The Albion, Highfield, Sheffield

The Albion's page on the Stancill Brewery website - www.stancillbrewery.co.uk

The Albion's page on the Stancill Brewery website - www.stancillbrewery.co.uk

Facebook page of The Albion - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Albion - www.facebook.com

The Albion now has a hanging sign above the door, but it was raining too hard today to get a photo of it. In the corner behind the bar there's an impressive mural based on a giant octopus, but incorporating what looks like an alternative inn sign. There are usually just five hand pumps on the bar these days, and I haven't seen any guest beers since before Covid. Today there were just three beers on, including one of my favourites from Stancill, No.7 Pale 4.3%. Unfortunately it was a little hazy and very cold; quite possibly the former being caused by the latter. The beer's been fine on my other visits this year, so I hope this is just a one-off. In more bad news, the price of a pint has gone up from £3 to £3.30 since two weeks ago.

Very anonymous-looking pub, not helped by the dull grey paintwork and a seeming absence of exterior signage. Limited window space, low lighting and generally reddish decor don't really help once inside either. As a Stancill outlet, all seven handpumps were dispensing its own beers (eg. Folk Forest, £1.25, half) when we visited. As you can tell, I didn't really take to this place on my first visit, but there is enough here to give it another try.

After a short closure for refurbishment, the Albion is now resplendent in an external look comprising of two tones of grey. The interior is more colourful, with a tartan carpet and those internal walls that are not bare brick painted a pleasing shade of reddish orange - something between rust and terracotta. The bar seems to be unchanged, though the Stancill beers are now joined by a guest from Neepsend. I called in for a pint on my way home from work, and was served one in a dimple jug which was filled to substantially lower than the brim of the glass, though this was topped up when I asked. Beer is now charged at a horrific £2.80 per pint (up from the previous £2.50). The day of the £3 pint cannot be far off now.