Author: Guest

I’ve tried mead on and off for many years – I recall my first time was while watching the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy in 2002, and mostly associating it with National Trust gift shops. Later, I discovered better meads – from the various honey types used by UK and German brewers, to those enhanced with fruit or spices.

When visiting the Crow Inn in February 2024, I spotted a small chalkboard advertising local mead. I gave it a try – it was called Salvation and billed as a traditional mead. It was light and fresh-tasting, and when I enquired about it, I was told the brewer had a taproom in the middle of its soft launch.

Tim Young was an English teacher overseas, teaching in Vietnam when the pandemic hit in 2020. While unable to teach, he began brewing mead. On his return, Tim – originally from Essex – chose Sheffield as his new home. Still home-brewing at the time, he decided in late 2023 to give full-time brewing a go.

Paradise Garage, his meadery, is named after a long-closed nightclub in New York – and each of the meads follows suit. Salvation is Tim’s first and only ‘classic’ mead, with the others becoming increasingly adventurous: Roxy, with blackcurrant and peppercorn; Funhouse, featuring chilli, apricot and hibiscus; and AM/PM, the latest addition, made with plum and Lapsang Souchong tea.

Paradise Garage mead can always be found at the taproom in Merchant’s Court (43 Mowbray St), open Fridays 6–10pm and Saturdays 2–7pm. In keeping with the musical theme, there’s even a record player on hand.

It’s also available by the glass at various Sheffield venues (most commonly the Old Shoe), and Paradise Garage had a stand at the recent Indie Beer Feast – so keep an eye on the website, paradisegaragebrewing.com.

Dan Rowe

Sheffield based Abbeydale Brewery has been named the Employer of the Year by the Society of Independent Brewers & Associates (SIBA). This accolade celebrates the pioneering transition of the business to becoming 100% employee owned in 2024, recognising the commitment made by founders and selling owners Pat and Sue Morton to ensure a true legacy of independence and cement the team right at the very heart of the business.

The awards were hosted by Sunday Times Beer Columnist and acclaimed author and broadcaster Pete Brown, who said of the award “the judging panel were unanimous in their praise for Abbeydale who this year were trailblazers in the UK as the first employee-owned brewery, building a future for this much-loved brewery whilst giving back to the team who built it.” 

The SIBA Business Awards aim to highlight the UK’s very best brewing businesses, pubs and retailers of independent beer, in an annual celebration known as the “Oscars of the beer industry” and judged by a panel of industry experts.

The award was collected on behalf of the brewery by Christie McIntosh and Finlay MacDonald, who sit on the new Board of Trustees as Employee Representatives, plus their colleagues and Co-Owners Laura Rangeley and Lily Pickles. Alongside the Employee Ownership Trust, the award recognised the company’s long-standing commitment to training, education and emphasis on listening to the employee voice, an ethos which the business has held throughout its existence and has resulted in a loyal and enthusiastic workforce.

McIntosh, who is also a brewer and the Quality Manager at Abbeydale Brewery, said of the EOT; “There are some major perks and holistic benefits which could come with our new status – but we all know we have to put the work in to get there, which is a great motivator. I feel like I can speak for everyone when I say it doesn’t automatically make us the best company in the industry to work for – to become that is now entirely down to us. Thank you to Pat and Sue for their leadership and their trust in our team – this award is for them.”

How time flies…

Can you believe it’s been 20 years since the first brew was crafted at Watt House Farm, marking the birth of Bradfield Brewery?

What started as a side project to supplement the declining income from our dairy farming quickly became a success. As brewing took off beyond our expectations, we soon found ourselves at a crossroads—there simply weren’t enough hours in the day to juggle both dairy farming and brewing. With a heavy heart, we made the tough decision to stop milk production and focus entirely on our growing brewery. As the saying goes, we’ve never looked back!

Fast forward 20 years, and we’re now brewing over 100,000 pints of beer each week! With a dedicated team of 25 at the brewery and another 20 at our brewery pubs, the beers keep flowing – fresh from grain to glass.

Our farming roots remain a huge part of our identity, and we love celebrating this through our beers. Farmers Blonde, which became our flagship ale, was named after the Blonde d’Aquitaine breed of cow, and many of our other beers follow the same theme.

While we embrace new trends and innovations, our brand is all about keeping cherished traditions alive – meeting friends at the pub, pint in hand, and having a natter. Our session ales are the perfect companion for these moments – a true taste of tradition.

From all of us at Bradfield Brewery, a heartfelt thank you to everyone – our suppliers, our hardworking team, and of course, our loyal customers near and far. Your support means the world to us. Cheers to the next 20 years!

We’ve got some exciting things in store to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re celebrating firstly by paying homage to our very first brew Farmers Bitter with a brand new brew, Farmers XX Best! This new 4.6% abv beer for Bradfield Brewery has been Brewed with Maris Otter amber and chocolate malts, giving a full bodied and complex mouthfeel, complimented by a robust bitterness and dark fruit flavours from the hops. Available in cask & 330ml bottles from the end of March, this new brew is the first of more exciting things to come for 2025!

Due for release from Abbeydale Brewery this month, Dr Morton’s Rogue Apostrophe (4.1%) is back to irritate the grammatically minded amongst us. An easy drinking pale with Pacific Gem and Azacca hop’s, combining to give flavours of tropical fruit’s and berrys. Joining it on bars throughout April is Through the Hopback – Cascade, a 3.9% pale ale and a hop we can’t quite believe we haven’t showcased in this series before! Citrussy grapefruit in abundance on the aroma, with a gentle spicy character and a smooth bitterness. 

Fen Violet is the first in a new cask only range for us, with artwork inspired by vintage botanical prints and lithographs. This one will be a 4.3% pale ale with Vic Secret and Columbus hops. We’re expecting lovely aromatic qualities in this one, with gentle herbal notes of marjoram in the background and some fruity tropical flavours up front.

And from our Brewers Emporium we have a couple of exciting new specials on the way too. Cherry Bakewell Stout (5.0%) is a new special in our Salvation series, featuring the enticing combination of ripe, juicy cherry and flavours of frangipane. And from our single-hopped Obsession series, look out for Citra NEIPA (6.5%). A rockstar of the hop world, Citra is famed for an intensely citrussy character. Expect a potent, zesty aroma and a lip-smacking lemony flavour, smooth and fruity with a juicy finish.