Wednesday 7 December 2016

Pub 119, Day 46 – Hillsborough Tap

By Andy

We had made the journey to Hillsborough Corner once before (a trip which included an embarrassing pub quiz defeat at The Shakey), but such is the proliferation of pubs in the area that we didn't manage to complete the set. Now, two years on, we returned to conclude our unfinished business.

Our plan was to begin the evening at the Old Blue Ball, a dilapidated pub slightly set back from Bradfield Road. However, as we approached it, things didn't look right: there were no signs outside, and no lights to beckon punters in. We deemed this the worst pub in the area (hence why we were getting it out of the way first), but even by our low expectations, things were amiss.

All our instincts screamed at us that the pub was shut, but we had come too far to turn back. Besides, imagine if – years down the line – we were bragging to the world's media that we had been to every pub in Sheffield, only to find out that the Old Blue Ball was alive and well, and thus we had fallen one short. We couldn't take that chance.

Warily, we advanced. Maybe the pub was hosting a themed night – a séance or similar – which required the place to be in total darkness? Perhaps the landlord was attempting a modern approach, whereby not illuminating the premises ensured that customers concentrated solely on the taste of their beer? Or maybe the staff and all its patrons had been brutally murdered by a passing psychopath, who had turned off all the lights to ensure he wasn't caught on CCTV. It was time to find out.

Reaching the door, we pressed our faces against the glass.

It was then that the lights came on.

The place was definitely no longer a pub. We found ourselves peering into a (slightly messy) living room, with a very angry man staring back at us.

Luckily, I had played Knock-a-Door-Run as a child[1], and my instincts kicked in. Besides, I remember reading that if you ever find yourselves being attacked by a wild animal (say, a bear), you don't need to outrun the bear; only your companion. With that in mind, I left Rob to be mauled.

Reconvening at Hillsborough Corner (I was pleased to see Rob was still alive), we mused on the importance of a pub's location. Whereas the Old Blue Ball (set back from the main road) now appeared to be someone's living room; the sports bar Legends (on the junction) had been transformed into the Hillsborough Tap, a modern and upmarket venue.

During its previous incarnation, I had only ever encountered the place heaving with football hooligans on police documentaries, so I was quite surprised as to how small it was on the inside. Thankfully, the hooligans stopped visiting once the taps switched from lager to ale, so the pub now has a friendly atmosphere.

Although the interior was hardly extravagant, the pub offered a fantastic array of local beers, and that alone is enough to win Pubquest's plaudits. On this occasion we chose Triple Chocoholic by Saltaire Brewery. In my experience, chocolate beers are normally horrible, so hats off to the folk at Saltaire for brewing a beer which is both chocolatey and enjoyable – a combination I had never encountered before. The beer has won numerous awards (including Gold at the 2015 International Brewing Awards), but none will delight the brewery more than the prestigious Pubquest seal of approval.

When we started Pubquest in 2012, pubs were morphing into generic American sports bars at an alarming rate, so to have one swing the other way is a huge plus for the city. It is also a fantastic reflection on the people of Sheffield, who want to enjoy the taste of their beer, while keeping money in the local economy.

Serve me a Yorkshire beer over Budweiser/Coors every single time.

Pub: Hillsborough Tap (572-576 Langsett Road, S6 2LX)
Rating: 8/10

Pint: Triple Chocoholic
Brewery: Saltaire Brewery (Shipley)

NEXT UP: The ales are off, at The Riverside...

References:
[1] Note to any police who may be reading: I didn't really play Knock-a-Door-Run as child, honest. Please don't arrest me.

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