The Fat Cat, Kelham Island, Sheffield

Of all the fine pubs in and around the Kelham Island area, the Fat Cat has perhaps the most traditional feel to it, with its compact, two room layout. Built originally as a boarding house for steel workers, it was eventually converted to a pub called the Alma and continued to trade under this name until 1981, when it was relaunched as the home to the Kelham Island Brewery. On entering the pub, you take the door on the right for access to the main bar, which is very compact making it a bit of a squeeze to get served when busy. The room has wooden flooring and banquette seating, with a bit more space to the rear where the room opens out slightly. The windows at the front boast some nice etched glass and have been covered with old GBG stickers and other such endorsements, whilst numerous CAMRA awards cover the walls. The rear of the room has a fireplace and you can spot one of several painted cats that are dotted throughout the pub. The other half of the pub consists of a carpeted lounge with a good deal of banquette and low stool seating and plenty of old pictures on the walls. This side of the pub is served by a hatch to the bar in the adjacent corridor. There are loads more certificates on the walls here as well, this time mostly for the brewery. Following the corridor past the toilets, you reach a spacious rear garden with a covered area and nice water feature. The pub suffered during the floods that hit Sheffield in 2007 and a board outside shows the high water mark from this event and compares it to an even higher flood in 1864. Three Kelham Island beers were available on my visit – Best (£2.00), Pale Rider and Big Black Blue Sound – and these were complimented by a good range of guests in the shape of Thornbridge Pica Pica, Smart Wild Thing, Castle Rock House Sparrow, Taylor Landlord, Gundog Golden Cocker, Five Towns Roo Barb and Dervintio Boars Head Premium Bitter plus two real ciders. I tried the Kelham Island Best and the Roo Barb, which as the name suggests is a rhubarb flavoured beer. Both were in good shape although the Roo Barb wasn’t the most pleasant pint I’ve had. Food is available, with typical pub grub such as pies for £4.50, detailed on a blackboard near the bar. This is an excellent ale house and it is worth bearing in mind that the Sheffield beer scene owes a great deal to the pioneering approach of this pub. A must do for all ale fans and as others have mentioned, it makes for one of the country’s best double headers when visited in conjunction with the nearby Kelham Island Tavern.