So, it seems that the number of locally based brewers is still growing! The beginning of 2013 has seen the emergence of 3 new Sheffield breweries, and I also recently found out about another South Yorkshire brewery that started last year.
First of all I came across Harthill Brewery for the first time at the Bradford Beer Festival in Saltaire, one of my favourite beer festivals. We sampled Hart’s Desire (4.4%) and were dutifully impressed so resolved to investigate further upon our return the steel city. As it turns out, Harthill is on the eastern extremity of South Yorkshire, close to the border with Nottinghamshire, and showcases it’s ales in the Beehive, a popular dining pub. We only just managed to get a table and it was almost frowned upon that we weren’t dining! It is the best place to find their beers, although their website does list the establishments that have stocked it so far. A link to the website has been added to recommended links on the right.
Next, I forget where, we came across Toolmakers brewery which also stated it was a Sheffield brewery. The next edition of Beer Matters I read shed some more light on the situation; Toolmakers is a new brewery attached to the Forest on Rutland Road. I saw that pub up for lease myself last year and its position does lend itself to a real ale venture, being close enough to Kelham Island. The Forest is to be renamed the Woodside Tavern (on my second visit last Sunday I was informed they were still waiting for the signs to be delivered!) but it is not clear as to the type of ‘Real Ale Pub’ they are aiming for. There is certainly enough sign of the former working men’s pub that the Forest was, at the moment. Although there is always the issue of funding as to how quickly things can be done after take over. But even so, not everyone has to conform to the typical set up of expensive European lagers, quirky bar snacks, absence of background music and an open dog policy. There are examples of successful ale pubs in the city that don’t fully go down that road; the Ale House, Henry’s and the Ship for instance.
Talk of a brewery attached to the Sheffield Tap has been around since Henry’s started brewing their Long Blonde (hopefully they will brew more varieties in time). It is now operational and the range is now being served on the bar, although does this mean there will be less Thornbridge being sold there? In some sense I hope it does otherwise guest breweries will miss out, and Thornbridge could be considered to be overrepresented in Sheffield already. I have not tried a Tapped beer yet but my better half has and it was rated highly so I keen to return soon. I remember reading that the ales will be sold in the Euston Tap and the York Tap as it’s the same people. If this is true then it’s great that the brewery was chosen to be in Sheffield, although I’m aware that might have been a matter of space as there is barely space to sit in the Euston Tap never mind brew! Also, out of the three stations Sheffield is the least busy with this city having never been a major transport hub thanks to the challenge of getting around or through its seven hills, therefore resulting in more free station space.
And lastly I noticed a Chantry Brewery beer in the Gardener’s Rest last Sunday evening. After doing a little research I found they are based in Rotherham and started last year with a core range of three ales. Hopefully I will sampling one soon!
