Our annual charity beer launches in early July and we’re hugely looking forward to this one! Swifty (4.2%) has been created in collaboration with and in support of Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust and its release coincides with Swift Awareness Week. In recognition of the amazing migratory journey that swifts make, we’ve combined UK hops Fuggles and Keyworth Early with African grains of paradise for a unique and aromatic beer with a botanical spice.
Also in cask only we have Grus (4.0%) coming up, light and delicate on the palate, an easy drinking pale with Delta and Ekuanot hops. And Alchemy (4.2%) is back, an always popular liquid gold kind of pale ale, single hopped with Amarillo. Citrussy, refreshing and the perfect beer garden beer!
From the Brewers Emporium, available across both cask and keg, we have an all new beer! Introducing Tranquility, a 3.8% session New England IPA. Fruity and juicy with a gentle bitterness from the combination of Centennial, Cascade and Mosaic hops. Plus we’ll be launching a new collaboration brewed with Leith’s Campervan Brewery. Wanderer – Transatlantic IPA (6.3%) is brewed using heritage grain Plumage Archer and some of the newest experimental hops available. UK grown CF161 and CF162 are joined by HBC586 and HBC638 from the US of A for a beer that’s bursting with character. Expect clean, sharp citrus upfront with a bright, tropical bitterness.
Local CAMRA member, John Stocks, has had a conversation with Josh Barnsley, Manager of his local, the Cross Scythes (145-147 Derbyshire Lane, S8 9EQ). Josh, with the assistance of his partner, Kat, took over the running of the pub about six months ago, on 1st November 2022.
What inspired you both to take on the challenge?
I had been working for the Devonshire Group for a number of years out on the Chatsworth Estate, in my final years with the Group managing the Devonshire Arms at Pilsley. I thought that it was time to move back to Sheffield. Catherine actually has a full-time job and I would say she was more reluctant to the challenge knowing how much time that this industry and especially running a pub takes but I am very grateful for the hours and time she somehow manages to fit in with running the Cross Scythes.
Did you always envisage working in the industry?
Not really, originally leaving school I worked for Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme and after four years, I moved on and got my first job as a bar manager at the New Inn on Hemsworth Road.
Have you received training in working in the hospitality industry?
Yes absolutely. I’ve now been in this industry for around 13 years and over time, I’ve taken on various courses such as BIIB cellar management, bookkeeping etc and more recently a Management course with Derby University.
Do you plan specific short-term and long-term goals for the pub or do you prefer to respond to needs as they arise?
I have been coming to the Cross since I was 18. The immediate response to walking through the doors was subtle changes. For example, changing the decor where budget allowed and making sure that there is atmosphere whether that’s dimming the lights at night or background music. In answer to the question, short term goals are making sure that the Cross stays open, long term who knows.
Do you see yourselves remaining at the Scythes long term, or will you be looking for a different challenge?
It’s not so much about remaining at the Cross. I’m a happy custodian that hopes we have made an impact on our local community, but the reality is that somebody could take the lease at any time. All we can do is try and ensure that we leave a legacy here that means that anyone incoming can continue to give our locals a space to be proud of.
What has been the most rewarding, and most challenging aspect of the job so far?
The comments that we receive daily about the changes we have made, the pop up shop being able to support local makers has been the most rewarding.
If you could change one aspect of the job what would it be?
The hours, but when I ever have anyone ask me that question, an old boss of mines voice appears in my head telling me I’m in the wrong job!
The job must be exhausting and stressful at times, how do you relax ?
It is for sure. Well we are very lucky to have the Peak District on our door-step. I normally head out off there.
What advice would you give to anyone new to the role?
If the opportunity comes along to learn more, then do it. See it as a career and not a job. Bar staff are the best listeners in the world, and you can learn so much about life by engaging with so many interesting people.
Phil Ellet presents the South Sheffield Area Pub of the Year award at the Sheaf View. Photo by John Beardshaw.Dave Pickersgill presents our Cider Pub of the Year award to Mike at the Cider Hole. This bar in Shalesmoor has now closed and relocated to the “Old Shoe”, a new venue in Orchard Square, Sheffield City Centre. Photograph by Bev Manning.Paul Manning presents East Sheffield Area Pub of the Year to Terry & Alison at the Chantry Inn, Handsworth. Photo by John Beardshaw.Sheffield & District CAMRA’s Phil Ellet presents the June Pub of the Month award certificate to Mark Simmonite at Perch, the Dead Parrot brewery tap.
Are you ready to raise your glass? The first Living in Sheffield, ‘Women’s Beer Tasting’, hosted alongside award-winning Sheffield beer shop, Hop Hideout, is happening in May. Two women collaborating together to widen the connection of community with beer. An opportunity to travel the world in flavours, stories and ingredients. The event will take place on May 25th at Kommune foodhall, where Hop Hideout is currently located, in a great partnership between two women who love a good pint: Livia Barreira (from Living in Sheffield) and Jules Gray (from Hop Hideout). Tickets for the event are £10 and include 4 thirds of beer.
“People quite often think women don’t like or don’t understand about beers, which is wrong. This event is also an incredible opportunity for us, women in Sheffield who like a good pint, to connect and have fun”, says Livia.
Jules explains: “It will be an accessible, inclusive and fun beer tasting for women and LGBTQ+ folks as part of the Women on Tap National Festival, that is taking place between the 24th and 28th of May all across the country”.
Our classic, satisfyingly simple, most stoutiest stout is back this month in the form of Salvation – Steadfast Stout (4.8%). Tasty and dependable – enough said!
We’ve also got Dr Morton’s Bag O’Nuts (4.1%) in the pipeline, a refreshing and thirst quenching pale ale and 100% nut free!
Our collaboration with Castle Rock is due to be released and will be available in cask, keg and can. Menelaus is a 5.5% IPA, which blends our combined years of heritage with our collective love of creativity and innovation. Here we’re celebrating the emerging array of flavours from UK grown Harlequin and Cascade, layered up with tropical overtones from Galaxy and a flourish of Loral Cryo hops for an international twist. The name comes from one of the lions which flanks the steps of Nottingham’s Council House – so no prizes for working out what our return collab later in the year is going to be called!
Through the Hopback Delta (3.9%) is on the way too – Delta is a lesser known hop, and one which makes up part of the backing blend for Willamette in Moonshine, so it’s really interesting to be able to use it in a single hopped beer and give it some room to shine! Lightly spicy in character with delicate notes of melon and citrus.
And finally, look out for Dr Mortons Rogue Apostrophe (4.1%), sure to infuriate English teacher’s across the city!
Little Mesters Brewing Co continues to grow and evolve and in the last few weeks the business has decided to make a progressive move and become a limited company and take on a new director to help move the company forward in its brewing portfolio. To support this, they have purchased some new brewing equipment, which has just been installed in their Little Norton Brewery next to Mitchell’s Wine Merchants, together with a new canning line, which will compliment the beer products soon to be introduced.
Built on traditional values, Little Mesters Brewing believes their core lines will continue to do well and the introduction of new lines will broaden their appeal to new and existing markets.
“Stan IPA”, an outstanding Pale Ale, continues to be the company’s best seller, but the new equipment will enable them to put together a really impressive brewing portfolio.
All at Sheffield and District CAMRA mourn the loss of Eddy Munnelly and send our condolences to his family and friends, especially Pat Wilson, the other half of ‘Pat and Eddy’.
Eddy started running pubs at the East House (subsequently Morrisseys East House) with his friend Brian Morrissey. Later he moved on to the Wortley Arms along with Pat and then to Morrisseys Riverside.
In 1998 he and Pat bought The Gardeners Rest at Neepsend, a Mansfield pub that had been closed for a short while. Building up trade from scratch purely on their reputation for serving well kept Real Ales and hosting regular live music evenings, the pub was soon established on the real ale circuit, with the local CAMRA pub of the year award being won in 2000. If you were lucky enough to be there when the blackout curtains were drawn and the front door locked, you knew you were in for a ‘lock in’ and that’s when lock ins were a thing!
In 2006, Eddy and I started the Sheffield Brewery along with local business owner Peter Rawlinson. Apart from a slight hiccup when both the Gardeners and the Brewery were badly flooded in 2007, the brewery flourished, winning over 20 awards. In 2011 the brewery brewed the cask ale for the Tramlines festival. Eddy hosted many brewery tours with pie and peas suppers and it was also the venue for parties and four weddings. At one time 6 to 8 18s from the FIVE RIVERS, SEVEN HILLS, BLANCO BLONDE and CRUCIBLE BEST core range were delivered to the Gardeners weekly, along with a couple of 9s each of SHEFFIELD PORTER and the monthly special.
Famous for his range of flamboyant waistcoats, Eddy was a keen historian and the pub hosted several local history groups as well as showcasing the work of local artists. Eddy was also instrumental in establishing the Upper Don Walk and took groups along the river delving into Neepsend’s industrial and brewing traditions. Sheffield City Morris made the Gardeners their home after practice and he was keen to promote them; there was also a popular Sunday night quiz. Eddy was always a supporter of the wider community, believing there was a place for everyone. He supported those who would otherwise find it difficult to find work, Gary who cleaned the pub for 20 years and Andy who washed barrels at the brewery were just two.
In 2017, Eddy decided to retire for a life on the ocean waves, well the historic waterways of England. Our shares in the brewery were sold to Peter, who was keen to take it forward in a different direction. The pub was bought by the regulars, keen to continue what Pat and Eddy had built up, and they set sail on their narrowboat. He could be a grumpy sod at times but we loved him all the same.
Cut in help for energy bills could spell end for nation’s locals
Commenting on the impending reduction in the Government’s help for businesses with their energy bills from 1st April, CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said:
“Sadly for publicans, this isn’t a bad April Fool’s joke from the Government. With our pubs and breweries continuing to face rocketing costs and customers tightening their belts, the last thing licensees need is vital support with sky-high energy bills to be pulled out from under them.
“This change puts the future of many of the nation’s beloved pubs, social clubs and breweries under threat of having to close their doors for good – with communities losing vital parts of their social fabric as a result.
“CAMRA is urging the Government to think again, reinstate more help for the licensed trade with their energy bills – as well as making business rates fairer and cutting VAT so that pubs can survive and thrive in the months and years ahead.”
Tax reforms brilliant news for small brewers and cider makers, but changes needed to avoid a stealth ban on takeaway pints
Nik Antona, CAMRA National Chairman, has responded to the publication of details on reforms to the Alcohol Duty System, coming into force on 1 August 2023.
On the new draught duty rate for beer and cider:
“CAMRA has campaigned for many years to secure a draught duty rate, and we are pleased that this has come to fruition. We particularly welcome the confirmation that traditional gravity dispense will be captured within the new, lower, duty rate.
“With the Chancellor extending the differential between the general and draught duty rates to 9.2% in the Budget, we look forward to campaigning to further increase that differential to the benefit of pubs, social clubs, and consumers.”
On the new Small Producer Relief Scheme:
“Small brewers and cider makers will be pleased to see the details of the new Small Producer Relief Scheme, so that they can start planning for the future.
“With stubbornly high inflation and the impending cliff-edge drop-off in energy bill support, small producers need more help than ever to compete with the purchasing power and economies of scale enjoyed by the global producers that dominate the UK beer and cider market.
“Small cider makers will also benefit from a progressive duty system for the first time ever, supporting them to grow and increase choice of artisanal ciders for consumers.”
On the announcement that decanting from draught-duty paid containers for consumption off the premises will be prohibited:
“Despite our formal representations and extensive engagement with the Treasury, a workable solution to allow pubs and social clubs to make incidental takeaway draught sales has not been found. It’s good that specialist bottle shops will be able to buy casks and kegs with the general duty rate paid on them to make takeaway sales, but most publicans – who the draught duty rate is designed to benefit – won’t be able to afford or accommodate extra draught containers just to make takeaway sales.
“This, if implemented, will equate to a stealth ban on takeaway pints and is extremely disappointing for licensees and consumers, and especially designated drivers that like to take away a pint or two to enjoy responsibly at home. We will continue to campaign for a workable solution.”
On Friday 24 March Paul and Kate celebrated 30 years of running the Commercial in Chapeltown in quite some style with a surprise party including special beers from Abbeydale, Durham and White Rose breweries.
In addition to the cask ales, the Commercial is also renowned for it’s extensive range of Sprits and hosts whisky tasting nights. And now there is also a special Single Cask Whisky from Milk & Honey Distillery in Tel Aviv, to celebrate 30 years of Paul and Kate running The Commercial. The pub is also home to Sheffield Distillery, who produce Sheffield Assay Gin and Vodka.
With chip butty nights on Wednesdays and naan bread pizza nights on Thursdays the Commercial is an outstanding community pub and a real jewel of the North Sheffield pub scene. Here’s to the next 30 years of quenching Chapeltown’s thirst!
Loads of new stuff on the go this month! First up and guaranteeing fast acting serious relief from the most terrifying phenomenon known to mankind, Dr Morton’s Clown Poison (4.1%) is a light and refreshing fruity pale ale with Amarillo and Mosaic hops. Phew!
Also in cask only and coming soon to a pub near you we have Summer (3.9%) hopped with Vic Secret, Enigma and Ekuanot for a tropical, approachable and aromatic pale ale. And Nelson Sauvin is the star of the show in the next of our Through the Hopback series (3.9%), a deliciously sessionable pale ale with delicate Sauvignon Blanc-esque flavours of white grape and gooseberry coupled with a floral finish.
And finally, in cask, keg and can – look out for the return of our dry hopped orange infused pale ale, Splendour (4.4%) which always pairs perfectly with a sunny day and is most definitely a returning favourite. Plus the next in our single hopped series features an awesome Aussie hop – Obsession Galaxy (5.9%). Expect a tantalising tropical aroma followed by fruity flavours of melon, mango and passionfruit, with a clear-cut bitterness in the finish.
May also sees us brewing a grand total of three collaborations! We’re hosting Leeds-based Anthology and Nottingham’s Castle Rock here at Abbeydale, and in the “away” corner we’re off down to Norfolk to rustle up something special with Ampersand. Look out for more details coming soon!
