Sheffield: 5 Kelham Island and Shalesmoor Pubs

My abode for my latest Sheffield visit, during this week, was again The Crow Inn, 33 Scotland Street S3 7BS (website), which reopened 5 years ago after quite a few years closure, and has 7 en suite bedrooms. Sadly, no breakfast provided, but there are some very interesting bar snacks. Importantly, it also sells quite a few interesting ales and crafty keg beers! Open Mon-Wednesday 3pm to 12 midnight; Thurs-Saturday 12 noon to 1am; Sunday 12 noon to 11pm.

Before I go any further I have to own up to not being a great note taker in my wee book this visit, but I did add notes to photographs I shared on facebook, trust it's adequate. 😉

The first ale I drank here was from Manchester based Marble Brewery (website), their 4.1% Persephone, a pale golden summer ale, brewed with Ariana, Huell Melon, Lemondrop and Mosaic hops. Very crisp, pale clear vegan friendly ale, with a dry bitter finish, very decent indeed.

Because Michael behind the bar said it was nearing its end, and I didn't want to miss it, I had a quick half of North London based Hammerton Brewery (website) City of Cake, a 5.5% 'Choc Fudge Cake Stout.' It pretty much does what it says on its label, hints of coffee and caramel, big chocolate aroma and taste, with fudge indeed, sweetish (DUH!) and very luxurious. 👍

I also had a pint the next day of Sheffield based Abbeydale Brewery (website) Heathen (4.1%), an APA style ale, brewed with Mosaic hops, and dry hopped with Mosaic to make sure you appreciate the taste and aroma! As you'd expect from the hops, notably forest fruits and citrus, providing a bitter dry finish. Another clear pale vegan friendly ale, and on regularly at The Crow, so virtually its 'house ale' and deservedly so, nice one! 

Again, both days I visited Shakespeare's (facebook), 146-148 Gibraltar Street S3 8UB, which, as you can see from the photograph above, used to be a Ward's pub when I lived in Sheffield in the 1990s. This Georgian pub was closed for 18 months from early 2010 (previously, Jeff, Lindsay and I had helped them finish off their array of rums!), refurbished, and reopened in July 2011, and since winning CAMRA awards too. They sell up to 9 real ales, many from local brewers, over 50 bottled beers, and a fair few crafty keg beers. I drank here with Peter, who works at Blue Bee Brewery (website), and a friend for many years, the first visit, then with long time friends Jeff and Lindsay again the next day; we followed a similar route. 😁

The first day I drank, from Sheffield based Fuggle Bunny Brew House (website), their 4.0% Cotton Tail. This is a pale ale with citrus aroma and taste, they say with lychees in the aroma, but I wouldn't know about that 😉 and apparently brewed with 5 varieties of hop, which they keep to themselves, but probably includes Citra hops, I'm guessing, because of the lychee. Easy to drink, sweetish, with a slightly bitter finish.

Then I drank, from nearby Little Critters Brewing Company (website), a brewery from which I've drunk excellent ales from as far south as Hastings, their 4.4% Luna's Peach Pale Ale. Indeed, plenty of peach, so I'm guessing peach extract, fruits, or flavouring of some sort involved, the website suggests orange zest added too, but definitely states Centennial and Amarillo are the hops used. I have to admit that the peach was a bit too much for me, I should have had a half, but Little Critters do brew excellent pale bitter ales, looking forward to my next one...

I met Jeff and Lindsay here on my second day, and I drank 2 pints of Abbeydale Brewery (website) Deception (4.1%). This 'New Zealand Pale Ale' is primarily hopped with Nelson Sauvin, but Amarillo, Chinook, Galaxy and Columbus hops are added too. An excellent pale ale, with citrus, grape and gooseberry  in the flavour, refreshing, with a dry bitter finish. 👌

On both days, we wandered around to Kelham Island (Jeff and Lindsay in the photograph above), to the Kelham Island Tavern, or KIT, many of us still use the term KitCat when going to drink at the Fat Cat (below) as well as the KIT. 😉 Anyway, the Kelham Island Tavern, 62 Russell Street S3 8RW (website). Built in the 1830s, it was a derelict building when Trevor and Lewis took it over, refurbished it, reopening in 2002, and it became the best real ale pub in the country, indeed, they won the National CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2008 and 2009, and have won many other awards before and since! Although now retired, I believe Trevor still owns the property, but now the licencee is Josh, I believe, and still winning awards.

Because it's new to me, and a bit exciting I found out, and Peter and Josh (from pub and brewery!) brew it, I had to go for the locally based Blue Bee Brewery (website) their dual hopped Citra Nectaron IPA (6.0%). And a BIG fruity extravaganza it is! Citrus from the Citra hops, goes without saying, tropical fruit from the New Zealand Nectaron hops, including a hint of pineapple, and forest fruits from both. Together with the strength, this made it a pretty special ale indeed, plenty of body, full of aroma and taste, and dry bitter finish, quality!

On both days I drank the Blue Bee Brewery (website) American 5 Hop Version 70 (4.3%), that is the 70th version, this time using El Dorado, Mosaic, Columbus, Simcoe and Chinook hops from the USA! What would you expect me to say? 😁 Very hoppy, big citrus aroma and taste, pale golden, with a dry bitter finish, just as I like my session bitters, very good indeed! 

Anyone would think the Kelham Island Tavern is the Blue Bee brewery tap. 😉

On the first day Peter and I wandered around the corner to The Fat Cat (website), 23 Alma Street S3 8SA, and people familiar with this blog, or who know me personally, will know that when I was a post-grad student I worked at the associated brewery (just beyond and to the right in the photograph above), Kelham Island Brewery. The pub was an original in Sheffield, virtually throughout the country for that matter, when it was bought as the Alma in 1981 by Dave Wickett and his colleague Bruce to provide an alternative to the big brewers, and providing an outlet for independent brewers. After separating their business interests, Dave continued with the pub and set up the microbrewery, in a shed behind the pub at that time (now bigger, and seen above), in 1990. Now the brewery is no longer in use, but more recently, a group of lads bought the name and are brewing separately at Thornbridge Brewery (website).

I didn't take any notes here, but was a bit disappointed with the ale, so will leave my review of The Fat Cat for now, until my next visit. Worth a visit though! 👍

On the second day, Jeff, Lindsay and I continued on to Shalesmoor, and just after the tram stop is The Wellington (facebook), 1 Henry Street S3 7EQ. Originally built in the 1830s, it became run down during the 20th century, and was refurbished and reopened as a free house in 1993 renamed the Cask & Cutler (as I first remember it, although also called the "Bottom Welly" - the "Top Welly" was at the other end of Infirmary Road). Anyway, it changed hands in 2006 and returned its name to The Wellington, or Cask & Welly as we used to call it. In 2016, the pub was bought by the friendly Canadian, James B (another ex-brewer at the Kelham Island Brewery from quite a few years ago!), who has his own brewery now, Neepsend Brew Co (website). 

The Neepsend ales are very good, but I do particularly like Huddersfield based Mallinsons Brewing Company (website), indeed, they are among my top favourite brewers in the country. Anyway, I had a couple of pints of their 4.0% Town of Surfside, an American Pale Ale in style, although I can't find out which hops were used, I won't even guess which variety because they use many different varieties of hop from the USA in their ales! Whatever, I enjoyed it immensely, thus the 2 pints, pale,dry and bitter! 👍

Apologies for not photographing the Welly on this occasion.

OK, for me it's an institution that, whenever I visit Sheffield, I visit Mama's and Leonies at least once, twice this time (website), which is situated at 111/115 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JE (0114 272 0490), just down the road from the famous, for snooker fans particularly, Crucible Theatre, and around the corner from the Winter Gardens. I've been eating at Mama's since the 1990s, so I can see no reason why I should change that 'institution' now. Anyway, still many familiar friendly faces working there and pleasant discourse shared with Tracy and others, it's great to be remembered, and my favourite Warm Chick & Bacon Salad, without the croutons, and a half carafe of red wine of course. Always excellent, plenty of healthy stuff on the plate, mucho salad, and never fails to please me, well sated, nice one Kath, John and team, cheers m'dears!

For more information on hops mentioned please go to hopslist.

Pale Rider Update.

I  wrote about Pale Rider (5.2%) being available again in a blog late last year, because I have a great fondness for the brewery, as I used to work at Kelham Island Brewery (new company's website) when I was a postgrad student studying and living in Sheffield in the late 1990s and into this millennium. I have brewed, delivered and drunk quite a few pints of Pale Rider, and other Kelham Island ales, overall I lived in Sheffield for 16 years and still return regularly, at least once or twice a year! So it is a big thing to me, and for many others no doubt, that Pale Rider (5.2%) returned to life under the stewardship of its new custodians. 👍

One of the reasons I am writing this update is that they replied to a question I added to a tweet they had posted on twitter, and advised me the hops they now use for this award winning ale. When I worked at the brewery I only remember using one variety of hop for Pale Rider, that was Willamette from the USA, although when I chatted to the brewer a little over a year ago (blog) he told me hops used over the years had changed on a number of occasions. Anyway, Willamette hops are used again in Pale Rider's production, Willamette being developed from English Fuggle hops way back in the 1960s and "feature complex spiciness characterised by herbal, floral and fruity notes" (hopslist).

3 other hop varieties from the USA are also used for Pale Rider now, Cascade, Chinook and Crystal. I believe this fine pale ale is now brewed at the Thornbridge Brewery site (website), but by a completely separate business; although I also remember that my old boss at Kelham Island Brewery, Dave Wickett (R.I.P.) had provided some advice when Thornbridge was first set up nearly 20 years ago. Cascade was "developed through open pollination" of English Fuggle and Russian Serebrianka hops in the 1950s at Oregan State University, and "when brewed exudes a spicy citrus aroma with hints of grapefruit" (hopslist).

The Chinook hop was released in 1985 and is a "cross between Petham Golding and a USDA male, and features a pine-like, spicy bouquet with robust grapefruit flavour" (hopslist). Crystal is another hop bred in the early 1980s and has a lineage "extending back to Hallertau, Cascade, Brewer's Gold and Early Green" hops. "It's woodsy, green, floral and fruity, with herb and spice notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper" (hopslist).

From all the above, you can bet that Pale Rider has a great combination of flavours, and I'm looking forward to my next visit to Sheffield, cheers!

Images reproduced, with thanks, from Kelham Island Brewery's twitter account and Thornbridge Brewery's website.

Pale Rider back at the Fat Cat very soon!

OK, I have been going on about this quite a bit lately, but no surprise really, I was in Sheffield last week, used to work at Kelham Island Brewery (website) when I was a postgrad student studying and living in Sheffield, have brewed, delivered and drunk Pale Rider, indeed I lived in Sheffield for 16 years and still return regularly! So it is a big thing to me, and for many others no doubt, that Pale Rider (5.2%) will be on sale again from next Wednesday the 19th of October 2022 at The Fat Cat, 23 Alma Street, Sheffield S3 8SA (KIB facebook), nice one, cheers! 🍺

Autumnal Sheffield Day 1 PLUS Kelham Island Update

Whenever I visit Sheffield I visit Mama's and Leonies (website), 111/115 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JE (0114 272 0490), just down the road from the famous, for snooker fans particularly, Crucible Theatre, and around the corner from the Winter Gardens. Again, many familiar friendly faces working there (Kath & John, Tracey, and chefs Jason and James) and pleasant discourse shared of course. Foodwise? Had to have my favourite Warm Chicken & Bacon Salad and a half carafe of red wine of course. Always excellent, plenty of healthy stuff in there, and never fails to please me, well sated, many thanks! Then to...

My abode for 2 nights, The Crow Inn, 33 Scotland Street S3 7BS (website), within walking distance so not far away. The Crow Inn reopened over 3 years ago after quite a few years closure, and has 7 refurbished en suite bedrooms. It also sells quite a few interesting ales. As when I last was here (blog) I had a pint from Abbeydale Brewery (website), a beer originally brewed to be dispensed as a keg beer 6 years ago. I drank cask conditioned ale of course, their Heathen American Pale Ale (4.1%), a very drinkable ale of its style, and just £3.50 a pint.

I returned there at the end of the evening, as one would if one was staying there, like me, and sampled another ale for my nightcap, from the Newcastle brewery Almasty (website). This was their 3.9% Amarillo & Blanc (Amarillo and Hallertau Blanc hops) at £4.20 a pint, pale, fruity and cloudy, presumably for vegans. "Not bad" was how I noted it, but then, I'm not particularly fond of un-fined ales, though many people rave over them.

Anyway, after my early pint there I wandered up into the city centre to meet up with Brigitte, Ian and Noel at The Beehive, 240 West Street S1 4EU (facebook), which used to be a 'Firkin' pub in the late 1990s, then renowned for its excellent milds. stouts and porters. But here I drank ale from the Barnsley brewer Acorn (website), their 4.0% Blonde, which does what it says on the label, well balanced pale and refreshing, I liked it, after that pint we moved on to...

Heading towards Brammall Lane, we popped into The Washington, somewhere it's been a while since I've visited, and once co-owned by the Pulp drummer Nick Banks, 79 Fitzwilliam Street S1 4JP (website). I think I may have had a pint of Abbeydale Moonshine at £3.90 a pint, but don't hold me to that, maybe a guest ale, as I didn't take notes, silly me! 😁

Anyway, after the match, Ian and I walked back up to The Bath Hotel (whatpub - couldn't find a website), 66-68 Victoria Street S3 7QL, now back in the warm custodianship of the great man himself, Brian. Indeed, one of my favourite regular haunts when I lived in Sheffield, and I was greeted by the smiling face of Brian and warm handshakes galore, great that he's back! Obviously warm discourse was shared, live folk music listened to, and a couple of excellent pints drunk too. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I drank the quality ale that is Thornbridge (website) Jaipur (5.9%), packed with hops, ie Chinook, Centennial, Ahtanum, Simcoe, Columbus and Cascade. I wasn't disappointed, pale, dry, hoppy and strong, quality!

Oh yes, and Kelham Island Brewery (website), of which which I recently wrote about it's being saved from oblivion (blog), and I did promise an update when I had more information. Well, they got back in touch with me and explained that the brewery building wasn't included in the deal with the local consortium that is now Kelham Island Brewery, but they will be brewing their ales at Thornbridge Brewery, and, I believe, Pale Rider is already being/been brewed. So look out for it, you lucky Sheffield people you, cheers! 👌

Kelham Island Brewery Saved!

Further to my recent blog about the closure of Kelham Island Brewery, well good news for once, as the brewery and its ales have been saved by a Sheffield-based consortium, so Pale Rider will be available again, reasonably soon, I presume. I've sent off a few messages, and will be in Sheffield very soon so can ask around whilst there, any further information I discover as to where it will be brewed etc, I shall share as it becomes know, nice one, cheers!

They still hold their facebook page and website, and I'll cut & paste the message on the facebook page that explains the news (below), and this page written by Pete Brown is great too!

Kelham Island Brewery lives!

With huge excitement and a real sense of responsibility we're delighted to announce that a group of like-minded Sheffield individuals have joined together to ensure that the beers of Kelham Island Brewery will live on.

When we first heard the news about the closure in May we were as shocked and saddened as everyone that such a key part of Shefflield’s brewing heritage was to disappear. We couldn't imagine a time when we wouldn't be able to pop into the Fat Cat in Kelham Island for a pint of Pale Rider.

James O'Hara, venue owner and Tramlines co-founder and his team have joined up with Thornbridge Brewery to ensure that this fantastic heritage lives on. Thornbridge have a rich history and relationship with Kelham Island Brewery, the first ever beers brewed at Thornbridge Hall were in fact Kelham Island beers and Dave Wickett, the founder of Kelham Island Brewery and hugely influential figure in the history of brewing in the UK was a key mentor to Simon and Jim when their journey began. We're also delighted that Ed Wickett, son of Dave and owner of the Fat Cat has given us his blessing and the Fat Cat will have the first pour of the new batch of Pale Rider on October 19th.

Keep your eyes peeled for more news dropping soon, Pale Rider will be back in its rightful place on tap down in Kelham at the Fat Cat before you know it.

Pale Rider rides again!

Sad News that Kelham Island Brewery is Closing

It is very sad news that the Kelham Island Brewery in Sheffield is closing after 32 years of trading, I tried visiting their website, but it appears that excessive demand makes the website unobtainable for now. Anyway, it is reported in the Yorkshire Post, and there are statements on Kelham Island Brewery's twitter and facebook pages. 

Those who know me will be aware that I used to live in Sheffield for 16 years, arriving as a postgrad student in 1995, during which time I worked at the Brewery part-time (up to 30 hours a week). It is a wonderful city for microbreweries and good pubs and ale, and is on the edge of the Peak District, so excellent for walking too, a very hard place to leave. Indeed, I visit reasonably regularly, usually coinciding with a football match, and was here just a few weeks ago, when I spoke to the Head Brewer, but he gave no indication that the Brewery was soon to close (blog).

Sad news indeed, and they have just brewed their last Pale Rider gyle... 😢

Many thanks for the memories, but I shall continue to visit the Fat Cat (website), cheers!

Visit to Sheffield - Part 2

OK, for me it's an institution now that, whenever I visit Sheffield, I visit Mama's and Leonies at least once (website), which is situated at 111/115 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JE (0114 272 0490), just down the road from the famous, for snooker fans particularly, Crucible Theatre, and around the corner from the Winter Gardens. I've been eating at Mama's since the last millennium, so I can see no reason why I should change that 'institution' now. Anyway, again, many familiar friendly faces working there and pleasant discourse shared, it's great to be remembered, and my favourite Warm Chick & Bacon Salad, without the croutons, and a large glass of red wine of course (it's been over 30 months since my last meal here!), always excellent, plenty of healthy stuff in there, and never fails to please me, sated, many thanks!

Quality Salad & Wine

Anyway, that was a late breakfast (I had a coffee first, and after) cum lunch, then I re-visited the Fat Cat and Kelham Island Brewery, as I said in my last blog, before returning to The Crow Inn (for address and other details see my last blog as well) for a wee bit of respite from my research, it's a difficult task, but someone has to do it! 😉 Before I left, well I had to have another pint, it would have been rude not to, so I had a pint of Bristolian brewers, Arbor Ales (website) Zero-Zero, a 4.3% "New England IPA." Brewed with the wonderful Citra and Mosaic hops, I couldn't resist! Another 'vegan friendly' beer, so, sadly for me, hazy, but a big aroma and taste of fruit, not bad at all, I'd love to try a nice clear pint of this, oh well, unlikely to happen...

I then walked up to the University of Sheffield and the Student Union's Bar One (website and, incidentally, where I worked a few shifts when I was a postgrad student, 'twas manic, hence just a few shifts 😉), Glossop Road S10 2GE, to meet up with Brigitte, Tom and Noel, for early drinks before going to Bramall Lane for the football match I was also in Sheffield to watch; see I wasn't just here for the food and drinks! Before I carry on, notes taken were fewer, and I must apologise for the blurred images that do appear, but I do have an injury to my right hand... The 3 of them were already there, Tom and Brigitte with grub soon to arrive, I just had a couple of beers.

First I tried the Sheffield based Abbeydale Brewery (website) Reverie (4.2%), dry hopped with Citra and Cascade. Surprisingly, considering I love these 2 hops, I wasn't impressed by it, but I have suspicions that it may have been near the end of the barrel as my notes only say "OK" 👌 I also I had a pint of Thornbridge AM:PM (4.5%), brewed with the addition of Ella, Citra, Nelson Sauvin and Amarillo, a mixture of US and New Zealand hops. Billed as a 'Session IPA' and amber in colour, tropical and citrus fruit to the taste, it wasn't bad! Oh yes, and Tom reminded me that they are having the Sheffield University Student Union Beer Festival (facebook page) over the Mayday weekend, looks interesting...

We four then walked across to The Bath Hotel (website), 66-68 Victoria Street S3 7QL, currently run by Thornbridge Brewery (website), who are giving up the lease on Saturday 23rd April, I have been informed... This was one of my favourite regular haunts when I lived in Sheffield and the pub was being run by the ever friendly Brian (who, I believe still owns the pub, but leases it to Thornbridge), 'twas a quality establishment! Back to this visit and I had a pint of their Astryd (3.8%), a bit hazy for vegans, and perhaps a little too subtle with the hops, presumably from the USA and predominantly Mosaic, I do believe.

But then, to the match, and afterwards to...

... The Rutland Arms (website), 86 Brown Street S1 2BS, built in the 1930s and with a very interesting exterior and interior, hints of art deco, and an attractive faience frontage. Again, sorry, but the image of the bar above is a wee bit fuzzy, but you can see they have plenty of real ales and crafty keg beers from 20 taps; the bar steward appears to be a bit suspicious of my photography, probably why it's fuzzy! 😉 I remember having an ale, a few of them were fuzzy too, definitely wasn't Blue Bee, sadly, and a crafty keg beer from The Kernel (website), which was dark and fizzy, but not bad at all! It's always worth visiting this pub when in Sheffield.

Of course I went back to my 'lodgings' but went up to bed as heading back home the next morning, reasonably early. Whatever, it was great to be back in Sheffield, I trust you enjoyed what I shared too, hopefully there will be many more visits in the years to come, cheers!

Visit to Sheffield - Part 1

I arrived at Sheffield Station in the early afternoon, having begun a visit here last week and, of course, if you know Sheffield you will know there is an excellent pub on platform 1, ie the Sheffield Tap (website). The entrance above is outside the station and is at 1b Sheaf Street, S1 2BP, and opposite Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield Interchange. The bar is situated in the Grade II listed Refreshment Room, which had been turned into a waiting room in the 1970s, and closed because of vandalism in 1976. In 2008 refurbishment began (see their story), I believe they had assistance from Thornbridge Brewery concerning ales to sell, indeed, had 4 Thornbridge ales on sale when they first opened; now they just have their excellent pale and hoppy 5.9% Jaipur (website) on one of the 11 handpumps.

The development of the site has seen the Tap's own microbrewery next door, located in what used to be the First Class Dining Room, Tapped Brew Co (their website doesn't appear to be working, but facebook page), which has a 4 Barrel brewing plant. A selection of their ales and many guest beers are served from the 11 handpumps, and I had a pint from the ever dependable Roosters Brewing Co (website), their 4.1% Yorkshire Pale Ale. An excellent pale golden bitter, very easy to drink, and all their beers are 'vegan' friendly, and CLEAR, thank you very much!

I then walked to my abode for 2 nights, The Crow Inn, 33 Scotland Street S3 7BS (website), not so far away, but very close to the area where I'd be meeting mates this afternoon/evening, and drinking with them! The Crow Inn reopened 3 years ago after quite a few years closure, and has 7 recently refurbished en suite bedrooms. It also sells a quite a few interesting ales... Indeed, I met up with the first of the 3 lads there, Will, and, after settling into my room, ie offloading my bag, I returned to the bar for a pint.

I had a pint from Abbeydale Brewery (website), and I do know the original head brewer of this brewery, good lad, and, interestingly, a beer originally brewed to be dispensed as a keg beer 6 years ago! But this day it was a cask conditioned ale I drank, of course, ie Heathen American Pale Ale (4.1%), blessed by Mosaic hops, I do believe. My notes, and they get progressively worse over the shift, be aware, say "pretty good, does what it says on the label."

Will and I then wandered across to Kelham Island and met up with Jeff and Lindsay at The Fat Cat (website), 23 Alma Street S3 8SA, and people familiar with this blog, or who know me personally, will know that when I was a post-grad student I worked at the associated brewery (just beyond and to the right in the photograph above), Kelham Island Brewery (website), with the same postal address. The pub was an original in Sheffield, virtually throughout the country for that matter, when it was bought as the Alma in 1981 by Dave and Bruce to provide an alternative to the big brewers, and providing an outlet for independent brewers. After separating their business interests, Dave continued with the pub and set up the microbrewery, in a shed behind the pub at that time (now bigger, and seen above), in 1990. Great to see Di and the chef are still working at the Cat too, I had nice chats with both of them.

Anyway, I drank their Kelham Best (3.8%) the next day, but won't mention it in my next blog (when I drank it, next day), but a very decent traditional bitter and at only £3 a pint, so I had to mention it here... Fuggles, Goldings and Admiral hops used now (not when I worked there, but it appears all the beers' recipes have changed since my day). The first day, from the many ales on offer, I drank their Easy Rider (4.3%), which I remember as a weaker version of their Pale Rider (5.2%), but, having chatted to the head brewer the next day, I realised recipes had changed significantly, the hopes used aren't advertised, but as you'd expect, hops from the USA are used. I didn't make any notes about the Easy Rider (£3.40 a pint) but it does what it says, a very decent APA style beer. Oh yes, and I mentioned the Pale Rider in a recent blog, but the brewer didn't have older information about the possible use of Cascade hops, so no idea still!

You used to be able to be able to see the back of the Kelham Island Tavern, or KIT, as you left the Cat, many of us still use the term KitCat when going to drink at both 😉 Anyway, just around the corner is the KIT, 62 Russell Street S3 8RW (website). Built in the 1830s, it was a derelict building when Trevor and Lewis took it over, refurbished it, reopening in 2002, and it became the best real ale pub in the country, indeed, they won the National CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2008 and 2009, and have won many other awards before and since! Although now retired, I believe Trevor still owns the property, but now managed by others, and still winning awards.

I was quite surprised not to know any of the regulars present when we walked in, but it's been a few years now since I was in Sheffield and, no doubt, at other times I would know more customers.  Anyway, the 4 of us found a nice table adjacent to their galley kitchen, and I chose, after Will recommended it to me, the local Blue Bee Brewery (website) American 5 Hop Version 53 (4.3%), the 53rd version having Citra, Mosaic, Columbus, Comet and Cascade hops from the USA used! What would you expect me to say? 😁 Very hoppy, big citrus aroma and taste, pale golden, with a dry bitter finish, just as I like my session bitters, very good indeed! 

From there, we wandered around another corner to Shakespeare's (website), 146-148 Gibraltar Street S3 8UB, which, as you can see from the photograph above, used to be a Ward's pub many years ago, and they've retained the signs. This Georgian pub was closed for 18 months from early 2010 (previously, Jeff, Lindsay and I had helped them finish off their array of rums!), refurbished, and reopened in July 2011, and since winning CAMRA awards too. I have to admit to not making any notes here, sorry, but they do sell up to 9 real ales, many from local brewers, over 50 bottled beers and over 100 whiskies! It is also a well known music venue in Sheffield.

OK, I was starting to feel a wee bit challenged, maybe 😁 and, whilst Jeff and Lindsay set off for home, Will and I walked the short distance to Shalesmoor, and just after that tram stop is The Wellington (facebook), 1 Henry Street S3 7EQ. Originally built in the 1830s, it gradually became run down through the 20th century, and was refurbished and reopened as a free house in 1993 and renamed the Cask & Cutler (as I first remember it, although also called the "Bottom Welly" - the "Top Welly" was at the other end of Infirmary Road). Anyway, it changed hands again in 2006 and was re-renamed The Wellington, or Cask & Welly to us locals, as I then was.

Since 2016, the pub became one of 3 owned by the friendly Canadian, James B (and an ex-brewer at the Kelham Island Brewery from quite a few years ago too!), who has his own brewery now, Neepsend Brew Co (website), and the 3 pubs including The Wellington, which is termed their Brewery Tap. Again, apologies for not taking notes, but I have written about their ales before, eg in this blog from 4 years ago; however, the "Top Welly" or Hillsborough Hotel is no longer a pub, sadly, hence why I wasn't staying there overnight for this visit. I promise, the next time I visit Sheffield, I shall be much more vigorous with my note taking...

Anyway, Will and I went on to the Dog & Partridge (website) nearer to the city centre, no notes again, but it wasn't in the small area that I wanted to write about, so wasn't close by the other pubs mentioned in this blog, thus not the wee S3 'pub crawl' I am suggesting. But I did return to The Bar Stewards micropub (facebook), opposite Shakespeare's at 163 Gibraltar Street S3 8UA, and which I wrote about with a similar 'pub crawl' on my last visit to Sheffield in 2019 (blog). I did drink a pint of Stout priced at £3.40, but that is all I can decipher from my notes! Oh yes, and the photograph was taken when we passed it on the way to The Wellington, hence why this image isn't in darkness...

I then walked up behind the micropub and back to the Crow Inn, where I took a half pint of a stout up to bed with me, which I did finish...

More about my 2nd day in Sheffield in my next blog, cheers!

A Sheffield Mile Long Pub Crawl...

As seen in my last blog, I ate at Mama's and Leonies (website), then visited a new (ish, was closed for a while and open before in a previous guise as the Crown, which I have visited many years ago!) pub, the Crow Inn, 33 Scotland Street, S3 7BS (facebook). A mate, Will, advised me about this reopening a short while ago, cheers, so it was my second port of call, following my meal at Mama's, just above West bar Police Station, which is no longer there!

Behind the bar was one of the co-owners, Kate, who was happy to answer my questions (she also co-owns the Rutland), and very friendly. The Crow has 5 real ales, 3 real ciders and a perry, not to mention 14 crafty kegs! I went for a pint of the Mission Creep (never heard of this Welsh brewery, so new to me) Anger Management (4.4%), advertising the use of 'C' hops from the USA, consequently looked promising to me. A golden bitter which wasn't quite as I expected, as in not as fruity, quite dry and bitter, slightly sour taste. There were also ales from more local brewers, including Abbeydale and Blue Bee. Promising new addition to Sheffield's pubs!

Just walking down from there the next pub I visited was Shakespeares, 146-148 Gibraltar Street, S3 8UB (website), by now with company for my travels, Jeff and Lindsay, long time no see lads. This is a regular award winning pub in recent years with a wide choice of ales, 9 in all, prices starting at £2.70 a pint, oh yes, and they sell real ciders too, as do most of the decent pubs in Sheffield of course. I had the North Riding (website) Citra Pale (4.5%) at £3.20, which was okay, but I was a wee bit disappointed as I love the award winning Oakham Citra IPA, for example, which is only 4.2% and has much more flavour, oh well, it wasn't bad...

Opposite Shakespeares is The Bar Stewards, a micropub at 163 Gibraltar Street, S3 8UA (website) which serves 4 real ales, crafty kegs etc... Forget the whisky that appeared here, thank you Lindsay, from the 4 real ales they serve I drank Great Heck (website) Mosaic (4.5%), a golden fruity bitter with plenty of flavour, getting better indeed.

Crossing over the A61 (Shalesmoor) and we made a visit to the Kelham Island Tavern, 62 Russell Street, S3 8RW (website), a many award winning hostelry, indeed twice CAMRA National Pub of the Year. I had the local Blue Bee (website) Triple Hop (4.3%) with Citra, Mosaic and Ekuanot being the three hops. Another pale golden bitter of course, well this is me, grapefruit in the taste, big in the nose and flavour, with a dry bitter finish, very good!

And around the corner is another multi award winning pub, indeed, world leading beer writer Roger Protz has just written in the 500th edition of Beer Matters, Sheffield CAMRA's monthly magazine, that Dave Wickett, who bought and refurbished the Fat Cat and set up Kelham Island Brewery "started the beer revival" in Sheffield. Having worked for Dave at Kelham Island Brewery myself i also witnessed his love of ale and football that Roger emphasises. Sadly Dave passed away a couple of years ago, R.I.P.

Anyway, at the Fat Cat itself, 23 Alma Street, S3 8SA (website), I first drank Jolly Sailor (website) Summer Pale, a 4.2% dry hopped 'session pale' bitter, pale golden colour, not bad, but then it had to compete with their own Kelham Island (website) Pint Break (5.0%), brewed with lager yeast and 2 types of hop from the USA. Pint Break had a deep golden colour with a sort of bitter sweet flavour at first taste, drying out bitterness, plenty of depth and body, very decent; £3.40 a pint, prices here from £2.70 to £3.70 a pint. 

And a brand new bar for me. just round the corner from the Cat at 50 Green Lane, S3 8AY, is Pa's Bistro (website), where I sampled a couple of ales from a local brewery new to me too. As you can see a new building, and this area has had a lot of financial support from the EU by the way, and a friendly lad behind the bar, and some nice customers too, other than me... Anyway, the ale, from a choice of 9 regular brews of Fuggle Bunny (website), Pa's have up to 3 ales, 2 for my visit, and at just £3 a pint on match day, nice one. I first drank their Hazy Summer Daze (4.2%), a pale ale, hints of tropical and citrus fruit in the taste, with a dry bitter aftertaste. Then I had the rather excellent Russian Rare-Bit, a 5.0% 'Imperial Black Stout' with its aroma of roasted barley and full deep flavour with hints of chocolate and liquorice, nice one!

My first regular local when I moved to Sheffield in the 1990s was The Wellington, though it wasn't called that then, at 1 Henry Street, S3 7EQ (facebook), prices from £2.80 a pint. I drank XT (website) 3 West Coast IPA, a golden bitter brewed with Chinook, Columbus and Cascade, at £3.00 a pint, not as spectacular as some of their ales I've drunk before, but still good. I also had their own brewed Neepsend (website) Okami (4.7%), brewed with Styrian Wolf, Citra and Sorachi hops, pale golden, red fruit in the aroma, tropical fruit in the flavour, very interesting!

Another pub I've worked in in the 1990s, a ten minute walk away at the other end of Infirmary Road, is The Hillsborough Hotel, 54-58 Langsett Road, S6 2UB (website), which has 8 real ales and good locally sourced food. Here I had a few pints including Acorn (website) Fiesta, a 4.5% golden bitter, hints of citrus, not bad at all, and £3.00 a pint. Also, Abbeydale (website) Deception, a 4.1% 'New Zealand pale ale', probably my favourite pale ale of the visit to Sheffield, and brewed in Sheffield too. Pale golden bitter brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand, plenty of fruit in the taste, good body for the strength, very good!

The Hillsborough Hotel is a friendly establishment run by Tom and Brigitte, and a good place to drink at before and after a visit to Sheffield Wednesday's ground, oh yes, and I stayed there too, hence the breakfast, which one can never turn down, great stuff!

I also have to admit I was drinking in Sheffield for 2 days, and visited some of the pubs more than once, met many pals, and had a great time, cheers!

Sheffield: Kelham Island & 2 Wellies!

My recent trip to Sheffield, to visit friends, pubs and Bramall Lane, saw me stay B&B at the excellent Hillsborough Hotel (website), Langsett Road S6 2UB; always an excellent breakfast and food lunchtimes and evenings, friendly welcome, great ales and clean comfortable room with en suite bathroom (6 rooms available). Ths used to be called the Wellington (Duke of Wellington, a good history of the pub on its website), and because there were two Wellingtons along the road from each other, this is still affectionately called the "Top Wellie" by locals. Currently, the pub doesn't open on Mondays, though B&B is available every night.

Hillsborough Hotel Bar

Now I wasn't great at taking notes for all the two days I visited, but will share what I did take down. At the Hillsborough Hotel there are 7 real ales available, mostly from local breweries, and one real cider, Westons Rosie's Pig (4.8% - website). As my first evening here was a Monday, I disappeared to the "Bottom Wellie" for my first drink after booking in, but drank at the Hillsborough on the Tuesday, that is, two ales both from Tollgate Brewery (website), Derbyshire. First, I drank their 4.5% Ashby Pale, a pale golden ale with hints of citrus in the aroma and taste, a slightly nutty flavour with a dry bitter finish. Then I drank their stronger Spark IPA (5.6%), a little bit darker than I expected, a pale copper colour, again slightly nutty flavour and hints of citrus from American hops, though they didn't say which hops...

So, my first drink in Sheffield was at The Wellington, the "Bottom Wellie" (facebook page), 1 Henry Street S3 7EQ, the brewery tap of Neepsend Brewery (website), indeed, James the owner, who I saw the next day, has two other pubs where you can get their ales too, The Blake Hotel and The Sheaf View (see website). I'd arranged to see my old mate Jeff here, and we met outside as we arrived at the same time, good bloke...

The Wellington Bar

On the Monday I drank the Phoenix Brewery West Coast IPA (4.6% - website), a pale golden ale, not particularly fruity as one expects from many of these ales nowadays, but very hoppy, dry and bitter. On the Tuesday I did return, as I've already alluded to, and chatted to James and others (always going to see people I know in all the pubs in this blog!). Now, I didn't make any notes, but I believe I drank a couple of Neepsend ales, probably the 4% Blonde and 3.8% Lacuna, and I always enjoy their 5.5% Simcoe IPA, which I may well have had actually, sorry...

Jeff and I then wandered off to Shakespeares (website), Gibraltar Street S3 8UB, another fine ale house in the vicinity. Jeff, another mate Lindsay, and I used to come here quite a bit together in the past, but Lindsay and I no longer live in Sheffield, and it's closed down and since re-opened again in 2011, though Lindsay was here with me last year, though sans Jeff!

Shakespeares Bar

9 ales here (and plenty of whiskies, see their website) including their regular Sheffield ale Abbeydale Deception (4.1%), a lovely pale bitter brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops, with a fruity aroma and grapefruit citrus flavour. I also drank Bolton brewpub Hogarths (facebook page) Pug Ugly (4.4%), which was very pale, very dry, and very bitter, with a hint of malt in the aroma.

We still had a wee bit of time before the time we had arranged to meet another pal, Will, so we wandered to nearby Kelham Island and visited the Fat Cat (website), Alma Street S3 8SA, as seen in the photograph above with their own Kelham Island Brewery (website) to the right of the pub (where I worked part-time whilst a research student at the University of Sheffield).

Fat Cat Bar

Strangely, I didn't see anyone I knew here, but there was their weekly quiz going on and it was rammed full of students! I denied myself drinking their own ale as I've been drinking plenty of their ales elsewhere, and went for one that sounded very interesting, the Westgate Mandarina Rucker (4%), one for the 6 Nations Rugby. This was labelled as an 'amber' colour, though it looked a pale rusty brown colour to me with an aroma of smoked grain, no citrus whatever, tasted like a smoked bitter ale, I wondered if they had connected up the correct ale?!?

Anyway, we wandered round the corner to to the Kelham Island Tavern (website), Russell Street S3 8RW, which has twice won CAMRA National Pub of the Year, and is the reigning CAMRA Sheffield Pub of the Year and CAMRA Yorkshire Pub of the Year. Will was waiting for us, I saw the landlords Trevor and Lewis over both days, also good chat with Jim Mac when Jeff and Will had both gone. On Tuesday I met the friendly barmaid in the photograph below (who also works at the community-owned pub, the Gardeners Rest), I believe she's called Juliette, but I didn't make a note of her name so I may be wrong, and I also met a customer called Steve who works on the railways and had visited the Dolphin Inn in Hastings with his wife last November, he loved the food and ales down there!

Kelham Island Tavern Bar

Ales? They have 13 real ales on, and I had a few over the two days, but I enjoyed drinking two Sheffield Blue Bee Brewery (website) ales, including the 3.5% Land of the Long White Cloud, a pale golden session bitter; this is a pale golden ale, brewed with Motueka, Rakau and Waimea pale hops, well fermented out producing a very dry bitter finish. I particularly liked their Triple Hop (4.3%) brewed with Citra, Mosaic and Ekuanot hops, as you'd expect, more body and big fruity aroma, with marmalade and grapefruit in the taste, lovely dry finish and bitter, I noted "Great" so I think I liked it, and I returned to it too, more than once...

And a trip to Sheffield for me has to include a meal at Mama's and Leonies (website) just down the road from the Crucible at 111-115 Norfolk Street S1 2JE, somewhere I've been eating at since the last millenium, though I knew only one member of staff working this shift! Many have moved on, but I did see Jess again with her boyfriend at the final pub listed below later in the day. A year ago when I visited, she was the first person I saw when I walked through the door and she immediately said "We were just talking about you and whether you'd be visiting!" Friendly staff like Jess and great value Italian food, but I nearly always go for...

... the Warm Chicken & Bacon Salad Bowl (above), but without the croutons, a great bowlful, I'm never disappointed, and I love sitting at the bar watching the food being prepared and talking to staff, and they obviously love that too! 😉

My last stop before Bramall Lane, and first after the match, was at the Rutland Arms (website), Brown Street S1 2BS. I'd arranged to meet a bunch of Blades fans beforehand, Bob et al, people I've known for years and drank a few pints with, not to mention visiting elsewhere with Sheffield FC and Sheffield Eagles (rugby league) and a long weekend trip to Ireland to celebrate Bob's 40th, and also another mate Phil and his family (Phil and his son were sitting in the Blades end). So, excellent time, however, I didn't make any notes, so no idea what I drank here, sorry, but...

I did meet Peter, another long-standing friend (we still follow each other on twitter), and he is now PR, or salesman, or accounts manager or something, for Blue Bee Brewery, there you go! Maybe I drank something of theirs? 😉

Anyway, a great time was had, shame we lost the football match though, cheers!