Beerkeepers (5.3%) by Thornbridge

 

 

Us Steel City citizens do proudly like to think of Sheffield as Britain`s beer capital and never has this been more pointedly true than this past week. The world famous Sierra Nevada brewery took over DaDa`s on Thursday whilst our Hudd heroes Magic Rock did similar over on Division Street at the newly opened Brew Dog. Meanwhile, out-of-town SIBA based their BeerX festival at Ice Sheffield, of all places, and charged enthusiasts err enthusiastic prices. The launch of Beerkeepers, Thornbridge`s latest ale, was far less publicised but free and held in a much more amenable venue than the other three events, The Coach and Horses, Dronfield.

 

Amongst other collaborations, Thornbridge have invited staff from their multiple pubs to visit the Bakewell brewery to concoct their very own beer with mixed results. We disagreed about Baize, enjoyed Kacho and rejected Rattlesnake but how would Beerkeepers fair?

Hot-footing it from work to procure one of the first pints, I did not hold out much hope as honey and beer work together as well as a er, um, a Con-Dem coalition. However, Beerkeepers hits the spot. A slightly cloudy golden-blonde body with an unexpected creamy top presents itself and the first taste is a pleasant lemony / fruity mix which cannot help but remind you that it is no longer Winter! The honey only appears in the aftertaste and it is subtle enough to balance well with the fruit sweetness. At 5.3% this brew is hoppy and citrusy but far subtler than most Bakewell brews. It could possess a sting but it certainly does float like a butterfly and you could easily go a few rounds with this Coach special. Very moreish and very quaffable, fair do`s this is the first honey beer I have ever enjoyed! I only wish the fish `n` chip Friday we had planned had been in operation because we`d probably have still been there now with a host of other ale goodies to go at (cask St Petersburg, Otto, Biere de Garde). This Coach creation is a keeper!

Mike`s Score  - 7 / 10
Danny`s Score 6 /10

NB - Having re-sampled the Beerkeepers, it is fair to say that the taste develops further down the barrel. Trying the ale 4 days later, the honey really came through resulting in sweeter supping. Danny tried Beerkeepers at The Cross Scythes but preferred the Endcliffe ale. I also had the chance to try the Biere de Garde which is 7.4%, I think, and is a very nice Spring / Summer beer.

Cimmerian Breakfast Stout (Thornbridge) & Unholy Trinity (Steel City +)

Whilst the fabled 53 bus route pub crawl is pretty much unbeatable (Sheaf View, Tap, Harlequin, Gardener`s, et al), the 43 is tidy too and its major merit is that it stops right on the doorstep of The Rutland Arms on Brown Street.

This place is a real dichotomy; the off-hand bar-staff do their best to put you off the place but the beer keeps getting better. Swerving the Marston`s and the Blue Bee bumblings, you are usually left with tidy tackle from the likes of Hudds` heroes SWB and Magic Rock plus they maintain a crafty connection with Steel City Brewing and South Walian offshoot Hop Craft. Prices are premium to be sure but the quality is evident, usually. Unholy Trinity is a 6.66% stout that represents a collaboration between Shakespeare`s, Raw and, of course, Sheffield stalwarts, Steel City. With this one, think breakfast beer with a bitter bite and a tan top. The ABV is the devil`s own work (probably good that my subsequent bus wor late because it gave me time to freeze my proverbials off and to sober up) and it is possessed by the hoppy hallmark of Steel City. Unholy Trinity is bitter. Yep, we have posh sugar in there somewhere and coffee, but the caffeine kick is certainly a bitter one amongst the obligatory hops, hops and hops that we so love.

 

 
And beer bus types needs to know that, in addition, the 43 also stops about 17 yards, give or take, from The Coach and Horses (btw on the 53 you end up at Sammy Smith`s Mother Redcap in Bradway, eek!). However, this place was Thornbridge`s original (and best) Tap and, although it is located a good half mile, give or take, out of the RePUBlic and into the woolly pit shaft that is North-East Derbyshire, it has been responsibly adopted by civilised Sheffield and is conveniently adjacent to the World`s first football club. Here we found hearty fare. Cimmerian is a breakfast stout weighing in at a hefty 6.2%. Although it kind of tastes like a pimped-up Pollards (no bad thing), this one relies on French Coffee for its `je ne sais quoi`, apparently, and it sure hits the spot.

Cimmerian is named after a gothy 90`s track by Rosetta Stone I am reliably informed (thanks Carlton Town fans!) and it`s certainly dark but is creamier and sweeter (so maybe McConnells maxed?) than the Trinity tipple and consequently is easier to sup but still surely a big breakfast. For the record, the Arbor ale here was nice to see (the C & H doesn`t do many / enough) guest beers although it was not one of their best but Kipling at the Coach is one of the very best ales you can imagine, on any bus route!

Oh Yeah, Match report? 0-0!

Other Scores

Unholy Trinity 7.5 / 10

Cimmerian 8 / 10

Reverend & the Makers American Brown (5%) by Thornbridge

Torrid times in the music industry. DLT and co have been hauled over the coals and trialled in public and ar Alex Arctic Monkey divided opinion at the Brits with his debated `drunken druggy` speech (copyright Daily Mail et al) which wor actually a sardonic satire of celebrity GB. If only our stars would do something more worthwhile and earnest with their (a lot of) spare time. Cue Mr. Cosens!

Ed Cosens is the guitarist with seminal Sheffield band Reverend and the Makers who, when his hands are idle, is also a keen home brewer. Last year RatM / Ed tried their hand with Bakewell`s best and conjured up their successful (and previously blogged) Summer Ale but this time we have a more Heavyweight brew but is it a Champion?

American Brown smells invitingly smokey, bitter and malty, like the famed blue-starred North East ale that was once the sponsor of the Toon. However, this ale pours a richer, more mahogany deep red/brown colour than the Dog did and is topped with a lively but manageable head.

The caramel malty sweetness is expertly balanced here with a touch of hoppy bitterness culminating in a really drinkable 5% ale. (Same again, please.) Personally, I did not like the art work on the bottle labels, not up to Thornbridge standards, but it is faithfully themed on the band`s latest release, I believe.  American Brown is a brand new release from busy Bakewell, (purchased at Mitchell`s) and we look forward to seeing how it weighs in and matches up on keg and cask(?) but, on this showing it is a heavyweight homebrew hit!

 

The Score

 

RatM American Brown 8.5 / 10

• A hit. An Ed contender possibly. Any chance of a 12% Bring Me The Horizon breakfast stout, Bakewell?!

Battle of the Bottles - Wild vs. Ilkley

Two top tips for the tip top in 2014 going head-to-head here over 3 rounds. The most notable trend in Sheffield ale over the past 12 months has been the increased availability of quality bottled ales. Even supermarket-avoiding beergeeks find it all too easy to bag a beer to sup at home these days. (Sorry pub, will do better). Amateur ale enthusiasts might procure a pint at Tesco or even B & M bargains, but we whole-heartedly support local specialists like Hop Hideout and Mitchell`s.

 

The Ilkley Beer Co like a bit of alliteration (as do we!) and they proclaim to be `deceptively different` and `uniquely unconventional` but the first two were a bit too noticeably normal TBH.

 

 Mary Jane has plenty of taste for a 3.5% brew but the carbonation came through strongly resulting in a taste (from the bottle) that was too lagery rather than an Amarillo or Cascade punch whilst Ilkley Pale offered more. It is hoppier (from NZ) and possesses a white wine Sauv Blanc bite. This pale produced a nice head topping a decent citrus bite coming in at 4.2%.

The `special` selected for this contest from Ilkley was Siberia, a bold 5.9% rhubarb saison but the fizz factor seemed to limit the depth of the fruit (?), vegetable (?), legume or something (?!) to come through fully. All these ales tasted promising but not as good as the Ilkley encountered on cask and keg; A timely reminder to get to the pub more often .. . . !?!?

So, not wild about the Ilkley offerings but would Wild Beer Co make my heart sing?

 

 

 

This tasty triumvirate were purchased from Abbeydale Road`s Hop Hideout which is a neat, new place attached to VintEdge which is a cool antique shop. First up was Fresh. The motto matched here as this brew really was `wildly different` and flagrantly `fresh`, and this murky mystery almost got away! Despite pouring carefully, this was absolutely full of life and, as described, `friskily fragrant` resulting in a huge hoppy head (in the free glass supplied - thanks HH!). Fresh is 5.5% and very green hop but just too pungent on this occasion. Tasty though. 

 

Having blogged Madness IPA before, I was pretty sure what to expect ; hops + hops + hops the label proclaims and the aroma is classic IPA. However, that does not do this bottled beauty justice. The depth and variation of hoppiness was really commendable providing an zingy aromatic extravaganza rarely found in a 330ml, even at a sturdy 6.8% and stands up very well to the kegged version.

 

 

 

 







The Wild `special` was, well, what the hell was that?! This one was a complex taste to say the least and it is apparently part of the Wild barrel trinity. Six months spent oaked away in cider brandy barrels make this `premier cru` all the way. Barrel antics have got to be the way forward for British brewers and why not cider as Somerset`s finest showcase here. Personally, I am not an `alcoholic apple juice` fan but brandy maybe, whatever your palate, this tastes nowhere near a 10%. If Madness IPA was a knockout punch in this contest, Ninkasi PC is maybe a MMA choke-hold.

Scores

ILKLEY

Mary Jane - 6.5/10

Ilkley Pale  - 7.5/10

Siberia - 7/10

 

WILD

Fresh - 6.5/10

Madness - 8.5/10

Ninkasi - 9/10

 

TOTALS

 

Ilkley Brewery Co. = 21/30

Wild Beer Co. = 24/30

 

• Clearly a win for the South-West over the North this time but maybe the selection was suspect. For the record, Mayan by Ilkley is a bit of a special bottle so you choose the line-up and let us know if your scores differ!

Sublime Chaos Breakfast Stout (7%) by Anarchy Brew Co

Wise man say, Sundays ought to start with a hearty breakfast. Beer geeks say that Sundays really ought to start with a hearty breakfast stout and here`s one of the very best served up at The Broadfield.

After a couple of canny casked pints of SWB`s Diablo (a mere 6%er and one of our best pints of 2013), Chaos reigned. I sagely saved this until after (an excellent) Sunday lunch of curried squash, okra and cashews, seeing a stout as an ideal dessert for the pudding-phobe. To be fair, pretty much the whole family (little ones not included; it is 7%!) sampled this special which was highly lauded by the bar-man - "It is very strong, you know!" and, wow, what a beer. The Broadfield really seem to go out of their way these days to get something special on their keg lines and this is a real case-in-point. Recently, there has been a gooseberry saison (from Red Willow) and a sourdough special from Kernel plus there is often a really strong IPA from one of the better brewers so think more extreme/ on the  (Nether) Edge than safe and middle of the (Abbeydale) Road. (Note to self - don`t use too many brackets (ever again)).

Sublime Chaos is a 7% kegged ale produced by the Anarchy Brew Co of Morpeth in the North-East of England. Having previously been interested, but not completely sold, on their beers (Smoke Bomb at The Continental springs to mind), this one really impressed. Multiple malts abound but the quality of coffee really stepped forward for me. Apparently, natural Ethiopian Guji beans were utilised and they certainly linger pleasantly on the palate. New Zealand hops are also in there somewhere and thankfully the carbonation and sweetness are equally subtle. A beautiful malty / smoky balanced brew.

The whole family left well happy with their food and drinks. Personally, I had had sufficient sustinence to resist the call of the fantastic Hop Hideout next door for once even though it was advertising . . . ..  Founders` infamous Breakfast Stout!

Blue Monkey - Bottled!

Now then, needs must and all that. As a dynamic, and relatively sociable / socially-aware / socialist duo, we are not big consumers of bottled beer-age. Say `no` to supermarket sups, we say, but the recent extension to the ale portfolios of retailers in South-West Sheffield (added to all t`tax `n` that) make the odd bottled bender a worthwhile option. Most recently, our favourite off-licence, (especially for those especial vino tintos) Meadowhead`s Mitchell`s Wine Merchants have really upped their game in the quality local beer bottle section. Fantastico!

Blue Monkey Brewery do catch the eye. Whether in bottles or with their prominent pump clips (which have been spotted on odd occasions around the Steel City) the chimpy chappy is the (PG) tip tops in popular pubs.

First up, I tried Guerilla. This is an award-winning ale that weighs in at 4.9%. I found it to be pretty unremarkable to be honest with a steady malty and caramel taste. Fairly sweet but nothing too rebellious pouring dark, dark brown with a little head. Maybe more Citizen Smith than our Che but maybe better from the cask? Next!!!

 



To Infinity . . . . As a Citra sucker, this is hard to dislike. Very quaffable, a light, hoppy ale allegedly named after the infinite monkey theorem whereby, given enough time and chances, t`chimp could write some (probably very citrusy) Shakespeare plays. I think it was on this basis that the multiple choice questions in our (G)CSEs were scrapped; any monkey could pass them (we did, after all). Apparently, they still use this system in the good ol` US of A, I believe, and thereby we prove-ish that this is a great beer. QED. 4.6%. Drink it to infinity, at least.

 

 





Nicely following on from Infinity (if that is grammatically  / scientifically feasible) is Ape Ale. This is kind of like the big brother of its hoppy smaller sibling. A more orangey (utangy) APEarance (sorry, enough monkey puns), Ape is an IPA banger hitting you with a palate overload of champion Chinook and Simcoe hops. Very modern. Fresh, citrus but with a fair old alcohol punch, this is a very decent attempt at our favourite ale style tasting a tad stronger than its 5.4%

.
Blue Monkey certainly seem to be the best that Nottingham has, and by a long way. I`ve never been disappointed by their cask offerings and these three bottles all bode well for this brewery`s future.

Scores

 

Guerilla - 6 / 10

Infinity - 8 / 10

Ape -    7.5 / 10

Hoping to visit the Blue Monkey tap house, The Organ Grinder, before too long and see how these brews measure up in their natural environment because these bottles rate as beer geek`s belters! Monkey tennis?

Faithless XXV by RedWillow vs. Bliss by Wild

Now here`s something weird, well two things to be fair, and maybe not everyone`s cup of tea....

I don`t think that too many tickers bother much with the kegged stuff (goes flat in their panda pop takeaways!) but us beergeeks find them tough to resist sometimes, especially when they are rarer than a Michael Gove fan at a teachers` conference. This time, side-by-side at Abbeydale`s own Broadfield Ale House, were experimental efforts by Red Willow of Macclesfield and Wild Beer of Shepton Mallet. Whilst Wild have become become a regular feature at The Broady, the past couple of months have seen brews by the Macc lads popping up in some of the better pubs in the Steel City so we are faced with another Premier League quality North / South keg clash.

We are divided on the saison. This European beer style has its roots in quenching the thirst of agricultural workers. They can vary in strength but they are usually pretty fruity, cloudy and sometimes have spices added. (Danny like, Mike no like!)

Bliss boasts Brettanomyces yeast, roast apricots and `secret spices` all at 6%. Plenty of aromatic taste here but looks a little too much like a murky mulled wine, or at least there is a prominent hit of Christmas spices and topped off with a layer of icing, sorry, a little creamy head.

Faithless is a richer, more appealing, colour with an almost peachy gold shine at 4.9%. The aroma you meet is spice and fruit but the initial taste is tart and then sour, so a real mix of saison and gooseberry here, that amazingly balances rather nicely. Like Bliss, Faithless XXV has a fairly prominent carbonation but it seems to help this one culminating in a refreshing drop of ale. However, I would be curious to see how the complex flavours in the Wild beer would develop in the cask; oaky spiced apricots mighty just work.

Hats off again to The Broadfield for presenting two memorable ales. Keep the faith!

Scores

Wild - Bliss 6 / 10 (Mike) , 8.5 / 10 (Danny)

RedWillow - Faithless XXV 7.5 / 10 (Mike) , 8.5 / 10 (Danny)