Sheffield Visit

As I often do, I stayed at the Crow Inn, 33 Scotland Street, S3 7BS (website), which I have written about many times before, eg blog, where I met up with one of my friends, more joined as the 'crawl' continued! 😉 And yes, I had eaten at Mama's and Leonies, where I usually eat in Sheffield, eg blog, I took  no photographs this time, but plenty of photographs in other blogs.

I spent much more time chatting to the 4 friends I drank with this 'pub crawl' in Sheffield, including the nomadic Steev, who I hadn't seen for many years. Consequently, my notes were very sparse, and so were photographs taken this visit, but careful use of my own 'library images' and knowing all the places I visited very well, will make up for that, I trust. Indeed, all these pubs will have been linked here many times. As you can see, I did take a photograph of one of the ales I drank at the Crow (above), from across the Pennines at Macclesfield brewery Red Willow (website), their Weightless, a 4.2% session IPA, brewed with Mosaic hops (hopslist), which resulted in a lovely pale ale, tasting of citrus grapefruit and tropical fruits, and with a dry bitter finish, excellent!

We also visited The Wellington, 1 Henry Street S3 7EQ (facebook), where we met up with Steev, and which I've also written about many times before, also at this blog. Now, I do remember eating one of their excellent value cheese and red onion sandwiches, similar to that photographed for that blog, and I drank ales from their own brewery, Neepsend (website), which were no doubt excellent, but apologies, I have no notes, so cannot share anymore information here. 😒

Of course, we also visited the award winning Kelham Island Tavern, 62 Russell Street S3 8RW (website), and with pal Pete of Blue Bee Brewery (website), who brew the pub's 'house ales' 🍺 and I will have had one of their cracking pale bitters. Most likely it would have been their latest version of American Five Hop (4.3%), or another one-off ale, whatever, it will have been excellent, or I would have remembered. I have never had a bad ale from Blue Bee, always hoppy, fruity with a dry bitter finish, they do know how to use hops properly, cheers Pete!

Again, no notes for visiting here, but we did visit, no doubt about that! Shakespeares, 146-148 Gibraltar Street S3 8UB (facebook), which always has a fine array of ales and crafty keg beers for sale. I'll guess I drank an ale from Abbeydale Brewery (website), which is highly likely. 😉

Because I quite often use the Winter Garden in Sheffield (Council website) as a quiet place to relax and reflect, fill in time, or to warm up in colder weather, I thought I'd share that I did visit again, on my way to the railway station this time. The opening times for the Winter Garden are Monday to Saturday 08.00 to 20.00; Sunday 10.00 to 17.00; Public Holidays 10.00 to 17.00; and the only day of the year it is closed, excluding emergencies, is Christmas Day. 🌲

And, on reaching Sheffield Railway Station, 1b Sheaf Street S1 2BP, on platform 1 (internally), is the Sheffield Tap (website). And what a great place the Tap is too, historically it is placed in the tastefully refurbished Edwardian Refreshment Room and Dining Rooms, and with its own on-site microbrewery, which has another excellent head brewer I know.

So, from the 11 handpulls on the bar, which of their own ales did I drink? As I was travelling a fair few miles and hours I went for the very easy drinking 3.6% 'New Zealand Pale Ale' Tapped Brew Co Toha. Brewed with Nelson Sauvin (hopslist), Taiheke (NZhops), and Nectaron (NZhops) hops, this may only be a 'weaker' session pale ale, but it certainly packs a lot of flavour from the use of those hops, nice one Ben! Pale, full of tropical and citrus fruits, with grapefruit, lime and gooseberry standing out, pale and dry with a bitter finish, pretty damn good indeed!

I'll return to Sheffield yet again, and pretty soon, cheers m'dears! 😁

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.

Autumnal Sheffield Day 2

After a morning walk, and before heading off for lunch, I visited 2 pubs where I used to be sure I would meet someone I knew, staff and customers, the KitCat that is. First the Kelham Island Tavern, 62 Russell Street S3 8RW (website). Built in the 1830s, the Kit was a derelict building when Trevor and Lewis took it over, refurbished it, and reopened it 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 wasn't that surprised not to know any of the regulars present when I walked in, nor the barman, as it's been a few years since I lived in Sheffield.  Anyway, I was there for a pint, so had a great ale from the local Blue Bee Brewery (website), their Triple Hop (4.3%), brewed with Citra, Mosaic and Ekuanot hops. It was hoppy, with a citrus aroma and taste, pale golden, with a very dry and bitter finish, great stuff! Indeed, when I was here earlier this year (blog) I had their American 5 Hop Version 53 (4.3%), hard to go wrong with Blue Bee Brewery! 

Just around the corner, and the second pub was the Cat, or The Fat Cat (website), 23 Alma Street S3 8SA. The pub was an original in Sheffield when it was bought as the Alma in 1981 by Dave Wicket and his business partner Bruce to provide an alternative to the big brewers, providing an outlet for independent brewers. After separating their business interests, Dave continued with the pub and set up a microbrewery in a shed behind the pub in 1990, Kelham Island Brewery (see my blog from yesterday). I didn't see anyone I know there either, not staff or customer, though I believe Di still works there and looks after the cellar.

However, I did have a good chat with the barmaid, a very friendly young woman from Ukraine, good English, and probably happy to improve her spoken English and expand her vocabulary too. Anyway, no Kelham Island ales here yet, so I had a pint from a small Sheffield microbrewer, Grizzly Grains (facebook), their 4.0% Pacifica, a New Zealand Pale Ale, yes, using Pacifica hops (also called Pacifica Hallertau), did what it says, I imagine, but I wasn't too impressed, and was too busy chatting to make any notes, sorry! 😕

I did then eat at Mama's & Leonies again (see my last blog), with the same staff make-up and excellent warm chicken and bacon salad, before meeting up with a couple of great mates, Jeff Macdonut and Lindsay, at the newish Perch Brewhouse, 44 Garden Street SE1 4BJ (facebook). Plenty of blether, of course, and ale too, oh yes, and they have an impressive selection of Belgian beers in one of their fridges. But to their ales, and their brewery is called the Dead Parrot Brew Company, 2 of whose ales I had a pint of:

I had a pint of their very easy to drink Clement, a 3.9% session Blonde ale, brewed with Aurora and Simcoe hops, not bad at all. But their 4.8% Ashen was something else, pretty damn good! Unsurprisingly, with more body and flavour from the hops used, Aurora again, but with Centennial hops too, I must return for more of this when next in Sheffield.

The 3 of us then walked up to meet Will at The Bath Hotel (whatpub - couldn't find a website), 66-68 Victoria Street S3 7QL, my second visit in 2 days and another great welcome from Brian. Obviously more friendly discourse was shared, and more Thornbridge (website) Jaipur (5.9%) imbibed by me, Chinook, Centennial, Ahtanum, Simcoe, Columbus and Cascade. I'm rarely disappointed by this pale, dry, hoppy bitter, quality!

We parted ways with Jeff and Lindsay, and Will, who is more into traditional bitters, not so much pale hoppy bitters, then suggested we visit 2 more pubs to his liking, and 2 pubs that I did used to visit when I lived in Sheffield, notably to watch football on tv. Anyway, the first one was The Grapes, 80 Trippet Lane S1 4EN (website). I didn't make notes of my drinking at either of these 2 pubs, both well known for Guinness, so I obviously knocked back an easy drinking traditional bitter of some sort, cheers Will! 

The second pub Will and I visited was the nearby Dog & Partridge, 56 Trippet Lane S1 4EL (facebook), where we drank beer of some sort. 😉 Afterwards I returned to my temporary abode at The Crow Inn (see previous blog), where, coincidentally, Dave Szwejkowski, aka Dave Unpronounceable (guest blog), was drinking at the bar, small world, good night and cheers!

Incidentally, The Crow Inn is the Sheffield CAMRA Pub of the Month for October, and had been nominated by Dave Szwejkowski, great stuff, congratulations!

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! 👌

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!

Sheffield Visit 2019

OK, I visit Sheffield once or twice a year, and I had already been here earlier in the year but hadn't written a blog, which I really wanted to do, but, anyway, here it will be, and a more up to date version as well... But that will wait until my next blog, very soon, I promise! BUT! Where do I always go to on arrival in Sheffield following a long journey? 

Mama's and Leonies (website), of course, 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. I've been going there for over 20 years now, so no reason why I should change now. Anyway, saw a few familiar faces working there, and had my favourite Warm Chick & Bacon Salad, without the croutons, excellent, never fails to please me!

And above is a hint of the ales on the bar at my first drinking house, new to me in its present guise, but I have drank in there many many years ago! More of very soon...

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!