Category: Breweries

You will remember back in September we reported that the owner of Spire Brewery, Dave McLaren – who retired from brewing with a bad back and wound up the original brewing business – sold the equipment, Spire name and beer range to Gareth Jones, a Chesterfield CAMRA member. Since then he has been busy doing a lot of cleaning, finding suitable premises to move to and jumping the hoops necessary to obtain a brewing licence for the new company, Spire Brewing Co.

Gareth has now started brewing, with Whiter Shade of Pale brewed on Tuesday and Chesterfield Best brewed yesterday.  Sgt. Pepper Stout is soon to follow. The new branding continues with new Pump clips and the website is still work in progress but there should soon be a Home page appearing with information. The plan to update to a 15 barrel plant in the new year is still in place. The search for a Brewer has ended with the new person taking position in the new year. You can follow the latest news from the new Spire Brewery Company on Twitter @spirebrewingCo

Well we’ve only gone and done it again. The annual SIBA Midlands Region beer competition was again held at the excellent Nottingham beer festival on 9th October 2014.  335 cask ales were split into 8 categories, with an additional 130 bottled beers in 5 categories, blind-tasted by 148 judges over 3 rounds. Lots of numbers (you will be tested, don’t worry!) but the main facts are that Brampton Stout in bottle won a Silver Medal in the Milds & Stouts category, Winter Bock in cask won a Bronze Medal in the Premium Strong Ales category, and Speciale in cask won a Silver Medal in the Strong Bitters category.  That’s a total of 17 SIBA awards of one colour or another, over 7 consecutive years, at both Regional and National level. With the days drawing in and winter approaching faster than a bullet-train, we can’t think of many better tipples to warm you through than the new Spirit of Brampton Mild.  The wort of our multi award-winning Brampton Mild is 5 times distilled, producing a beautifully rich and warming 42% single malt spirit. Available now from the Beer Cellar right next door to the brewery.

As the festive season approaches we have been busy conjuring up this year’s Christmas special: Blitzen Stout 5.0%. Blitzen is a chocolate and ginger flavoured stout using chocolate malt and cocoa to give a rich bitter chocolate taste along with root ginger added to both the copper and fermenter to leave a spicy ginger kick sure to warm the senses on a cold winter’s night. On top of this we have not forgotten the hops this Christmas and have a few treats lined up. Firstly, on bars as Beer Matters hits the press is Chelan Blonde 3.9% showcasing a new variety of American hop Chelan with floral and citrus characteristics leading to a bitter finish. We were really pleased to pick up the 3^rd place award in the strong bitters category at Sheffield beer festival for Nycto Black IPA. It was our first attempt at a Black IPA and we were really pleased with the results however there is always room for improvement. So Blue Bee Black IPA mark II: Into the Abyss 6.0% has a slightly different malt base and even more Columbus, Simcoe and Moteuka hops and who knows a few Citra hops in each cask. Blue Bee hopes everyone has a great Christmas and New Year, and remember, beer is for life not just for Christmas.

The new version of Dronfield Pale Ale, which featured at the recent Steel City beer festival, has proved very popular. Rob still has plenty of Galaxy hops left so will be doing another brew of this beer in time for Christmas!

Peak Ales new brewery at Ashford in the Water is now open with the regular beers now being brewed there. The old barn brewery on the Chatsworth Estate will be kept going to brew seasonal specials and there is an intention to add a visitor centre here. The new brewery had an opening ceremony where the brewery was blessed and invited guests enjoyed beer and hot pork sandwiches!

Our two Christmas beers will be making their last ever appearance this December. Fairytale of New York 4.2% a festive dark ale brewed with Belgian yeast. A welcome pint for the festive season. A dark full-bodied winter warmer brewed with a specially selected Belgian yeast, a trio of roasted malts and Slovenian hops resulting in a spicy, sweet toasted aroma with hints of dark chocolate and a lavish warming flavour. The Adventures of Captain Chrimbo 5.4% strong IPA. A strong full flavoured IPA brewed with a blend of our favourite hops used throughout the year. The pungent hoppy aroma is more inviting than a kiss under the mistletoe. The fruity lychee and orange zest aroma is mixed with a full malty body and bitterness for a celebration of  flavours perfect for the festive season. As a prelude to our 25^th anniversary we are producing a very special bottled beer. Anniversary 6.5% IPA will be available for Christmas by the case or in gift packs from the Kelham Brewery shop and selected independent retailers. January brings the return of Blondie 4.9% and the brand new Hi Ho Silver 3.4% Pale Ale. Blondie is a 4.9% a West Coast Pale Ale brewed with an America Ale yeast specially selected to give a crisp clean fermentation which allows the massive hop aroma to come through.  With a base of lager and wheat malt and a hint of crystal malt, this beer screams hop character.  The New American Delta hops give a complex citrus, melon, grassy flavour and the classic US cluster hops add spiciness with chinook used for bitterness and an extra secondary aroma addition for floral notes. Hi Ho Silver is a 3.4%  fresh light pale ale specially crafted to celebrate the start of our 25th Anniversary year.  The best British pale ale malt is selected for a subtle biscuit malt character complemented by the delicate aroma of German lager hops with floral hints and orange spice.  The perfect beer to start the new year! On top of all this brewing we’ve taken on a new pub. The Tap & Tankard (formerly the Sportsman), on Cambridge Street, should be open by early December. We’ve an ad in this issue so keep an eye on www.kelhambrewery.co.uk for news on the opening date.

Another busy year coming to an end, expansion plans for 2015 are on the drawing board, watch this space!!! We welcome a  new addition to the Acorn family tree,  Paul Hicks whose role as Sales Executive will see him mainly focusing on South and West Yorkshire. Seasonal beers are; 12th Noel, originally brewed at 4.8% now weighing in at a mighty 5.9% Rich ruby coloured ale, roasted malts and English Bramling Cross hops combine to release rich berry fruit flavours. Cracker 4.1%  is brewed with Maris Otter Pale Ale malt and Vienna Malt to create a pale straw coloured seasonal ale. Lemon and grapefruit dominate the hop aromas. Winter Pale Ale 4.5% (available Jan 15) pale golden ale brewed with English Fuggle and Goldings hops for a citrus and grapefruit aroma with a lasting bitterness.

Steel City are back from yet another 3-month gap! Dave is his usual festive self, with Christmas is Cancelled being available by the time you read this. The name is inspired by the long-standing tradition of Xmas beers being not only brown and malty, but full of spices that have absolutely no place in beer. As the pumpclip states, ‘To hell with the forced cheer. Screw the once-a-year drinkers. But most of all, stuff your spiced beers up your…’ – if that’s not enough of a clue, CiC is a very pale, very bitter, very hoppy brew with 100+ IBU of Magnum followed by Centennial and Pacific Jade for flavour, topped off with Green Bullet in the fermenter. Remember, a hop is not just for Christmas… In other news, Steel City have acquired a few 5-litre minikegs for home sales, and if a trial run is successful will be making these available more readily in the new year. Some readers may remember way back in March Dave and Shazz travelled to Hebden Bridge to brew with Dan at Bridestones. Well, ever since then the beer, a 6% Oatmeal Stout, has been maturing in 18-year-old Highland Park barrels. And now it’s been unleashed! On tapping the two barrels, Dan couldn’t believe just how different from each other they tasted! One then received a tree’s-worth of cherries, while the other received vanilla pods, before maturing a further month. Both will be available side-by-side at the Shakespeare autumn festival, as well as at Craft Beer Co in That London. Hopefully bottles will also be available. Truly, these beers are So Craft It Hurts…  

Launch of The Last Friday of the Month Sheffield Brewery Beer Club – Grand Opening Event– 29^th November 2014

As we’ve done every year we are open again during the Kelham Island Museum Victorian Christmas Market weekend. Only this time, not only are we celebrating everything which is great about Christmas and the Kelham/Neepsend area, we’re also launching our very own membership only Sheffield Brewery Beer Club – it’s free to join. In support of Kelham Island Museum we are planning on opening our doors in the afternoon of the 29^th Nov from 2pm right through until 11.00pm. Email us your details (to sales@sheffieldbrewery.com) to become one of our first members. There’ll be an eclectic mix of music, beer, BBQ food and a great atmosphere for everyone so please email us your details so we can add you to our membership list. Check out our website for further details. The Last Friday Sheffield Brewery Beer Club will be open every last Friday of the month (except December/January). The idea is to build on our great reputation for offering excellent tasting beers plus a few guest ale appearances. We are based Albyn Works a Victorian industrial polish works where you can enjoy a beer in our authentic real ale bar in the middle of an actual brewery. You’ll see the mash tun, copper and fermenters – smell the hops and soak up the essence of a fully operating real ale brewery. Bus 53 passes the brewery