retiredmartin

October 2025. Sheffield.

I don’t do beer festivals (or tasters, or dimpled mugs) but I also don’t turn down invites from Pub royalty, either, so put principles aside and joined Alfie/Ian/Mr Chelsea on his Sheffield overnighter, starting with a quick half in them Two & Six.

As I said this week “when you qualify for a senior railcard keeping in touch with your mates is the most important thing“.

This newish micro took a while to make the Guide, and felt a little “boxy” to start, but with an art space next door, almost universal pint-only cask custom and comfy seats it feels custom made for GBG ticking nowadays.

Ian arrived as I was finishing a half (sorry) of Lenton Lane (3.5), downed his own half in 20 seconds, and headed to Kelham.

If I was thinking “Can’t we just go in the Fat Cat and Kelham Island Tavern and find a nice seat, rather than standing outside in the cold drinking halves” as I looked across the Don Mill Race I didn’t say it.

Actually, Sheffield’s industrial museum is a good place to stage a beer festival, if we have to have them when the pubs have probably got 388 different beers on, as you can pop inside and admire the River Don engine,

drink craft from Waterbeach (never heard of it) amongst cutlery,

and have a sit down in the museums cafes and side rooms.

The real ale is really good, just as it was at the national event; this Torrside porter possibly the pick of the bunch.

I only managed six halves before calling it quits, trailing behind the master Untappd ticker.

Still, two and a half hours at a beer festival, not bad for me.

Problematically, beer makes me hungry (I’ve never seen Ian eat, ever), and it took all my strength to resist the haute cuisine of the Wellington,

though I couldn’t resist the bright lights of Hillsborough,

and brought her back a small snack.

Always go for the 19 Crimes bottles with a cork, folks.