Some Sheffield beers
Real ale on a stag do in Sheffield.
We took a train to Sheffield yesterday to meet up with a friend who was having his stag do a couple of weeks after his wedding. Real ale was not really on our list of expectations, but we managed to sneak in a few:
- Saltaire Brewery: XB. (Wetherspoons, Leeds City train station)
- We’d forgotten how busy this rail station pub gets. We didn’t have long before our train, so seeing hoards along the full length of the 20-meter bar with a staff of only four, we knew we were in for a long wait. But the wait was worth it. Love them or loathe them, Wetherspoons know how to keep and serve a good beer. The local XB was enjoyed in the afternoon sunshine on the station concourse.
- Greene King: IPA. (The Frog and Parrot, Division Street, Sheffield)
- I have fond memories of the Frog and Parrot from my student days so it was nice to come back to this Cask Marque accredited pub. Its two split levels with dark wooden interior were given a wonderful glow by the sunlight streaming through the huge windows. The IPA was not the best pint of the evening, but Matt really enjoyed it and wanted to stay for another. But all things ’stag do’ awaited and we had to trudge off to some bars and the wonderful world of fizzy lager.
- Kelham Island Brewery: Easy Rider (Swim Inn, West Street, Sheffield)
- It was a pleasant surprise to wander in to Wetherspoons’ Swim Inn, as a decent range of beers greeted us on the bar. We opted for the local Easy Rider, a really pale yellow beer with an excellent summer taste.
