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A thread devoted to Real Ales in Wales

Together with our local CAMRA lot we visited the Gower Brewery on Saturday, for a guided tour and free samples .....

I'd organised the date with them many many weeks ago, but some Johnny Come Lately had been there two days before :hmm:

10065959.jpg
 
I was working in Aberaeron last week and had some nice ales in the Harbourmaster.

I obviously had a couple too many as I can't remember what they were called but one was from a brewery in Carmarthen.

Great spot for a pub as well, nice food if a bit pricey.

Eta I Googled and one was from mantle brewery
 
Hi ddraig -- I don't understand that at all. I've not set anything up to block PMs from anyone.

I'm just about to go away for the weekend but I'll look into it properly on Monday.
 
It's about a meeting near you on Monday
Maybe try pm me and I'll respond with details

Cheers
 
ddraig : Just PM'd ya -- hope it works.

We hear that the Hop Bunker in Cardiff (see earlier posts) is about to open -- we think officially on Saturday coming up (13th June) but you might have to do a search ....
 
Had very nice pint of Cwrw Hâf at the Plough and Harrow in Monknash, near Llantwit.

Great proper ale pub, nice fire. Good bar food - proper ham, egg and chips for boyo.

Good campsite 2 min walk away
 
Plough and Harrow is a lovely place. Not being a Tomos Watkin fan myself, I wouldn't have picked Cwrw Haf personally, but the P and H always look after their ales well, and have a good varied selection :) :)
 
William of Walworth said:
We hear that the Hop Bunker in Cardiff (see earlier posts) is about to open -- we think officially on Saturday coming up (13th June) but you might have to do a search ....
Click to expand...

As confirmed in Gazza Prescott's blog

festivaldeb told me -- she must have found out from somewhere else than the blog -- that to start with and temporarily, this highly promising new pub, same site as the old 'Barfly' opposite the side of Cardiff Castle, will only be opening from 6 pm onwards. Will double-check that later ....


We'll be getting down there tomorrow evening (Thursday) as guests for the pre-opening party :cool: :oops:
 
William of Walworth said:
Our friends went to the Cambrian Tap yesterday and said it was quite expensive ....
Click to expand...


We went there yesterday for the first time, and the choice of guest beers (as well as the range of Brains Craft ones) was fine.

Make sure you're feeling flush though, prices are definitely sharp. They do the bad thing of serving two thirds of a pint measures.

Check the blackboard carefully, and its small print ;) :hmm:, to make sure you're not caught out by that.
 
There was cider and proper -- only 3 boxes though I think.

According to festivaldeb, a former Barfly regular a while back, the dark and basementy nature of the place hasn't changed.

Two Cardiff pals also told us that they'd shrank the room -- ie if the stage was still there at the end of it, it would be a lot nearer the bar. Judge for yourself when you pop in ...

No sign of any music events happening in this new format, sadly. Better beer choice will have to make up for it.
 
William of Walworth said:
There was cider and proper -- only 3 boxes though I think.

According to festivaldeb, a former Barfly regular a while back, the dark and basementy nature of the place hasn't changed.

Two Cardiff pals also told us that they'd shrank the room -- ie if the stage was still there at the end of it, it would be a lot nearer the bar. Judge for yourself when you pop in ...

No sign of any music events happening in this new format, sadly. Better beer choice will have to make up for it.
Click to expand...
Wrexham has good welsh beer !
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-33484225

So there - Felinfoel has a place in history Much better than carrying glass flagons home . The story of a Cwmtwrch "Deacon" no less - staggering home on Sat night with some flagons for the beerless Sunday to come - and fell over - on feeling liquid running down his trousers - his comments were apparently "Dear God - let it be blood , not beer"

Liked his pint after chapel one gathers....
 
There was a short piece based on those links on (BBC) Wales Today this evening ... :)

We had plenty of beers from the better/more independent Welsh breweries at our fest just gone (plus plenty of fascinating, hard to find imports also, as ever).

We were close to selling out!

ddraig (and Cardiff/other ale-lovers generally) : Very recently confirmed that the Great Welsh Beer Festival 2015, rearranged to a new Cardiff venue from Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th November, has been able to expand (a lot!) from their original plan.

At one point a while back, we'd heard from some Cardiff CAMRA people that it was going to have to be quite a smallish event this year.

But no longer! Nice and big once again :) :cool:

We'll definitely be along :cool:
 
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I've neglected this thread shamefully, but we have both bad and good news in Swansea at the moment.

Bad first : The excellent Swansea branch of Gravity Station (apologies for severely unupdated site) is closed for the month of May. Supposedly for essential refurb work -- but they've also been suffering from lack of trade and some financial problems. We're none too confident that the reopening promised for early June will happen .... or at least not as soon as then. We're hearing nothing right now. No updates on FB since late April
 
In much better, in fact superb, news there will be (subject to licensing hearing this coming Thursday) a new Swansea Ale House opening in early July --a larger version of the excellent Mumbles Ales House

Within easy walking distance of where we live, it'll be in the Upper High Street near Swansea station. Could be dangerous :D :p ;)
 
I was in Swansea to see MSP (ok) and SFA (excellent) last night, but was staying in Cardiff. We were in a rush to get back home to England today, but thought I'd get some take out from Urban Tap. I started to say what I wanted but the bloke behind the bar said that it would have to be put in plastic, which I presumed he meant plastic bags as the last time I went there to take some beers home, they put them in those cardboard six pack carriers. Just in time, I noticed he was going to pop the beer open and put into a plastic pint glass, so I stopped him in time. They said that they couldn't let me have a carry out because of the festival?, which I thought was strange, so I popped up to M&S and got myself eight bottles of ale for £15 :)

So, Cardiffians, what festival was on to-day that would prevent anyone from taking bottles away? I know I should have asked further but we were in a mega rush to get home.

Oh, and we spotted Rhod Gilbert sitting on the grass verge by the roundabout opposite the Coopers Arms in Swansea drinking cans from the offie! He did have a backstage pass for the Manic's gig , so does lose some street cred' for that.

Oh (part 2). Café37 in Cardiff is a fantastic place. The breakfast was amazing for £6 and the service was brill. Definitely recommended.
 
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