The original ale supplier of a tavern that once stood on the doorstep of Sheepfolds Stables in Sunderland has created a special brew for the venue.
After the success of its exclusive Pit Pony lager brewed by Sunderland-based Vaux, Sheepfolds Stables – the new £4million venue in Riverside Sunderland – has partnered with North East-based Camerons Brewery to create a lager that will be served in the venue’s main Taproom and second bar, Back of the Pit.
Lamplight, which is exclusively available at Sheepfolds, has been named in honour of Sunderland’s mining heritage. Camerons once supplied ale to the Waggon Tavern, which was positioned directly opposite the stables, which were built in 1884. Lamplight – a traditional 4% pilsner-style drink – will be served alongside other locally produced drinks from suppliers including Vaux and Maxim Brewery.
As well as the new relationship with Camerons, Sheepfolds will also be strengthening its partnership with McColls Brewery in Bishop Auckland – serving Crowded, a classic pilsner using 100% malted barley and aromatic German hops.
The venue is aiming to take a pop-up approach to its offering, with different drinks keeping the choice interesting alongside temporary food options, including Hair Biker Si King’s Propa.
Nigel Wood, general manager of Sheepfolds Stables, said: “We’re thrilled to be adding to our great line up of lagers with Lamplight. It’s incredible to think that in years gone by, when the Waggon Tavern stood just meters from here, Camerons would have been making the journey north to deliver ale to be enjoyed by locals. To be able to bring that brand back to the area is brilliant and we’re really proud to add it to our line-up of lagers.
“This whole venue is built on heritage and provenance, so it was important to us to partner with drinks producers that bring that to the table. With Camerons’ connection to the area, it allows us to further add to the offer for customers, while restoring a trading relationship between the brewery and our venue.
“We have sold more than 20,000 pints of Pit Pony since we opened our doors. We’ve effectively been drank-dry of our supplies, and the guys at Vaux are busy brewing more to keep up with demand. We’re sure Lamplight will prove to be just as popular with people looking to try a nice, easy drinking lager.”
