield will get you to within a couple of minutes’ walk of the ground. You can also use the SL1/SL1a Supertram link buses departing from Middlewood tram terminus.