Author: Guest

Exhibition at Steel City 48

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Richard Hough is felling artistic and creative and has chosen to tell you about his exhibition in the form of poetry…

Richard The Brewer Invites you to view a Delightful collection Of beer retrospection.

Shout ‘Hip Hip Hooray!’ 
Rich’s Pump-clip Display 
Due to huge interest 
Is BACK! At the Beer Fest 

Your friends – go and tell ’em 
To get down to Kelham 
Industrial Museum 
If they want to see ’em.

Richard Hough

The Steel City Beer & Cider Festival is at Kelham Island Museum from 16-19 October.

Champion Beer of Britain

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Nominations opening soon for CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain competition

Nominations will be opening on Thursday 12 September for CAMRA members to vote in the Champion Beer of Britain 2026 award. Once nominations close in November, regional heats will take place across the country before the final judging and announcement in 2026.

All beer judging adheres to a vigilant blind tasting process. Last year, Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter was crowned overall winner, and previous winners include Surrey Hills’ Shere Drop and Siren’s Broken Dream Breakfast Stout.

Winning the prestigious title is the ultimate honour for UK breweries and has helped many brewers gain both national and international acclaim. Beer lovers will have until midnight on 4 November to make their submission on CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain platform and can choose up to five beers across each of the categories. This initial vote is exclusive to CAMRA members.

The beer style categories for Champion Beer of Britian are:

  • Milds: up to and including 4%
  • Session Bitters: up to and including 4.3%
  • Premium Bitters: 4.4% – 6.4%
  • Session Pale, Blond and Golden Ales: up to and including 4.3%
  • Premium Pale, Blond and Golden Ales: 4.4% – 6.4%
  • British & New World IPAs: 5.5% and above
  • Brown and Red Ales, Old Ales and Strong Milds: up to 6.4%
  • Session Stouts and Porters: up to and including 4.9%
  • Strong Stouts and Porters including Imperial Stouts and Baltic Porters: 5.0% and above
  • Barley Wines and Strong Ales: 6.5% and above
  • Speciality Beers – differently produced
  • Speciality Beers – flavoured

A beer tourist visits

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I have friends who live in Nether Edge, in Catcliffe and in Hillsbrough. My wife and I live in Dagenham and visit Sheffield a few times a year, we visited last month for the Tramlines music festival.

We felt the line up on Saturday was not to our liking so my friend John decided it was time for a pub crawl around an area of Sheffield that I hadn’t visited before, around Chesterfield Road and Abbeydale Road.

We took the bus easily from the city centre and met at The Sheaf View at lunchtime. The landlord was very chipper commenting on my Sheafs t shirt from the now disbanded band (hello lads if you’re reading this). He said it was the best pub with Sheafs in the name, that the left hand corner pump was the most popular and that the bagels he sells are the best in the city. Bold claims for sure!! I chose a pint of Bessemer Blonde from local Blue Bee brewery and sat in their garden. It was a clean crisp pint which I scored 3.5 out of 5 on a well known beer app.

We’d soon all met and finished our first drinks so we took the short walk up the hill to what is now called The Brothers Arms but from the outside used to be known as Ye Olde Shakespeare Inn. Again we sat in the garden which had a fantastic view. I chose a pint of Nectaron by Pictish Brewing Company, another solid pale ale that I also scored at 3.5.

Down the hill next to the White Lion. It had had started raining as we got to the pub so we sat in one of their snugs. I do like a pub with a snug. As I was on the quest for new beers I chose Park Life from the Tiny Rebel brewery in Newport, South Wales rather than the always fantastic Titanic Plum Porter. A bad mistake!! The beer was fresh but just not to my taste. I scored it 2.5 the lowest score of the day.

We tried to go into The Crown Inn but one of our 11 is only 9 and they only had a license for adults so they missed out on some good income especially as we were all ready for a bit of food.

Instead we walked across the River Sheaf and on to The Broadfield Ale House on Abbeydale Road where I had a pint of Twin Coast by Sharps Brewery in Cornwall. Again well kept. Again fresh and tasty. Again scored 3.5. At least I’m consistent!! It was a busier pub and had a younger crowd shown by all the check in’s on the app. I have to give a shout out to the sausage rolls which are to die for with each having a couple of pork scratchings on the top!!

The next stop was almost next door, to Two Thirds Beer Co, another venue for the young uns, where I enjoyed a pint of Sundancer from another local Sheffield brewery Triple Point, a hazy IPA that I scored yet another 3.5. On first sip I thought I should have ordered two thirds of a pint instead given the name of this bar!!

We then visited the basement bar Picture House Social a real games venue where we all played the weirdest game of Shuffle Board I’ve ever seen. Played with big sticks and down a lane around the length of a bowling alley. In London it’s more of a long table top game. Who was the best player? 9 year old Evie of course!! As we were so close to the brewery and as they were on, I had two from Abbeydale Brewery, a pint of Daily Bread scored at just 3 and a half of the ever popular Deception scored at a high so far of 3.75 brought down a little as served in a plastic due to us playing the game.

Next we decided it was time for some music as The Fringe festival was on. We headed for the city centre but stopped for a quick half in Jabbarwocky where we saw the end of a set by a 2 piece band, a guitarist and a trumpet player where I enjoyed Ribbons of Distinction Nelson Pale Ale by Carnival Brewing Company over in Liverpool which also scored 3.75.

A taxi was called over to Dorothy Pax, a very pleasant pub by the canal where we sat outside and heard sets by 2 bands. Here we were also served in plastics and I had a pint of Black Sheep Respire which I thought was very good and should be as mainstream as Black Sheep Bitter. I scored it 3.75. I also had a pint of IPA by Peak Ales a flavoursome beer at the day’s strongest 6%. I only scored this 3.25 of 5 probably because my taste buds were used to weaker beers.

We then decided to go for a curry but had time for one last beer in one of our favourite pubs The Crow Inn where I enjoyed a pint of Small Town by MBH Beer from Knutsford, Cheshire which I scored 3.5. We then walked back down the hill to 7 Spices Tandoori for what was a fantastic and very well needed curry.

We visited 9 pubs 7 of which were new to me. I enjoyed 10 pints and managed 11 new beers on the day which was very good for my quest for new beers. None of them were spectacular but I would have had a second pint of 10 of them.

I had a fantastic day. Each pub was different to the next, each had their quirks and each is worth a visit. Most importantly each knew how to keep and serve their beer. A visit to this part of the city is equally as rewarding as a visit to the popular Kelham Island. Maybe next time we’ll visit some of the hostelry’s we missed out this time.

Cheers,
Chris Watson.

Making Craft History

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Recent research has illustrated how alcohol played a unique role in the life of cites, shaping their development, growth, and identity. Now, Prof Phil Withington and Dr Nick Groat from the University of Sheffield are exploring what the slippery label of ‘craft’ has done for the history and future of Sheffield by putting brewers and beer enthusiasts at the forefront of this conversation.

What do you understand by the term ‘craft’? How are ideas about ‘craft’ changing the way alcohol is made, sold, and consumed in Sheffield?

Our new project, Place, Craft and Alcohol in Historical Perspective, funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council,is exploring these questions with the help of locals, brewers, and publicans, and discussing what the city’s relationship with ‘craft’ is. Sheffield’s played a significant role in the ‘craft revolution’, starting back in the 1990s, that helped define the key characteristics of ‘craft’. That relationship between the city and beer though goes back much further, setting the stage for a new ethos of alcohol production that’s flourishing today. We’re mapping the history of alcohol in Sheffield, from when the city came to prominence, to recent explosion of ‘craft’ as a self-identifying term for producers, retailers, and establishments. Understanding how this new idea of craft fits within the deeper story of Sheffield is key to thinking about how the city can, or should, align itself with such an asset. 

There’s been much said and debated about ‘craft’ since the term first started springing up. Multinationals buying out small producers, ‘macro’ craft breweries, and the lack of official terminology have diluted any sense of what craft is supposed to mean. Of course, there’s a big difference between ‘craft’ as a label, and the ideology of craft, or what it represents. Independence, sustainability, locality, authenticity, artisanal, premium – all these and more have been rolled into definitions of craft, irrespective of if these values exist in craft producers. For many, this can be a point of contention, but also one of pride and respect amongst wider maker communities.

Aside from brewing, we’re putting this question into a wider historical and modern picture, working with our network of partners including Sheffield Archives and local distillery, Locksley Distilling Co. Ltd to get a multidimensional view on what craft means, and how the city has responded to changes in alcohol culture.  We’re hoping to collect a wide understanding of what people think about ‘craft’ and how it influenced the city. We’re looking to talk to beer enthusiasts across Sheffield to hear their personal stories, thoughts, and opinions about how our city has been shaped in response to new trends and styles of beer. We’re wanting to hear from Beer Matters readers as people who are interested in the many faces of beer. So, if you’d like to talk to us about your place in Sheffield’s intoxicating history, visit: http://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/place-craft-and-alcohol or scan this QR code to get in touch!

Abbeydale Brewery

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So the big news here at Abbeydale HQ as we start to look autumn-wards with our beer releases is that Pilgrim is back! Our 5.0% Pumpkin Spiced Ale has become somewhat of a cult classic for us and we know there’s lots of people who look forward to it along with us. After the success of the Pumpkin Spice Latte inspired Twilight Pilgrim stout version (also 5.0%) last year, that’s making a very welcome return too, and we’re completing the trilogy with a special release of Imperial Pilgrim, weighing in at 8.0% but with the same delicious blend of cosy spices as the OG. All will be available in cask, keg and can too, and we’re all pretty excited here to unleash this trio on bars across the city and beyond!

Also getting ready for Autumn we have Harvested, a 4.1% pale ale brewed with Galaxy hops. Expect a fruity beer with refreshing tropical character alongside a clean, grapefruit bitterness and a subtle spiciness in the finish.

We’re incredibly excited to launch the “home” leg of our collaboration with Devon’s outstanding Utopian Brewing, who hosted us to create a Nelson Sauvin hopped lager last year. In keeping with this theme, we’ve created Nelson Pale (5.2%), which uses Nelson Sauvin in whole cone, T90 pellet and Cryo form for a bold and hop forward pale ale. Tropical fruit, citrus and hints of elderflower on the nose, followed by a smooth body and a crisp, clean bitter finish.

And next from our Mythical Creatures series is Failinis, a 4.2% Citra, Columbus and Cascade hopped pale ale which promises a predominantly citrus character with subtle black pepper notes in the background, followed up by a pleasingly robust bitterness. 

Cheers!

New bar planned for Fargate

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Multi-site operator Thornbridge & Co has announced they will be opening a new site ‘The Fargate’ just across from Sheffield Town Hall as part of the new developments taking place throughout Sheffield City Centre.

Thornbridge & Co is a joint venture between Thornbridge Brewery and Pivovar, the company that runs the Sheffield Tap. Other sites include the Bankers Cat in Leeds, Market Cat in York and the Colmore in Birmingham.

Director Jamie Hawksworth explained “The Fargate is going to be one of Sheffield’s most prominent pubs with over £1M of investment being made on the new bespoke interior. This is going to be a wonderful showcase for The Brewery and its beers will be served over a beautiful polished oak island bar surrounded by hand crafted oak panelling and leather banquet seating.  We think it will be a great boost to the great work all ready been made to make the City Centre great again. Work is expected to start on the fit-out later this year with an opening date yet to be announced.”

Fellow Director, Simon Webster commented further “We have been working with Sheffield City Council for over a year in identifying this site and then working together to offer outdoor seating as part of the new Fargate development. The views from both inside and out of this prestigious building will add to the customer experience. Thornbridge & Co is delighted to be able to invest in Sheffield City Centre and is delighted to be part of the new development of Fargate and create a great gateway to Heart of The City”

Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “I’m delighted to welcome this fantastic addition of Thornbridge & Co to our rapidly transforming city centre. The Fargate will breathe new life into a beautiful building across from the Town Hall and will fit in brilliantly alongside the many new shops, offices and other hospitality venues that are opening up throughout the city centre. The addition of outdoor seating, made possible thanks to the improvements to the surrounding area, along with the bespoke interior will add The Fargate to the list of must-visit places within Sheffield.”.

Brass band pub crawl

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We’ve been back at it again with one of our local Brass Band’s, The Oughtibridge Brass Band, touring around Kelham Island, Neepsend & Finishing back at The Dorothy Pax.

We love these tours around some of our favourite boozers in Sheffield. This time around on our summer tour we brought tunes to your ears to raise money for vital band equipment. Music instruments are expensive, especially when they are made of brass. The band, formed in 1890, needs to cover the cost of a new tuba and a new set of drum cymbals to continue teaching, developing and performing with the youth talent of their band for many to years come! Donations welcome!

The event was held on 21 July and took in The Dorothy Pax, Shakespeares Ale & Cider House, Kelham Island Tavern, The Gardeners Rest, Neepsend Social Club & Canteen and Riverside Kelham.

The same event usually takes place around Christmas too with carols around the pubs!

Gofundme link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/oughtibridge-brass-band-get-to-national-finals?attribution_id=sl:e338d548-517b-4360-8215-e9bbe7711fe9&lang=en_GB&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

Steel City Brewing

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Steel City’s latest brew is a collab (pick yourselves up off the floor…) with Ten Men Brewery from Ukraine. Ten Men’s original brewery was within a few miles of the Russian border and as such was lost very early in the invasion. They have been cuckoo/contract brewing in Lviv but are keen to build a new brewery of their own (and a ‘brew hub’ to allow others to brew, test and experiment) and to fund it have launched their ‘100 Collabs’ project, the first two brews being with Memento (Canada) and Modus (Australia). Dave and former Steel City business partner Gazza had both enjoyed Ten Men’s beers on visits to Ukraine before the invasion, especially their heavily fruited sours in the Not For Breakfast series, and so were keen both to help and to work with the brewery (they also plan to go to Ukraine for a return collab at some point!).

The beer is ‘Men of Steel’, a sour based on the traditional Ukrainian drink Uzvar (aka Kompot), a refreshing concoction made from apples, pears, cherries, plums, berries and apricots. Hopefully there will be two versions, a ‘straight’ fruited sour, and a dessert sour version with lactose and vanilla for a thicker (or thiccer if you’re a hipster) feel and a sweet & sour taste.

All profits from the brew will be go to Ten Men’s fundraiser, the cans will also have a link for further donations to this and to the more general Disasters Emergencies Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Looking further ahead, September marks the 15th anniversary of Steel City (the 10th anniversary celebration feels like five minutes ago not five years!), so will be marked with a small celebration at the pub where it all began, the Harlequin. The original beer Hop Manifesto will be rebrewed but for a 2024 audience, which basically means 15 grams per litre of dry hop in the tank. There will also hopefully be a 15% version as a one-off for the event. 

Harlequin

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Kate Major & Chris Bamford, the team behind CAMRA award winning pubs The Crow Inn and The Rutland Arms have signed the lease on their third pub, The Harlequin.

Situated down on Nursery Street overlooking the River Don on the edge of Kelham Island, the pub has been closed for a short period since late May after the departure of the previous longstanding tenants.

A refurbishment is being carried out, with a plan to reopen with a focus on real ale, cider and craft beer as well as spirits and wines from independent producers.

Reopening is planned for late July or early August. Good quality pub food and live music will follow in the coming months.

UPDATE – the Harlequin will be opening on Friday 2 August. Opening hours is midday to midnight.