[clogs212]

Over the past few months I have dropped the glitz and glamour of the packed pubs on west street to settle on the real ale pubs, where not only can you get served quicker, but is also a good drink too! Is this a sign of getting old?? Or the fact that some bars in the centre are far too busy with crap drinks!
From what I know of in town there is the Dev Cat which s real ales, is there anymore?? The Fat Cat area has a few homely pubs which is a good night, plus new bar which is the milestone which is mix of town bar an real ales which if anyone is interested in going in that area you must try!
So anymore real ale pubs in town?


xxxx Clogs xxxx

[footdoctor]

In town there is the Bath Hotel (my Fav) which is just off West St behind Nirmals, and the other side of West St there is the Red Deer.
In the area of the Fat Cat there is the Kelham Island which is very nice, The Riverside which has bands on quite often and does nice food, The Harlequin which is quite new, Cask& Cutler (bit grubby) The Gardeners which has bands and quizzes and photo competitions etc.There is another new one called the Milestone which was planning to sell real ale but I have not been in yet so can't say.
Real ale seems to be very popular in Sheffield.

[clogs212]

Where abouts is the Harlequin and the Gardeners? I know where the other are but never seen tho's before of i may have but not taken note! I forgot about the red deer, thats becoming more popular i think. I have never been i the bath hotel as of yet may have to give it a try!

[Meaks]

The Gardeners Rest is on Neepsend Lane in walking distance of the other pubs.
From there you are close to the Hillsborough Hotel and the New Barrack Tavern which are both good ale houses. Google Map.

The Harlequin used to be the Manchester and is on Nursery Street near the Riverside.

[muddycoffee]

It isn't a sign of you getting old, rather a sign that you are sick of being treated like an idiot, when I was in my early 20s I liked to be in a loud busy town pub, but nowadays I would much rather have good service in a place where I can hear what my friends are saying without shouting into each other's ear.

Those real ale pub aren't coming back into fashion, they always were there and popular, it is just that you have found that there is more to life than being fleeced for buying tasleless fizzy pseudo lager.

[goldenfleece]

DOVE AND RAINBOW has 4 excellant cask ales always on, all rotated on a regular basis, currently we have HOBGOBLIN, BLACK SHEEP, STRONGARM, and CUMBERLAND ALE.....call in for a pint, you will be surprised to find real ale in this area of town that is 100% superbly kept!

Lots ofg guest ales from around the country coming soon, so keep calling in, we have access to something like 1200 cask ales from all over.......suggestions welcome!!!!

[nightwish]

Originally Posted by muddycoffee

It isn't a sign of you getting old, rather a sign that you are sick of being treated like an idiot, when I was in my early 20s I liked to be in a loud busy town pub, but nowadays I would much rather have good service in a place where I can hear what my friends are saying without shouting into each other's ear.

Those real ale pub aren't coming back into fashion, they always were there and popular, it is just that you have found that there is more to life than being fleeced for buying tasleless fizzy pseudo lager.

yes so true
god real ale 3-4 pints I'm on my back
less drinking same affect
less beer belly
less money spent

[muddycoffee]

Originally Posted by nightwish

yes so true
god real ale 3-4 pints I'm on my back
less drinking same affect
less beer belly
less money spent

That number will go up a pint every 6 months believe me.
By the time you are my age you will be able to stomach 16 pints, do it again the following day, and stop a conversation at 100 paces with a well placed trump and not even a bead of sweat.

[pattricia]

Is real ale better than ordinary draught beer ? Ive never had it.

[purdyamos]

Keep your eye on The Rutland Arms (see other threads for the saga). If all goes well, that could be one of the coolest of all the pubs. Again.

[Andy C]

Originally Posted by pattricia

Is real ale better than ordinary draught beer ? Ive never had it.

Real Ale (also known as Cask Conditioned beer) is generally a fresher and higher quality product than the Smoothflow (Keg) beers as it leaves the brewery in the state it was brewed in and continues to ferment in the barrel which gives it a natural sparkle and full flavour, whereas the Smoothflow is pasturised which kills the yeast and has artificial gas added at dispense to give it some life. Smoothflow also often has preservatives added.

[pattricia]

Originally Posted by Andy C

Real Ale (also known as Cask Conditioned beer) is generally a fresher and higher quality product than the Smoothflow (Keg) beers as it leaves the brewery in the state it was brewed in and continues to ferment in the barrel which gives it a natural sparkle and full flavour, whereas the Smoothflow is pasturised which kills the yeast and has artificial gas added at dispense to give it some life. Smoothflow also often has preservatives added.

Thanks Andy, sounds good.I must try some.

[Andy C]

Some of Sheffield's reccommended real ale pubs......

Out of town:

Commercial at Chapeltown
Jolly Farmer at Dronfield Woodhouse
Coach & Horses at Dronfield
Sheaf View at Heeley
Rising Sun at Nether Green
Ranmoor Inn at Ranmoor
New Barrack Tavern on Penistone Road
Hillsborough Hotel on Langsett Road
Harlequin, Riverside, Fat Cat, Kelham Island Tavern, Milestone all in the Kelham Island area
Gardeners Rest on Neepsend Lane
Cobden View at Crookes
Walkley Cottage at Walkley

In the City Centre:
Red Lion (Charles Street), Red Deer (Pitt Street), Bath Hotel, Devonshire Cat, Museum, Dove & Rainbow, Dog & Partridge, Wig & Pen, Old Queens Head, Ruskins, Graduate and just re-opened is the Rutland Arms (not tried it since).

[pattricia]

Originally Posted by Andy C

Some of Sheffield's reccommended real ale pubs......

Out of town:

Commercial at Chapeltown
Jolly Farmer at Dronfield Woodhouse
Coach & Horses at Dronfield
Sheaf View at Heeley
Rising Sun at Nether Green
Ranmoor Inn at Ranmoor
New Barrack Tavern on Penistone Road
Hillsborough Hotel on Langsett Road
Harlequin, Riverside, Fat Cat, Kelham Island Tavern, Milestone all in the Kelham Island area
Gardeners Rest on Neepsend Lane
Cobden View at Crookes
Walkley Cottage at Walkley

In the City Centre:
Red Lion (Charles Street), Red Deer (Pitt Street), Bath Hotel, Devonshire Cat, Museum, Dove & Rainbow, Dog & Partridge, Wig & Pen, Old Queens Head, Ruskins, Graduate and just re-opened is the Rutland Arms (not tried it since).

Thanks Andy. Was just going to ask you to give me some names. Seems youre an expert on the subject.

[muddycoffee]

Originally Posted by pattricia

Is real ale better than ordinary draught beer ? Ive never had it.

The difference between real ale and Keg (normal beer) is that real ale is brewed for the craft of making a fine drink with a good flavour. Keg is brewed on a massive scale only for profit.

This is why standard international brands like boddingtons have fancy pumps which add nitrogen to make the pour interesting with lots of bubbles, and others sometimes "extra cold" with passing the pipes through a refrigeration system.

Also, cask beer ( real ale ) is matured in the cask ( conditioned ) where it is stored for enough time until it is ready for drinking. Whereas keg, is rushed to be ready and is heavily fined, either with chemicals or pasteurisation, to cut down on storage costs, so it can be ready in days rather than weeks or months.

This results in Keg beer having a shorter shelf life.

[BasilRathbon]

It's more a question of quality than fashion; are there really people around who drink what they think is the "in-thing" rather than what they actually like?
As other posters have pointed out, you seem to develop a taste for real ale as you get older, or perhaps more mature. For years I was a cider drinker, then one day when I was about 30, I went in as pub after a walk and there was no cider on draught. Scanning the bar I thought "Sod it, I'll try the real ale", and it's been real ale for me ever since.

It's not always updated often, but real ale beginners could do worse than visit the Sheffield Camra site.

You may also like to read the ramblings of a certain Grrumpy old man while you're there....

[Ousetunes]

Fagan's, Broad Lane. Classic.

Tom's Guinness is as good as it gets and in the past his beers have also been well looked after. (I only drink Guinness in there now.)

Give me Fagan's over Ha! Ha! anyday.

Real Ale, Real Pub, Really Cool!

[LibertyBell]

Not sure if it's coming back into fashion.

I only know that the huge majority of drinkers don't want it. Their loss.

[goldenfleece]

Most pubs and bars simply dont bother with cask ales as it does take a lot more work in keeping quality beers online than kegs. Kegs are the PLUG N PLAY of the licensed retail world, they take no maintainance and are fast to switch over. No wonder most managed bars and pubs prefer kegs!!! Less staff, less work...MORE PROFIT!!

Cask ales require stillaging (placing horizontally on a rack or tilt) upon, or soon after delivery. Kegs you just store upright until ready for us and PLUG AND PLAY!!! Casks require to be vented to allow the secondary fermentation process to start, and depending on the type of beer, ie dark ale or light bitter, require anything from 24 to 56 hours to become fully fermented and ready for being online. They also have to be 'tapped' at the same time as venting, something of a lost art with most bar staff who are used to just plug n play kegs!

Add to that the service life of cask ale is limited to about 3 days ideally from the point of commencement of service, although with Race Cask Vents you can extend this service life to 6 days quite happily. It needs daily testing every morning to ensure it has not gone past its prime, as there is no gas or carbon dioxide 'preserving' it like keg beers. It also takes a lot more work and practice to pull the perfect pint of cask ale from a beer engine, rather than a simple flick of the tap on keg beers. Each ale is different, and each has its own unique 'pulling' quality.

Too much of a chore for most, so most dont bother, but take it from me, its well worth the trouble.

[Halibut]

Originally Posted by goldenfleece

Too much of a chore for most, so most dont bother, but take it from me, its well worth the trouble.

It is and you're doing a fine job of it. My darling girl and I called in at your place last Thursday and enjoyed an excellent couple of pints - cheers. Was going to say hello, but the lad behind the bar said it was your night off.