Rotherham Camra

Brewery News

Wentworth Brewery Introduced two special brews during April/May Whistlejacket at a hefty 8.3% and royal at 3.8%. Both were light coloured brews, which made the Whistlejacket dangerously drinkable. The royal was introduced as a tribute to HM the Queen and it is not clear whether it will be brewed again. Its taste was not dissimular to that of thier most popular beer WPA. The brewery`s first pub, the Royal Albert at Blacker Hill,near Barnsley, is now fully functional and is serving three Wentworth beers.

Kelham Island, Sheffield Also brewed a special beer for the Qoeen`s Jubilee celebrations. Golden Jubilee Ale, a pale coloured citrus tasting brew of 4.8%ABV was available in bottles and on draught in certain pubs, and was marketed in conjunction with the Star newsspaper. Such was the beer`s popularity, that Head Brewer, Paul Ward, had to brew it again

Elsecar Brewery Company Press reports earlier in the year stated that Cloverdale Leisure, a holding company that ran Barsnley Brewery. Blackpool Brewery and the Country pub Company, had gone into receivership. As part of the restructuring, Blackpool Brewery and the Country pub Company no longer operate but the future of the Barnsley beers was ensured. A new holding Company the Elsecar Brewing Company was set up and each of the pubs in the company`s estate was made a limited company. Two local pubs are includedin the esate, the Alma Tavern in Rotherham and the Lundhill Tavern in Hemingfield. The pubs sell two beers from Elscar on a regular basis, which is likely to include the latest seasonal special. They also,in support of other small brewers, will serve beers from four other South Yorkshire micro-breweries. The brewery continues to produce traditional cask beers in elscar under head brewer David Hughes and his assistant Chris Hall. The turns out around 60 barrels a week from three brews. Barnsley bitter{3.8%}is still the biggest seller followed by Barnsley IPA{4.2%}. To supplement these a new seasonal beer is produced, on average, every three weeks. Some of threse seasonal beers will, if they prove popular, be brewed every year, such as Umpire`s Finger{4.5%}for the cricket season and Glory {4.8%}for the beginning of the football season. The recent World Cup was celebrated by Golden Balls_{5.1%},brewed in recognition of England`s win over Germany earlier in the year, with an ABV to match the score line. only quality ingredients are used with Lincolnshire Perl and roasted malt barleys being supplied by Thomas Fawcett of Castleford. The hops, such as the Challenger variety, come from Wealdon Hops Ltd in Kent and the yeast is the strain from the original Barnsley Bitter, which was obtained from the National Yeast Archive in1994. The brewery is now working with a local wholesaler, Heath and Smith of Doncaster, who have taken on all local sales and distribution, leaving them to concentrate on the brewing of their fine traditional ales.

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