Cask Corner - Town Centre Pub of the Season

Where else can you find a coffin in the corner, an ironing board suspended from the ceiling, sawdust on the floor and up to 10 cask beers for sale? The answer is in Doncaster CAMRA’s Pub of the Season for Autumn 2011 - Cask Corner on Cleveland Street.

This is certainly a pub with a difference. Originally the brainchild of the sadly defunct Toad Brewery, it opened in July 2010 and in just over a year has already made its own individual mark on the town centre and proved a great attraction to discerning drinkers.

The ten cask beers are sourced from a wide variety of independent breweries, including many which qualify under CAMRA’s LocAle scheme - designed to promote the availability of local beers from local breweries, thereby cutting down on 'beer-miles'. Ales from Great Heck, Raw, Acorn, Wentworth and White Rose have all featured regularly; even the highly regarded Steel City beers have been known to appear from time to time. Other initiatives have included featured ‘Brewery Months’ - most notably showcasing the fine cask beers from Thornbridge and BrewDog. Real cider and interesting premium lagers are also available, together with a hugely impressive range of 100 bottled beers from all over Europe and beyond. In short, there really is something for everyone.

The décor is probably best described as quirky. Apart from the aforementioned coffin and ironing board, Cask Corner boasts an old fashioned mangle in the window, giant knitting needles, a piano and what must surely be the largest dartboard in town. A collection of 12” vinyl record sleeves are displayed on the walls. Visitors to this pub are unlikely to forget it in a hurry.

Originally opened as a one roomed downstairs pub, there is now an upstairs cocktail bar and a separate rooftop terrace smoking area. The seating arrangement, currently offering a variety of sofas, upright chairs and even upended beer barrels, sometimes seems to change almost daily. An interesting feature is the ground level cellar at the rear, with glass windows ensuring that all can observe the well kept barrels and tantalising cases of bottled beers.

The pub has always employed friendly and knowledgeable staff, who are pleased to offer guidance regarding the cask and bottled beers on offer. ‘Taster’ samples are generally available at all but the busiest times.

To celebrate this award, the pub has increased the discount offered to card-carrying CAMRA members (and NUS student card holders) to a generous 25% off all cask beers.

Cask Corner is reintroducing a Toad Brewery initiative - the popular ‘Beer Club’ held on the last Friday of each month - where all cask beers will be on sale at £2 per pint (understandably no further discounts will be available!).

The pub does not serve food, but customers are permitted (for better or worse depending on personal opinion!) to bring in takeaway meals to consume on the premises.

Shoulder of Mutton- District Pub of the Season

When you’re out and about, do you dream of finding one of those lovely traditional country pubs with real fires, real ales and a friendly relaxing atmosphere? If so, you need look no further than the Shoulder of Mutton at Kirk Smeaton. It is just such a pub and, what’s more, has been voted District Pub of the Season for Autumn 2011 by the Doncaster & District Branch of CAMRA.

This wonderful pub has previously won a Pub of the Season award (Winter 2005/06) and was also voted our District Pub of the Year 2007. So what makes this pub so special, then? The answer is – many things. The Shoulder of Mutton is an absolute gem. As you enter there is a cosy, wood-panelled snug to the right and to the left a large lounge with real fires. It is in this larger room that most of the customers gather. The clientele are friendly, always ready to swap a yarn or two, and to indulge in witty banter.

There are always two real ales available here. The regular house beer is Black Sheep Best Bitter. If you like this beer, this is the place to drink it - it’s always in excellent condition. The guest beer is usually from the relatively new Dark Horse Brewery (located in an old hay barn within the Yorkshire Dales National Park). This is the only pub in our branch area where I’ve encountered this beer, and very nice it is too. The brewery badges the beer especially for the pub as ‘Shoulder of Mutton Ale’. Being free of tie, beers are sourced direct from the breweries instead of them travelling the length and breadth of the country before reaching the pub. This shows in the quality of the beer!

Outside, there is a spacious beer garden for alfresco drinking – complete with a covered and heated shelter to accommodate smokers – and ample parking facilities. This is also a haven for walkers as the Went Valley circular walk and Brockadale Nature Reserve are nearby.