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Tramlines Ale Launch Party

Tramlines Ale Launch Party

 

The "Tramlines" beer launch night started as you may expect any other Thursday to start in Sheffield; with intermittent downpours of Biblical proportion. We lucky few escaped the deluge and were pleasantly serenaded by a few of Sheffield’s sprites under the roof of one of the steel cities’ favourite institutions; The Harley. 

The launch began with an explanation to the uninitiated on how this years beer would be chosen. Simply; we would be given the choice to vote for one of two different beers and the favourite would be put into production for the attendees of Sheffield’s "Tramlines" festival to enjoy.   

After the excitable murmur of how retro the vinyl stamped pump-clips looked was brought to a simmer, it was time to get down to the beers themselves.   

It was a pleasure to witness the ignition of senses by our beers, as it’s praises were sung by those whose taste buds were tantalized. A spectacle that humbles any hard working brewer.   

The Golden "Tramlines 1" got my vote. The wonderfully subtle toffee flavour coming from the cara-malt seemed to be balanced beautifully with the US Cascade hops which both resonated harmoniously with my pallet.

However, it seemed that the paler, Galaxy hopped "Tramlines 2" made more of an impression in the Harley. With it’s tropical notes and citrus edge paraded around the place, I got the impression this may be crowned the victor. 

If this is true, it affirms Sheffield’s insatiable appetite for pale hoppy beers. Good news for us at Abbeydale!

 

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Call for Tramlines Tasters

Call for Tramlines Tasters

TRAMLINES FESTIVAL 2013 PRESS RELEASE

Tramlines, The UK’s biggest inner city festival, is calling on ale fans to help them choose the Tramlines 2013 official ale.

This year the official Tramlines Festival Ale comes from Abbeydale Brewery. The Sheffield based brewery has come up with two ales that will go head to head on Thursday 23 May.

The Harley on Glossop Road will be hosting the Tramlines Ale Launch Party from 7pm, giving punters a chance to enjoy some free music and take their pick of the contenders. Tramlines tipplers will be able to have their say on which of the two ales should be sold at the festival.
Both Tramlines Ale 1 and Tramlines Ale 2 will be available in venues across Sheffield on the run up to the festival but only one will be sold over the festival weekend.

Which side of the tracks are you on?

Punters can vote on their favourite Ale via a ballot box at the Harley or by using the hashtags #TRAMLINESALE1 or #TRAMLINESALE2. All the votes cast on the night will be counted and the winning ale will be sold across the festival weekend.

Sarah Nulty, Festival Director at Tramlines said: “Sheffield has a fantastic real ale community and some brilliant breweries and we need to celebrate that. The Blues Stage and Ale Trail are key parts of the festival and real ale is something that our punters love. A Tramlines Ale has become a staple part of the festival now. We are selling both Tramlines ales at only £1.50 for one night only while stock last and at that price you can afford to try both.
“We’ve got great ale, great music and lots to entertain. It should be a fantastic night, and what better way of starting the bank holiday weekend. Come on down and have your say on which ale should win.”

Live bands and DJs will be playing from 8pm including Ham Pocket,? 50 Sniffs and The Grand Old Ukes Of Yorkshire.
Tramlines, returns to Sheffield for its fifth year on Friday 19 July to Sunday 21 July with a bigger and better music programme than ever before.

Regular line-up announcements will be made over the coming weeks. Confirmations already include Lianne La Havas, David Rodigan MBE, Toddla T Sound, Maurice Fulton, Theo Parrish, New Young Pony Club, Shangaan Electro, Fenech Soler, Slow Club, Jim Jones Revue, The Invisible, 2.54, Friends, Duke Dumont and Dutch Uncles

A limited number of weekend tickets (priced at £15 plus booking fee) are available at http://2013.tramlines.org.uk/tickets/

Last year’s Tramlines saw over 150,000 people turn Sheffield into one massive festival over three days, creating the feel and atmosphere that rivals any green field festival site.

Find out more about the artists playing Tramlines 2013 at www.tramlines.org.uk

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Now Then Magazine Celebrate Their 5th Birthday

Now Then Magazine Celebrate Their 5th Birthday

Happy Birthday to the guys at Now Then magazine Sheffield (and now Manchester).

To celebrate, they asked us to do a beer for them…again.

When you start serving this beer OR purchase a pint of it, please tweet @AbbeydaleBeers or @NowThenMag using the hashtag #nowthen5, or email [email protected]. Any stories you wish to share – let us know where you are, who you are and most importantly what you think cos we think it’s right good. Cheers!

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Invoice no. 50000

Geoff & Pat Fuller at The Stags are our oldest customer (the first infact) being issued invoice number 1 – our starting point. So it only made sense that they receive invoice number 50000 17 years down the line.

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Loved it, Loved it, Loved it

Loved it, Loved it, Loved it

It made me quite nervous actually, when Cheryl told me that she wanted me to be a “runner” – which meant i had to fetch the beer to my allocated table for blind tasting by the judges.  Yes of course it seems simple now but in the hustle and bustle of activity in the hall and not having done this before I was more than a little apprehensive at the start.  Ren, was chuckling at me, he’s so Old School you know!

As a runner we had a list of codes and a string of labels with the same codes and strictest instructions from Sir, to make sure we brought out the beers according to our list.  So we had to go get some empty jugs, label them up, take them to the cellar for filling and then fetch them to the table.  Hopefully, if you had timed it right the judges would be just about finishing tasting the last ones – God forbid that you’d have kept them waiting!  In between fetching out the beers you just about had time to clear the used glasses and get some fresh ones ready.  Not to mention clearing the table between rounds, fresh water, new scoring sheets and pens and lots of crackers. Running – you bet!

So yes for a few hours it was busy, busy, busy – but the camaradie between all the helpers was just brilliant.  David (Merlin) and other Dave (Acorn) were running on the tables by mine with Dave and Steve also from Acorn and Lee and Kim from Bollington on glass / jug washing duties, so as you can imagine there was plentry of banter and laughter with a little bit of sneaky sampling happening as well.

Finally, all the sniffing, eyeing, tasting and judging was done, the debris cleared away, our volunteering complete and we could at last start enjoying some of the 260 plus beers on offer.  It seemed ages till the results came through but here they were.  Its like you daren’t hope but yet you love your own beer, surely they deserve some recognition you’re quietly thinking.  So just sitting there, going through the motions, noting down in the programme (that i subsequently lost!) who’s won what, graciously acknowledging and applauding as each one is announced.  Woo and then it was “and Gold in the Best Bitter category goes to Abbeydale Brewery’s Deception”  Yes, yes oh yes!!  And then Deception got Bronze Overall – t’was just fabulous to hear.

Winning gold at this festival means that Deception automatically qualifies for SIBA’s big National Beer X Festival in Sheffield next March.  Promising to be big and bold, Beer X is set to be a four day celebration of British beer, combining the SIBA annual conference with the final judging and presentation of the National Brewing Competition.  But best of all there’s to be a three day beer festival!  It’s something like this is going to be the first time all the SIBA brewers, from all over the country will be showcasing alll their beers at one event – and it’s happening here in Sheffield!  Ooooh fingers crossed.

http://siba.co.uk/beerx

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Well Praise the Lord!

We’ve heard through the hop vine that Rev Mark Abrey and his parishioners, so bereft at losing the sanctuary of their village pub in Ascott-under-Wychwood, converted the Holy Trinity Church into the Trinity Arms – for one night.  Included as part of the service were “Confessions” and “Absolution” which they sourced through a local micro brewery.

Does that not just warm the cockles of your heart – but also show how invaluable our local pubs are.

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What I loved about my first RambAle

Perhaps its just me, but until recently I still had a bit of an old fogie image of CAMRA folk, of all men with beards, socks in sandals and that sort of thing!  So on my first rambale I was fully expecting to be the only girl.  Not that that would have bothered me, the thought of a new (and guided) walk with a couple of good pubs thrown in is an ideal day out for me with my hubbie and our dog.  

But I wasn’t the only girl, in fact there was lots of other girlies and all of the same mind, a good walk with a few pit stops thrown in.  Of course there was a chappie with a beard but he was really cool and had us laughing all day.  Our walk was exactly what it said on the tin – a very nice ramble, at your own pace but with some cracking pubs at the beginning, loads in the middle and a couple just for good measure at the end.  A fab day out – can’t wait for the next one……….

Check out Beer Matters – Dates for your Diary for forthcoming RambAles

http://www.sheffieldcamra.org.uk/422web.pdf

  • About Us

    A true Sheffield institution founded in 1996 and employee owned since 2024, Abbeydale Brewery blends heritage and tradition with creativity and innovation, showcasing these values across an unparalleled range of beers.

    Abbeydale Brewery brochure

  • Contact Us

    Abbeydale Brewery Ltd
    Unit 8, Aizlewood Road
    Sheffield
    S8 0YX
    Telephone: 0114 281 2712
    Email: [email protected]

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