Author: Guest

Abbeydale Brewery

Posted on by Guest

We’re thrilled to have been selected as one of just three breweries nationwide to create a special collaboration with Indie Beer Shop Day, which will be exclusively available in the 100+ independent beer shops around the country who have signed up for the event. We’ve named the beer Independence, in keeping with the theme! A 4.0% pale ale single hopped with Idaho 7, vegan and gluten free, intended to be deliciously sessionable and very accessible. It launches on 2 July so there’s plenty of time to pick up a can before the day itself on 17 July, when we’ll be taking part in a special virtual beer tasting evening hosted by the legendary beer write, Pete Brown. Find out more about where you can find it on the Indie Beer Shop Day website, and look out for the other two national collaborations from Pilot and Double Barrelled Brewery too!

In cask, we’ve got a new release in the form of Speculation, a 4.0% easy drinking pale hopped with Summit and Southern Cross. And our Geoglyph series comes to a close with Phoenix (4.1%), named in celebration of the birth of our designer James’ baby. This one is a gorgeous golden beer hopped with Chinook and Pacific Jade, for flavours of bold citrus coupled with grassy hints of pine. July also sees the return of our summer seasonal special Splendour (4.4%), infused with boxes and boxes of fresh oranges along with Amarillo and El Dorado hops. This one will be released in cask as well as keg and can.  So look out for these popping up on bars during July. 

Plus we’ve got three all new beers due out under the Brewers’ Emporium banner – the latest in our Wanderer series is called Outlaws IPA, a 6.0% crisper take on the New England style with plenty of maize in the grist. Inspired by our brewer Christie’s love of country music, this is a Will(ie)amette Nelson Sauvin IPA! We’ve teamed up with Batch Tea Co to make an Earl Grey infused wheat beer, called Reaper – and check out their Crowdfunder campaign to find out how to snap up one of the places on a very exclusive brewery tour! Finally we’re very excited to have another special beer coming out to celebrate our 25th anniversary – Celebration, a Mimosa Quarter IPA (2.8%). Juicy and refreshing and featuring an all new product from our friends at Yakima Chief Hops called Cryo Pop for a supercharged hop character! Here’s hoping we’ll all be able to drink one of these together very soon.

Laura, Abbeydale Brewery

Sheffield DJs launch ‘Sound Union’

Posted on by Guest

Two well known Sheffield DJs have been busy putting together a huge library of locally sourced music, recorded exclusively for local businesses

Sound Union is a brand new service created by Sheffield DJ/producers Andy H & Sandy Turnbull. This service will provide businesses with royalty free and locally sourced background music allowing them to avoid costly fees with PRS and PPL which must be paid for any business playing music on their premises to the public.

Andy H & Sandy Turnbull have both been prominent fixtures on the local DJ circuit for many years. Before the Covid pandemic you would be able to find both of them behind the decks of some of the city’s very best venues including The Foundry at the University of Sheffield, Soyo and Tramlines Festival. They also regularly play further afield with dates around the UK and Europe at events like Boomtown Festival, Kendal Calling and Outlook Festival in Croatia. Like many DJs, they also produce their own music, some of which is available to stream on this new platform.

Sadly back in March 2020 their usually busy diaries became empty as the events industry was put on hiatus dues to the pandemic. With a need to find a productive way to fill their time, Andy and Sandy created a brand new concept that would support Sheffield businesses at an especially tricky time. They started to build a library of exclusive music from local artists using their network of contacts and built a streaming platform to distribute this music.

Andy H Said; ‘There has always been a great community of DJs, musicians and producers in Sheffield, all of whom almost overnight found they were unable to work in the same way they had before. We believe we have found a way in which we could all work together and help out some of the many businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic.’

Initially they plan to offer access for businesses to this service at no cost until 2022, when they plan to introduce a very small monthly fee. As the music is all original and royalty free, businesses will not be required to pay any other music licences such as PRS or PPL which they would if they used a service like Spotify. This will save businesses hundreds of pounds a year in subscription and licensing fees.

Simon Brown who owns ‘Revue Hairdressing’ in Retford is an early adopter of the scheme and said, ‘the music is suitable to a wide range of customers’ and described the service as a ‘fabulous concept’.

Andy and Sandy have a wide range of acclaimed artists in many different genres to select from. The library will include music from James Atashroo of Renegade Brass Band, Copious Beats and Kilxz, the producer alias of seasoned veteran DJ, Jimmy the Gent.

Sandy Turnbull said, ‘This service will enable Sheffield businesses to both help the local music industry and save on running costs. We have tailored the music to be suitable for anywhere that needs background music and we have drawn on the talents of some of the best musicians the city has to offer.’

Head over to soundunion.co.uk to sign up, take advantage of the free trial period and to find more about the service. 

Covid restrictions extended

Posted on by Guest

Commenting on the news that easing of restrictions in England will be delayed beyond June 21, CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said: 

“The delay to the June 21 easing of restriction is awful news for publicans and means that the Government must immediately announce an additional financial support package today. 

“Just last week, the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) released data showing that one in ten pubs expect to fail if easing of restrictions was delayed – so roughly 4,000 pubs closed to their communities.  This is grim news for hard-working publicans across England who have been subjected to unfair and unevidenced restrictions from Government throughout the pandemic.  

“This is also bitterly disappointing for consumers, who are looking forward to a return to the authentic pub experience – with service at the bar and an end to restrictions on group sizes.  

“Pubs matter to people and communities – it would be devastating for Government to let them fall at the very last hurdle. That is why the Government must announce top up grant funding, extend the furlough scheme and business rates holiday, and do something to fix the rent debt crisis immediately.”

Abbeydale Brewery

Posted on by Guest

Hello! We hope you’re all enjoying your indoor pints now that more pubs have been able to re-open – we here at Team Abbeydale certainly have! Our pub The Rising Sun is back open indoors, with a full food service running too, so do pop along for a pint!

We’ve got some lovely new releases out in the coming weeks. The next in our Hidden Treasures series is Explorer’s Sweets from Cobbled Streets, a classic 4.1% pale ale which features the Simpkins Sweets factory, located in Hillsborough, on the pumpclip. A family owned business, Simpkins celebrate their centenary this year and their travel sweets are recognised nationwide. The beer itself is hopped with Enigma and Green Bullet, available in cask only.

We are also releasing the first of our Hopback series since the easing of lockdown, this time featuring British Fuggles! We don’t get many opportunities to shout about English grown hops, so thought this series was the perfect place to showcase them. Gently earthy and floral, we’ve chosen to boost the aromatic characteristics with some bergamot juice for a delicately perfumey and well rounded beer.

And from the Brewers Emporium we’ve got two exciting new beers on the way – the next in our Deliverance series is a DDH Mosaic NEIPA at 8.5%, showcasing Mosaic in leaf, T90 and Cryo hop form! And our popular stout series is back with Salvation Tiramisu (6.3%), with coffee and cocoa combining over a complex malt bill, with sweet vanilla for a rounded finish and a fluffy creaminess. Delicious!

Cheers!

Laura, Abbeydale Brewery.

Abbeydale Brewery

Posted on by Guest

Cask is back! With (some) pubs now re-opening their outdoor spaces, we’ve been working hard here at Abbeydale HQ to ramp up our production, and we’re all thrilled to be back delivering to pubs around Sheffield and beyond.

With that in mind, we’ve got some deliciously quaffable cask beers coming up over the next few weeks that are absolutely perfect for beer garden pints!

Originally released in March 2020, shortly before lockdown took hold, we’ve decided to bring back Family Heirlooms and Tuneful Endings, a 4.1%, pale ale brewed with El Dorado and Eureka hops. It’s a beer that tells the story of an important part of the history of Abbeydale Brewery, so we felt it deserved another opportunity to shine – you can read all about it here.

Doctor Morton is back with Demon Drink (4.2%), a golden beer with a hint of caramel, hopped with Simcoe, Ahtanum and a little Sorachi Ace for a piney, tropical flavour and a well balanced bitterness.

Usually one of our annual releases as we start to approach summer, Belfry is back after a hiatus in 2020. This always popular Cascade hopped pale ale (4.5%) has a fruity and floral aroma, which gives way to a smooth citrussy flavour with a hint of biscuit. Crisp and refreshing with a lasting finish.

And coming soon to can, we have the newest release from our Funk Dungeon project – Blind Devotion, 6.2%. This beer is a pineapple weed saison, the recipe of which was the winner of our Funk Fest 2019 homebrew competition, created by Leeds based James Newman. Rye spice, sweet floral characteristics and Nelson Sauvin hops combine with our house brett culture for a beer that’s gently funky with light acidity and oodles of flavour.

For those who aren’t feeling quite ready to head back to the pub just yet, or if your local hasn’t been able to re-open so far, of course our online shop isn’t going anywhere so we’ve got you covered for beers at home too!

Cask is back, so back cask

Posted on by Guest

A new campaign launching today is calling on beer drinkers to back British brewing and pubs and opt for a pint of fresh cask beer from a local independent brewery when they return to pubs next week.

OK, technically cask never truly went away with a few pubs and specialist beer shops offering cask beer to drink at home through lockdown, however sales of hand-pulled cask beer have been hit hard by Coronavirus restrictions – with sales of this fresh British beer down 70% over the last twelve months and many breweries suspending production during lockdown.

The ‘Cask is BACK, so back CASK’ campaign has been launched today by the Society of Independent Brewers, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the British Institute of Innkeeping, and Cask Marque – who are championing Britain’s National drink, which can only be enjoyed down the pub.

“Cask beer and pubs go hand-in-hand and are an important part of our National identity. Because cask beer can only be enjoyed in the pub it’s the drink millions of beer lovers across the UK have missed most during lockdown. Whether you’re a real ale enthusiast or sometimes beer drinker, we’re asking everyone to support their local independent breweries and opt for their first pint back in the pub to be some delicious local cask beer. For publicans, those pubs that do cask and do it well will reap the rewards so we’re encouraging all in the pub trade to prioritise cask and ensure that first pint back is in tip-top condition. The message is simple – cask is back, so back cask!” James Calder, SIBA Chief Executive.

“What makes the Great British pub so unique is delicious, fresh cask beer. It’s a drink you can only enjoy in the pub and which millions of people across the UK have not been able to enjoy for much of the last twelve months. So when pubs reopen next week, I’d like to invite you to join me in making our first pint down the pub a fresh cask beer from a local brewery. You’ll not only get a great tasting beer but you’ll be supporting local independent breweries and our struggling pub-industry.” Tom Stainer, Chief Executive CAMRA

“Cask ale is a unique attribute to UK pubs and a key point of difference to many BII members, who run professional independent, drink-led venues in our local towns, high streets and communities.  Our pubs need ongoing support to recover their businesses and support fantastic local brewers that make our pubs so special.

“The BII continues to support members through this critical reopening and long road to recovery of their pubs, as well as the key supply chain businesses that help make the Great British pub part of our nation’s heritage.” Steven Alton, CEO of the BII.

“We have all missed the pub and for a lot of us a pint of Cask Ale will complete our rehabilitation. Serving great cask ale I am sure will get more people back into the British pub.” Paul Nunny, Cask Marque Director

Cask beer, also known as Real Ale, is Britain’s National drink and what makes it unique is its freshness – brewed to be served fresh ands hand-pulled from chilled pub cellars in a few days.

During lockdown, some 5 million pints of cask beer from small independent breweries had to be poured away, with the brewers who made it left to foot the bill. Those same breweries have been ramping production back up ahead of pubs reopening, so by buying a pint of cask beer, you’re not only supporting your local pub, but helping out small independent breweries too.

Why should we care about cask beer?

  • You can only get cask beer in the pub – and pubs have been shut for majority of the year
  • 80% of revenue for small independent breweries comes from pubs and the vast majority (around 70%_ of that beer is cask. By choosing cask you are supporting local independent businesses.
  • Small independent breweries create local jobs more than other styles of beer from Global breweries. Pubs and breweries also employ a higher percentage of young people than other sectors
  • With a limited shelf-life cask beer is the freshest beer available and a uniquely British product.
  • Handpulled cask beer is the original ‘craft beer’ beer and deserves our protection and promotion. Alongside traditional beers from Belgium and the rest of Europe it inspired a generation of brewers in the US and across the Globe. Without cask beer we wouldn’t have craft beer!

Steel City Brewing

Posted on by Guest

Steel City have had a somewhat quiet year after opting not to pursue the direct home sales route (partly due to license, partly down to not wanting to take sales from brewers for whom this is a livelihood), but have started planning for a hopefully more productive summer. Following the huge success of the Stout Wars series of collaborations with Emperor’s (officially the world’s best brewery according to Untappd) and Lost Industry, the unholy trinity decided to move onto sours… The first brew of the Sour Wars series is a 13.7% Imperial Black Sour, once again the bulk has gone into barrels for the first trilogy:

  • Episode I: The Cranachan Menace – Highland whisky barrel with raspberry, vanilla and cranachan mead (made with locally-produced heather honey, Madagascan vanilla and of course raspberry)
  • Episode II: Attack of the Stones – Red wine barrel with cherry and vanilla
  • Episode III: Orange of the Sith – Hurricane sour, with passionfruit, lemon, lime and orange, in a rum barrel

The barrels are tucked up safe for a few months now, but in the meantime here was a small amount of beer left after filling barrels, so six ultra-limited beers are being released now through Beer Central and Hoptimism, 60-70 330ml cans of each version:

  • Rogue One: Live Long and Prosper – the base beer
  • Rogue Two: Bean Me Up Scotty – tonka and vanilla
  • Rogue Three: Set Phasers to Rum – rum and raisin
  • Rogue Four: It’s Lime Jim But Not As We Know It – we’ll give you one guess…
  • Rogue Five: Resistance is Fruitile – passionfruit
  • Rogue Six: She Cannae Cake Any More Cap’n – cherry and almond

(scroll down for the labels to see more about these beers!)

Imperial stouts haven’t been forgotten however, and the minikit was pressed into service to make a small batch of Black Metal Goat, a tonka and vanilla imperial stout, raising £75 for Heeley City Farm in the process. There is also a very small batch maple mead, which was definitely not brewed just so Dave’s bottle share group could get the style badge on Untappd. At all. No. Ahem. More minikit brews are planned, as well as something on the big kit for when most pubs have reopened in May.

Steel City collab

Posted on by Guest

A thing that is happening… once again the crazy trio Steel City, Emperor’s and Lost Industry are getting together for some imperial silliness, and this time it’s sour.

The first trilogy will be released from barrels in summer (assuming we’re allowed out to play!)

sneak preview of Episode I: The Cranachan Menace. Whisky barrel, 15kg raspberry puree, and 20l heather honey mead. The rest of the mead will have 5kg raspberry and a dash of whisky added and be sold as cranachan mead.

We can’t wait!