First came across this on a visit to York a few years ago. Bluebell pub on Fosse Gate. Serves a good, well kept selection of ales, but having never seen this before tried the farmers bitter. Very palatable, and a second to make sure went down just as well. Since then I have been to the brewery a few times on behalf of myself and some local publicans with empty kegs which are rinsed and filled with ale at a very reasonable cost. Their ales are now more readily available through distributors here in South Warwickshire, and the farmers blonde has taken off like wildfire, even lager drinkers are switching. For me it's lovely to get a decent pint round here with a decent head that clings to the glass. The bradfield brewery tap, the nags head is well worth a visit for the ales and the pie, peas and a pint deal. Disclaimer, not everyone will like their ales, and I am just giving my opinion. Tak od and sup.
What's the "farmers blond"? Is it a pale ale or is it more like a lager? I got stuck into the "3 for a fiver" shelves at Christmas and ended up going for all pales. If I go to a real ale pub I'll enjoy most stuff on draft, but can't get on with the darker beers out of a bottle.
Farmers blond is the colour of lager but whereas lots of ales that colour tend to be very hoppy this is very refreshing with a dry aftertaste. Interestingly there is now a blond extra, which is the same brew but served through a cooler with added gas as lagers are.
Popular is Farmers Blonde along with Belgian Blue ,, have it in the Fox and Hounds at Newmillerdam as a permanent beer
Tell thi what fitzytyke, Gordon's new brews at the Kinsley Hotel are well worth a walk down the hill for. The dark one - Pit Bottom - is gorgeous. £2 a pop can't go wrong
Mate of mine swears by Bradfield beer and regularly gets a firkin of Farmers Blonde when he has a house party. Never seen the appeal, myself. Much like the way folk rage about Thornbridge ales.
Prefer dark ales mysel still most of those Sheffield beers taste the same to me Abbeydale ,bradfield they all taste like moonshine ..grapefruity .. Sheffield brewing co and Stancill are pretty decent ... gardeners rest in neepsend was sbc's tap and stancills is based over the way.. all near the disused stones brewery building/eyesore..
People used to rave about Doom Bar. I tried it once and it was absolutely horrendous. Maybe it had been badly stored?
Bought some at christmas to compliment the range of ales my beer fridge had to offer lol it held mainly lager and the odd bottle of wine I was pleasantly surprised upon opening and tasting mind you my fridge is set to lager temperature so it does have a tendancy to kill any head on beer that said leaving it on the top of the bar to pick up a couple of degrees sorts the head out if required.... but yeah enjoyed the doom bar
]Bottled Doom bar is brewed in Burton, while the keg is still brewed in Rock, Cornwall. Not too keen on doom bar, would choose tribute, brewed by the same company. Anyone know anything about the great yorkshire brewery?, as I have been given a brewery tour as a Xmas present. Think its near Skipton.
Sadly Doom Bar was the victim of the sale of Sharps to Colson Moors. Was a rich malty almost fruity beer with depth. Its absolutely horrid now, criminal shame. I quite like the brown cow from Bradfield, had a few bottles from the farm shop over Christmas. I'm on a bit of a plum theme at the minute. Anorak by gypsy hill is a cracking plumy mild brown bitter. Titanic plum porter and over Christmas, wild holly from Thornbridge. Plum galore.
I thought Thornbridge had gone downhill, but I drank a couple of absolute belters over Christmas which restored my faith - Crackendale Citra Pale Ale, and their chocolate porter, the name of which escapes me.
I had an ice cream porter from thornbridge at a pub in Birmingham last Christmas and it was hands down the best beer I've ever tasted. Never seen it before or since. Brad Pitt to play me in the film adaptation.
Cocoa Wonderland? Halcyon double IPA is still one of my all time favourite beers. Love the Saint Petersburg imperial stout too
Sheffield is probably the best place in the country for real ales. Bradfield is brilliant. For many years Farmers Blonde has been in my top two favourite beers. Keithleys Timothy Taylor's is also good stuff. But these days there's a lot of decent stuff about.
I think Doom Bar's rubbish, really wishy washy, and I'm a big pale ale fan. In terms of Bradfield, I've tried the belgian blue and really liked that. Deep with great body