Category: News

The 2018 Sheffield Beer Census which was due to take place on Saturday 22 September has been rescheduled and will now provisionally take place on Saturday 30 March 2019. The Beer Census is a one-day event where volunteers visit as many pubs in the city as possible and take details of the range of real ales and ciders available. The committee has made the decision to reschedule the event to give more time to recruit route leaders, allowing us to visit the maximum number of pubs possible and yield more meaningful results. Route leaders will volunteer to lead a small group around 10-15 pubs, usually focussing on a particular area of the city. If this is something you think you would like to be involved in, come along to a branch meeting for more information. If you would like to lead a route that we haven’t covered in previous censuses, even better! If you would still like to help out in September, members are encouraged to visit pubs and submit updates to the WhatPub website, including details of opening times, pub features and beer range.

The Millowners Arms, part of the Kelham Island Industrial Museum, will be hosting a free Pub Heritage talk on Sunday 16 September as part of Heritage Open Days. The afternoon talk (14:30 to 16:00) with Dave Pickersgill, Pub Heritage Officer for Sheffield & District CAMRA, will take listeners on a tour of some of the many heritage pubs in the city of Sheffield. Along the way, mention will be made of some of the many influential brewers who have made their mark in the city. The Millowners Arms explains the growth of Sheffield’s brewing industry and the role that pubs played in quenching the thirst of hot and dusty steelworkers. Victorian Sheffield is reported to have had over 1400 licensed premises at its peak. Refreshments will be available at the Millowners before and during the talk. Places can be booked in advance by visiting tinyurl.com/y8hac4dj Dave will also be presenting a similar talk following the October branch meeting at the New Barrack Tavern on Tuesday 2 October.

Following the huge success of the free download, a limited-edition hard copy of the Sheffield’s Real Heritage Pubs book is set to be printed. The A5-sized, 96-page book will be limited to 1000 copies will go to print mid-September and should be released well in time for Christmas at a cover price of £5.99. Anyone interested in purchasing multiple copies at the trade price is asked to contact the editor, Dave Pickersgill, directly at pubheritage@sheffield.camra.org.uk.

We all love talking about beer, right? Well, a group of beer lovers have taken that a step further by starting a podcast dedicated to the industry, with a strong slant towards Sheffield. The Sheffield Hopcast was started by friends Adam Nicholson and James Marriott at the start of the year. Sean Clarke from Beer Central at the Moor Market, and beer blogger Laura Rangeley, who works at Abbeydale Brewery, came on board to complete their line-up. Each month the group get together in a different venue in Sheffield and taste test four beers on a particular theme. In each episode they also Meet The Brewer – a feature where they interview someone from one of the breweries in Sheffield. They have also run special features from local events, such as Indie Beer Feast and the Sheffield University Students’ Union Beer Festival, and had a go at their own Beer World Cup in June’s episode.

The July episode was recorded at the offices of Tramlines, where they helped to launch this year’s Tramlines Ale (brewed by Abbeydale), looked forward to the event and reflected on the sad news of the death of co-founder and director Sarah Nulty just a few days before. July also saw the launch of a second monthly podcast, the Hopcast Half-Pint, where Adam and James get together to try a couple of new beers and review the latest news in the Sheffield beer scene, upcoming events, and discuss any big happenings in the beer industry. The team are making plans for a special episode recorded at Kelham Island Museum on the eve of the Sheffield Beer Festival in October this year. Anyone who would like publicity for any local beer events, or to invite them to record an episode at their venue, should email beer@sheffieldhopcast.co.uk or DM on Twitter @SheffHopcast. James said: “The four of us have a great dynamic and we really enjoy recording the Hopcast every month. It’s genuinely four people who love beer coming together for a chat and to have a few drinks. We try to cover all styles of beer, from traditional ales, right through to fancy double dry hopped DIPAs and sours – everything really. Hopefully anyone who enjoys beer will find it an interesting listen.” To find out more or listen, visit www.sheffieldhopcast.co.uk, or search for Sheffield Hopcast in your phone’s podcast app.

We all know that Belgium is a country renowned for its beer culture, from ales brewed for centuries by Trappist monks to certain well-known lagers and everything in between. The CAMRA Good Beer Guide Belgium (now in its eighth edition) aims to give tourists, ex-pats and Belgians alike a comprehensive guide to the plethora of breweries and the crème de la crème of the nation’s bars and beer cafés. A recent trip to Brussels seemed like the perfect opportunity to put the new book to the test. The opening few pages tell of the proliferation of new breweries in the four years since the last version, and it seems that the Belgian beer scene shares many parallels with our own: people go out less often and drink less when they do, yet the choice available is improving as drinkers become more discerning. A general introduction to what makes Belgian beer so special follows, with some fascinating information on the myriad beer styles and the unique methods employed in the making of beers such as saisons and lambics. This not only helps to set the scene, but truly whets the appetite and leaves you longing to get trying some beers. Almost 250 breweries – from huge household names to tiny brew-pubs – are included, along with a comprehensive guide to each brewery’s core range. Every beer is given a star rating out of five, although I couldn’t find anything less than two given even for beers that definitely deserve it! Around 90% of the beers I encountered in Brussels were included in these listings, which were extremely useful when many bars have several pages of beers to choose from. The second half of the book is devoted to a city-by-city guide to the best beer cafés and places to stay. I would guess that this is probably the bit that most people buying the book are really interested in; with so much choice available then knowing where to get the best beer really is essential if you have limited time. In Brussels city centre alone there are around 30 recommendations, with about half of these given a full write-up, telling us how many beers are available on tap and in bottles, along with a general description of the venue. I wasn’t disappointed with any of the places I visited from the book, and will definitely be taking it on my next trip to Belgium. For those who can’t make the journey, the last chapter features a guide to where to find the best Belgian beers in the UK (and many other countries for foreign readers). Unfortunately, the Steel City doesn’t get a mention, but we’ve got enough good beer of our own anyway! The Good Beer Guide Belgium is currently available from the CAMRA bookshop (shop.camra.org.uk/books.html), with a £3 discount for CAMRA members. Dominic Nelson

The Campaign for Real Ale is looking for the most stunningly designed pubs to enter its prestigious Pub Design Awards, held in conjunction with Historic England.

The annual award recognises the highest standards of architecture in the refurbishment and conservation of existing pubs as well as in the construction of new ones. The last Sheffield pub to feature was the Ship at Shalesmoor, which was received a commendation in the 2016 awards for its refurbishment. The Sheffield Tap won the Best Conversion award in 2010.

The Pub Design Awards competition is open to all pubs in the UK and buildings can be nominated by anyone. Entrants may be required to provide additional photographs and plans of the building, so the pub licensee should always be made aware of and approve the entry. Works (building or refurbishment) on any pubs entered should have been completed between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017 inclusive.

Sean Murphy, CAMRA’s Pub Design Awards coordinator said: “The Pub Design Awards showcase the best designed pubs in the country. Every pub in the competition tells a story of huge potential and dedication. Whether that pub is a new build or a much-loved heritage pub restored to its former glory, we want to hear from you.”

The closing date for entries is 31 August 2018. To enter a pub into the competition, simply visit: www.camra.org.uk/pub-design-awards-online-entry.

We mentioned last month that following the recent branch AGM, there have been a few changes to the Sheffield & District CAMRA committee. Some people have changed roles, we have a few new faces and others have left. We would like to say thank you to Mick Saxton, Louise Singleton and Mark Boardley for their time and effort on the committee. Here is your new branch committee for 2018/19: Glyn Mansell: chairman Hello! I joined CAMRA in 2010 and have attended Branch Meetings for 3+ years. I was elected Chair of Sheffield Branch in April 2018. I am really passionate about Sheffield’s pubs and real ale. My motivation is to promote pubs in Sheffield and the surrounding areas. This means listening to CAMRA members and working with the branch committee. In Sheffield and District we are fortunate to have a variety of Pubs often within a short walk and Real Ale Trails have been produced. Pubs have various attractions, whether you’re looking for a quiet place with small rooms, lively pubs with music or good pub food.  Pubs might have changed and evolved over the years but some still often retain historical features and fittings. I have enjoyed RambAles, minibus trips and pub award presentations. My other interests are walking, cycling and conservation projects. I have five grandchildren of various ages who also help to keep me grounded. Patrick Johnson: vice-chairman Patrick moved to Sheffield from Newcastle several years ago straight into the Kelham Island area to partake of its many glorious pubs and myriad pale ales. He has been a CAMRA member for more than 10 years and this will be his third year on the committee, having previously served as social secretary. You’ll more than likely see him making presentations at our Pub of the Month evenings. Paul Crofts: treasurer and festival organiser I have been a committee member for 3 years now, as well as being on the festival committee. I have enjoyed all the various roles I have played in that time, particularly my functions at last year’s festival, and I was delighted to be press-ganged into being the Festival Organiser for this year (thanks Louise!). As well as being fond of ‘lowering a couple for the tonsils’, I’m also a big music fan, particularly live music. Feel free to stop me for a chat anytime you see me in the pub (particularly if you want to sponsor something at the festival). Phil Ellett: branch secretary A relatively recent convert to Real Ale, Phil joined CAMRA two years ago. Since then he has worked as a volunteer at several beer festivals and visited numerous breweries. He is also on the Steel City Beer Festival organising committee as the IT and website manager, and one of the cellar deputies. Poppy Hayhurst: minutes secretary, press officer and social media coordinator 2017 was a bit of a whirlwind for me in terms of Sheffield & District CAMRA. My first ever meeting was the AGM where I found myself taking responsibility for the branch’s social media activity. The past year has seen us gain over 400 new followers, as well increase engagement with our content month by month. Our campaigns have been key to this, especially the 43rd Steel City Beer & Cider Festival and the 2018 AGM roundup. I love that through this position I am contacted daily by pubs, breweries, clubs and individuals across the city sharing their events and news with me! This year my responsibilities have grown to include managing press enquiries for the branch and the festival, and I have also become the minutes secretary. I’m really excited to see what challenges, celebrations and changes this year will bring for the branch. Dom Nelson: magazine editor I’m still relatively new to Sheffield & District CAMRA, having joined the committee last year. The past 12 months have been really enjoyable for me, editing Beer Matters and getting involved at various events, particularly last year’s Steel City festival. There’s been some major improvements to the magazine recently and I believe we have one of the finest CAMRA publications in the country (and many people seem to agree!). I especially enjoy getting to know the latest news from Sheffield’s pubs and breweries. This year I’m also going to be the Stalls Manager at SCBF44 too so I’m sure you’ll see me around somewhere, most likely with a pint in hand! Andy Cullen: social secretary Andy has been actively involved in CAMRA for over 15 years after being recruited to sit on a national younger members task group. Since then he has held roles on the branch committee including secretary, membership secretary, magazine editor, chairman and now social secretary. Andy has also been involved with the Steel City Beer & Cider Festival almost every year since becoming active in the branch and this year he is coordinating the beer tasting events. Andy Shaw: membership secretary, clubs officer and others A CAMRA member since 1977, Andy has served on numerous branch committees around the country over the past 40 years. He has also been a member of various national committees over the years and was on CAMRA’s National Executive from 2012-2018. He has been on the Sheffield & District committee since 2017, when he stepped in to fill a few vacant positions including membership secretary and clubs officer. Alan Gibbons: Pub of the Year and Good Beer Guide coordinator Alan has been a CAMRA member since the early days of the campaign in the 1970s. He has been on the Sheffield & District committee for many years, holding almost every position at one time or another. He is currently serving as the coordinator of our Pub of the Year and Pub of the Month competitions, as well as the branch’s entries in the Good Beer Guide. He will also be the Products Manager at SCBF44. Dave Pickersgill: pub heritage officer Dave has been a CAMRA member since the 1970’s and has worked at well over forty Sheffield CAMRA festivals, plus a fair number of others. He is Brewery Liaison Officer (BLO) for Abbeydale, Blue Bee and Bradfield. A member of the National Pub Heritage Group, he leads on Planning and Pub Heritage issues. He edits our series of Pub Heritage walk booklets. 2025 saw the third: Neepsend. He also edited the Sheffield Pub Heritage book, for which downloads have vastly exceeded expectations. The first hard copy was available in October 2018: the 5th edition is available both as a hard copy and a free download:  https://sheffield.camra.org.uk/rhp/ Dave was local organiser for the 2023 National CAMRA Members’ Weekend, AGM and Conference which was held at Sheffield University on 21-23 April. Sarah Mills: cider champion Hi, my name is Sarah Mills. I have been a member of CAMRA for about eight years. I was encouraged to join because I wanted to get involved with the beer festival. I joined at the time when cider was a small sideline and since I have been joint cider bar manager I have seen it go from strength to strength. I enjoy talking about the ciders we sell and like to encourage customers to try the new things we have on offer. Malcolm Dixon: RambAles coordinator Malcolm is a long time CAMRA member. Following retirement after a lengthy railway career, latterly in York, he and his wife, Jenny, moved back to Sheffield a couple of years ago. Since then they have joined in and enjoyed various branch activities. They currently help devise and lead the RambAles along with Dave Pickersgill, and Malcolm will be the Staffing Manager at this year’s Steel City Beer & Cider Festival.

Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June) is an annual national event run by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. CAMRA relies on volunteers to take on a huge range of essential roles, from serving on committees to working at beer festivals and lobbying politicians. It is estimated that some 7,000 CAMRA members around the country actively volunteer their time. Here in Sheffield, there are many ways you can assist CAMRA. For example, we always need volunteers for the Steel City Beer & Festival, which this year takes place from 10-13 October. There are dozens of varied roles: serving the beer is the obvious job, but there are many others: van driving, building (and demolishing) bars, glass washing, selling tokens and counting money. There are opportunities for anybody, regardless of age, ability or experience. There’s sure to be something you can enjoy, plus it’s good for your CV! On a day-to-day basis volunteering opportunities include supplying updates for WhatPub, scoring beers, becoming a Brewery Liaison Officer, distributing Beer Matters, and many others. If you’re interested, why not come along to the next branch or festival planning meeting to find out more?

Carbrook Hall, one of only two Grade II* listed pubs in Sheffield, was recently damaged by an arson attack. Petrol or oil was deliberately thrown through a window causing fire and smoke damage inside the building. At the time of writing, the full extent of damage to the 17th-century Jacobean panelled room was not known.

The pub gained Asset of Community Value (ACV) status in early 2017. It was subsequently bought by West Street Leisure from Punch Taverns in February 2017 and has been closed since. West Street Leisure director, Sean Fogg, said: “I am devastated at the damage. The wood panelling and interiors are irreplaceable. We want it restored so that the whole of Sheffield can benefit and appreciate the splendour of the building again.”

Brian Holmshaw, of Sheaf Valley Heritage, who campaigned for the building to become an  ACV, expressed his dismay at the arson attack: “We tried to keep it open as a pub because if you keep buildings like this open the likelihood of this sort of thing happening is far less likely. This is what happens when you board up historic buildings and leave them.” We hope that Carbrook Hall, situated in an up-and-coming area, will soon reopen to the public. In the interim, we believe that Historic England need to send a team in to assess the damage as there are areas inside where the heritage value is enormous. It would also be useful if the owners could clean-up the areas around the pub, thus lessening the likelihood of further arson attacks.

More information on the heritage aspects of Carbrook Hall is available in the downloadable Sheffield Pub Heritage book: www.sheffield.camra.org.uk/rhp. Dave Pickersgill

Throughout the month of May, CAMRA promotes mild. This ancient style of beer is usually dark in colour as a result of using well-roasted malts and barley, which also give mild its characteristic nutty and chocolate flavours. Although many milds tend to be lower in alcohol (around the 3.5% ABV mark), its name actually refers to the fact that these beers are only very lightly hopped, leading to a milder taste than most bitters. Mild’s popularity has declined sharply over the past few decades, but some notable examples still in production include Timothy Taylor’s Golden Best, Thwaites’ Nutty Black and Banks’s Original. Although cask-conditioned mild is certainly not the most popular style around Sheffield and the surrounding areas, there is still some to be found for those who want to try some this May. Many of the Thwaites pubs in the city (for example, the Old Queens Head on Pond Hill, the Peacock Inn at Stannington and the Old Horns Inn, High Bradfield) offer Nutty Black. The Kelham Island Tavern always has at least one mild available and milds have recently been found on the handpumps at both Shakespeares and the Rutland Arms. Why not give mild a chance this month? Dominic Nelson