We met the in-laws at the Diamond, where James was going to give him a tour of Sheffield University aka Sheffield.
Of course, having two pints before a stressful event like like meeting in-laws (now on Day 10 of 14) means, inevitably, you’ll want a “comfort break”.
That’s what God invented alleys and bushes for, isn’t it ? Sadly, Sheffield Uni have poshed-up the scruffy north-western corner of town, leaving me with no other option than to go to the nearest pub.
Not just ANY nearest pub, of course, the nearest GBG pub.
That’ll do.
ALL THE PUBS IN SHEFFIELD ON FOOT No. 22 – The Red Deer
My best readers will remember me nipping in the Red Deer in 2017 while other parents were listening intently to Computer Science professors selling their £9,250 a year course to their sons (and it was ALL sons).
Back then I regaled you with the tale of spectacular trip onto the tram line in 2003, and a subsequent tear in my jeans is no doubt still talked about by the folk who were at West Street Tram stop that day.
It’s quieter now. No rushing to the bar before last orders, no dash to the Gents, just a genteel cleaning of hands and fiddle with the NHS App.
It’s much too quiet for a June Saturday, but then it is 25 degrees outside, and pub interiors are less appealing with all that tape on the floor.
I’m escorted to the table and given a printed drinks menu, which I can actually read.
“We’re clearing out stock” it says, as the Red Deer is between ownership, so good luck to the folk there.
The handpumps look a bit turned-round, but the Welbeck Harley is fine(ish), though that touch of straw I sometime note to pretend this blog cares about beer is present.
I snaffle a half in 20 seconds, take rather longer in the Gents, and say “Thanks” on the way out. I IMMEDIATELY feel like I need to go the loo again.
It’s going to be a long afternoon.
retiredmartin 
Once it starts it doesn’t stop. Instead of campaigning for cask or smoking we should start a public W/C campaign. I’m tired of slipping off down an alley. I still won’t use railway platforms though. I have some pride.
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In some cases the Pride may start inside, but ends up outside. Probably outside on the closest platform to the Parcel Yard.
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Scott,
The side rooms are immediately adjacent to and look down on Platform 8,
that’s in the Kings Cross Parcel Yard not the Leicester Parcel Yard.
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Yes I’ve always thought that 7th pint at Kings Cross a bad idea given the lack of toilets on the Great Northern or whatever it’s called.
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You know it’s bad when you start considering a couple of bottles of Vintage for the journey.
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Railway platforms? Who would do that? 😉
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Can’t help but wonder how a certain person would manage in Shetland where there are no railways, have never been any railways and never will be any railways. Didn’t stop some bloke writing a book called “Railways of Shetland” though. (Don’t ask) Precious few trees too.
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No trees ? How do they produce the paper for the Shetlands Good Beer Guide, then ?
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There is no real ale in Shetland. The Good Tennent’s Guide, however, is hewn into the living rock at Mavis Grind (yes, that’s a place) and the people come from miles around to gaze upon it in awe and bafflement.
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I’ve probably already mentioned three of us having too much DBA in the Red Deer at the start of a Sheffield pub crawl nearly thirty years ago.
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I have a vague recollection; you seemed quite proud of it ! I never actually saw much Draught Burton Ale after it won the 1990 Champion Beer of Britain.
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Not proud but none of us could remember much about it the next day so it must have been good. Makes our Proper Days Out in recent years look like vicarage tea parties.
Yes, the kiss of death. And I’ve hardly seen Greene King 1PA since that was the Champion Bitter !
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It’s only a decade, possibly less, since I saw Greene King IPA at Cambridge Beer Festival (on the Greene King stand).
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Hmm. Haven’t been to the Red Deer since it reopened. Bradfield Famers Blonde. Wychwood Hobgoblin Ruby. Triple Point Gold. Welbeck Abbey Harley. I hope those haven’t all been sitting in the cellar since the previous licensee gave up the lease. I’ll maybe wait till next week, just to give them a chance to settle – the new licensees, not the beers, you understand.
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Very wise.
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Not straw, but honey, for my Wye Valley HPA outside the Farmer’s Arms in Nottage today.
I thought that it was a mildly pleasant defect, but according to the brewer’s site I could expect it to taste or to smell exactly like that.
It’s just odd that this was the first time that I’d noticed it, I thought.
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Straw and honey are very different tastes. And I say that as a professional beer expert who knows that water is the main ingredient.
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The only beer that should taste like honey is that Enville Ale. When HPA does it’s a bad sign.
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