Category: Travel

Revisiting Istanbul

Posted on by Guest

In December I visited friends in Istanbul with my wife. We’d lived there from 2020-23 for work and it’s always good to visit again – on this trip we stayed in the same apartment block we’d lived in, in Şişli.

I was fortunate enough to live nearby what you might consider Turkey’s home of ‘craft’ beer. Bomontiada was built in the late 1800s as a brewery by Swiss brewers the Bomonti brothers. Bomonti brewery was bought by Turkey’s Anadolu Efes macro-brewer in the 1990s and still exists as a spin-off ‘craft’ label – their Bomonti Filtresis (unfiltered lager, 4.8%) is widely available in both bottles and on taps in many restaurants and pubs in the city, and is my go-to when not in a craft beer bar.

Bomontiada is now home to several bars and restaurants, including Populist, my first stop on this trip – Populist is a chain of currently two brewpubs which, due to peculiarities of Turkish law meaning that a brewery cannot sell its beer direct to the public, serves exclusively beer from Torch Brewery.

Torch and Populist are legally distinct businesses, but all beer served in Populist is Torch. It’s a large space with a huge capacity, and serves what I’d describe as Turkish fusion pub food. Burgers, but also flatbread topped with kokoreç – chopped and spiced lamb intestines.

They brew a range of pale ales and IPAs which usually lean towards a more old school English or west coast IPA rather than the currently popular New England variety. They often have more than one variety of lager on (their 4.9% Kölsch is my go-to on a hot day), usually a nitro stout (5.8%) or occasionally an imperial stout (>8%). For their 1000th brew in 2022 they made a berry vanilla imperial stout at 8.6%. On this visit I had the 5.8% IPA on keg — 330ml for 265TL, or £6. Craft beer in Turkey is fairly expensive due to the various taxes and duties involved, and the cost of ingredients.

On my second day I visited another of Istanbul’s ‘brewery taps’ — SOMX’s Taproomx, in a very central location just off Istiklal. They’re a cuckoo brewery whose beer is brewed in 3 Kafadar’s brewery in Istanbul. I tried a single hop Idaho7 Pale (4.6%), then their Kent Caramel (5%), a brown ale with East Kent Goldings hops! I finished up with their new Nectarlicious NEIPA (6%) — hopped with Nectaron, of course. We then moved on to a local excellent Georgian restaurant, Galaktion.

On the third day (and again on the fourth to meet friends) I ended up in what should be any beer fan’s target when in Istanbul — Sanayi 1-A. They now have two branches and I began in their newer Nişantasi branch, which I hadn’t visited before. I had an Aşne Vişne by 3 Kafadar (5%) which is a sour cherry beer — I believe all its sourness comes from the fruit rather than the brew method.

Later that afternoon I visited the original Sanayi 1-A bar in Maslak, in an area called Atatürk Oto Sanayi. It’s an area full of car garages (oto sanayi means ‘auto industry’) and anyone who’s spent time wandering around industrial estates looking for a taproom will feel at home here. These bars are probably the only independent wholly craft beer bars in the country — many bars in busy areas will have occasional taps of craft beer or bottles in their fridges, but Sanayi is all craft (except for a few token Belfast lager bottles in their fridge).

The Maslak branch has 24 taps, which you’ll usually find occupied by at least 15 beers — all of them are fully engaged for special events. Every beer available is brewed by one of the 10+ breweries in Turkey.  I started my visit with an English Gold (a 5% bitter), by 3 Kafadar, who are probably my favourite Turkish brewer.

It also has cats — lots of them lurking, often behind the bar, sometimes getting into little brawls. You can’t go anywhere in Turkey without running into cats, and Sanayi is no exception.

Sanayi 1-A doesn’t offer food other than crisps and nuts, but doesn’t at all mind if you pick up some food from the nearby food truck offering köfte and chips, or order from one of the many food delivery services.

On the following day I visited the Maslak Sanayi 1-A  again to meet friends (current and former Sanayi staff) and finished the afternoon with a bottle share of two different years of Efes annual Grape Ale (8%). It’s particularly good, especially considering it’s from a macro brewer.

All in all a great trip, returning to my favourite spots in the city and finding time to ride a few ferries and visit excellent coffee shops, while catching up with friends.

Dan Rowe

Sherbets & Sherlocks

Posted on by Kevin Thompson

It’s not every month a local Sheffield band plays a gig in their pub in Lincoln. So when I was emailed of this gig, I jumped at the chance. A Senior Railcard ticket of £10.50, and an absolute bargain of an Airbnb of £24, sealed the deal. 

I woke early to get ready for the 10:41 train departing at Midland Station, fortunately although the bus was late I had given myself plenty of time. The train departed a minute after schedule for the direct route taking 70 minutes through some pleasant countryside. On arrival and a short hop over the bridge, I was in the city. 

It was fortunate I remembered the route from our Steel City Beer Festival volunteers trip last year, although I was seeking some pubs not visited on that trip. I exited right at the station and immediately arrived on the High Street. Now it may have been one of Lincoln’s council to cancel the Christmas market, but it was still heaving with locals and visitors. The local chapel was holding an indoor fete, but outside were the fantastic Lincoln Owl Rescue and their magnificent array of birds, which are very tame and can be stroked. 

After that, I headed down and arrived at my first hostelry, the Treaty of Commerce, more or less the first pub on that side of High Street, a Batemans pub with a very nice selection of four handpumps. I plumped for the Gold (also known as Yella Belly) firstly, a nice pale of 3.9% that was just right fort the first pint. The owner and the locals were very chatty and I gained some knowledge of pubs in the area. Before leaving, I was recommended to try the Dark M, 3.4%, a beer not normally seen? I am glad I did as the texture and taste was fantastic. 

I then moved on to the Tiny Tavern,  again on High Street, one I had visited with the mysterious “Ring bell for entry” on one door, the exit on the other side. Again a good selection of 6 pumps, including my choice of Milestone – Crusader, a safe Blonde/Golden of 4.4%. 

As I was nearing check-in time, I walked to the accommodation, just over the Foss Dyke Canal and very near to the Lincoln City ground, Sincil Bank. After a quick spruce up, I ordered an Uber to visit one of the recommended pubs the Birdcage, located on Baggholme Road.  A lovely little traditional pub with three beers on pump, and not too far from the gig venue. I went for the FAB (Ferry Ales Brewery) Merry Imp, a pale of 3.4% and brewed in the local microbrewery in the city.

With the aid of Google Maps, I set off for the Jolly Brewer on Broadgate. It was literally a ten minute walk and seemed a very nice venue. It had two ales among the myriad of gassy keg, and as one was Abbott, I plumped for the Bridgehouse Brewery Rum Raisin Stout at 4.9%, thin but packed with flavour, this was so nice I had to drink four pints of it. After a couple of supports, The Sherlocks made their entrance to the 200 capacity rear yard. They played a mixture of older lesser played songs, and a couple of new from the new album due in February.

 After the finish, there was time for one more before bed, so I headed to Wetherspoons, the Ritz on the High Street which as the title suggests is a former cinema.  They had a choice of five ales, four being Christmas themed. I selected the Milestone Donner & Blitzed, a 4.5% winter ale. Home and bed as I had to get up at 08:30 to shower and gather my stuff. 

Next morning I was out of the house for 09:00, and off to Spoons for a breakfast. Service was quick and the Miners Benedict was fantastic. Basically Eggs Benedict with a nice slice of black pudding underneath. My train was at 14:10, so I had time for a couple of halves before, so visited the Cardinal’s Hat on the slight incline of High Street, after a ten minute delay at the rail crossing for a passenger, and very long freight, train to pass  through. As usual a great selection of beers, so the two I chose were Wilde Child’s Sneaky Peak, 4.5% milk stout and Brew York’s Fairytale of Brew York, a lovely 4.9% milk stout. 

The time was approaching to leave the city, and on arriving at the station, there was only a ten minute wait for the on-time train home. A pleasant journey, but I was starting to feel tired, so passed on the opportunity to have a pint on arrival home. 

Until next time, Lincoln. There is still one or two new ones to visit.  

Christmas social

Posted on by Kevin Thompson

Sheffield CAMRA gathered once again at the Ball, Crookes for their Christmas meal. We were a week early this year to avoid a clash with either football teams fixtures, ensuring a healthy 17 turnout.

Proceedings got off well with a choice of starters, with a choice of pâté, creamy garlic mushrooms or chicken goujon strips. Accompanying this was local Stancill Ginger Pale, a 4% spicy pale ale for myself, and was popular with others.

We gave it ten minutes before the main, a veritable Christmas dinner. Turkey, and the works. Nice gravy and cranberry sauce to compliment it.

After the generous helping, an even bigger rest was required before desserts, so trips to the bar were made. I plumped for the Peak Ales Chatsworth Gold, a nice pale of 4.6%, but Jaipur and other ales were on offer. The desserts, or puddings if local, rolled out, again a good choice of Christmas pudding, brownie or cheesecake with brandy sauce, custard or ice cream.

We felt sated at a bargain £20 for three courses. Will the Ball Inn make it a hattrick next year, who knows, but the good food and fine selection of ales make it a frontrunner.

A few of us made our goodbyes, although we have a branch meet before Christmas, and for some the annual last minute present rush.

Choo choos & brews

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Welsh steam and ale

Our chair Paul Manning and his wife Bev had a recent short trip to Wales.  

We had a weekend stay in a converted chapel at Minnford near Porthmadog calling on the way at the Bleeding Wolf pub near Congleton where we enjoyed a Dizzy Blonde, a pale ale by Robinsons brewery.

After a restful evening we walked into Porthmadog the next morning and enjoyed some lovely sunshine at Spooners Bar on Porthmadog railway station. This Good Beer Guide entry pub was flush with real ale and we enjoyed Moho a 4.3% Welsh pale ale by Mantle brewery, Ceridwen a 3.7% Welsh black ale by Bragdy brewery, Solstice Three Tuns a 3.9% pale by Bishops castle brewery in Shropshire and finally Snowdonia Ale a 3.8% golden pale by the local Purple Moose, brewery.

Suitably refreshed we boarded our Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway steam train for a 13 mile return journey to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The scenery was very nice especially and surprisingly the slate hillsides. The railway was built to transport the Welsh slate from the hills to the coast. Of course we enjoyed a bottle of the on board Welsh steam ale, a 3.6% pale from Purple Moose brewery. 

Arriving back in Porthmadog we visited the town’s other GBG pub entry, the Australia which was Purple Moose brewery’s local tap. Our favourites were Mono citra a 4.6% session IPA being a collaboration brew with Bragdy brewery and Chocolate Moose a 5.6% chocolate and vanilla stout.

We returned home the next day via a short stop at Llandudno for some bracing sea air. We enjoyed a lovely lunch of Welsh cheese rarebit washed down with a pint of Tetleys Dark Mild at the Tynedale hotel on the promenade astonishingly already decorated for its Christmas breaks!

Little Chicago gets blogged

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

Well-known micropub blogger, Scott Spencer, recently visited Sheffield where he was guided through one of our published pub heritage walks: Little Chicago. He then visited another eleven pubs, mostly new to his blogs. We started at West Bar taking in the excellent, and varied, beer offerings in the Crow, Shakespeare’s and the Kelham Island Tavern while discussing both happenings from the major expansion of Sheffield in the 18th century and episodes from the 1920s Sheffield gang wars. Also mentioned was local art works, the Methodist Church, George Orwell, the 1884 ‘Drinks Map of Sheffield,’ changes in employment patterns and the positive effect of immigration

Kelham Island followed before the Harlequin, the Riverside and a sweep up to Trippet Lane, via 2/6 and Perch. Full details of Scott’s enjoyable time in Sheffield are available at: https://micropubadventures.co.uk/2024/11/02/2-11-24-sheffield-little-chicago/ . He hopes to visit Sheffield for a third blog at some point next Spring.

On this Sheffield visit, Scott was accompanied by Chris, (Editor of Inspire, the Chesterfield CAMRA magazine) and Sheffield and District CAMRA members Dave, Jenny and Malcolm. Details of the Little Chicago walk and the accompanying booklet are available at: https://sheffield.camra.org.uk/rhp/

Festival volunteers reunion

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

On 9th November, over forty SCBF48 volunteers enjoyed a celebratory trip to Nottingham. An early start meant we arrived as the pubs opened. Using the map provided, we split into smaller groups and spread across the city centre in order to sample the beery delights available. Personally, I visited three breweries, a couple of micropubs with football references and several other establishments.

The three breweries, Angel Brewhouse, Neon Raptor and Liquid Light provided a range of beer styles, some strong esoteric keg offerings at the Sneinton Market home of Raptor contrasting with more traditional offerings at the Grade II listed, Angel:  Angel Delight Pale 4.9% and Hung, Drawn and Quartered Porter 5.2%. Liquid Light operate from an industrial unit on the edge of the city centre, a site which you struggle to find by accident. Their cosy tap room included four cask ales all at the very reasonable price of £3.50/pint, or less. We appreciated the 1972 quote from Ziggy Stardust: ‘Beer light to guide us.’

Partizan, a micropub named after Partizan Belgrade provided Elusive Brewing Leaves (4.2%). Copious memorabilia include a framed programme from an Inter Cites Fairs Cup game at Elland Road in December 1967. Disappointingly, the Kilpin café, named after, English expatriate, Herbert Kilpin, the founder of AC Milan, had neither cask beer nor a reference to the Rossoneri.

Traditional pubs visited included the grade II listed Bell Inn, the small unspoilt Dragon, a Castle Rock renovation, the Fox and Grapes, one-roomed Kean’s Head and a family-run free house, King William IV (King Billy). Overall, an enjoyable day:  good company, good pubs, and good beer.

End of season beers & buses

Posted on by Andy Cullen

A Saturday in early October saw your editor out in the Hope Valley getting in some Beer Matters magazine deliveries before visiting Intrepid Brewery’s open day.

The afternoon started jumping on the local train from Dore & Totley station with an intention of heading to Edale, however the two car Northern train was seriously overcrowded so the decision was made to bail out at Hathersage and start deliveries at the Little John Hotel in Hathersage instead, where a beer from Red Willow brewery was enjoyed.

Following the earlier experience of the train service it was decided to use buses instead and the Peak Sightseer Blue route open top bus was utilised for a ride up the valley to Castleton for deliveries and quick halves in the Peak Hotel, Olde Nag’s Head and SwissTap.

That quick pub crawl matched the time it took for the open top bus to go up Winnats Pass to the Blue John Cavern and back and it was rejoined to head down the road to Hope for the Old Hall Hotel.

It was time to visit Intrepid Brewery next, located at Brough Mill which is on the road to Bradwell. Some buses on First’s route 272 go that way but not many and the one that was due failed to operate, however around the same time was the Hulleys bus 173 which runs once every 2 hours so that was boarded for the short run to the brewery!

The set up for the open day involved a pop up bar in the brewery whilst the yard outside had tables and seating along with Sunshine Pizza’s van. A pin was sat on the end of the bar containing a special imperial edition of the Stanage Stout so a half of this was tried, accompanied by a spicy/meaty pizza and both were enjoyed!

It was time to go home and the bus network provided another challenge as the 272 provides an hourly service towards Castleton but no service towards Sheffield for several hours, however it was proved possible to ride the Castleton bound bus to the main road by the Travellers Rest, quickly cross the road and join the Peak Sightseer feeder bus to Woodseats.

An open top bus ride at 6pm in October proved rather cold so the coat was zipped up as high as it would go and my lack of hat was regretted, however there was a reward as the bus climbed up into the hills above Hathersage as a beautiful sunset over the valley was witnessed!

This was pretty much end of season for the Peak Sightseer open top buses, with the last day of operation for 2024 being Saturday 26 October. It was obvious why of course, when I connected onto the regular Stagecoach number 25 to Bradway the existence of a roof and heating was appreciated!

Belgian beer weekend

Posted on by Guest

As part of the celebration of a significant birthday I decided to return to Brussels for the “Belgium Beer Weekend”, an annual beer festival that happens in the Grand-Place Brussels.

I had been to the event over ten years ago, and had visited many of the classic brussels beer venues (Cantillon Brewery, Au Bon Vieux Temps etc). This time I was armed with a long list of venues from Dan and Martha at Saint Mars of the Desert, and Eurostar tickets for my Wife and I.

We arrived early Friday evening and first had a delightful seafood meal at “L’Océan” where you select your own fresh fish from a wide range on display, and they then cook it for you. Next on to the bars!

We had to walk past the Poechenellekelder, as it had a queue to get in, so went round the corner to GIST. This is a modern feeling craft beer style bar, with outdoor seating in a square. Its beer list was almost all new to us, but for a first drink we played it safe with a 5% Pils and 6% Hoppy blond. The outdoor bar experience on a warm evening watching the world go by is something not to miss when you get the chance.

Around the next corner was La Porte Noire, which from the outside didn’t promise much, but is a proper cellar bar, with an arched roof and exposed brickwork, and a more traditional Belgium beer list, draft and bottles. For a couple of old rock fans the hook was the music being played all evening, a mix of old and newer classics (Hendrix, Nirvana, Sabbath etc), such that it felt like a sophisticated return to our old Sheffield Wapentake Friday nights. Beers we had included Manneken Pils 6%, Val Dieu Blonde 6%, Barbar 8%, and Noir de Dottignies 8.5% all on draft. I need to mention the bar snacks, where a “portion de fromage” turns out to be enough bread and cheese to feed a family!. We ended up leaving after midnight, having wisely resisted the excellent whisky selection on offer.

Saturday drinking started with À La Mort Subite, the first Brussels bar I ever visited, and which again allowed us to sit outside in the sun. It offers draft Timmermans Faro, a style not seen in the UK very often, that has always appealed to my sweet tooth (do I need to mention the Chocolate shops in Belgium?). Next we tried A l’Imaige Nostre-Dame, but sad to say it may be closed down for now.

So round the corner to À la Bécasse, a classic old Belgium bar, where I very much enjoyed the draft Bourgogne Des Flandres 5%. Unfortunately a group of very noisy tourists turned up to the small bar, so we moved on.

After a stop for some of the belgium classic, Moules Frites, we had to walk past the Poechenellekelder, as it had a queue to get in (can you notice a theme), so went round the corner to La Fleur en Papier Doré, a bar famous for its surrealist patrons. A shorter beer list on offer, but Stouterik was a nice change of pace, a 5% dry stout.

Next we went to Cafe Bebo on the way back to our hotel. It says a lot for the belgium beer scene that even an ordinary bar will offer an interesting beer list, so I tried a beer/brewery I’d not come across before Lutgarde IPA 6.5%, and La Chouffe blonde 8% for my wife. Even when we got back to the hotel bar we were able to have some classic Belgium beers, Leffe Blonde 6.6%, Karmeliet 8.4%, Chimay blue 9%.

Sunday afternoon, and time for the festival in the Grande Place. Over 50 breweries present, 500+ beers. A very modern festival, with no entrance fee, and all beer bought via a specific smart card you charged with money, and beer measures costed in “tokens” (2 euro each) taken by the brewer, including 1/2 tokens. In common with almost every bar you go to, the Belgium beer scene that insists you drink your beer in the correct glass, and this applied at the beer festival!!.

You were “charged” a deposit for the glass for every drink, which was put back on your card when you returned it. Alternatively if you liked the glass you could keep it for the cost of the deposit. We ended up keeping our favourites, from Barbar and Martha (for a gift). Highlights of the beers were Bruges Zot Bok 6.5%, Lupulus Hopera 6%, Vicaris Lino 6.5% (brewed with flax), Vicaris triple 8.5%, Barbar Rouge 8%.

The festival was busy but felt very relaxed, with children allowed in, and take your own food in if you wanted.

For a little peace on a Sunday evening we went to the quirky bar at Royal Puppet Theater Toone, which also has a quiet beer garden. It was perfect for avoiding the crowds, and siping a Bush Ambrée 12%.

On the way back we had to walk past the Poechenellekelder, as it had a queue to get in yet again. Finally we tried a random bar near our hotel, Meia-Bar Saint-Gilles and enjoyed St Hubertus Triple Ambre 7.2%.

For a nightcap in our room a bottle of Vleesmeester Brewery Black Pudding bourbon barrel aged impy stout 12% fit the bill, and for the first time in the weekend not in the correct glass.

I can highly recommend a beery trip to Brussels, for the Belgium Beer weekend festival or not, there’s always somewhere interesting just around the corner. I know I’ll return, if only to finish my list of venues, and finally get into Poechenellekelder.

Paul Rugg

Trip to Eyam Brewery

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Eyam Brewery is in our branch area and their beer always prove popular at our Steel City Beer & Cider Festival so when they announced their third and final open day of the year and we hadn’t got anything on that day we arranged a branch social trip.

The Stagecoach 65 bus from Sheffield drops off in the centre of Great Hucklow village just around the corner from the brewery providing a handy way of getting there, with some fantastic Peak District scenery to enjoy as part of the ride.

We arrived in the village at 12:30pm, half an hour before the brewery was due to open so we visited the Queen Anne pub first, which had two real ales available – Bass and Castle Rock Harvest Pale. Food was also being served.

At the brewery a pop up bar was set up serving a varied range of 5 cask ales and 4 keg beers, most of which have plague themed names. All were delicious. Sunshine Pizza (who can also be found at our beer festival!) were pitched up outside to provide food to soak up the ale whilst next door the Ground Effect coffee roasters had opened up selling bags of their coffee, showing people around as well as serving cups of coffee to drink!

The bus back was at 4:47pm, providing four pleasant hours in the village for us all!

inside Eyam Brewery
The Sheffield & District CAMRA group sat outside Eyam Brewery
Ground Effect coffee roasters and a fantastic view were just across the yard from the brewery
Inside Ground Effect Coffee including their bean roasting machine!

Rotherham town centre

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Now I’m not personally that into sportsball of any flavour, however being Sheffield born and bred the local culture declares that it is mandatory to be the supporter of a local football team so I follow the family loyalty to Sheffield United. So obviously, one Saturday afternoon at the beginning of the new football season, I found myself persuaded to go and see Rotherham United play Bristol Rovers at the New York Stadium…

The reason for the trip to Rotherham was my friend Kevin wanting to embark on a new project of seeing matches at football grounds of interest he hadn’t been to before, combined with a few pubs before and after the game. He’s just moved to Rotherham hence being first on the list.

I caught the Tram Train from Sheffield’s Castle Square tram stop through to Rotherham Central station then walked up the hill to the Bluecoats Wetherspoons to meet him. On the way I noticed a venue that was declaring itself an officially designated away fans venue with families welcome, yet it appeared to be a lap dancing club. I’m not sure if perhaps Bristol Rovers fans have a reputation? Either way, the ‘Spoons was busy with fans of both the home and away teams all getting on well together, the Welbeck Abbey beer proving popular and on good form, whilst in contrast a Fuggle Bunny beer was served in poor condition and disappointed.

We also stopped off at the Cutlers Arms, a heritage pub fairly close to the ground, which as you’d expect was busy. This is one of two Chantry brewery pubs located close together and the handpumps were going like the clappers. This pub was making a special effort to promote a family atmosphere before the match with hot dogs and sweets available for the kids.

The match itself was enjoyable enough even if it wasn’t the best football you’ll see, ending with a goal less 0-0 score. There was no beer of interest in the stadium, where the choice beverage was Bovril to wash the Pukka pies down!

After the football we headed to Chantry’s other nearby pub, the New York Tavern for a couple of pints and a chat. The range of Chantry cask Beers included regulars such as Full Moon, Steelos, New York Pale and Iron & Steel Bitter plus a couple of specials and their stout.

With a walk up into the town centre we called in the High House which tends to have a lively atmosphere with football on TV in the afternoon and a DJ on at night but no real ale or craft beer available, as expected. We then headed on to the Three Cranes on the High Street, located in a historic building and has the feel of a micropub on the ground floor but has a large games room upstairs. This used to have a couple of real ales on handpump and the odd craft beer on tap alongside the more mainstream industrial beers, however they’ve now been swept away and the handpumps redundant, in favour of Beavertown, I assume the Heineken sales rep must have been and made them a good offer! The drink of choice here was a black cherry flavour cider from Seacider.

A fast food and non-booze stop was made at McDonalds before continuing to the Bridge Inn, located by the river and Central station. Downstairs this is a rock pub and owned by Old Mill brewery with a couple of their ales on the bar including Stirian Wolf. Upstairs is the Hive live music venue and they had an evening programme of several bands with free entry, we ventured up there in time to catch the end of the first to perform. The headline band was called the Death Wheelers and reassuringly there was a rather impressive collection of motorbikes parked outside the pub! Also outside we ran into former Rotherham beer festival stalwart and Wath Tap regular Glyn, on his way home from work!

To finish the evening we returned to the Cutlers, which hosts live music on a Saturday night across two stages. There was a Bon Jovi tribute band playing a ticketed gig on a big stage set up in a marquee behind the pub followed by “Rock of Ages” on a smaller stage inside the pub afterwards. By the time we got there Bon Jovi Forever were about three quarters of the way through their set and we were able to nip in to see them and we can confirm they were good!

First bus X3 (Doncaster to Sheffield) picks up across the road from the Cutlers so the 22:45 bus took me back to Sheffield Interchange and a final beer was enjoyed in town before ordering a taxi home!

The options for good beer in Rotherham town centre are sadly limited these days but aside from Wetherspoons the flag is still being flown for both real ale and live music by Chantry and Old Mill breweries and an enjoyable day was had!