BEERS #2 - Beyond the Pale

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Chimay 150 (Green) Bières de Chimay on Untappd  https://untp.beer/OeEXD

A new permanent Chimay beer has emerged.

The brewery typically sells four beers, known colloquially as Chimay Red, Blue, Gold and White. But for the brewery's 150th anniversary in 2012, the monks created a special beer for the occasion — and they used a green label for the limited run of 150,000 bottles, which promptly sold out.

Now, the monks have begun brewing that anniversary beer under the name Chimay Verte, or Chimay Green, as a new beer in their portfolio. It's a strong blond beer — at 10-percent ABV — brewed with Saaz and Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops. It will be slightly spicy, with hints of clove, ginger and rosemary from the house yeast, along with aromas of mint, bergamot, lime and eucalyptus.

Sounds quite unusual.

[phes]

On the subject of unusual beers, I had this absolute cracker from triple point's tap room last week. I'm told #2 was superior, but this was a delicious floral sour with the oats in the body and maple both quite subtle

"Triptych #3 - Barrel Aged Lager - 5.7% (Keg)
Version #3 is the original oat pilsner brewed with Le Trou du Diable from Shawinigan, Quebec. Supplemented with Canadian Maple syrup and blended with 30% of LTDD L'Ours strong sour Saison, then aged in Sauvignon Blanc barrels over 100 days".

The Sheffield tap continues to be a bit underwhelming in selection, but the Jaipur on cask was exquisite. Kicked off and rounded out a nice day with visits to Kelham Island and Shakey's for some great cask (Fyne Ales, Abbeydale) and keg (Kernal). Both of these now have a craft list as long as cask ale and it was a real treat to be presented with about twenty beers combined.

[purlieu]

Chimay 150 (Green) Bières de Chimay on Untappd  https://untp.beer/OeEXD

A new permanent Chimay beer has emerged.

Sounds quite unusual.

Be interested to taste Saaz and Hallertau in an ale alone, even ignoring the other stuff. Definitely up for trying it.

[Ferris]

They're both quite low AA% hops (4 or 5% if memory serves) so they'll be present but I'm not sure if they'll be prominent.

What do I know, more chance of drinking moon-juice here than anything halfway decent from Europe.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

With the spice and herbal element you're almost looking at an imperial gruit, if such a thing exists.

[Ferris]

With the spice and herbal element you're almost looking at an imperial gruit, if such a thing exists.

I had one in Toronto (a brewing collaboration with Margaret Atwood for some reason) and it was awful.

Beers need hops to be palatable, and other bittering agents work only in the same way you could make a cake out of cremini mushrooms but don't bother bringing it to the Bake Off tent because it will be shit.

There's probably a nice way to do herbal beers (didn't St. Peter's brewery in Norfolk do one? With lavender and thyme or something?) but I'm not the man to crack that code.

[Ferris]

On the subject of unusual beers, I had this absolute cracker from triple point's tap room last week. I'm told #2 was superior, but this was a delicious floral sour with the oats in the body and maple both quite subtle

"Triptych #3 - Barrel Aged Lager - 5.7% (Keg)
Version #3 is the original oat pilsner brewed with Le Trou du Diable from Shawinigan, Quebec. Supplemented with Canadian Maple syrup and blended with 30% of LTDD L'Ours strong sour Saison, then aged in Sauvignon Blanc barrels over 100 days".

The Sheffield tap continues to be a bit underwhelming in selection, but the Jaipur on cask was exquisite. Kicked off and rounded out a nice day with visits to Kelham Island and Shakey's for some great cask (Fyne Ales, Abbeydale) and keg (Kernal). Both of these now have a craft list as long as cask ale and it was a real treat to be presented with about twenty beers combined.

Is the fat/Devonshire cat still in kelham island? Used to go in after rehearsals, was in there all the time. Lovely pub.

Sorry to hear the Sheffield tap has dropped off a bit, that was always a lovely boozer. Used to know people who'd get cheap trains from other cities just to sit in there for an evening then get the train home again.

[phes]

Hopefully it's only temporary. They're not without good beer but it's notably more limited than previously. It was a real destination for me as well about ten years ago to try beers like Hercules (Great Divide) and St Lupulin (Odell). Ironically now that craft beer is widely available, these older US craft breweries are no longer found here.

The Fat Cat is still open and I believe it's still in good hands, we just chose to limit ourselves to two pubs in that area. It's still a fantastic area to drink in with immaculately kept cask beer and each pub selling a good pale for around the £3 mark.

The Devonshire Cat is just off Devonshire square and I think that closed during the first lockdown

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I think the Dev Cat was one of the most overrated venues I ever went to in Sheffield. Sure, great beers for the time but it was devoid of atmosphere whether it was busy or quiet and nothing to look at or feel comfortable in.

[phes]

Yeah I totally agree. I went there several times as it was on my walk home and I couldn't fathom what the appeal was. People seemed to love it, so maybe it was all about the community and I never discovered that. Hard to imagine though as it seemed totally Ill suited to bringing people together

[Ferris]

I think the Dev Cat was one of the most overrated venues I ever went to in Sheffield. Sure, great beers for the time but it was devoid of atmosphere whether it was busy or quiet and nothing to look at or feel comfortable in.

Must be honest, I also thought dev cat was cack (I remember buffed pine which stank of ikea circa 1998) but couldn't remember which was in town and which was in kelham island. Had an excellent bottle selection didn't it? I'm sure that was its big thing.

Though I was a penniless piss artist and would usually plump for Bungalows & Bears over the way (even had a brief DJ slot there playing records until I forgot to show up twice in a row and we called it a day).

[Ferris]

Just remembered the red deer was up the road and also a far better shout because they had one (two?) pub cats.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Yeah, Red Deer is potentially closing down, I heard. Owner calling it a day and no replacement lined up.

[king_tubby]

Oh that's a shame, it was never one of my regulars when I lived in/frequented Sheffield but I always appreciated it when I went.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

It's my mates 2nd favourite after Fagans so I go there a lot. Very nice in autumn and winter when students are back and the fire's on. Nearly always 1 very good cask option on and the food was satisfyingly hearty in there too with some good vegan options.

Anyway, just checked around and apparently it ain't dead yet! New management taken over as of 10th June! Same staff and kitchen as before. Huzzah.

[king_tubby]

Good news!

I never really went to Fagan's either, however this was the mid 90s, it was very 'old man' pub then.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

For whatever reason Fagans doesn't seem to attract the 'single crusty alcoholic old man' crowd anymore, though the surroundings turning into hi-rise blocks filled almost exclusively with Asian students has drastically altered the area even in the 10 years I've been going. It seems clear from Wetherspoons and Craft Union pubs that those people will go literally wherever is cheapest regardless of surroundings.

Inside the pace of change is pleasingly glacial. I bet its appearance has barely altered since the 90s actually.

Still the same shite beers too, Moonshine and Tetleys (this seems to be the owners fault not the tenants).

[king_tubby]

It was supposedly the best pint of Guinness in Sheffield when I was around.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Yes, I've had some Ok Guinness in Fagans but drinking Black Shit™ (©️ pancreas) in England makes me long for the better kept better poured smoother, creamier, richer and all round lovely Guinness in Irish pubs on that there gleaming Emerald Isle they have over the water these days. And even then I'd have a Beamish if they offered it.

I was reading this new un earlier and becoming oh so wistful and melancholic

https://priorworld.com/editorial/irelands-best-traditional-music-pubs/

[Psybro]

The Devonshire Cat's cask Old Peculier was what got me into ale properly. They'd stopped doing it before they had a big refurb which made the layout even weirder and seemed to chase off the clientele.

I have many happy memories of the Red Deer in autumn 2005 or 2006. I had a 2pm lecture in the former church over the road with a two hour gap before so I would have a slap-up lunch of mince, onions and Black Sheep most weeks and be fast asleep about 20 minutes into the lecture.

[phes]

Went to The Fat Cat last night. They're a shining example of how knowing what you're doing with cask beer makes a difference. I've had Kelham Island beers a number of times over the years and they've been pretty average, so I've always chosen other beers when I've been there. The best bitter (£2.80) and pales were all absolutely fantastic. Perfect temperature and bristling with flavour. Their food was also absurdly good value given they're surrounded by a number of artisan places knocking out worse food at double the price. What a banging pub

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Awesome place. The kitchen is canteen slop though, right? They used to do £5 meals if I recall, but very basic. ( I'm not complaining)

Since pubs returned I have had some of the best conditioned pints of cask beer, and no surprise there as the turnover will be decent in such a popular pub.

[king_tubby]

Shows you how out of touch I am with Sheffield in that the last time I went to the Fat Cat there was fuck all of any note nearby.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

It's going Hackney/Digbeth fast down there. Several street food spaces, taprooms, art space, chintzy workshops. Peddlers Market was a very hipster event.

However, The Gardener's Rest, Kelham Island Tavern and The Wellington are old stagers nearby. And Shakespeare's.

[phes]

Awesome place. The kitchen is canteen slop though, right? They used to do £5 meals if I recall, but very basic. ( I'm not complaining)

Since pubs returned I have had some of the best conditioned pints of cask beer, and no surprise there as the turnover will be decent in such a popular pub.

Pies, half a dozen burger options and all substantial, freshly made burgers. Home made potato wedges, nachos, toasties, various cheese and chilli toppings and sides etc. Ploughman's and three salads. Basic stuff but all substantial and done well. Still about a fiver for a main meal

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I'd go there tomorrow. Maybe I will.

[phes]

If you accidentally leave your bag in the garden they will store it safely for you and you can return the next day to collect it. That's what I did and they were kind enough to hand my wallet back to me so that I could immediately hand the contents back to them.  Clever beer.

[Ferris]

It's going Hackney/Digbeth fast down there. Several street food spaces, taprooms, art space, chintzy workshops. Peddlers Market was a very hipster event.

However, The Gardener's Rest, Kelham Island Tavern and The Wellington are old stagers nearby. And Shakespeare's.

There was a "seven course tasting menu" type place down there back when I rehearsed there in the late '00s. KI always seemed primed to gentrify, lots of red brick post industrial buildings and rivers and shit.

Glad the Fat Cat is still good though. Very understated (but solid) place.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Leikem Steinbier with the Wales game. Delicious stuff. The beer, obviously.

[Psybro]

Since pubs returned I have had some of the best conditioned pints of cask beer, and no surprise there as the turnover will be decent in such a popular pub.

It was trying Pale Rider at a Wetherspoon down south after years of drinking it in the Fat/Devonshire Cat that made me realise how little of cask beer is decided at the point it leaves the brewery.

It's good that Sheffield has these places which set an expectation from drinkers.  My local only ever has very well kept Landlord and Farmers Blonde but I'd rather two they do well than five guests that all taste off.

German beer fans in Sheffield rejoice

Ranmoor castle bottle shop (which is apparently full of Franconia's finest) are opening a taproom. Local craft on tap also.

https://www.thisissheffield.com/beer-dog-opens-today-and-joins-the-community

That's gone where my mate used to get his bacon butties from before matches, he'll be pissed in both senses of the word.