Kelham Island Easy Rider

Easy Rider is a 1969 road movie, written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern. It was produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. Southern also came up with the title of the movie, which borrows the slang term easy rider. In the early 20th century African American communities the term referred to a woman who had liberal sexual views or had been married more than once. The term appears in numerous blues lyrics of the 1920s. During the Great Depression a large population of Americans driven by poverty rode the railroad system & the term easy rider. During World War II era the slang term re-emerged with a modified meaning, G.I.s on extended deployment in Asia or Europe often employed children to perform the daily mundane tasks common in the military like tending to barracks and shining boots, so a G.I. who employed a houseboy coasted through this work and had an "easy ride".

Easy Rider is also a real ale produced by the Kelham Island Brewery Sheffield S Yorkshire.

The Kelham Island Brewery was purpose built in 1990 on land adjoining the renowned Fat Cat in Alma Street. The area is known as Kelham Island as the land is on an island formed by a mill race, leaving then running back into the River Don.

The brewing equipment was purchased from the Oxford Brewery and Bakehouse and allowed for full mash brewing of approximately twenty barrels a week. The first brew was in September 1990 and it meant that The Kelham Island Brewery was the first new independent brewery in Sheffield this century.

Due to its success in its early years the brewery moved into new, purpose built premises at Kelham Island, very close to the original brewery, in March 1999. The new premises has five times the capacity of the original premises. The original brewhouse has been converted into a visitor centre (which can be hired for private events)

Since The Kelham Island Brewery opened, all four of Sheffield's large breweries have closed. First was Whitbread's old Tennants brewery on Bridge Street followed by Bass' Hope & Anchor Brewery. Within the last year Bass' Stones brewery and Ward's have closed leaving The Kelham Island Brewery as Sheffield's largest brewery.

Easy Rider is a subtle easy drinking premium strength pale ale. The initial crisp bitterness gently gives way to a lingering fruity aftertaste.

• ABV 4.3%

Tasting Notes: A pale yellow gold coloured ale with a weak white head. A light hop aroma bolstered by citrus notes with a hint of malt towards the end. The dry citrus taste of hop makes this ale's signature. The finish is fairly dry. As the name suggests an easy drink that's very moreish with a zesty taste - the hops really work in this outstanding ale.

Buy: On draught in pubs and in 50cl bottles