retiredmartin

April 2026. Sheffield.

Walking back from the Botanical last Saturday I had a lot of worries on my mind. The chance of Dad’s house sale falling through at the last moment (it didn’t), Mrs RM’s blog getting more views than mine (it might) the prospect of another year of not using my full Spoons voucher allocation…

Actually, I’d lost my 25/26 CAMRA tokens last Autumn; they’ll probably turn up as a book mark on page 877 of “A Suitable Boy“, which tells you the danger of reading books.

The new season batch had just arrived, so I felt compelled to nip in what’s left of the old Wards brewery on Ecclesall Road and get my money’s worth from my life membership as a CAMRA “leech”.

Sheaf Island isn’t a GBG regular, there’s far too much competition in Sheffield for that, but it’s nicely decorated,

with a genuinely impressive cask line-up, by which I mean beers you’ve heard of, rather than ones with stupid rugby themed names.

Proper strong beers, too. Such a shame Mrs RM wasn’t here.

The Old Peculier is 29p cheaper than the Wobbly Bob, and only £1.70 with my badly separated voucher, which I can’t believe leaves Theakston much profit, never mind Sir Tim.

The Grand National is on, something I’d never watch, and it seems Sheffield isn’t much bothered with either, but it’s a rare example of a TV being on in a Spoons.

Neither the Old Peculier, or the subsequent Wobbly Bob (bad idea, right) taste their strength, a bit of “the long pull” about them (NBSS 3). But they’re cool, tasty and well presented, and (well) under two quid a pint, unlike the cask the CAMRAs will be drinking in St Albans this weekend.

And, because I’m a beer smellier, perfectly matched with the obligatory eight Whitby scampi smothered in tartare sauce.

“French” and “style” aren’t normally two words I’d expect together.

_{NB Next up will be a “long post” like the proper writers do. 2,000 words (possibly) on Tutbury.}