Ship Inn Shalesmoor

[Andy C 86]

Interesting....how craft has worked its way into the british lexicon...

 

that and Artisan.

 

Of course there has been comments for a while about the sort of nonsense appearing on food menus with the likes of 'hand cooked', 'hand cut', 'sea salt' etc. Oh and as for serving food on things that aren't plates...

[smiggs 10]

Craft Ale started out as the American Term for Home Brew.

It is a bit like the term "Wellness". Does not really have any meaning in England but various commercial companies use it to try and describe things by devious means over here.

I wouldn't quite go as far as fraud. But it isn't a term that any decent uk company would use.

 

If someone calls a beer craft ale, I assume it is ale by an independent company that is not real ale. The media and marketing people have started using the term a lot, don't think we can stop it now.

[DnAuK 10]

The definition of real ale is beer that has gone through secondary fermentation in the container (be that cask, keg, bottle) and is dispensed without the addition of gas.

 

Craft beer doesn't have a definition in the UK - however it is generally taken as beer that is brewed on a small scale with quality ingredients by someone that cares.

 

Most real ales also qualify as craft beer on that basis, but the tag is generally used for the better quality keg beers that because they are served fizzy don't qualify as real ale.

 

A beer isn't considered a real ale if it's served fizzy? Wow - and I thought you knew your stuff Mr C!

 

So, by that definition, Brewdog Punk IPA isn't a real ale because it's fizzy? Whereas Brewdog Dogma on the pump next door is, because it isn't? Yet they are both brewed in a very similar way and then centrifuged to remove sediment (rather than filtered).

 

What about Thornbridge Jaipur in cask and keg that starts out life the same way and then is just treat differently post production? And where do you stand on so called 'bright beers' that are commonly served at beer festivals so they don't need time to settle? Are they still 'real'?

 

I'd just go with your latter comment on concentrate on whether it tastes good! I have witnessed you enjoying Thornbridge Wild Raven on keg remember! And have photo evidence.

[Andy C 86]

A beer isn't considered a real ale if it's served fizzy? Wow - and I thought you knew your stuff Mr C!

 

So, by that definition, Brewdog Punk IPA isn't a real ale because it's fizzy? Whereas Brewdog Dogma on the pump next door is, because it isn't? Yet they are both brewed in a very similar way and then centrifuged to remove sediment (rather than filtered).

 

What about Thornbridge Jaipur in cask and keg that starts out life the same way and then is just treat differently post production? And where do you stand on so called 'bright beers' that are commonly served at beer festivals so they don't need time to settle? Are they still 'real'?

 

I'd just go with your latter comment on concentrate on whether it tastes good! I have witnessed you enjoying Thornbridge Wild Raven on keg remember! And have photo evidence.

 

If it has had sediment removed in the brewing process it won't have gone through secondary fermentation in the cask/keg so cannot be real ale. Real ale doesn't need gas adding as the secondary fermentation process creates a natural sparkle, again if gas is added it is no longer considered real ale.

 

In the old days the comparison was real ale on cask was the traditional quality option whereas keg was the poor quality option that was all about mass production at the lowest possible cost and designed to have a long shelf life with gas added to breathe a bit of character into it. Probably a modern example of poor keg beer is John Smiths Smooth.

 

Nowadays there are kegged beers brewed with a committment to quality ingredients and bold flavours. Some have yeast sediment and some don't, most are served with gas added for carbonation. These are the ones branded as craft beer.

 

That is why I suggest these days you look up and down the handpumps and 'craft' keg fonts and try the various beers and styles and drink on the basis of what you think tastes good and what you enjoy.

 

When we talk of CAMRA - the campaign for real ale - promoting the real ales is the organisation's heritage and that is focused on, but as a beer drinkers consumer group looking to where we are today there is no big need to campaign for good beer to be available - we currently have an embarrasment of riches in that respect, at least in Sheffield anyway - where the campaigning is needed and focused now is supporting pubs with issues such as tax, pub company regulation, planning rules etc - so we have places to drink all this great beer!

 

So anyway, with talk of pubs that brings us nicely back on topic to the Ship Inn... as you have read above the refurbishment is underway and it looks like the Ship should be back in business towards the end of the month.

 

Good news!

Edited September 4, 2015 by Andy C

[DnAuK 10]

If it has had sediment removed in the brewing process it won't have gone through secondary fermentation in the cask/keg so cannot be real ale. Real ale doesn't need gas adding as the secondary fermentation process creates a natural sparkle, again if gas is added it is no longer considered real ale.

 

In the old days the comparison was real ale on cask was the traditional quality option whereas keg was the poor quality option that was all about mass production at the lowest possible cost and designed to have a long shelf life with gas added to breathe a bit of character into it. Probably a modern example of poor keg beer is John Smiths Smooth.

 

Nowadays there are kegged beers brewed with a committment to quality ingredients and bold flavours. Some have yeast sediment and some don't, most are served with gas added for carbonation. These are the ones branded as craft beer.

 

That is why I suggest these days you look up and down the handpumps and 'craft' keg fonts and try the various beers and styles and drink on the basis of what you think tastes good and what you enjoy.

 

When we talk of CAMRA - the campaign for real ale - promoting the real ales is the organisation's heritage and that is focused on, but as a beer drinkers consumer group looking to where we are today there is no big need to campaign for good beer to be available - we currently have an embarrasment of riches in that respect, at least in Sheffield anyway - where the campaigning is needed and focused now is supporting pubs with issues such as tax, pub company regulation, planning rules etc - so we have places to drink all this great beer!

 

So anyway, with talk of pubs that brings us nicely back on topic to the Ship Inn... as you have read above the refurbishment is underway and it looks like the Ship should be back in business towards the end of the month.

 

Good news!

 

So... an ale that has gone through the bottling process and had yeast added back to it to encourage secondary fermentation is real...? Or not? This happens in some key kegs too. And nice sidestep of the 'bright beer' question at your CAMRA festivals. I know you had several of these at Sheffield last year. ;c)

 

Personally I don't care whether an ale is real or not. Most of the best beers in the world would not pass your definition, yet I would habve been a poorer man had I not tried them. My issue is with those who simply won't try something because it's not classed as 'real'. An argument I know you witnessed at the awards night at Thornbridge Hall earlier this year. And as much as I like the comedians Ellis James and John Robins - their insistance that Brewdog is nothing more than fizzy grapefruit beers show they have never tried Dogma either. One of the best beers in the world IMHO.

 

Back on topic though, is it true that the Ship will mainly be tied to Greene King? Because if so that's disappointing.

[jemson 10]

I`m hoping the addition of the new Ship and new Welly will encourage me to venture from Shakey`s when in that part of town. I used to do the trail from Harle but rarely find much of interest at KIT and don`t like Fat Cat tbh.

[DnAuK 10]

I`m hoping the addition of the new Ship and new Welly will encourage me to venture from Shakey`s when in that part of town. I used to do the trail from Harle but rarely find much of interest at KIT and don`t like Fat Cat tbh.

 

You and me both mate

[Norbert 145]

FAO Chalkboard

 

Please encorage the new owners to keep the pool table and to serve 'til midnight and you've got 4 regulars guaranteed.

[DnAuK 10]

FAO Chalkboard

 

Please encorage the new owners to keep the pool table and to serve 'til midnight and you've got 4 regulars guaranteed.

 

Ooh. Real ale pub + pool table? You're going to upset a lot of people, you know that, right? Next you'll be asking for music or, God forbid, sport on the TV...

[Norbert 145]

Ooh. Real ale pub + pool table? You're going to upset a lot of people, you know that, right? Next you'll be asking for music or, God forbid, sport on the TV...

 

I can't just rub pomade into my beard and take tasting notes all night you know.

[TJC1 10]

You know by adding a rustic chalkboard youve just added 50p on the price of a pint....thanks for that

[muddycoffee 10]

And another thing that wonderful 1970s interior better be intact otherwise there will be hell to pay.