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A thread devoted to Real Ales in Wales

We recently made the effort to take a trip to Fagins in Taffs Well -- for Cardiff based ale lovers especially, it's definitely worth a little trip ... nice atmosphere and beer and beer choice top grade :)

I don't know the dates yet, but they're planning a large-ish beer festival in the back bar (with many extra ales). In the autumn, possibly October :confused: -- will offer links/details when I do know.

I also hear news from Brew Wales that there's a new Otley pub in Pontypridd ... the Rickards Arms, to add to the excellent Bunch of Grapes in the same town, and the Otley Arms in Treforrest.

If you're ever unfortunate enough :p to find yourelf in Aberdare, the newly opened Rhymney Brewery pub in the town centre, also mentioned by Arfur above, looks as if it might well 'take your mind off things' .... we haven't been yet, but 'research needs' may compel us to make the effort before long .....

ETA : TBF to Aberdare, the town is also near(ish!) to the Dare Valley Brewery (no website, but address is The Falcon Inn, 1 Incline Row, Godreaman, Aberdare, CF44 6LU, phone: 078 1236 6369). Fiendishly hard to find -- we've struggled to locate it twice -- but the ales from this ultra micro brewery, made in a garage behind the pub, are excellent, we can vouch for that.

Also, The Red Cow in Llwydcoed , just outside Aberdare (3 miles from the town centre) has also been recommended to us, but we haven't made it yet ...
 
You dont get much of a better 19thC Industry (Wales) adress than 1 , Incline Row - can almost hear the trams coming up ,and the colliers singing.

Sorry - been a long day.
 
davesgcr said:
You dont get much of a better 19thC Industry (Wales) adress than 1 , Incline Row - can almost hear the trams coming up ,and the colliers singing.
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Definitely very (ex)mining, that part of Aberdare -- loads of rows of small terrace houses right on the pavement and snaking over some pretty steep slopes.

The Falcon Inn is in trees by the river though :)
 
If so, you (and other ale loving Cardiff dwellers) might also have time to check out this excellent-sounding and ale friendly place -- the Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn near Taffs Well.

Very favourably reviewed by the ubiquitous Arfur here (just below the Gwynt-y-Ddraig Cider article).

We've not been -- we'd not even heard of this Inn until now -- but we intend to check it out at some point fairly soon :cool:
 
Dates and details of the biggest** Beer Festival in Wales are now out -- the Great Welsh Beer Festival at the CIA. Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th June.

**The second biggest is ours in Swansea in August :D-- more on this very soon, as plans are already getting going </plug plug! :p>

They've moved the dates of the GWBCF very close to Glastonbury for us this time (we work onsite, so we get down to the big G very early ;) ) but we hope to make at least one session in Cardiff nevertheless.
 
William of Walworth said:
If so, you (and other ale loving Cardiff dwellers) might also have time to check out this excellent-sounding and ale friendly place -- the Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn near Taffs Well.

Very favourably reviewed by the ubiquitous Arfur here (just below the Gwynt-y-Ddraig Cider article).

We've not been -- we'd not even heard of this Inn until now -- but we intend to check it out at some point fairly soon :cool:
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It is a lovely pub. Dog friendly too.
 
William of Walworth said:
As soon as we have time enough, we're definitely going to check the Gwaelod out ... :) :cool:
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But not this weekend, because festivaldeb has only just!! found about this 30-strong real ale festival at the Boars Head, Pontyclun

Apols for ultra short notice, Wales-based ale lovers ...... it starts TONIGHT (Friday 15th April) and continues until Sunday 17th.

We're definitely going tomorrow afternoon, Sat and maybe Sunday too :p
This is an excellent pub, always good for beer and especially right now -- give it a try at some point you lazy Cardiff-area dwellers, it's such a short train ride from Cardiff and a 10 minute walk from the station ...

:D :cool:
 
E of W said:
festivaldeb has only just!! found about this 30-strong real ale festival at the Boars Head, Pontyclun

Apols for ultra short notice, Wales-based ale lovers ...... it starts TONIGHT (Friday 15th April) and continues until Sunday 17th.

We're definitely going tomorrow afternoon, Sat and maybe Sunday too :p
This is an excellent pub, always good for beer and especially right now -- give it a try at some point you lazy Cardiff-area dwellers, it's such a short train ride from Cardiff and a 10 minute walk from the station ...

:D :cool:
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Bump for today's beer drinking action ..... :D :)
 
My drinking days in ernest was 25 years ago but at that time the best pubs in Wales {well South Wales} that I had visited {on many occasions} was [1] the Red Lion in Penderyn {used to walk there from Glynneath} and [2] the Star inn in Talybont {used to sleep in a field}.
 
Don't know the Star! Will look into it.

The Red Lion is very familiar to us, been there seveal times. Hidden gem really, not featured in the Real Ale Guide -- which it should be on all conceivabkle criteria -- and excluded, we've heard, because of some stupid boring CAMRA pettiness (that has lasted over a decade) in the relevant CAMRA region :rolleyes: .

Tomorrow, the forecast being poo (indeed poor ;) ), we need to spend time in pubs :D .... so we're travelling to Taffs Well for a combined Gwaelod Arms and Fagins trip .... first time at the Gwaelod for us and we're anticipating it with enthusiasm, because it comes highly recommended alewise.
 
I haven't been in the Star in Talybont for a long time, but it used to be a really good pub...twas the real ale pub to go to in the Beacons. Its been a great shame to see alot of the pubs that people used to go into when visitng the beacons from the Merthyr side, have all gone under - the Pontsarn, the Aberglais and Vaynor Arms.

Would be interested in a report back on Taffs Well pubs - toying with the idea of living out that way, Morganstown or summat. Could have met you there Will, but I am tied up tomorrow. Another time perhaps...

Had a nice pint of Brains Black in the Plough in Whitchurch village the other day. £3.50 a pint (I was shocked - I'm getting old - I remember when it was all trees round here)
 
Hi William, that does sound tempting!

Let me get back to you later this week, as I am doing alot of running around cos of my ex, and the end of my contract. Definitely fancy meeting up though...
 
William of Walworth said:
Don't know the Star! Will look into it.

The Red Lion is very familiar to us, been there seveal times. Hidden gem really, not featured in the Real Ale Guide -- which it should be on all conceivabkle criteria -- and excluded, we've heard, because of some stupid boring CAMRA pettiness (that has lasted over a decade) in the relevant CAMRA region :rolleyes: .

Tomorrow, the forecast being poo (indeed poor ;) ), we need to spend time in pubs :D .... so we're travelling to Taffs Well for a combined Gwaelod Arms and Fagins trip .... first time at the Gwaelod for us and we're anticipating it with enthusiasm, because it comes highly recommended alewise.
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I think i mentioned the star earlier in this thread. Still very much worth a visit. Has a rolling line up of 5-6 guest ales every two weeks or so, mostly welsh stuff with a few border raiders and always a great cider in the mix. Got me back into ciders to be honest as well as regular live music and a great beer garden. Great attitude to closing times as well.
 
Star remaining on the 'planned pub visits' radar, but on hold right now -- so much else going on!

This coming Saturday (16th) the excessively hard to get to but highly recommended Ancient Briton, Penycae (Upper Swansea Valley) has a BEER FESTIVAL -- not just their own multiple and ever varying pumps, but many extras. The rumour is at for at least ten extra.

Their Beer Fest is not flagged on the pub's own site for some reason! Nor can I find any reference to it elsewhere ... :hmm:

But our friends at Neath CAMRA (our adjoining area subbranch) have put us onto it and I trust them because they know the AB's landlord .... .

A gang of us are going up in an antique coach! on Saturday afternoon ... :)
 
Obligatory first plug for our own Swansea Bay Beer Festival 2011 in the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. Thursday 25th to Saturday 27th August.

More beer choice than you can possibly imagine -- we're the second biggest beer festival in Wales. There'll be even more range this time than last. We've upped the ciders order this year too, by well over 10%.
 
Hotels and B and B's nearby! ;) :p

We haven't got the biggest ever choice of non alcoholic drinks I will admit, but there are rumours that some such drinks should be available ... :)
 
Col_Buendia said:
As William appears to have listed every beer in Wales, this thread is now closed! :D

So was it you two that were handing out the Beer festival flyers at the Small Nations? We passed like ships in the night, then.

They sell Tomos Watkins in the bar at work, and given that the previous beer highlight of the stock was Carling, I have grown quite fond of it.
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What about Felinfoel?
 
William of Walworth said:
Obligatory first plug for our own Swansea Bay Beer Festival 2011 in the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. Thursday 25th to Saturday 27th August.

More beer choice than you can possibly imagine -- we're the second biggest beer festival in Wales. There'll be even more range this time than last. We've upped the ciders order this year too, by well over 10%.
Click to expand...

Shameless bump -- this starts tomorrow (Thursday 25th). Which happens to be my birthday! :D

100 beers, 42 ciders on latest count. They're waiting in readiness nicely! :cool:

ETA : Some of the beers are in double sized 18 barrels rather than the usual 9's
So plenty to go round in some cases. On last year's precedent though, the prime picks, including the strongest ones, tend to run out quickest ....

Rush down to the Brangwyn while stocks last! :D
 
ddraig said:
pob lwc with it
good on you for educating the swansea heathens!
and Penblwydd Hapus :)
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Ta! :)

Interestingly, I think one of our number contacted Sunderland CAMRA to see if any of their fans who like ale too, might come down before the Swansea match against them on Saturday, there might even be one or two of them on Friday. We usually get a small but discerning few Swansea fans too, and we also get visitors (in disguise? :p ) from Cardiff along also ....

Ale lovers all get along pretty well anyway, irrespective of football allegiances ...
 
It's great to get a civilised atmosphere though -- I've never seen any trouble at any beer festival :) (and we go to lots! :D )

Fingers crossed that this continues for us over the w/e :)
 
We had a superb lunch (home made faggots and peas sold out ! - as we scoffed the stock)- at Fagins in Taffs Well - way back in March 1st - an excellent place - and the beer was good as well. Reccomended.
 
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