Steel City Beer & Cider Festival : 21st-24th October 2015

[Andy C]

I thought it was time to start a thread about this year's beer festival as it is getting close now - and I know you all expect me to do so!

 

Following the success of last years event, it is back at Kelham Island Industrial Museum, which proved a popular and atmospheric venue. The format is the same but with a few subtle tweaks reflecting feedback from both customers and the volunteer staff.

 

The site layout this year involves

- Upper Hall : main bars, cold food, live music, tombola, CAMRA books & t-shirt stall, seating.

- Courtyard : Hot food stalls, smoking area, toilets

- Millowners Arms pub : Stancill Brewery bar, seating.

- Marquee : main bars, CAMRA membership stand, games, cold food stalls, seating

- River Don Beam Engine Room : The beam engine will be demonstrated on Friday afternoon, at other times this room will provide additional indoor space should the weather demand it!

 

Opening hours

Wednesday 17:00-23:00 : free entry

Thursday 17:00-23:00 : entry £1 (free for CAMRA members)

Friday 12:00-23:00 : entry £2.50 before 5pm, £5 after. (discount for CAMRA members).

Saturday 12:00-22:00 : entry £3 before 5pm, £4 after. (£1 for CAMRA members).

 

In addition to the entry fee shown above you need to pay a deposit on a festival glass. You can refund the glass on exit or keep it as a souvenir.

 

There are no advance tickets, just pay for admission/glasses/programmes on the gate. Note there may be queues at busy times such as Friday evening and it may be advisable to arrive outside such peak times. We plan on putting all the beers on at opening time Wednesday (subject to them being ready to serve), when they run out they run out, it being a one off event. Therefore there will be a reduced choice on Saturday, it being the final day of the festival, however we do intend there to still be a reasonable amount of beers to choose from.

 

Live music Thur/Fri/Sat evenings (Leeds City Stompers on Thursday, The Downtown Roots Friday and Rock'n'Rollaz Saturday).

At table magic from BenZ Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Loxley Silver Band Saturday afternoon.

Charity pub quiz Saturday afternoon.

 

Food:

Yuleys Bratwurst

Sunshine Pies

Percy & Lily's

Meltworks Artisan Toasties

Pipers Crisps

Merry Berry Truffles & Chocolates

 

To drink:

- A range of 200 different cask ales

- A small but perfectly formed selection of bottled craft beers from around the world

- A choice of around 30 traditional farmhouse style ciders and perries.

Edited October 3, 2015 by Andy C

[taxman]

Already taken the Thursday off work so I can make the most of Wednesday night!

[jemson]

Looking forward to doing some judging again on the Wednesday night.

[Andy C]

CIDER TASTING NOTES

 

ABRAHALLS – Lily The Pink 4.5% Medium

A medium fruity cider – gorgeous pink colour – made from 100% cider apples on our Herefordshire farm – intense, fruity aroma.

ABRAHALLS – Thundering Molly 5.2% Medium

A well rounded medium cider. Fresh and fruity with a lovely apple aroma. Gorgeous golden colour and a well-balanced finish.

BROADOAK – Pheasant Plucker 4.5% Medium

A very appley pleasant to the mouth, yet still farmhouse style cider.

BROADOAK –Moonshine 7.5% Medium Sweet

Strong and very drinkable with a crisp refreshing taste and little evidence of alcoholic content.

BURROW HILL CIDER – Burrow Hill Dry 6% Dry

Brown in colour, dry and with a long aftertaste.

CAREY ORGANIC – Carey Organic Dry 6% Dry

Made from cider varieties of fruit grown on a totally organic farm near Ross-on-Wye. Medium Dry, clean tasting but with a bite.

CIRCLE CIDER – Cats Tongue 6.1% Dry

A hazy dry cider. A true West Country traditional flavour with a bit of sparkle for the modern pallet. Light touch of old horse and a touch of astringency to finish as a dry cider should. Medium Dry

CIRCLE CIDER – Butchers Boy 7% Sweet

A full apple flavour balancing sweetness and acidity which go head to head to be the last flavour.

CORNISH ORCHARDS – Vintage Cider 2013 Medium Dry 7.2%

A connoisseur’s cider, medium dry and lightly sparkling. Created from apples selected for their soft tannins and traditional flavour. This classic cider is matured over the winter months, to bestow vintage qualities.

GLEBE FARM – Side-R with Elderflower 6% Medium

Light with positive Elderflower flavours.

GLEBE FARM – Side-R with Ginger 6% Medium

Good appley base flavour with a throat grabbing Ginger twist.

GLEBE FARM – Side-R with Mulled/Spiced 6% Medium

Fantastic medley of flavours from cloves, cinnamon and a host of other interesting spices.

GLEBE FARM – Side-R with Strawberry 6% Medium

Very smooth with proper summery Strawberry flavours.

GLEBE FARM – Side-R Summer Punch Cider 6% Medium

Light and refreshing made with a blend of unusual secret ingredients.

GLEBE FARM – Side-R Fruit Burst Cider 6% Medium

Fruits of the Forest, very Berry, Vimto – call it what you want it’s just full of fruit flavours.

GWATKINS – Game **** 4.5% Sweet

Sweet cider, a slightly hazy golden colour. Flavour is sweet-acidic with green apples, wood and funk.

GWATKINS – Stoke Red 7.5% Sweet

The cider produced from this apple takes a long time to ferment, which makes the cider late to mature.

GWYNT-Y-DDRAIG – Happy Daze 4.5% Medium

This Welsh cider has a fruity appley aroma and a well-balanced finish. A light and very easy to drink medium clear cider.

GWYNT-Y-DDRAIG – Dog Dancer 6.5% Medium

Produced from bitter sweet cider apples blended with a true sharp cider apple. This is a light straw coloured Welsh cider with a medium dry, smooth and crisp, slightly sharp characteristic.

GWYNT-Y-DDRAIG – Fiery Fox 6.5% Medium Dry

A golden medium Welsh cider with a refreshing apple aroma. This cider has a smooth balanced flavour that has a fresh crisp sharpness.

GWYNT-Y-DDRAIG – Farmhouse Scrumpy 5.5% Medium

Golden medium cider with a refreshing apple aroma. Smooth balanced flavour that has a fresh, crisp sharpness you can taste.

GWYNT-Y-DDRAIG – Black Dragon 7% Medium Dry

This special reserve cider has been handcrafted exclusively from cider apples grown by traditional methods in ageing orchards. The juice pressed from these apples is fermented and matured in oak barrels to produce a cider rich in colour, body and flavour with a fresh fruity aroma.

HECKS – Vintage Cider 6.5% Sweet

A vintage cider produced from a blend of several varieties of apples.

LILLEY’S – Merry Monkey Scrumpy 4.5% Medium

A medium Scrumpy made with unfiltered bittersweet apple, full of character with a rich appley flavour.

LILLEY’S – Sunset 6% Medium Sweet

A rich and fruity rustic cider bursting with apple flavour. Cloudy and Medium Sweet.

LILLEY’S – Mango 4% Sweet

Smooth and sophisticated mango cider made with an ample portion of mango juice and Somerset cider.

SNAILS BANK – Fruit Bank 4% Sweet

Crisp apple cider blended with Strawberry, Raspberry and Blackcurrant.

SNAILS BANK – Appley Dapply 5.2% Sweet

A sweet, lively cider that blends traditional bitter sweet apples with Russet apple to make a light, refreshing and quaffable cider.

THISTLY CROSS – Whisky Cask 6.9% Dry

Cider aged in Whisky casks from the Glen Moray Distillery. Flavour of Whiskey and Honey.

THISTLY CROSS – Barrel Aged Cider 7.4% Dry

Aged in Bourbon and Rum casks.

THISTLY CROSS – Traditional 4.4% Medium

A bright golden, easy drinking cider: a real thirst quencher for those rare sunny days.

THISTLY CROSS – Original 6.2% Medium

The original cider from Scotland’s first dedicated Cider maker: made from local fruit.

THREE CATS – Three Cats Cider 6.7% Medium Sweet

Made largely from local (Derbyshire) fruit with a small proportion of cider fruit for tannin. Medium Sweet, often with a residual sparkle.

WESTCROFT – Janet’s Jungle Juice 6% Medium Dry

Produced by cider maker John Harris in Somerset, Janet’s Jungle Juice is a firm favourite with customers. When you try it you will see why it was the CAMRA national award winner in 2008. This Medium Dry cider is well rounded with a deep texture. It is a fantastic starting point for inexperienced cider drinkers as it is so very easy drinking.

WILKINS CIDER – Wilkins Dry 6% Dry

One of the great masters of absolutely traditional Somerset cider making. Roger Wilkins took over the business in 1966 set up by his grandfather in 1917 and he has been going string ever since. There are no single varietals here and it’s all fermented out and ready to drink in 8-10 weeks giving it a ’fresh’ taste.

WOODTHORPE HALL – Rubie Suzy 8.6% Medium Sweet

This is our ‘local cider producer’ made at Woodthorpe Hall in North Derbyshire on the edge of the Peak District. Every year at the beginning of October the local community along with Sheffield Camra come together to help make the cider on the 19th century cider press.

WOODTHORPE HALL – Old Barker 10.8% Dry

This is also made at Woodthorpe Hall. CAUTION – Very Strong.

 

PERRY TASTING NOTES

 

BROADOAK - Premium Perry 7.5% Sweet

One of the Original Cider Company’s best known drinks. Taste it and you can see why. As with all perries this is made solely from pears. This is a smooth delicately sweet drink which is a firm favourite with many. Broadoak Perry was a CAMRA gold award winner in 2009.

GWYNT-Y-DDRAIG – Two Trees Perry 4.5% Medium Sweet

This oak aged, Welsh perry is quite clear, has a caramel nosey finish. It is a very lively, popular perry and easy to drink.

LILLEY’S – Cheeky Pig 7.5% Medium

A medium blended perry and cider packed full of crisp refreshing flavour.

LILLEY’S – Bee Sting Perry 7.5% Medium Sweet

Sweet but incredibly refreshing with a glorious fresh tasting pear flavour and a wonderful pear aroma.

LILLEY’S Crazy Goat (Pyder) 6/8% Medium

A medium sweet mix of perry and cider expertly blended giving it a mouthwatering juicy flavour.

WESTONS – Country Perry 4.5% Medium Sweet

Made from perry pears and fully matured in old oak vats to develop its strength and traditional character. Free from all artificial colouring, flavouring and sweetening it retains its natural pale colour.

 

---------- Post added 12-10-2015 at 22:43 ----------

 

PROVISIONAL CASK BEER LIST

 

Abbeydale Absolution 5.30%

Abbeydale Cinder Hella 5.00%

Abbeydale Heavenly 7.00%

Abbeydale Hop Hideout Collaboration Stout 6.80%

Abbeydale Los Bancos 4.20%

Abbeydale Seven Deadly Sins (which sin is TBC) 7.00%

Abbeydale Zombie Chainsaw 4.10%

Acorn Barnsley Bitter 3.80%

Acorn Gorlovka Imperial Stout 6.00%

Acorn Minstrel IPA 5.00%

Acorn Pretty Green 3.50%

Acorn Secret Affair 4.50%

Bad Co Clockwork Orange 4.80%

Bad Co Comfortably Numb 3.80%

Bad Co Espresso Logic 5.50%

Bad Seed Brewdog White 9.00%

Bad Seed Raspberry Red

Bank Top Port O'Call 5.00%

Barlow Carnival 4.00%

Barlow NEW 5.00%

Black Jack Small Saison 4.50%

Blue Bee Attack of the Geek 6.00%

Blue Bee Centennial Pale 3.90%

Blue Bee For T'Thirst 4.10%

Blue Bee Ginger Beer 4.50%

Blue Bee Reet Pale 4.00%

Blue Bee Tempest Stout 4.80%

Bradfield Farmers Bitter 3.90%

Bradfield Farmers Blonde 4.00%

Bradfield Farmers Pale Ale 5.00%

Bradfield Farmers Sixer 6.00%

Bradfield Jack O Lantern 4.50%

Bradfield Poppy Ale 4.30%

Bradford Hockney Pale 3.60%

Brass Castle Annexation 8.30%

Brass Castle Bad Kitty 5.50%

Brass Castle Hazelnut Mild 4.20%

Brass Castle Oatmeal Pale 4.60%

Brick Coal Line Porter 5.00%

Brightside B-Side 4.20%

Brightside Maverick IPA 4.80%

Brightside The Optimist 3.80%

Cerddin Coffee Tri 4.50%

Cerddin Copper Hopped 4.50%

Crafty Devil Mikey Rayer All Dayer 4.20%

Crafty Devil Ryan Jones Red IPA 5.50%

Cwm Rhondda Shwmae 3.80%

Cwm Rhondda Tommy Box 4.50%

East London Brewery Cowcatcher APA 4.80%

East London Brewery H Red Ale 4.00%

East London Brewery Jamboree 4.80%

Exit 33 Citra Smash 6.20%

Exit 33 Club 33 #2 5.00%

Exit 33 Hop Monster 4.50%

Fownes Best of British Hops - First Gold Green 4.30%

Fownes Frost Hammer 4.60%

Fownes Goat Rider 4.80%

Fownes Gunhild 4.00%

Fownes Prophets of Doom 5.60%

Fuggle Bunny Chapter 1 - New Beginnings 4.90%

Fuggle Bunny Chapter 2 - Cotton Tail 4.00%

Fuggle Bunny Chapter 3 - Orchard Gold 5.00%

Fuggle Bunny Chapter 4 - 24 Carrot IPA 6.00%

Fuggle Bunny Chapter 6 - Hazy Summer Daze 4.20%

Fuggle Bunny Chapter 8 - Jammy Dodger 4.50%

Geeves Clear Cut 4.40%

Geeves Doughboy 5.20%

Great Heck Voodoo Mild 4.30%

Great Heck Yakima IPA 7.40%

Hackney Amber Ale 4.40%

Hackney English IPA 5.60%

High Peak Pale Ale

High Peak Porter

Hill Top Bitter 3.90%

Hill Top Golden 4.20%

Hill Top IPA 4.40%

Hogarths Harlots Progress MkII 4.50%

Hopcraft Mate, Spawn and Die 5.40%

Hopcraft Devilfish Ink 5.80%

Hopcraft Spanish Main 5.90%

Hopjacker IPA 5.70%

Hopstuff APA 3.80%

Hopstuff Fusilier 4.30%

Hopstuff Pale 4.50%

Hopstuff Renegade 5.60%

Hopstuff Session 4.20%

Imperial Target Practice 6.00%

Imperial Arrh Much 7.00%

Imperial Ronnie Pickering 5.00%

Intrepid Explorer 4.00%

Intrepid Porter 4.80%

Intrepid St Bernard 4.40%

Intrepid Trade Mark IPA 4.50%

Intrepid Travellers 5.40%

Jolly Sailor Cue's Brew 4.00%

Jolly Sailor Jolly Blonde 3.80%

Jolly Sailor Yellow Jersey 3.80%

Kelham Island Anniversary Ale 6.80%

Kelham Island Kelham Best Bitter 3.80%

Kelham Island Pale Rider 5.20%

Kelham Island Rye Plains Drifter 4.90%

Kelham Island Stockwell Rocker 4.00%

Landlocked Steeled Stoned Soured

Landlocked Steeled Stoned Soured - Primary Bretted

Landlocked Steeled Stoned Soured - Secondary Bretted

Lincoln Green Archer 4.00%

Lincoln Green Indium 5.90%

Lincoln Green MCMLXXV-MMXV 4.00%

Lincoln Green Robins Red Fest 6.50%

Lincoln Green Tantalum 3.80%

Lincoln Green Tuck Vimto 4.70%

Lincolnshire 1215 4.30%

Lincolnshire Friendly Rotweiller 4.50%

Lincolnshire Great Tom 3.70%

Lincolnshire Spicy Sausage 4.10%

London Beer Factory Captain's Brew 4.20%

London Beer Factory Chelsea Blonde 4.30%

Magic Rock Dark Arts Surreal Stout 6.00%

Magic Rock Ringmaster 3.90%

Magic Rock Simpleton Session IPA 2.60%

Magic Rock The Stooge 4.00%

Mallinsons Amarillo 4.20%

Mallinsons The Amazonian 5.20%

Milltown Black Jack 4.50%

Milltown Golden Amarillo 3.80%

Mouselow Farm Ducks Nuts 4.60%

Mouselow Farm Flying Goose 4.20%

Neepsend Czechmate 4.50%

Neepsend IPA 5.00%

Neepsend Pacific Breeze 4.20%

North Riding Red Citra 5.00%

North Riding Brew Pub Sunless Sea 4.80%

On the Edge Bohemie 4.70%

On the Edge Fryer 5.20%

On the Edge Pulsar 4.00%

Pipes Rye IPA 6.10%

Pipes Squid Ink 7.10%

RAW Baby Pacific Ghost 3.90%

RAW Dark Peak Stout 4.50%

Saltaire Raspberry Blonde 4.00%

Saltaire Triple Chocoholic 4.80%

Sentinel American Red 5.20%

Sentinel Orange Stout 4.20%

Sentinel Sheffield Bitter 3.30%

Sheffield Brewery Co Blanco Blonde 4.20%

Sheffield Brewery Co Crucible Best 3.80%

Sheffield Brewery Co Five Rivers 3.80%

Sheffield Brewery Co Liberty Hill Gold 4.30%

Sheffield Brewery Co Mildly Mature 3.80%

Sheffield Brewery Co Sheffield Forgemasters 4.80%

Sheffield Brewery Co Sheffield Porter 4.40%

Spire Jailbreak American IPA 5.90%

Spire Vladimir Stout 5.20%

Stancill Amercian Pale 3.90%

Stancill Barnsley Bitter 3.80%

Stancill India Ruby Ale 4.00%

Stancill No7 4.30%

Stancill Stainless 4.30%

Stancill Stancill Black 3.70%

Stancill Stancill Blonde 3.90%

Steel City Chasing the Dragon 4.50%

Steel City Craven D'Ale 5.00%

Steel City Light at the End of the World 4.50%

Storm Force 10 5.20%

Storm Silk of Amnesia 4.70%

Storm Typhoon 5.00%

The First Chop Brewing Arm Extra Love 4.00%

The First Chop Brewing Arm SYL 6.20%

The First Chop Brewing Arm The Chop 3.90%

Thornbridge Baize 5.50%

Thornbridge I love You, Will You Marry Me 4.50%

Thornbridge Jaipur X 10.00%

Thornbridge Melba 5.20%

Thornbridge Otters Tears 6.00%

Thornbridge Ruin 5.00%

Toolmakers Black Edge Stout 5.20%

Toolmakers Blue Print 4.20%

Toolmakers G.Philips Driver 4.20%

Toolmakers Lynch Pin 4.00%

Toolmakers Slide Hammer 4.40%

Townhouses Bramling Gold 4.00%

True North Pink Fizz 4.50%

True North Rhubarb Stumble 6.00%

True North Rivelin Red 5.00%

True North Sheaf Blonde 4.00%

Twt Lol Crazy Peacock 4.80%

Waen Black Forest

Waen Landmark

Waen Spinach

Wall's Alvertune 3.80%

Wall's Rebel IPA 5.00%

Wall's Uncle Sam's Black IPA 4.80%

Welbeck Abbey Cavendish 5.00%

Welbeck Abbey Cubitt's Voyage 3.60%

Welbeck Abbey Farrier 5.50%

Welbeck Abbey Firehouse Red 4.50%

Welbeck Abbey Portland Black 4.50%

Welbeck Abbey Red Feather 3.90%

Wentworth Hoptoberfest 3.80%

Wentworth Plotters Punch 3.80%

Wentworth Pumpkin Pale Ale 3.80%

Whippet English Whippet 4.80%

Whippet Little Curre 5.20%

Whippet Snap Dog 5.70%

White Rose Buda the Stout 4.60%

White Rose Rucking Blonde 4.20%

Wincle Cosmic Flyer 5.00%

Edited October 12, 2015 by Andy C

[taxman]

Wow, good line up.

 

It was brilliant last year and should be even better this year.

[Andy C]

I'm looking forward to it myself!

 

The list of world beers at the festival in bottles/cans is now available here: http://www.sheffieldcamra.org.uk/festival/foreign-beer/

[Stoatwobbler]

Wow, good line up.

 

It was brilliant last year and should be even better this year.

 

Indeed. I especially liked how considerate Sheffield CAMRA were in scheduling last year's beer festival to start on my birthday!

 

Looking forward to this year's beer festival.

[Andy C]

The festival is this week!

 

Open from 5pm Wednesday and Thursday, open from midday Friday and Saturday.

 

Over 200 real ales, 40 ciders & perries and a selection of bottled/canned beers from around the world will go on sale Wednesday night, when they've gone they've gone!

 

See http://www.steelcitybeerfestival.co.uk for more information including latest updates on the beer list.

[jemson]

Anyone else going tomorrow?

[SteelCityAle]

I'll be shirking working behind bar tomorrow and Thursday