Category: Breweries

One of Sheffield’s very own breweries has been named among the top 10 best new breweries in the world by popular beer scoring website, RateBeer. Saint Mars of the Desert (SMOD), run by husband and wife team Dann and Martha Paquette, started brewing in Attercliffe in late 2018 and quickly gained a reputation for brewing top-quality beer. The awards are based on scores across a variety of categories, including average scores throughout the last year, performance across a range of beer styles, and scores from outside the brewer’s local region to ensure that the beer travels well. SMOD was also named South Yorkshire’s highest-rated brewery, while their New England-style IPA, Clamp (5.3%), was revealed as South Yorkshire’s best beer of 2020 in the awards, which are celebrating the website’s 20 th anniversary. Having been closed for brewing and maintenance throughout January and February, SMOD’s much-loved taproom sessions are set to return in March. Full details will be revealed through their website, beerofsmod.co.uk, and on social media. Dominic Nelson Update – tap room sessions resume for 2020 from Friday 13th March (which is also Sheffield Beer Week). The norm is opening every Friday and Saturday 2pm to 8pm but it is advisable to check SMOD’s social media beforehand as this can sometimes change (Find them on Facebook here or Twitter here). The brewery is on Stevenson Road in Attercliffe, buses 9, 52 and 52a drop off at the end of the road just a couple of minutes walk away, alternatively the tram stop is 5-10 minutes walk from the brewery.

Another couple of specials are being brewed for March. Vanilla Thriller – This rich stout packs a punch, with a combination of four different malts to create complex dark roasty palate balanced by the sweetness of vanilla. Sonic Non Youth – A refreshing crisp pale ale so amazing it will put you in a spin. Clean and Fresh on the palate, with a hint of citrus and a dry finish. Joe Beirns

Farmers Irish Dexter returns to our cask ale line up for March 2020, its 14th year appearance as a seasonal contender. This sweet malty ale inherits its name from the Dexter breed of cattle originating from Ireland – a perfect combination for a brew to celebrate St Patrick’s Day! Farmers Plum Bitter, the first seasonal fruity ale of the year from our schedule will be available from the 16th March. This smooth dark ale is a popular offering with the fruity ale fans. The Bradfield Brewery Book – ‘Mine’s a Pint’ will be reduced in price to celebrate World Book Day, 5th March. This great book combining the story of Bradfield Brewery with some great traditional recipes from the Famous Magpie Café in Whitby, will be available throughout March from the Brewery Shop for an absolute steal at £5.

March heralds the arrival of Sheffield Beer Week, and we’re launching a couple of special beers for the occasion. First up, we’ve got a cask only pale ale brewed in collaboration with Lily Waite’s Queer Brewing Project and Out & About (4.3%), using Amarillo, Chinook and Mosaic hops. We’ve also trialled the use of “Super F” vegan finings in this one and added Brewers Clarex, to make it as accessible to as many beer drinkers as we can.

And launching at Indie Beer Feast (6^th-7^th March at Abbeydale Picture House, tickets still available at the time of writing!) we’re bringing back our Deliverance IPA with a bang! To welcome it back into our range after a fairly lengthy absence, we’ve teamed up with acclaimed hop suppliers Yakima Chief to use a trio of hops from the wild Neomexicanus subspecies – Sabro, and two experimental varieties currently named HBC 472 and HBC 692. Expect aromas and flavours of juicy citrus, creamy coconut and a hint of bourbon character from this 7.0% IPA. This one will be available in cask, keg and can.

Turning to the dark side, we’re going to be Crossing the Threshold with a 6.7% dessert stout brewed in collaboration with our London based friends Orbit Beers and inspired by our brewers’ travels to Vietnam. Paying homage to our shared love of street food, this silky and indulgent stout is based on a Bánh bò steamed rice cake, with rice in the grist, plus coconut, coconut milk and Sorachi Ace hops.

We’re also launching a new series celebrating the “Hidden Treasures” of our wonderful city. The first of these is called Family Heirlooms & Tuneful Endings, and will be a 4.1% pale ale. The artwork is a nod to brewery owner Pat’s life before Abbeydale… it’s a story that won’t fit here, so give us a week or so and check our website for a blog post with alllll the details!

And just to finish off the month, our springtime dry-hopped pale ale Reverie is making a comeback (4.2%), and our lovely new Hopback series continues with a Tradition hopped pale (4.1%).

Cheers!

Laura

As the trees are coming into leaf and the buds of spring are starting to bloom we have three very unique monthly specials. Sligo is a 5.4% Irish Stout. This dark ale is a velvety smooth, chocolatey brew, created using the finest roast British malts and rolled oats. The Welbeck estate is famous for its network of underground tunnels which were built by the great philanthropist, the fifth Duke of Portland. This traditional brew remembers the Irish workers who helped construct the network, their campsite being nicknamed ‘little Sligo’.   Our second offering for March is The Loyal Duke, a bold golden ale at 4.0%. William Cavendish, ancestor of the Welbeck dynasty, was known as the Loyal Duke. He was so trusted, that the Duke was appointed as commander-in-chief of the Loyalist forces in the North by Charlies I. This is a luxuriously smooth and biscuity four-grain golden ale, brewed using the very finest transcontinental hops to compliment these British malts.   Finally, we have our next Brewers Choice brew, Helen’s Let’s Get Fiscal. Helen holds the purse strings in our microbrewery, and having worked with us for several years is a firm real ale convert. Her favourite Welbeck beer is Harley, although her guilty pleasure is Bacardi and coke! A fresh, vibrant New Zealand pale ale this 5.3% brew is full of syrupy sweet canned-pineapple flavours.

Steel City’s collab with Freigeist ‘Mein Herz Brennt’ is doing the rounds now after a launch in cask form at the Shakespeare winter fest. Sweet malt balances sharp acidity and fruity hops in this resurrection of the extinct Berliner Braunbier style. Also currently in the wild is the Reise Reise variant with the addition of redcurrant and cranberry, while Blitzkriek has been tucked away in a red wine barrel with cherry and redcurrant. The first brew of 2020 was on the minikit. Following the surprise totally expected success of the barbecue stout Lucienne off of the Shakespeare was invited back along with McGregor off of the Facebooks to brew a Hoi Sin Stout. Too Drunk to Duck has a similar profile to the BBQ, but this time the adjuncts are plum, five spice, cardamom, chilli, and muscovado sugar. The second brew is an exciting development but patience is needed – London Beer Factory are bringing their mobile coolship giving SCB and Lost Industry an introduction to the world of spontaneous fermentation. Two brews will be done, the first is in three wine barrels in Sheffield and the second is going back to That London to ferment in wine barrels there. The brew is part of a series by LBF where they brew a broadly similar recipe at various breweries and take the coolship out to pick up local wild yeasts. Steel City will be keeping the barrels for at least a year, and are looking at the possibility of repeating the process in 2021 and 2022, with the eventual aim being to blend the 1, 2, and 3 year old beers to make a ‘Yorkshire Ersatz-Lambiek’.

Triple Point have brewed their first anniversary special celebration beer. Aptly enough, it’s a Tripel, and if well received could be the first of many. This one will be ‘New World’ rather than Belgian in that they are using wonderfully aromatic Galaxy, Wakatu & Wai-iti hops to deliver passion fruit, peach, lime & vanilla notes. Head Brewer Alex Barlow promises that there are other tricks in store too, including some being put into Sauvignon Blanc barrels.

The former Hopjacker Brewery based underneath the Dronfield Arms pub has been taken on by a new business and is being launched as the Gravity Brew Co. At the time of writing a launch date was yet to be announced. Drone Valley Brewery are back up and running following flood damage back in November, the seasonal special released before Christmas that managed to escape the devastation was named Flood Red Ale to reflect the determination of the people involved with this community enterprise based in Unstone, Dronfield, to recover and keep things going. The brewery is now back to hosting tap sessions every Saturday afternoon with cask beer available to enjoy on site and bottles on sale to take home. Buses 43 and 44 from Sheffield stop at the end of the drive. A beer for the new year from Bradfield Brewery is Farmers 2020, a light 3.5% ABV beer that is medium hopped with a sharp aftertaste. If anyone fancies a ride on the Hope Valley train to New Mills this summer, Torrside brewing have announced their monthly brewery tap dates for 2020. These are 10th/11th April, 23rd/24th May, 27th/28th June, 25th/26th July, 29th/30th August and 26th/27th September. On these weekends they will be open 12-8pm with 16 beers on draught, dogs & families welcome. Thornbridge Brewery are ready to commence their monthly taproom sessions at Bakewell Riverside too. These take place towards the end of the month, the Saturday socials kick off for 2020 on 29th February with the tap room open 10am to 8pm and a street food trader open from midday. They also open the previous Wednesday in the evening for a Beer & Pizza night from 5pm to 9pm. TM Travel bus 218 provides a regular link from Sheffield to Bakewell. Summer Wine Brewery has ceased trading.

A couple of limited edition brews from Acorn have hit the pubs this new year. King Creole is a 4.2% ABV  pale golden coloured bitter brewed to celebrate music albums of the 50’s. USA Cascade and Crystal hops impart a floral, citrus grapefruit aroma. UK Goldings add a nice crisp bitterness. Krpan IPA (5% ABV) is the latest in a range of single-hopped IPAs. Slovenian Krpan hops have a light grapefruit aroma.

Loxley Brewery have been busy brewing over the festive period, with the new Milk Stout at 5.0% ABV being the most popular hit over the Christmas. Named Black Dog, this speciality ale has a heart-warming face behind it – Charlie, our Black Lab brew dog. The beer also has a musical twist, and those of you who love Led Zeppelin will have spotted that straight away! The owner of Loxley Brewery is a Led Zep superfan and it only felt right to include them in such a sentimental brew – check out the pump clip! Things can only get bigger and better in 2020, with plans underway to create a popular summer ale, to go alongside the ever popular winter brew. The last series of beer commemorated local reservoirs, including Dale Dyke and Dam Flask. Who knows what the next will be? You can find all things Loxley at The Wisewood Inn, and now The Raven Inn – a newly opened brew tap for Loxley Brewery. It is a very cosy and modern pub serving the finest cask and keg ales which go nicely with the selection of pork pies and sausage rolls on offer. Loxley ales are £2.50 between 12pm and 4pm weekdays, and you can’t get a better offer than that! CAMRA discounts are available at both venues. 2020 is looking to be an exciting year for Loxley Brewery, lots of events are planned so keep your eyes peeled to see where you can next get your hands on a pint. Happy New Year, or Happy New Beer (if you prefer!) Hannah