The dates have been announced for the 2024 edition of Sheffield Beer Week, which will be taking place from 4 to 10 March. This will be the 10th anniversary of this initiative that celebrates the Sheffield beer scene including the people in it with themes of beer, food, community and heritage.
The event started its life when SIBA’s annual conference and BeerX was held in Sheffield in order to show off what we have in Sheffield to all those trade people visiting the city and has evolved over the last decade into what it is today.
You can look forward to many different events independently organised across the city in pubs, bars, restaurants and breweries – possibly even shops and galleries too based on past experience! It is all coordinated by Jules Gray of Hop Hideout who also organises the annual Indie Beer Feast – a festival showcasing independent brewers with most of the bars hosted by the brewers themselves – which usually takes place the weekend prior to beer week.
For the latest news on the beer week, keep an eye on the website – sheffieldbeerweek.co.uk – or their socials.
Richard Ryan, or Ricko to friends, passed away in hospital on the morning of 20 September.
For many years Ricko was actively involved in the Sheffield & District CAMRA branch holding various committee roles including chairman, however I think most people remember him as social secretary, organising some excellent minibus trips to various pubs and breweries, Christmas dinner parties and an annual day out at the Thornbridge Hall charity garden party – which was one of our branch’s few family orientated events.
Ricko was involved in brewery related socials well before my drinking career began and Chris Pearce, who now volunteers as cellar manager at our beer festival, recalls first meeting him on a coach trip from the Cocked Hat Attercliffe to Marstons Brewery in the late 1980s. “The coach stopped on the way back for more beer (as if we needed more!) and then on joining the M1 for one junction, we hit a jam. An eternity later we left at junction 29 and stopped at the first lay-by for us to empty aching bladders. The whole coach was lined up against the hedge and we all roared with laughter. We next met when I did my first festival circa 2002 and amazingly he remembered me. Since then we’ve always had a good chat at festivals. And that coach trip was remembered in our last conversation in the Northern General”.
Ricko was also clubs officer, championing the traditional working mens clubs and keen to find ones with real ale, an interest that was down to growing up in a family that had been involved with running clubs.
He was also involved in our beer festival organising committee and for a number of years was responsible for booking the bands. This was generally a huge success although one year a rock covers band was asked to turn the volume down due to the venue having a wedding party booked in next door to the festival with the result being the band stormed off stage and left! Ricko had to be consoled on the night as he felt he had let everyone down, however since has laughed about it with the rest of us!
For a number of years Ricko also organised an awards night for the beers that had been judged the best of the festival. He was keen to make it a special – but affordable – occasion and managed to persuade Thornbridge to provide us with a high class venue free of charge and the winning brewers to provide free beer – so we were able to sell affordable tickets that just had to cover the cost of a coach to Thornbridge Hall and a buffet! Whilst the support of those businesses was something we were most grateful for, it was really Ricko’s warm and easy going character and personality that helped make the organisation of such events possible.
Ricko loved his real ale – and also stronger Belgian beers (I wonder thinking back now if that is why bottles often appeared at our beer festival!) He was also a fan of Laurel & Hardy and was a member of Sons of the Desert, an appreciation society, which did see some cross over with his CAMRA membership with film screenings in pubs and joint brewery trips organised!
In more recent years Ricko’s health and mobility wasn’t so great, however he did still make the effort to come and help at the beer festival doing a desk job in the cashiers office (aka “counting house”), a volunteer role he’d held for quite a few years. Dr Tim Stillman recalls them working together in some strange places – An artiste’s dressing room with lights around the mirrors, behind a curtain at the back of a stage and even a dingy broom cupboard with no ventilation. At an outdoor festival in Cemetery Park, the counting house was our friends caravan parked behind the marquee. It rained constantly and as the festival went on the mud got deeper and deeper in and out of the caravan. As we were counting one afternoon I noticed Richard’s neat piles of ten pence’s were taking on the appearance of the leaning tower of Pisa. Also our pens seemed to be rolling across the table towards us. He looked at me and said “I think we best sit on the other side of the table”
Meanwhile in Handsworth, where he lived most of his life, he did continue to make the occasional appearance at the Chantry Inn, which is where a get-together was held following his well attended funeral.
For those that couldn’t make the funeral or wake another chance to raise a toast to Ricko was provided at this years beer festival with a special beer on the bar brewed in tribute by Bradfield Brewery called Counting House Stout.
First bus made some changes to their timetables on 3 September, much of this was adjustments to journey times to reflect traffic congestion and there have also been some changes to evening services. This does include some bits of good news including a later last bus to Totley on weekdays.
Coming up on 29 October is much more significant change. This will see reductions in evening and Sunday services on routes that are operated with subsidy under contract to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, additionally there will be some changes for buses run under contract to Derbyshire County Council. At the time of writing the majority of the planned changes hadn’t been announced so keep an eye on travelsouthyorkshire.com for Sheffield buses and derbysbus.info for Derbyshire buses.
From CAMRA’s point of view having buses available to get you to and from pubs, particularly at the most popular times for socialising and leisure activities which is evenings and weekends, is important and we are concerned at the prospect of more cuts to services in South Yorkshire. There are already parts of the city with no buses at these times and not being able to get to the pub and enjoy socialising is bad for mental health as well as potentially leading to pubs going out of business from lack of custom if they are relying on customers travelling from further afield than their local neighbourhood – not everyone can afford regular use of taxis!
There are some further positive developments included in the 29 October changes we are aware of however, including the introduction of a later evening service on the X17 between Sheffield and Chesterfield and also the extension of evening and Sunday services on route 44 through to Chesterfield. The recently introduced improvements to evening services on the 218 and 257 to Bakewell and 272 to Castleton are also to continue. Many of these improvements are being supported by Derbyshire County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) package funded by the government.
The previously reported Peak Sightseer open top bus tour between Chatsworth, Baslow, Calver and Bakewell ends its daily summer service at the end of September but will continue running at weekends until Christmas eve if you still want to give it a go!
The 1 November sees some changes to fares with the government subsidised bus fare cap increasing from £2 to £2.50 and the end of the South Yorkshire Mayor’s Zoom Beyond card trial, which offered 18-21 year olds travel at 80p per ride. It may also sees the £2 fare on trams funded by the South Yorkshire Mayor end – details here are not yet announced. If you are taking more than one ride a day or travelling regularly check if one of the unlimited travel passes will save you money.
CAMRA has announced the upcoming release of its groundbreaking new perry book from writer Adam Wells, which will be the first consumer guide to one of the UK’s most traditional drinks.
Despite being largely unknown outside of the UK, perry – a drink like cider but produced from pears rather than apples – has for centuries been compared to fine wine and champagne in countries all around the world. Although it fell out of fashion in recent years, it’s making a comeback with producers creating both new and traditional perries to great acclaim.
CAMRA’s championing of cider and perry at its festivals over the last 50 years has been credited with playing a significant role in keeping perry alive and now the Campaign is going further to promote and support this traditional drink.
A new consumer focused guide to perry is slated for publication by CAMRA Books in 2024, penned by drinks writer, presenter and founder-editor of the popular ‘Cider Review’ site, Adam Wells.
Following the success of recent title Modern British Cider, which raised over £5,800 in KickStarter funding, CAMRA Books will again be offering readers the chance to be part of the whole publication journey. A new KickStarter is due to launch as part of CAMRA’s October Cider and Perry Month celebration, and will bring exclusive offers, events, tastings and perry news for those who sign up.
“This book will for the first time shed light on a drink shrouded in so much mystery and history.
“When made well (and it is not easy to make well!) perry is the finest beverage of any kind made on these shores. I can’t wait to read what Adam discovers about perry from the UK and beyond!” said Ciderologist Gabe Cook, author of Modern British Cider and previous winner of CAMRA’s Campaigner of the Year Award.
Gillan Hough, Real Ale, Cider and Perry Campaigns Director for the Campaign said, “Perry is a long-underappreciated drink, so we’re thrilled to have Adam on board to do this book justice.
“There are very few books about perry, and these are mainly technical manuals for producers. It’s nearly 50 years since CAMRA beer festivals first served cider and perry, so a consumer-focused perry book is long overdue!
“As well as producing a delicious drink, perry pears are also of huge ecological value, with trees taking decades to mature before producing fruit for centuries. Now is a critical time as countless perry pear varieties have already been lost, and others are down to a single mature tree. The best way to keep these orchards viable is to enjoy everything perry has to offer, and I hope Adam’s book will be a catalyst for many more consumers to rediscover perry.”
Author Adam Wells said, “The last five years or so have seen an incredible upsurge in the interest in and quality of aspirational, high juice content perry. Not only in the UK, but in its other ancient heartlands of France and Austria and in newer perrymaking countries around the world.
“Though there are excellent pomological works written on perry pears, as curious drinkers discover this shy, secretive and often magnificent drink, the absence of a dedicated guide to perry is increasingly striking. Covering growing, making, pear varieties, styles, appreciation, history, countries and producers, I hope this book provides a contribution to a much longer conversation and a useful resource both for long-standing perry lovers and those discovering the joys of great perry for the first time.”
You may recall the winner of the 2023 Champion Beer of Britain, Elland 1872 Porter, was announced back in August.
The process has now begun for the 2024 competition and involves CAMRA members voting for beers to be entered into the competition. All regularly brewed real ales are eligible and all members are entitled to vote, choosing their top 5 beers in each category. Voting closes on 1 November after which beers go through regional judging via blind tastings at various beer festivals, culminating in judging at the grand final in London with the winner announced at the trade & media day at the Great British Beer Festival.
CAMRA has just unveiled the winners of its prestigious Pub Design Awards, which recognise the most innovative new projects of architecture, design and conservation in British pubs across the country.
There are five winners and four highly commended pubs across different categories ranging from refurbishment to new build in this year’s awards. These include:
New Build (assessing newly built pubs in 2022):
Strawberry Thief, Swindon(winner) – An ambitious new-build pub for Arkell’s brewery in a new development on the edge of Swindon known as Tadpole Village.
Conversion to Pub Use Award:
Turk’s Head, Exeter(winner) – Originally an inn for over 700 years, this property was entirely reconfigured from a pizza restaurant into a functional pub whilst keeping its historical character.
bod Matlock, Matlock (highly commended) – A building that originally housed a Boots chemist, which retains its art deco heritage.
Fourth Fiend, Meltham(highly commended) – a conversion by the local Three Fiends Brewery of a 19th Century school building later used as a Conservative Club. Use of traditional features such as matchboarding and different wall finishes gives the impression that a single large space is divided into ‘bar’ and ‘lounge’ areas.
Refurbishment:
Cadogan Arms, London(winner, pictured above) – The restoration of the pub sought to recreate the lost early Georgian architectural details and ornate timber panelling of the original building.
The George, London (highly commended) – The intensive renovation of this pub pays homage to its history as a hub for the political, cultural and social movements of the late 18th century.
Historic England Conservation Award (sponsored by Historic England, this award is given for work which conserves the pub’s architectural features, whilst updating its facilities):
Black Lion, London(winner) – A Grade II* listed property dating back to 1898, with features of special historical interest in the main bar and dining room.
Spread Eagle, London(highly commended) – A pub and hotel that has been sensitively restored to a very high standard, harking back to its glorious hey-day, whilst being exceeding respectful to the fabric of the building.
Community Local (reserved for outstanding refurbished street-corner locals):
Gordon Arms, Bedford(winner) – A neighbourhood hangout which offers great beer, tasty food and friendly service.
CAMRA will be celebrating the achievement with a presentation event at the Cadogan Arms on Tuesday September 5th, which is open to the press. Please contact press@camra.org.uk for more details.
CAMRA’s Awards Director Laura Emson adds: “We hope beer-lovers across the country will seek out these examples of excellence and plan visits to them whether they are local or just visiting. It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the pub industry, so let’s all support our locals this year and raise a glass to these shining examples in pub excellence.”
The celebration takes place during CAMRA’s Summer of Pub campaign, which aims to promote pub-going post-pandemic while raising a glass to our locals.
Survey figures suggest lack of faith in political leaders to protect pubs. Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) issues warning to politicians ahead of approaching general election.
Just two days after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attended CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival, new research commissioned by the consumer campaigning group shows 2 in 5 Brits (43%) don’t trust any of the Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrat political party leaders to look out for the interests of British pubs.
Labour’s Keir Starmer fared best, with 17% of Britons saying they would trust him to look out for the interests of pubs, whilst current Conservative PM, Rishi Sunak, only had the trust of 9%. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey came in at the bottom of the pack with just 3% of Brits saying they would trust him to look out for the interests of pubs.
Consumer organisation CAMRA has always maintained party-political neutrality in its campaigning, having worked closely with all major political parties in its 50-year history. The network of grassroots campaigners that make up the 150,000 strong organisation work with elected representatives at every level, as well as fighting for pubs, social clubs, brewers and cider makers with more direct campaigning.
Despite recent lobbying successes for the Campaign, including the introduction of a lower rate of tax for beer and cider sold on draught, the organisation voiced its concerns for the future of British pubs.
CAMRA’s National Chairman, Nik Antona commented, “Sadly, this data suggests that the public’s perception is that our beloved locals have often been an afterthought in politics. We often hear politicians playing lip service to the community and social value of our locals – which is brilliant – but we need that to be backed up with meaningful action.
“With a general election approaching, these results should be a wake up call for politicians, who need to have substantive policies in place to address the catalogue of issues facing the pub trade.
“CAMRA believes our pubs and social clubs deserve a fighting chance with urgent action needed on energy prices, Business Rates, a fix for the takeaway pints issue caused by the new Alcohol Duty system, and the right for licensees to choose what products they keep on the bar without stock lists being dictated by pub companies.”
Elland’s 1872 Porter crowned the Champion Beer of Britain
Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter (6.5% ABV) has struck gold and has been crowned the best in Britain after winning the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) prestigious Champion Beer of Britain competition.
The 1872 Porter was crowned the official winner at this year’s Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), following a rigorous and hard-fought competition. The beer has been awarded Champion Winter Beer of Britain four times previously, the most recent being this year.
Champion Beer of Britain co-ordinator Christine Cryne said it was a deserving champion, despite incredibly strong competition. She described the beer as a ruby black porter, with chocolate and caramelised fruit flavours with a hint of black toffee on the nose. The judges enjoyed its smooth mouthfeel with a finish that is roasty and dry. A satisfying and remarkably easy drinking porter.
The award – one of the most coveted real ale competitions in the world – puts the winner firmly in both the national and international spotlight. It was exclusively revealed at today’s GBBF trade session today (1 August).
Festival visitors will be able to enjoy sampling this year’s newly crowned champion, along with the well-deserved silver and bronze winners’ beer, which will be on sale at the festival, marked by rosettes and special pump clips.
Runners up were Silver prize winner Abbot (5%) from Greene King Brewery, described as a classic premium bitter with typical fruit hops and malty throughout; and Bronze winner Darwin’s Origin (4.3%) from Salopian Brewery, which impressed judges with citrus, earthy hops and a flavour that starts fruity and fades into a pleasant bittersweet finish.
Brewer Rob Thomas said: “It is absolutely unbelievable to win this accolade, we really didn’t expect it. For a team of three people to win the supreme award is fantastic. There is a real passion for more traditional styles – and for a very good reason, they taste fantastic!
“The beer is steeped in history with the recipe dating back more than 150 years. We thrive on these sorts of styles and this is testament to what people enjoy drinking: steeped in history, tradition while embracing innovation.
He added: “Since lockdown, we have faced many challenges and difficult times and this is testament to our small team and our unwavering loyalty to succeed. We passionately believe in our products and people do get excited to try everything we make, we are incredibly proud to take home the crown.”
Laura Emson, CAMRA’s National Director responsible for the competition, says: “Congratulations to Elland Brewery for winning this year’s Champion Beer of Britain Award. As ever, it was a highly competitive final, with the judges having a difficult decision to make. Congratulations to all the finalists – it really shows the wide range and amazing cask beers which are available for all to enjoy.
“Huge thanks to all the competitors for taking part and to the judges who had a tough decision to make! It is a real honour to be part of this competition and to see how much hard work, professionalism and dedication goes into producing the best of the best.”
Judging takes place over almost a year from individual nominations at the outset, to local and regional competitions taking place, ahead of a day of rigorous and intensive judging at GBBF.
Baltic Trader by Green Jack Brewing is crowned the Champion Bottled Beer of Britain
In a closely fought competition, Baltic Trader (10.5%) has been awarded the CAMRA’s prestigious Champion Bottled Beer of Britain award. The annual competition recognises the best bottle-conditioned real ales in the country.
Judges described the Extra Strong Export Stout as a ruby black strong stout with a stunning oyster head. It had dark roast, black treacle and currants on the nose with alcohol and a very rich smooth mouthfeel. Dry black chocolate, hints of cherry, caramelised fruits and a growing bitter roasty finish that is sweet and lingering. A beer to be savoured.
The well-deserved runners up included Dhustone Stout (4.3%) by Hobsons Brewery who scooped silver and McGregor’s Mild (3.8%) by Five Kingdoms Brewery took home the bronze award.
Announced at the Great British Beer Festival following the grand final with a panel of esteemed judges, previous judging rounds included a series of local member voting rounds and regional judging competitions throughout the year.
Tim Dunford, owner of Green Jack Brewing said, “Thank you to all who voted for Baltic Trader, a lifetime achievement has been met. This is one of the highlights in 30 years of brewing. The team and I are beyond pleased. Another great accolade for Green Jack!”
Laura Emson of CAMRA’s National Executive, who made the announcement, said: “Huge congratulations to this year’s worthy winner of the Champion Bottled Beer of Britain award. Celebrating bottled conditioned cask beer is important; by giving consumers more choice, while offering brewers across the country more opportunities to get a wider range of drinks to the public. As ever the dedication, professionalism and hard work put into bottled beer by brewery teams across the country was evident from the high-quality beers judged this year.
“Bottled and canned beer offers such a wide range of choice and options, giving vitally important choice to real ale lovers across the UK. Congratulations to our very deserved runners up this year; the quality this year has been amazing. I look forward to seeing these bottled beers in pubs, clubs and tap rooms across the country.”
CAMRA has its bottle and canned accreditation scheme, dubbed ‘One to Try’ to support more breweries producing ‘live beer’ and making it easier for brewers to sign up.
The brewer of tomorrow announced at the Great British Beer Festival
In the second year of its Homebrew Competition, Patrick Davies has been named as the “brewer of tomorrow” at this year’s Great British Beer Festival (GBBF). The judges crowned Magnificent Frigate Strong Mild (6.2%) as its worthy winner following a rigorous competition.
Davies took home first prize, which invites him to Brewhouse & Kitchen in Worthing to brew his winning beer in a 500L kit under the supervision and support of the head brewer, which will be sold and distributed across local CAMRA festivals. The brewer describes his beer as an ‘end of a night beer’, which is rich and warming and smooth.
Davies, who began brewing in 2016, said: “This award is very exciting and unexpected, I used to work in very ale-y pubs and learnt a lot about beer, and felt the best way to learn more was to begin making it myself. I’m incredibly excited to see how the beer tastes when brewed in a professional kit.”
The Silver award was presented to Golden Dragon, brewed by Richard Roseblade, who will take home a case of eight craft beers every month for a year, courtesy of Beer52. Bronze was awarded to Old Claire, brewed by Mark Robotham, who has won four VIP tickets for the next Great British Beer Festival in 2024.
Catherine Tonry, GBBF Festival organiser said: “I am delighted to give this award to Patrick, it’s testament to the passion and love our brewers of tomorrow have for live beer. To announce the results at trade day at GBBF gives all the finalists in attendance the opportunity to talk with the wider industry and build their networks as they continue their brewing venture.
“Some of the best beers in the UK started from small beginnings and it is vital we work with brewers who may be starting out on their journey, while recognising their commitment and hard work.
“Now in its second year, the award is well-established as a national homebrew competition, I look forward to seeing some of the best beers of tomorrow being produced by both current and future competitors.”
The competition spanned across a host different beer styles, from milds and IPAs to barley wines and porters.
The Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide – the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide – is celebrating its 51st edition with a striking cover and a foreword supplied by Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson. The Guide, which surveys 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, is the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints in the nation’s pubs.
Dickinson’s foreword shines a spotlight on the cultural tradition of pubs within the United Kingdom, the importance of protecting the heritage, charm and welcoming nature of pubs and clubs, and not taking them for granted.
Pubs and clubs are a rite of passage for many bands and musicians starting out in the UK, and Iron Maiden themselves began their career almost 50 years ago playing in London pubs. The conviviality of these venues creates the perfect atmosphere for burgeoning music scenes, and helps to drive footfall into pubs, especially after a challenging period for them brought on by the pandemic.
The cover of The Good Beer Guide 2024 features Eddie, Iron Maiden’s mascot and icon of the band’s range of Trooper beers, brewed by Stockport brewery Robinsons. Trooper celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and has become one of the UK’s most established ales in that period.
CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said: “We’re honoured to have Bruce Dickinson pen the foreword for The Good Beer Guide 2024. As we enter our second half century of producing the Guide, there is no one better to introduce this year’s edition, and highlight what makes these institutions so worth visiting.
“The last few years have been an incredibly difficult time for the industry, and we need more support than ever before to keep our nation’s pubs open and thriving. I’d encourage everyone to use this year’s Guide to visit the very best pubs across the UK and support them for generations to come.”
The Good Beer Guide 2024 is set to be published on 28 September, with options to order the standard editions, alternative cover and hardback editions available on the CAMRA shop. To pre-order, go to https://shop1.camra.org.uk/
Members wishing to buy their discounted copy in person with cash can do so at the October or November branch meeting or alternatively at our beer festival.
A Bridlington pub has been voted as the Yorkshire pub of the year by members of CAMRA
Three B’s Micropub in the centre of Bridlington sells over 10 different ciders and perrys from cider producers from all around the country but always stocks products from Yorkshire such as Tree Top Press and Udders. Despite opening during the first Covid lockdown in 2020, the pub is becoming renowned for its high-quality range of real ales as well as ciders. Homemade parkin and sausage rolls are also available alongside local butchers’ pies which often get as many positive comments as the beer and ciders on offer, with customers disappointed if these run out due to high demand.
Commenting on the accolade of being the best cider pub in Yorkshire, owner Mark Bates said “We always have over 10 ciders permanently available with around half coming from suppliers from within Yorkshire, as well as more traditional cider producing areas, so we are over the moon to have been recognised with this major award from CAMRA”
CAMRA Yorkshire Cider Co-ordinator Christine Jane said “We have judged Three B’s Micropub as being Yorkshire CAMRA cider pub of the year with particular note of the customer service, inclusiveness and knowledge of the product offered at the venue”
The presentation for Yorkshire Cider Pub of the Year will take place on 12th August at 3pm at the pub, all are invited. (In the event of a rail strike this will be moved to 19th August).
You can find 3 B’s micropub at 2 Marshall Avenue, Bridlington, YO15 2DS. Northern run regular direct trains from Sheffield to Bridlington via Hull with discounted tickets often available when booked in advance.
