Abbeydale Moonshine in cans!
Sheffield-based Abbeydale Brewery are just days away from releasing their much-loved flagship beer, Moonshine, in can – having adapted their business significantly due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Brewery director Dan Baxter says of the release “Whilst it has always been a long-term ambition of ours of offer Moonshine in small pack, the present crisis has accelerated our plans. Moonshine is a beer which has so many loyal followers, especially in our hometown of Sheffield (which drinks about 70% of all the Moonshine we make!) and so we have responded by moving those plans forward much more quickly, allowing our drinkers the option of consuming our most popular beer from the comfort and safety of their own homes.”
The recipe for Moonshine in can is exactly the same as that for the much-loved cask beer, which has continually accounted for around 50% of Abbeydale Brewery’s output. The brewery has always preferred canning as a method of presenting beer to bottling, as brewery owner Pat Morton explains – “Cans are light proof with less chance of extraneous air leaking in, both of which allow for a much higher quality finished product when compared to bottles. Cans are also lightweight, transport more easily than glass, and recycle well. Properly dealt with, the canned product is an excellent version of the beer. We have always prided ourselves on the quality and consistency of our products and we truly believe this extends to Moonshine in can.”
Named Sheffield’s most likely cask ale to be found on bars around the city throughout the last decade, most recently in the Sheffield CAMRA (Campaign For Real Ale) 2019 Beer Census, Moonshine has been the recipient of numerous awards over the 24 years of Abbeydale’s history. Beginning with winning Sheffield’s Steel City Beer Festival on its very first appearance in 1996, other significant accolades include Champion Beer of Yorkshire 2012, runner up Champion Beer Of Yorkshire 2017, and a national bronze medal in the Golden Ale category at the prestigious Champion Beer of Britain Awards in 2018.
During the present crisis, Abbeydale Brewery are very mindful of the devastating effects this is having on their pub customers who have been forced to close for the foreseeable future, and so are endeavouring to continue to support the trade via a “pay it forward” initiative, whereby members of the public placing orders of over £40 on their online shop are invited to nominate a pub of their choosing to receive a credit off a future order when they are able to reopen.
Abbeydale Brewery have already made a name for themselves as producers of high quality beer in can, with their ever-growing Brewers Emporium range having been available for the past three years, however the recent addition to their brewery of their own canning line, a three-head filler manufactured by Wild Goose, has allowed them to increase production in this area in order to meet with growing demand.
Moonshine cans launch on Tuesday 12th May.
The first of the series is named ‘Family Heirlooms and Tuneful Endings’, and the artwork, created by Abbeydale Brewery’s designer, James Murphy, depicts what was once the Morton family scissor factory on West Street, and the tuning fork bollards inspired by their business which can now be seen on Bailey Lane.
Kelham’s April specials being brewed are:
We’re all in for a treat this month, as we team up with local legends Frazer’s Coffee Roasters and Bullion Chocolate to create Indulgence – Mocha Stout (7.4%). They’ve contributed some stunning ingredients to this beer, with Ecuadorian cacao nibs and single origin Peruvian Tunki cold brew coffee adding a rich and sumptuous depth of flavour to our creamy stout base. YUM.
Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun… 15 years has flown by! This month 15 years ago we ventured into the world of Brewing and as the Farmers Ale range continues to flourish, it’s safe to say we haven’t looked back!
Greendale Oak is a 4.0% Springtime ale. Dry hopped using the freshest Australian and American hops to give zesty citrus and fresh apple-blossom aromas. The Welbeck parkland has always been famous for its oak trees. The most famous of all was the Greendale Oak which was said to be so vast, that the Duchess had a cabinet made from the centre of the trunk, leaving an archway so wide that a horse drawn carriage could be driven right through.
Our second offering for April is Mistress of the Robe, a honeyed pale ale at 4.4%. In 1902 the sixth Duke commissioned Cartier to make a tiara which the Duchess wore at the coronation of Edward VII that year. She was ‘Mistress of the Robes’, senior lady in the royal household, to Alexandra between 1913 and 1925. This luxuriously silky blonde beer has been created with sweet malt and juicy New Zealand hops.
Finally, we have the next brew in our Found and Foraged range. Breaking Bread is brewed with overbake from the School of Artisan Food. Sixteen keen bakery students are currently working hard to hone their skills at the School. As a result, they generate a monumental amount of bread. We have replaced a portion of the usual malted barley with this bread to produce a deliciously malty pale ale. 
With 30 craft beer lines hosting ten Heist lines of staple and limited release as well as beers from the rest of the UK and Europe, there will be regular guest lines from the US and further afield brought in especially for Heist, as well as special release bar top cask. The bar spaces will house gaming, eating and comfy spaces and a burger joint which will be serving up signature burger stacks and loaded fries provided by a very special street food vendor which is TBA, who will host regular guest street food vendors from around the UK and other unique food experiences.
Adding to this vibrant area Heist will join a number of Sheffield Breweries in the area such as Sheffield Brewery, Neepsend Brewery and Kelham Island Brewery, which will be sure to gain the attention of avid beer drinkers, creating a popular spot for those beer drinkers seeking a day out in the steel city, as well as those looking for a unique shopping experience in the local area.
Working with other local businesses Heist will be hosting a number of events over the coming months such as food and beer pairing at Boozehound (Cutlery works), a summer skate jam and BBQ at the House Skatepark, and a beer cocktail evening at the Millowners to name just a few. The details for all the events will be updated on their social media shortly.
Heist Brew Co are planning to be open mid summer with dates to be confirmed. A weekend long opening is planned with special experiences to the opening up for grabs for a few lucky winners and their friends, plus other goodies up for grabs too.
Head over to their social media pages @heistbrew and @heistbrewtap to keep up-to-date on the progress of the build and everything else Heist.