Punters flock for festive pint despite £21 price

Chris Bamford, from the Rutland Arms, says customers from across the UK have loved the novelty stout

Yorkshire folk may be known for their love of a bargain, but a "rare" beer selling at a whopping £21 a pint has been lapped up by customers at one local boozer.

The Rutland Arms in Sheffield has been serving thirsty punters a novelty 11% volume Marshmallow Barrel Aged Stout, before it sold out on Tuesday.

The pub was thought to be the only one in the UK selling the beer, which was created by a Florida brewery.

The Arms' general manager, Chris Bamford, said there had been plenty of intrigue around the beer, with revellers from all over the country popping in for a taster.

The beer was originally procured by Northern Monk for a festival last month

The Arms picked up a keg of the beer through its close relationship with Leeds-based brewery Northern Monk, which procured the stout itself from the US for a festival last month.

The supply was part of a one-off batch created by Cycle Brewery.

Mr Bamford, 37, said: "Customers have really enjoyed it.

"It’s very much on the sweeter end of the beer spectrum, but it’s still got a really nice balance to it.

"It’s sold really quite well and created a fair bit of interest, I think by virtue of being a rare beer from a highly rated quality American brewery.

"Lots of people travel to Sheffield at this time of year and head round the pubs, so we've had people in from all over the country trying it.

"We had some Brentford fans in, trying it before they played Sheffield United at the weekend, but I'm not sure how well it works as a pre-match pint!"

Mr Bamford said there had been plenty of interest around the beer

Quite wisely perhaps, no-one has actually ordered a full pint of the stout, taking the pub's guidance to consume it in smaller portions.

"Most people have been buying it in thirds and then there’s been the odd half," said Mr Bamford, who has been at the Rutland Arms since 2017.

"We strongly advise against pints. If someone came in and they hadn’t been drinking and they insisted, we’d have probably sold them a pint, but afterwards we’d be careful!"

The cost of the stout contrasts sharply with most of the pub's other offerings, with its cheapest pint being £3.70.

And although it's thought it could have been Yorkshire's priciest pre-Christmas pint, Mr Bamford "highly doubts" it's the UK's dearest, given the spiralling costs of a drink in London and other major cities.

"It's certainly the most expensive one we've ever sold," he said. "I don't think we'll make a habit of £21 pints, though!"

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