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At the beginning of September a number of CAMRA volunteers went out and did various pub crawls across the City to undertake our annual beer census – also known as the Beer Capital Survey – to record the beers out there on the bars on a single day, giving an idea how many different beers there are to choose from, which breweries are most widely stocked, typical price of a pint and more. It is an opportunity to take the pulse of Sheffield’s real ale scene. A similar survey is undertaken in some other towns and Cities such as Derby, Nottingham, Norwich and York – all of which are known for having good pubs and like to promote themselves as a good beer destination – with Derby often claiming in the press to be the real ale capital of Britain (which our surveys suggest Sheffield should be the rightful owner of that title!). Here are some of the figures that came out of the survey this year. Number of different unique beers to choose from – 450 Number of real ale handpumps in operation – 1,200 Most expensive pint – £5.90 Cheapest pint – £1.50 Average price of a pint – £3.04 Brewery league table – how many pumps did we find with each breweries beer

1. Abbeydale – 71 pumps
2. Bradfield – 70 pumps
3. Greene King – 45 pumps
4. Thornbridge – 43 pumps
5. Kelham Island – 32 pumps
6. Sharps – 30 pumps
7. Stancill – 25 pumps
8. Blue Bee – 22 pumps
9. Acorn – 19 pumps
10. Black Sheep – 18 pumps
11. Thwaites – 17 pumps
12. Saltaire – 17 pumps
13. Little Critters – 17 pumps
14. True North Brew Co – 15 pumps
15. Exit 33 – 13 pumps
16. Tetley – 13 pumps
17. Wychwood – 13 pumps
18. Sheffield Brewery Company – 11 pumps
19. Wells Young  – 9 pumps
20. Adnams – 9 pumps
21. Milestone – 9 pumps
22. Neepsend – 8 pumps
23. Welbeck Abbey – 8 pumps
24. Great Heck – 7 pumps
25. Dark Star – 6 pumps
26. Ossett – 6 pumps
27. Robinsons – 6 pumps
28. Theakstons – 6 pumps
29. Timothy Taylors – 6 pumps
30. Half Moon – 5 pumps
31. Marstons – 5 pumps
32. Sentinel – 5 pumps
33. Shiny – 5 pumps
34. Toolmakers – 5 pumps
35. S A Brains – 4 pumps
36. Brew Foundation – 4 pumps
37. White Rose – 4 pumps
38. Wantsum – 4 pumps
39. Titanic – 4 pumps
40. Springhead – 4 pumps
41. Sonnet 43 – 4 pumps
42. Roosters – 4 pumps
43. Pictish – 4 pumps
44. Fuggle Bunny – 4 pumps
45. Camerons – 4 pumps

Most commonly encountered beer:

1. Bradfield Farmers Blonde – 43 pumps
2. Abbeydale Moonshine – 37 pumps
3. Sharps Doom Bar – 28 pumps
4. Black Sheep Best Bitter – 14 pumps
5. Greene King Abbot Ale – 13 pumps
6. Kelham Island Easy Rider – 12 pumps
7. Thornbridge Jaipur IPA -12 pumps
8. Tetley Bitter – 12 pumps
9. Greene King IPA – 11 pumps
10. Whychwood Hobgoblin – 10 pumps
11. Abbeydale Deception – 8 pumps
12. Acorn Barnsley Bitter – 8 pumps
13. Thornbridge Wild Swan – 7 pumps
14. Greene King Ruddles Best Bitter – 7 pumps
15. Timothy Taylor Landlord – 6 pumps
16. Stancill Barnsley Bitter – 6 pumps
17. Kelham Island Pale Rider – 6 pumps
18. Kelham Island Best Bitter – 6 pumps
19. Abbeydale Not Just Jam – 6 pumps
20. Abbeydale Absolution – 5 pumps
21. Bradfield Blueberry Ale – 5 pumps
22. Bradfield Farmers Pale Ale -5 pumps
23. Thornbridge Brother Rabbit – 5 pumps
24. Thornbridge Lord Marples – 5 pumps
25. Thwaites Lancaster Bomber – 5 pumps
26. Wells Young Bombardier Bitter – 5 pumps

Elsecar by the Sea beer festival (Barnsley CAMRA) The CAMRA Beer Festival instructions: go and drink A CAMRA Beer Festival gives the chance to try great beers. The one at Barnsley was even better. I participated the Barnsley CAMRA Beer Festival and I have to admit that I enjoyed it very much. Barnsley is one of the four CAMRA outposts in the Yorkshire county. The festival was held in the small town of Elsecar, in the spartan yet big location named Milton Hall (a sort of town hall). To cheer the throats of thirsty visitors there was a tap list consisting of over 30 rolling beers (strictly Real Ale) and ciders. Ah, there was a stand alone draft beer as well. It is a Beer Festival with a twist. It is not the common beer festival, at least not for an Italian. Here the purely playful moment contains the business. Like any other CAMRA Beer Festival it lasts more days in a row. I got to participate in the first, the so named “trade day”. I took the opportunity to collect notes of my random samplings. The format is the same for each CAMRA Beer Festival. The most eloquent example is the GBBF. Simply the CAMRA Beer Festival in Barnsley is more modest – although defining modest a line of over 30 beers is heresy. There was also a moment for training. The Barnsley CAMRA Beer Festival brought together all the members interested in carrying out the “dirty” work of the beer taster. The lesson was brief but eloquent: go and drink. There is no way – unfortunately and fortunately – to understand beer but tasting it. Reading, culture and knowledge of beer styles make a difference – essential when it comes to competitions – but the sensitivity of nose and mouth is the result of a hard and constant training. Which in a nutshell it means to drink, drink and drink again. The goal is simple: to produce numbers. The only tool of the tasting is an evaluation scorecard. Its job is to accompany the taster in the evaluating path. Nothing too much complex, just the usual sections: appearance, aroma and flavour. At the end you have to determine a final grade, which will then be used to determine means and assign titles such as best beer or best pub. But now, after all this talking it is time to taste. Here’s what I’ve been drinking! Ice Cream Stout, The Rat Brewery, 4.8% abv. Evanescent foam. Black colour, opaque, with brown nuances. Roasted aroma welcome (milk chocolate, toffee, coffee, licorice). The aromatic body expresses softness and apparent sweetness: raisins, dried plums, stracciatella ice cream, “drunk” sponge cake and chocolate cake. The heart is both floral and fruity: rose petals and black cherries. No carbonation, medium-bodied, velvety mouthfeel with light astringent bites. Fresh beginning (black bread, chestnut flour, coca-cola, dark chocolate). Gradually takes sweetish red notes of cherry, wild strawberries and licorice root. Red fruits aftersmell, lightly toasted aftertaste of coffee and cocoa. Woody and smoky suggestion. Dry end, slightly astringent but balanced by soft ice cream memories (fiordilatte). Ploughman’s Pride, Great Newsome Brewery, Deep Brown Bitter, 4.2% abv. Coarse foam lasting more than the average. Brown colour with chestnut shades. The nose is graceful with a slight off-flavour of soy sauce to welcome. The aromatic body changes the skin and takes on the likeness of bread crust, caramel, butterscotch and toffee, hazelnut, candy sugar, chestnut flour. Heart of toast. Alcoholic soul that recalls the idea (just the idea!) of Sherry. Very few bubbles, lots of (apparent) sweetness, medium body with a light and soft mouthfeel. It starts with bread, caramel, chestnut and hazelnut. The alcohol accent gives a dry ending. Caramelized aftersmell, bread crust and hazelnut aftertaste. Solidarnesc, Raw Brewing Co., Polish IPA, 6.2% abv. This beer is a tribute to the English Bohemian beers, in particular its new generation hops: Sybilla, Marynka and Junga. No foam. Orange colour with golden hues; crystal clear appearance. The aroma is extremely fresh, that of a freshly washed laundry (lavender, flower). There is a “green” trend (kiwi and apple). Above all there is a nice blend of Mediterranean and South Pacific fruits (melon, watermelon, white-fleshed peach). In the mouth it is powerful. Former notes are sweet (peach, bread, biscuit). But it’s all fire under ash: after a while the mouth is filled with bitterness. Herbal, spicy (green pepper) and floral. Orange honey interlude. Fruity finish: orange, tangerine, peach and green apple core. Alcoholic and dry aftertaste, orange peel finish. There is so much to drink at a CAMRA Beer Festival. You’ll have to taste everything. But don’t forget the business, between a pint and the other. If you are clever you will bring home a big deal.

The 2018 Champion Beer of Britain competition has now begun (yes the process takes over a year!) and this is an opportunity for all local CAMRA members to have their input into which beers from our region are nominated to be entered into the competition. Once entered into the competition the beers are judged in local, regional and national knockout blind tasting events held at various beer festivals until the finalists are judged at the Great British Beer Festival in August. So, its time to vote for the beers brewed in our region that you think are the best. Those memorable beers where the taste, aroma and more all come together to deliver enjoyment every time, perfection and pleasure in a glass! You are asked to pick your top 5 regularly brewed beers in each of the following style: Mild, Bitter, Best Bitter, Strong Bitter, Golden Ales, Speciality beers, Old Ales & Strong Milds, Porters, Stouts, Barley Wines & Strong Old Ales and Real Ale in a Bottle. Sheffield & District CAMRA members are invite to vote in two regions – Yorkshire & North East and East Midlands – due to the geography of our branch area. Vote by logging in to www.cbobvoting.org.uk with your membership number and CAMRA website password (if you haven’t yet got a password, log in to www.camra.org.uk with your postcode as your default password and change your password). The last time a beer from our branch area won Champion Beer of Britain was in 2004 when Kelham Island Pale Rider was the winner. The deadline for voting is 1st November.

Brian Holmshaw of Sheaf Valley Heritage is running a number of local history events that may be of interest to CAMRA members: Nether Edge Festival Beer and History Walk Beer on the Edge 4-7pm, Saturday 24 September at Bowling Club, 8 Nether Edge Road S7 1RU (usually one Abbeydale beer). Includes visits to various Nether Edge drinkeries including Union Hotel, Hop Hideout and Broadfield. For Cask Ale Week Ecclesall Road Beer and Brewery Walk part 1: Wards Brewery, meet Sunday 25 September 12 noon at Portland House, 286 Ecclesall Road S11 8PE. Includes visits to site of several former Sheffield breweries and pubs, finishing in Weatherspoon’s Sheaf Island. 3 hours. Ecclesall Road Beers and Brewery Walk Part 2: Hunters Bar, meet Sunday 2 October 12 noon at Beer House, 623 Ecclesall Road S11 8PT. Includes visits to Sharrow Vale Road area pubs and history of this former industrial area. 3 hours. Saturday 1 October, The Makers of Neepsend Once packed with orchards and market gardens, then a place of heavy industry Neepsend is now home to a dozen or so small makers: brewing, baking and bicycle repair among them. Join Brian Holmshaw to discover more of this history. Meet at Sheffield Brewery Company, Albyn Works, Burton Road S3 8BT at 2pm. Contact: sheafvalleyheritage.co.uk or book through Eventbrite. Cost: £5. Saturday 5 November, The Makers of Heeley Heeley is a place of makers and doers, from historic scythe making to the modern day SUM Studios. Join Brian Holmshaw as he explores the buildings, the makers and the beers of this rich and diverse area. With photographs, stories and family history. Meet outside Wearefolk.space 47-49 Chesterfield Road S8 0RL at 12 noon. Contact: sheafvalleyheritage.co.uk or book through Eventbrite. Cost: £5.

Following the branch AGM in early April there are some changes to people and roles on the committee. The new committee for 2016/17 is led by a new Chair – Kate Major – who joined us as secretary last year. Other committee members include Tony Kennick, Paul Croft, Mark Boardley, Andy Cullen, Sarah Mills, Louise Singleton, Dave Pickersgill, Alan Gibbons and Richard Short. More next month once individual roles have been appointed.

Our branch AGM takes place at Shakespeares on Tuesday 5th April and one of the functions this fulfills is to assemble the committee that runs the branch for the year ahead. If there are multiple candidates for a role then an election will be held at the AGM, however a number of long standing members are wanting to scale down their involvement and help new faces get involved in order to give the branch a bit of new energy and enthusiasm. Fancy a voluntary role on the committee? Here are the jobs we have: Chairman Chairs the branch and committee meetings, guides the direction of the branch, ensures things that need to happen are happening, keeps up to date with campaigning policy  and acts as a public figure head for CAMRA in our area presenting awards etc. Secretary Takes minutes at meetings, prepares paperwork, shares information and acts as the contact point for the branch both for CAMRA HQ and the public. Treasurer Ensures branch accountancy is kept properly and up to date, manages the bank account, issues invoices for adverts in Beer Matters and collects in payments, pays expenses and bills, organises the finances for our beer festival, presents the accounts to the AGM and regularly files them with the regional director. Membership Secretary Regularly contacts our members to keep them informed and encourage them to join in branch activities, acts as a point of contact for local membership issues, maintains a stock of membership leaflets and holders for pubs, organises a recruitment stand at our beer festival. Social Secretary Organises and hosts a programme of social events for members throughout the year including guided pub crawls, brewery tours, beer tastings and more. Press Officer Spreads the word and ensures coverage of our events and campaigning themes, makes sure our viewpoint is reported when issues of our interest are topical, participates in media interviews, builds and maintains relationships with local journalists and influential opinion formers. Also assists with the branch social media output. Young Members Contact Acts as a local contact for the wider network of young members (aged 18-30), takes the initiative to get more of our younger members actively involved in the branch and attending socials – organising specific young members socials if neccessary – and maintains liaison with the University of Sheffield Real Ale Society. Pubs Officer Undertakes the administration work to Keep the Pubzilla database of pubs in our area up to date ensuring information on the WhatPub.com website is correct, organises survey work to gather fresh data if neccessary, keeps an eye on pub campaigning issues and any planning applications impacting on pubs in our area. Pub Preservation Officer Champions the cause of pub heritage in our area, maintains details of pubs with historic features, works with the regional CAMRA organisation on their heritage inventory, leads on applications for pubs to become listed as assets of community value, picks up on any relevant issues passed on by the Pubs Officer. Beer Matters Editor and Webmaster Responsible for the content of our branch magazine and website and building a working relationship with local breweries and publicans that supply news and adverts. Apple representative Champions the cause of real cider & perry, promotes the availability in our area, organises the Cider Pub of the Year competition and special cider events. Beer Festival Organiser Chairs the organising committee of our Steel City Beer & Cider Festival. Other smaller roles includes managing the advertising in our Beer Matters magazine, co-ordinating our Pub of the Month and Pub of the Year competitions, managing the selection of pubs for the Good Beer Guide, chairing the local beer tasting panel, running the LocAle scheme in our area, building and maintaining relationships with local councillors and MPs.    

  Recently two Sheffield pubs became part of the prestigious CAMRA Regional Inventory of heritage Pub interiors – The Friendship (Manchester Road, Stocksbridge) and the New Barrack (Penistone Road, Hillsborough). The Friendship was renovated by Thomas (Tom) Edward Batty, in 1903, on the site of an earlier pub, built about 1859, run by Harriet Battye in 1868-71 and by Elijah Askew in 1881. In 1903, it was advertised as, ‘Re-built, Re-furbished and up-to-date.’ The building was built to serve the growing town of Stocksbridge with miles of steelworks and thousands of workers. Peak employment was 6500. By 1991 this had dropped to 1400. In 2015 there are less than 800. There is imposing stonework above the central doorway, ‘1903’ and the initials ‘TEB’ can be clearly seen. This also includes ‘a handshake:’ this became the emblem of the Cooperative Society. Tom Batty was a bottler of beers (including ‘Bass and Worthingtons’ fine ales’). The pub has an example of one. The Friendship retains 3 of its original 4 rooms and a lobby bar as well as plenty of tiling. The entrance lobby has floor to ceiling tiling in shades of green. Walk into a lobby bar area still with the original counter and superstructure above (top section painted grey) that would have originally contained screens. The bar back fitting is distinctive and is likely to be the original structure. It has seen much change with new top shelving and lower shelves replaced by fridges. The room on the front left (originally, the Tap Room, currently, the Pool Room) has a door and original bench seating around most of the room (the right hand wall piece is missing and the front window section stops short). There is a row of bell pushes all around the room in a wood panel above the seating; the cast iron fireplace is modern. There is a tiled frieze around three sides of the room (not the front wall) and on the rear wall are 5 tiled panels of plain cream tiles with a green glazed edging. In the early 1970’s, the door was moved from the wall perpendicular to the entrance to the current position. At the same time the matching wall and door on the right of the entrance were removed. This created the room at the front right which is completely opened-up with modern fixed seating and, in 2014, the addition of a wood burner. The middle left room (originally, the Games Room, currently, the Quiet Room) has a double door width doorway, a good sectioned ceiling and a fireplace where the lower part looks modern but the top section is old as it includes a tiled painting of Venice signed by W Yale. The fixed seating is modern. The internal window is a later addition, at the same time as the movement of the door in the Tap Room. William (Billy) Yale was born in Newport, Shropshire in 1843. He was employed by Copeland from c.1869-83, where he was known for painting marine views and winter scenes. After he left Copeland, he set up his own studio on Liverpool Road in Stoke-on-Trent advertising himself as ‘a Tile and Slab Decorator’. During this time, he began decorating sagger ware plaques which he acquired from other potteries and fired in a kiln attached to his premises. At the rear left up three steps is a function room, originally the billiard room, which still retains its original bench seating on a platform for easy viewing of games. There are original bell pushes around the room but it has lost its fireplace and the full sized snooker table. This is currently used as a function room. Rear right of ground floor includes a room (originally a concert room) which was last used in 1975. It is currently derelict. However, a restoration is planned. By the 1980’s, the Friendship was one of many Bass Charrington (Stones) large keg-only pubs. The Friendship was sold by Enterprise Inns, taken on, redecorated and reopened in December 2014. The new owners have carried out a sensitive refurbishment preserving and enhancing the historic interior. There is also an active bowling green. It is believed that this was originally built as part of the pub. It is currently used by Stocksbridge Friendship Bowling Club (founded 1911) on a long-term lease (over 10 years to run). A subsequent edition of ‘Beer Matters’ will include information about the New Barrack. – Dave Pickersgill & Mick Slaughter

Many thanks to all at Blue Bee and the Three Tuns for assisting with recent birthday celebrations. Josh allowed myself and a number of friends to assist (interfere?) on a brew day and the resulting one-off, pale and hoppy concoction subsequently took pride of place at my birthday party. Thanks to the Three Tuns (a well-deserved contender for the Sheffield 2016 PoTY) for hosting the party – hope you all enjoyed ‘Hey Ho Six Oh!,‘ a 4.3% four-hop epic which was available nationwide. For the technically minded: the 10 bbl. brew included 10 bags of Fawcett malted barley and 5 kg of wheat. Hops were Azzaca, Chinock, Columbus and Summit. – Dave Pickersgill

Did you know there are around 1000 Young Members (YM) in Yorkshire? I bet that surprised you. As everyone’s spread over a large area and always busy it can be difficult to meet up with other YMs, which is where a Regional YMs’ Social comes in. On a sunny Saturday afternoon in late August we held our inaugural event, a walk along the canal from Kirkstall to Rodley visiting the pubs enroute with a little bit on top. We met in Tapped in the city centre, an easy place to get to whether travelling by train or bus, and sampled their wide range of beers. Two of us tried Magic Rock Simpleton (2.6%) because we wanted to know if a beer at this alcohol by volume (ABV) could still deliver full flavour. And it certainly did. A lot of people will be put off buying a beer of low ‘strength’ but there really is no reason other than perception. On a previous branch brewery tour, the brewer said one of the hardest beers to brew is a low ABV one. There’s a small market for these beers so breweries that produce them must be confident of their quality and parity of flavour compared to regular ABV beers as was the case here. Anyway, back to the event itself. Once all congregated, we hopped on a bus to Kirkstall Abbey for a quick bit of culture and see one of Leeds’ sites given many people weren’t from the city having come from all over God’s Own County including Bradford, Ossett, Sheffield, Thirsk and Wakefield. And let’s not forget West End House pub is about 3 minutes away! One person knew far more about Kirkstall Abbey than I did though he does currently work for English Heritage but will be joining Whitby Brewery shortly. In the aforementioned pub upon seeing the interesting selection of 4 or 5 ales one of the group ironically joked that they wanted John Smith’s Smooth. The barman missed the banter and was apologetic that they didn’t stock it but had Worthington Creamflow instead! Beers from Goose Eye and Naylor’s were what most people opted for and they were certainly not disappointed. Big banners outside advertised the twice weekly quiz: it’s a couple years since I last took part but it was one that stood out as being very enjoyable, fast paced and inclusive of all individuals and teams irrespective of ability at traditional pub quizzes. Do you fancy a quiz night social here? Just down the road is Kirkstall Bridge Inn (Pub of the Year for the second year running) where we joined members on one of the regular branch socials. It was great to see some new faces at the event who had recently moved into the branch area and others who I’d not seen for a while. Across the two socials there were around 35 people enjoying the afternoon. The YMs stayed on for a bit extra to allow fair chance to sample a selection of the four Kirkstall Brewery beers, these sometimes being hard to locate for many non-Leeds members, and four guests. With two dark beers plus a strong one (Kirkstall, Generous George, 6.1%) available I was quite happy to spend extra time lapping up the sunshine in the beer garden. (The garden was completely flooded in November and made national news because two people still ‘enjoyed’ a pint outside despite being up to their chest in water!) Conscious of still having five pubs to visit we made a move and enjoyed a pleasant 1.5 mile/2.5 km or so walk along the canal watching fisherman waiting for that elusive catch, listening to a range of cheery birdsong and laughing at dogs leaping in to the water to reach their new favourite stick. The Abbey Inn (Community Pub of the Year complete with large banner celebrating this achievement) greeted us and Martin, the landlord, was his usual jovial self. An interesting choice of 6 ales that included a dark one plus some well-regarded bottled beers were available. However, my favourite ale was Little Daughter from Voracious Vole, a 6.1% stormer that reminded me of a Belgian trippel. Another of their excellent brews was available on a previous award evening at the pub with the wares, I believe, from a home brewer who lives just around the corner. Another stroll of the same length brought us to Rodley with the first port of call The Crown and Anchor. On each of my visits there’s been a single ale available, this time Everard’s Sunchaser, but I’ve always been very impressed with the quality. It’s far better to stock fewer beers and serve them in tip-top condition than to have a wide range and struggle to keep the quality. Sometimes CAMRA members can be blinded by the number of beers on offer and overlook places that serve one or two in consistently excellent condition and for which there is demand amongst the regulars but may be viewed as “boring” within certain CAMRA circles. A couple of minutes further and with perfect timing, as it started spitting, The Owl greeted us. This had been a very successful premises for a number of years under the stewardship of Gina and the team but following a substantial rent increase they relocated to The Fleece at Farsley, which has subsequently won Pub of the Season. After a period of closure and changes to landlords, The Owl seems to be heading back in the right direction with its convivial atmosphere re-establishing. And as a sweetener, just show your CAMRA card for a 10% discount on pints. We dodged a heavy shower while inside and right-on-cue when emerging the sun came out again – as the expression goes, the sun shines on the righteous! We visited The Railway next, located 100 metres off the canal and less than 5 minutes beyond Rodley. A traditional and cosy pub this would an ideal location to escape the weather on a cold winter’s day. We bumped into some friends of one of the people on the Social who class the pub as their local despite living in Horsforth and are more than willing to make the journey to it. After an enjoyable Theakston’s Old Peculiar from the choice of 4 ales, and again dodging another heavy shower, we headed back to the centre of Rodley for our final venue, The Barge. Here they have benches right on the side of the canal if you fancy a final fix of being close to the water while enjoying one of their 5 ales. It’s also a perfect place for the final drink being on a crossroads with a bus stop on two of the opposite corners – just make sure you’re at the correct one though if you do happen to miss your bus it wouldn’t be a hardship to stay for another in any of the nearby pubs! I plan to organise Regional YMs Socials roughly every 3 to 4 months so keep your eyes open for future events such as a brewery tour, rail ale trail and ‘volunteering social’ at a beer festival. In the meantime, do check out what your local branch is up to. Demographics might mean they don’t have any specific YMs socials coming up but their normal events might also be worth a look. Questions, suggestions or information? I’m always happy to hear from you, just drop me an email: YoungMembers@leeds-camra.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon! Cheers Warren Yabsley Leeds Branch and Regional (Yorkshire) Young Members Contact