Yes, Grimbold is SMOD’s dog — who unfortunately wasn’t there when I went (I think having a dog around on a brew day might make things a bit too complicated!).
You think right, Mr Daniel. This was the journalistic assignment of my life! And I probably shouldn’t say this but both SMOD and Abbeydale gave me a few beers on my way out which made it even better!
In the early days when Pat and Sue Morton had just begun brewing I had an allotment at the end of my garden in Nether Edge and used to go down to the brewery to collect bags of spent hops to use as a mulch around crops. The veg seemed to like it and the allotment smelled wonderful!
That’s fantastic, Jenny. Thanks for letting us know. When I arrived in Attercliffe the smell was amazing. Dann and Martha told me the spent grain goes to a firm in Doncaster to be made into electricity but I don’t know what happens to the hops.
Useful article. I’ve been considering cutting down on my beer consumption, mainly for calorific reasons, but this has persuaded me that Sheffield brewers need me to up it. Gladly.
Note to the marketing folks: while strong beers may be popular among young big types, I will buy more pints if the first one doesn’t floor me. 5+ & 6+% beers are not on my shopping list.
Same Katy. If I cut beer out of my diet I would be as fit as a fiddle but I just don’t think it’s worth it! And yes, anything north of 6% is silly in my opinion (certainly on a night out).
Today I bought Christmas gifts from both SMOD and Abbeydale, both very different but very Sheffield I think. Definitely recommend a trip to SMOD in Attercliffe or Abbeydale's Rising Sun!
Thanks Richard. I’ve not been to the Rising Sun but hopefully will do soon. Yes, I remember Smallest Carrot Co. The person who took the photo said it had taken someone with a cherry picker a full day to rearrange the letter just for some ‘anagram banter’.
My late husband was an enthusiast for real ale before CAMRA even existed, and he gave me a copy of Richard Boston's "Beer and Skittles." A great book: a chart of how ghastly the beer scene was in the 1960s and 1970s, plus a history of beer in this country. One important observation of Boston's was that beer's mostly water which is heavy, so it made environmental sense not to carry it round the country. Local breweries were accordingly the way forward. I believe that the big beer manufacturers (I won't honour them with the appellation of brewers) were actually thinking of "beer-concentrate" to which publicans could add water. Yep: we nearly ended up with that. Never was the phrase "publicans and sinners" more apt.
Thanks for this Dan, another positive aspect of Sheffield to be proud of. Its going to be a shame to have less of those 10%+ sipping beers with my Christmas pud this year 😕.
No worries. Thanks for your comment Tim 🙏 I think SMOD’s stout is still going to be 8.4% so I’m sure it will be quite adequate for a Christmas pudding!
Good to read this about the real craft beer movement in Sheffield. I was at Crookes Club last night where we had a pint or two of Moonshine which is Abbeydale’s flagship pale ale and their most famous beer! Hopped with Willamette, Delta, Citra, Chinook & Centennial – a beautifully well balanced pale and superbly kept at Crookes by Maurice and team. I’ve now launched two charities in Sheffield and we have been superbly supported by The Little Mesters Brewing Co at Meadowhead a small micro-brewery run by Ben Shaw, Simon Offord and Neil Adgie. They’ve brewed us an ale called Sheffield Home of Football to help raise funds for Sheffield’s first ever Football Heritage Museum. The ale is a fine 4.8% ABV IPA and the lager is a lovely 4.442% ABV and both brews are gluten-free. I will make a point of visiting SMODS in Attercliffe and good to hear that Sheffield is still the craft beer capital of the world ! We must pay tribute to Dave Pickersgill’s work in producing all those great CAMRA guides for raising awareness of this in Sheffield down the years and all the great CAMRA activists.
Sheffield has such a wide range of drinking neighbourhoods and breweries. I choose a different one each week, Abbeydale Rd, Eccleshall Rd, Woodseats/Sharrow, Kelham Island, City Centre etc etc. All distinctive, all great. Love it. SMOD is a crazy little oasis of fabulousness. Who else could run a bar selling their own European styled beers tucked away in Attercliffe? Genius.
A quick shout out for the *other* key member of the SMOD team who inexplicably didn't get a mention here: Grimbold!
I'm guessing that Grimbold isn't a specimen of homo sapiens - enlightenment, please!
Yes, Grimbold is SMOD’s dog — who unfortunately wasn’t there when I went (I think having a dog around on a brew day might make things a bit too complicated!).
I think Dan enjoyed producing this piece...
It comes through too, lovely stuff.
You think right, Mr Daniel. This was the journalistic assignment of my life! And I probably shouldn’t say this but both SMOD and Abbeydale gave me a few beers on my way out which made it even better!
Dann and Martha are both lovely people as well as excellent brewers. I hope they're able to weather the storm and keep going for many years to come.
In the early days when Pat and Sue Morton had just begun brewing I had an allotment at the end of my garden in Nether Edge and used to go down to the brewery to collect bags of spent hops to use as a mulch around crops. The veg seemed to like it and the allotment smelled wonderful!
That’s fantastic, Jenny. Thanks for letting us know. When I arrived in Attercliffe the smell was amazing. Dann and Martha told me the spent grain goes to a firm in Doncaster to be made into electricity but I don’t know what happens to the hops.
Richard Boston on the subject of home-brewing: "If your spouse doesn't like the smell, change your spouse" 😁
Useful article. I’ve been considering cutting down on my beer consumption, mainly for calorific reasons, but this has persuaded me that Sheffield brewers need me to up it. Gladly.
Note to the marketing folks: while strong beers may be popular among young big types, I will buy more pints if the first one doesn’t floor me. 5+ & 6+% beers are not on my shopping list.
Same Katy. If I cut beer out of my diet I would be as fit as a fiddle but I just don’t think it’s worth it! And yes, anything north of 6% is silly in my opinion (certainly on a night out).
Today I bought Christmas gifts from both SMOD and Abbeydale, both very different but very Sheffield I think. Definitely recommend a trip to SMOD in Attercliffe or Abbeydale's Rising Sun!
A couple of years ago you reported on "The Smallest Carrot Company" and there was SMOD directly opposite with Grimbold patiently waiting for you.. https://www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/p/what-freedom-day-means-for-sheffield
Thanks Richard. I’ve not been to the Rising Sun but hopefully will do soon. Yes, I remember Smallest Carrot Co. The person who took the photo said it had taken someone with a cherry picker a full day to rearrange the letter just for some ‘anagram banter’.
My late husband was an enthusiast for real ale before CAMRA even existed, and he gave me a copy of Richard Boston's "Beer and Skittles." A great book: a chart of how ghastly the beer scene was in the 1960s and 1970s, plus a history of beer in this country. One important observation of Boston's was that beer's mostly water which is heavy, so it made environmental sense not to carry it round the country. Local breweries were accordingly the way forward. I believe that the big beer manufacturers (I won't honour them with the appellation of brewers) were actually thinking of "beer-concentrate" to which publicans could add water. Yep: we nearly ended up with that. Never was the phrase "publicans and sinners" more apt.
The addition of H2O to ale should be a capital offence.
Agree! Which reminds me - if you show up at Mike's wake on Friday, I'll buy you a pint 🍺
Thanks for this Dan, another positive aspect of Sheffield to be proud of. Its going to be a shame to have less of those 10%+ sipping beers with my Christmas pud this year 😕.
Now I know where I can get my Xmas Pud stout from! And a lovely read btw.
glad to know the legendary Martin Dawes is alive and kicking
Hope you are well Ron. On FB and Twitter martindawes2
No worries. Thanks for your comment Tim 🙏 I think SMOD’s stout is still going to be 8.4% so I’m sure it will be quite adequate for a Christmas pudding!
Good to read this about the real craft beer movement in Sheffield. I was at Crookes Club last night where we had a pint or two of Moonshine which is Abbeydale’s flagship pale ale and their most famous beer! Hopped with Willamette, Delta, Citra, Chinook & Centennial – a beautifully well balanced pale and superbly kept at Crookes by Maurice and team. I’ve now launched two charities in Sheffield and we have been superbly supported by The Little Mesters Brewing Co at Meadowhead a small micro-brewery run by Ben Shaw, Simon Offord and Neil Adgie. They’ve brewed us an ale called Sheffield Home of Football to help raise funds for Sheffield’s first ever Football Heritage Museum. The ale is a fine 4.8% ABV IPA and the lager is a lovely 4.442% ABV and both brews are gluten-free. I will make a point of visiting SMODS in Attercliffe and good to hear that Sheffield is still the craft beer capital of the world ! We must pay tribute to Dave Pickersgill’s work in producing all those great CAMRA guides for raising awareness of this in Sheffield down the years and all the great CAMRA activists.
Dave Pickersgill surely.No mention of the sublime Septimus Henry Ward's Fine Malt Ales? Shurely Shome Mistake?
Yes of course Ron glad to stand corrected by yourself!
you might be interested to see my comment on the Endcliffe War Memorial on the Tribune today.
Take care Martin
Ron
Good to hear from you Mr Dawes.
Ron
Sheffield has such a wide range of drinking neighbourhoods and breweries. I choose a different one each week, Abbeydale Rd, Eccleshall Rd, Woodseats/Sharrow, Kelham Island, City Centre etc etc. All distinctive, all great. Love it. SMOD is a crazy little oasis of fabulousness. Who else could run a bar selling their own European styled beers tucked away in Attercliffe? Genius.
and a bag of pork scratchings?
Lets have a beer sometime Andy.
Ron