Brew Wales

Now & Then, the Uplands Tavern, Swansea

2024-06-20T10:00:00.003+01:00

The Uplands Hotel, Swansea has expanded into a neighbouring building since this picture was taken in the 1950s when it was a pub owned by Evan Evans Bevan Vale of Neath Brewery. Now renamed the Uplands Tavern and owned by Greene King Brewery, the Tav, as its known as, has a connection to Dylan Thomas who drank there and in most other Swansea pubs.

Previous owners: Whitbread

Now & Then, former Dulais Rock ph, Aberdulais

2024-06-19T10:00:00.005+01:00

The former Dulais Rock pub, Aberdulais, pictured in the 1950s when owned by Evan Evans Bevan Vale of Neath Brewery. The building apparently dates back to the 17th Century but closed in 2009, Wales Online has some interior photos from 2019 here

Owners after the Vale of Neath Brewery include Whitbread and Punch Taverns.

Now & Then, former Farmers Arms, Resolven, Neath

2024-06-18T14:39:00.001+01:00

The former Farmers Arms, Glynneath Road, Resolven, Neath, marked as a "Beer House" on the 1888 Ordnance Survey Map, as opposed to a fully licensed "Public House". Was owned by Evan Evans Bevan Brewery of Neath who sold out to Whitbread in 1967 as the family preferred to live in the Channel Islands as tax exiles. The pub closed in 2019 and has since been converted to housing and is now called "Farmers Lodge". Also known as the Ynysbipan Arms, there was a campaign by locals to save the pub

Other former Evan Evans Bevan Vale of Neath Brewery pubs in Resolven were:

The New Inn, New Inn Place, now the Nisa shop, closed around 2004

The Gored Hotel/Gored Arms, Melincourt, demolished

The Vaughan Arms, the last pub in the village closed in 2020

Visiting the Brewdogs in Berlin

2023-06-18T22:04:00.000+01:00

At the time of visiting Berlin, there were 3 Brewdogs in the City: Mitte, Friedrichshain and the Dog Tap. Berlin has a wonderful public transport network with underground and overground trains as well as a well-developed tram and bus network. Day tickets can be purchased at stations or via the app

From Alexanderplatz, the heart of Berlin, take the U8 heading Northwards to Gesundbrunnen or any further northward stops, alight at U Rosenthaler Platz and, if you wish a small diversion on this trip, head eastwards to Mikkeller Berlin although it doesn't open until 1500hrs on weekends and 1700hrs weekdays. Alternatively head out of Rosenthaler Platz and carry on up Brunnenstrasse until the crossroads with Invalidenstrasse becomes visible, we need to turn left here and then second right into Ackerstasse and Brewdog Berlin Mitte is on the right.

Google Streetview from 2009 shows what still appears to be a cleared bombsite, cannot embed the picture, but it is available clicking here

Today, a modern building stands on the site with Brewdog occupying the ground floor

Brewdog Berlin Mitte, Ackerstrasee 29, 10115

It was whilst sat here I thought about visiting the other Brewdogs in Berlin, how difficult would it be? Well I knew the Dog Tap was out on a limb down South somewhere so with the help from Google and after a few jars in Mitte I headed outside and waited at Pappelplatz tram stop, in vain for a tram heading West, no luck after a quarter of an hour (they are supposed to run every 10 minutes on this line), so I walked the 7 or so minutes to Berlin Nordbahnhof on the S-Bahn

Here we need a southbound S2 service to Lichtenrade, alighting at Attilastrasse, trains run on average about every 10 ninutes. The journey is about 20 minutes on the S-Bahn. Exit Attlilastrasse to the east, cross the road and head south east on Ringstrasse, the journey walking takes about 20 minutes. Keep heading south-east, over the bridge (canal or river, not sure?). Turn right into the industrial estate for Rewe , you are now on Alt Gaswerk Mariendorf, keep straight on this road until you see the signposts for Dogtap on your right.

The former water tower? Part of the old gassworks where Dogtap Berlin is located

NB there appears to be an alternative footpath on the map that takes you to the front of Dogtap, parallel to the S0Bahn line, due to construction work at the time I could not locate this but it may appear on Google maps later.

Finally, we arrive at this:

Impressive isn't it? I've travelled across Berlin to visit a shed!

Well, not quite a shed, this is an iconic piece of industrial architecture which lay derelict until the American founder of Stone Brewing, Greg Koch decided he could turn this into a brewery and venue, This is all in the film, The Beer Jesus from Amerca,, available to watch on Amazon Prime

Unfortunately for Greg Koch, Stone pulled out of Europe, selling the site to Brewdog. Stone later sold to Sapporo for $165 million.

What you can only understand by visiting this place us the actual size of it, it's more like a beer hall such as the Hofbrauhaus in Munich than a Brewdog pub.

Unfortunately on my visit in September 2022, not everything was working, I was shown to a table and told to use the Brewdog app to order, no problem, Apart from the fact the table I was on didn't have any number on it! So I went to the bar to order and find my table number!

Then there were the delays with the beers I had ordered, I ordered a pizza with beer and the pizza arrived only to be followed by the beer 10 minutes later. I realise on that day Dogtap Berlin was receiving a visit from James Watt so they were busy lubricating their tongues rather than dealing with the needs of customers so I would put those problems down to teething troubles BUT a section of the bar reserved just for customers to be able to be served at when the app is playing up would be a bonus. Would I visit again, yes, but others may be put off by that experience. The venue was starting to fill up by early evening.

Onto the next one!

Come out of Dogtap and turn right, following the car park and exit, turn right again on Alt Gaswerk Mariendorf and follow this road until it joins the main road, Lankwitzer Strasse, there is a bus stop, Greinestr across the road and a short walk right. The 181 leaves here about every 10-15 minutes. Alight at Alt-Mariendorf for the U-bahn station of the same name, as this is a terminus station on the U-bahn every train heads north.

Take the U6 North until Unter den Linden change for the U5 for Kaulsdorf-Nord and alight at U Frankfurter Tor, find the correct exit out of the U-Bahn station and Brewdog Friedrichshain is on the South-East corner of the road junction. Mo photos as it was dark by now and the phone was out of battery and so was the emergency charger!

Friedrichshain is a wonderful suburb of Berlin, full of breweries, rather like Shoreditch in the East End of London, now that's a future blog entry........

International Cider & Perry Competition 2023 Results

2023-05-10T18:10:00.000+01:00

A visit to Cantillon Brewery

2023-04-16T09:10:00.001+01:00

A short walk northwards from the architectural monstrosity that is Brussels South/Midi/Zuid station, ignoring the pickpockets, beggars and other North African flotsam that infest the Anderlecht municipality of Brussels, one arrives at the historic Cantillon Brewery and museum which was undergoing an enlargement of the premise on my visit. Luckily it was open for self-guided tours for €8 per person with a booklet and tasting of 3 of their beers

Above and below: the mash tun

Up a floor to the grist mill

Below: the copper

Upstairs again to the coolship, wide flat-bottomed vessels to allow cooling of the wort

Barrels for primary fermentation

The bar at the end of the tour

Cantillon Iris, brewed entirely with Pale Malt (Lambics usually have a percentage of wheat malt, around 35%), aged for two years in barrels and dry-hopped with both fresh and aged Hallertau hops, then cold-hopped with Saaz

Lambics are not to everyone's taste but I enjoy them, far more sour than the kettle-sours of craft breweries. I could have stayed longer at Cantillon but my Deutsche-Bahn train was waiting to take me across the border into Germany

Best Beers in Wales 2023

2023-04-15T12:54:00.001+01:00

Time for the annual run-down of the best beers in Wales, a month late this year due to visiting Bamberg!

Before I start, at a guess Tiny Rebel and Polly's will be in the lead? Let's see, as recorded by various on-line sites

As in traditional, we begin with Ratebeer

1 Polly's Brew Spectrum QIPA IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 13.0%

2 Polly's Brew Fallow Plans IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.2%

3 Tiny Rebel Imperial Puft Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%

4 Loka Polly Souvenirs IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.8%

5 Polly's Brew Farrago IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.7%

6 Polly's Brew DDH Rosa IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 10.0%

7 Polly's Brew DDH Oh My IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 17 8.5%

8 Polly's Brew Finding Dark Magic Stout - Extra / Foreign / Tropical 7.0%

9 Polly's Brew Lo-Fi IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.0%

10 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Chocolate Porter - Imperial Flavoured 9.0%

11 Loka Polly Rosa IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 62 8.5% 3.76

12 Polly's Brew DDH Pines IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 10.0%

13 Polly's Brew This Never Happened IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 13.0%

14 Polly's Brew Livewire IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.7%

15 Tiny Rebel / Siren Dark Cherry & Chocolate Barley Wine Barley Wine / Wheat Wine / Rye Wine 11.0%

16 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Praline Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%

17 Polly’s Brew Every Piece Matters IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.7%

18 Polly's Brew Fickle IPA 6.8%

19 Loka Polly Double IPA Mosaic Simcoe IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA 8.2%

20 Polly's Brew Rock The Bit IPA 6.4%

21 Polly's Brew Ghost Voices IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.2%

22 Polly's Brew What Did You Feel IPA IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.8%

23 Polly's Brew Avery IPA - Black / Brown / Cascadian Dark 7.2%

24 Polly's Brew B-Side: Rosa IPA - Black / Brown / Cascadian Dark 8.5%

25 Polly's Brew Double IPA Azacca Mosaic IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 7.8%

26 Polly's Brew Mylar IPA 6.3%

27 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Irish Cream Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%

28 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Espresso Martini Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%

29 Loka Polly Spur IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 7.2%

30 Tiny Rebel Stay Out Porter - Imperial Flavored 18.0%

31 Tiny Rebel Dooms Night Stout - Imperial 11.5%

32 Polly's Brew Nada IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.0%

33 Polly's Brew Naive Melody IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.2%

34 Tiny Rebel Wood Aged Belgian Birthday Cake Belgian Ale - Strong Dark 11.0%

35 Polly's Brew Wave Mix IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 7.8%

36 Polly's Brew Discount Jazz Hour IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.0%

37 Polly's Brew Cahb IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA 8.0%

38 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Salted Caramel Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%

39 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Amplified Imperial Porter - Imperial Flavoured 12.8%

40 Tiny Rebel 10 For 10 Porter - Flavored 10.0%

41 Tiny Rebel Double 99 Stout - Imperial Flavored / Pastry 9.9%

42 Polly's Brew India Pale Ale Simcoe Mosaic IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.5%

43 Tiny Rebel / Deya NEIPA IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.8%

44 Polly's Brew India Pale Ale El Dorado Deluxe Edition IPA 7.0%

45 Loka Polly Petal IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 7.0%

46 Polly's Brew DDH Spur IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 10.0%

47 Polly's Brew Surface Edition IPA 7.0%

48 Tiny Rebel Dodge, Dip, Duck, Dive and Dulce Stout - Imperial Flavored / Pastry 11.0%

49 Polly's Brew An Original Mix IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.4%

50 Polly's Brew DDH Patternist IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA 10.0%

Top places to buy or drink beer in Wales according to Ratebeer are:

Over to my favourite beer app, Untappd

NB, a beer must have 150 ratings or more to appear on this list:

Polly's Brew Co. DDH Spur IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Pines IPA - Triple New England / Hazy
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Patternist IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Birthday Beer IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Five Years IPA - Quadruple 13.2% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Every Piece Matters IPA - Triple 10% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Positively Unattached I PA - Triple New England / Hazy
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Rosa IPA - Triple 10% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Deep Fake IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. 58 BPM 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Spectrum QIPA IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Super Hero Landing Stout - Imperial / Double Milk 13% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. This Never Happened IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Oh My… IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.5% ABV
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial Salted Caramel Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 9% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Nada IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Everything We Dream Of IPA - Imperial / Double 8.7% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Quinquennium Stout - Imperial / Double. Whisky Sherry Cask Imperial Stout 13.2%
Polly's Brew Co. Good Nature IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 7.8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Acapella IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Fallow Plans IPA - Imperial / Double 8.2% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Keeler IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.5%
Polly's Brew Co. A Fleeting Sound IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 11%
Polly's Brew Co. Ghost Voices 8.2% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Controversy Between Deep IPA - Triple 10% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Cahb IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Lo-Fi IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. The New Renassaince IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Spur IPA - New England / Hazy 7.2% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Chameleon IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial Chocolate Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 9% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Amateur Dance IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.1% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Floating Through the Surface IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.3% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Wallow IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8%
Polly's Brew Co. Does It Matter How Far? IPA - New England / Hazy 7.2%
Polly's Brew Co. Spectrum TIPA IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Rosa IPA - Imperial / Double 8.5% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Circadian Rhythm IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. The Feels Vol. 3 IPA - Milkshake 6.2%
Polly's Brew Co. Every Piece Matters IPA - New England / Hazy 6.7% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Retrorenegade IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.9% ABV
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Amplified Imperial Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 12.8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Farrago IPA - American 6.7% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Hi, Everything’s Great IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Mylar IPA - New England / Hazy 6.3% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Naive Melody IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.2% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Dream Like Sequence IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Brand New Only IPA - American 7.2% ABV
Polly's Brew Co. Chinook Mosaic Double IPA IPA - Imperial / Double 8.6%
Polly's Brew Co. Jennasea IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8%

Well, that's a resounding success for Polly's from Mold in Flintshire

The Untappd list of Top-Rated Breweries in Wales is:

Polly's Brew Co. Mold, Flintshire
Black Cloak Brewing, Colwyn Bay, Conwy
Dog's Window Brewery, Nant-yr-adar, Bridgend
The Coach Brewing Co, Bridgend,
Lucky 7 Beer Co, Hay on Wye, Powys
Wild Horse Brewing Co, Llandudno, Conwy
BeerRiff, Swansea,
Bragdy Mona Gaerwen, Isle of Anglesey
Wilderness Brewery, Newtown, Powys
Tenby Brewing Co, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Flowerhorn Cardiff,
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co, Newport
Brew Monster, Caerphilly,
PIPES™Cardiff,
Grey Trees Brewery, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff
Lines Brew Co., Usk, Monmouthshire
Geipel BrewingLlangwm, Conwy
Anglesey Brewhouse, Isle of Anglesey
Gwynt y Ddraig, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Otley, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Purple Moose Brewery (Bragdy Mŵs Piws) Porthmadog, Gwynedd
Cwrw Cader Dolgellau, Gwynedd
Wye Valley Meadery Caldicot, Monmouthshire
Tinworks Brewing Co.Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
Mantle Cardigan, Ceredigion
Mad Dog Brewery Co, Cardiff,
Well Drawn Brewing Company, Caerphilly,
Cwrw Llŷn, Ffordd Dewi Sant, Gwynedd
Gower Brewery, Swansea
Tenby Harbwr Brewery, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Glamorgan Brewing Co, Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf,
Bragdy Twt Lol / The Trefforest Brewery, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Cwrw Iâl Community Brewing Company, Eryrys, Denbighshire
Big Hand Brewing, Wrexham,
Hafod Brewing Company, Mold, Flintshire
Snowdon Craft Beer, Colwyn Bay, Conwy
Hallets, Mynedd Maen, Newbridge, Caerphilly
Magic Dragon Brewing, Wrexham,
Bragdy Lleu, Penygroes, Gwynedd
Lithic Brewing, Brynmenyn, Bridgend
Kingstone Brewery, Tintern, Monmouthshire
VOG Brewery, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
Mumbles Brewery, Swansea,
Coles Family Brewers, Llanddarog, Carmarthenshire
Conwy Brewery, Llysfaen, Conwy
Tomos & Lilford, Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan
Cold Black Label, Bridgend,
Gwaun Valley Brewery, Pontfaen, Pembrokeshire

Over to Beer Advocate where the Welsh list is somewhat different to the others:

1 Hadouken Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Imperial IPA | 7.40%

2 Stay Puft Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Porter | 5.20%

3 Cali Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Pale Ale | 5.60%

4 Dark Side Of The Moose (Ochr Tywyll Y Mws) Purple Moose Brewery English Bitter | 4.60%

5 Dutty Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.

American Pale Ale | 4.20%

6 Dirty Stop Out Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.

Oatmeal Stout | 5.00%

7 Clwb Tropica Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.

New England IPA | 5.50%

8 Brains Dark English Dark Mild Ale | 3.50%

9 Cwtch, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Amber / Red Ale | 4.60%

10 Brains Bitter English Bitter | 3.70%

11 The Full Nelson, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Pale Ale | 4.80%

12 FUBAR, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Pale Ale | 4.40%

13 Snowdonia Ale (Cwrw Eryri) Purple Moose Brewery English Pale Mild Ale | 3.60%

14 Brains Craft Brewery Boilermaker English IPA | 6.50%

15 Brains The Rev. James English Bitter | 4.50%

16 Brains SA English Bitter | 4.20%

17 Brains Black English Stout | 4.10%

18 Brains SA Gold English Pale Ale | 4.30%

19 Brains Craft Brewery Barry Island IPAAmerican IPA | 6.00%

20 Double Dragon Felinfoel Brewery Co.

The Untappd app copy, Pint Please, does not list best beers by country

No CAMRA awards for real ales brewed in Wales

Once again, beers from the Llandeilo Village Idiot failed to get a mention in any of the lists

T'was the night before New Year's Eve

2022-12-30T21:44:00.001+00:00

Popped into the John Wallace Linton, one of 2 'Spoons they have left in the 'Port having sold 2 other pubs. The pub was desperately trying to rid themselves of these 3 beers, all manufactured by the same brewery in Llandildo, sorry Llandeilo. Now there must be a reason why a brewery will knock out beers under different names, also a reason why customers refuse to drink them so they end up in the bargain bucket of Wetherspoons? That reason isn't based on quality is it Simon?

Show a license to buy a pint

2022-11-05T08:53:00.000+00:00

"Your entitlement card is in order, you may purchase a pint"

Hat Tip to Old Holborn on this gem from Labourlost written by John Cowan the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South East Cambridgeshire. Cowan is also a councillor, more by accident than democracy as only 63 people bothered to vote for him. Drinkers' Licences:A radical new way to curb drinking excess? Down in Brighton for Labour Party Conference one thing that was noticeable was the large amounts of alcohol consumed over the weekend - and not just by the conference delegates. Most people are responsible users and are able to have a few drinks and enjoy themselves without causing damage to either others or the local environment. However, not all drinkers and users of other substances are able to handle their use of booze in such a responsible manner. At weekends, most A&E departments house those suffering from alcohol poisoning, assaults and drink related accidents. It takes much needed resources from the NHS which could be used for other purposes. Prohibition of alcohol, like any other drug, does not work. It was tried in the 1920s in the US and resulted in making the likes of Al Capone rich men. One possible solution could be an entitlement card that people would carry and swipe when every time they buy Alcohol or Tobacco and record their usage. Is that too radical? I don't think so. For a long time the Government have controlled motorists with a system of licences where people enjoy the right and freedom to drive - as long as they conform to certain rules. With the card, people who got into trouble for, say, minor crimes or drunk and disorderly conduct in public would receive a fixed penalty notice and 3 points on their entitlement card with points disappearing over time for in the same way works on driving licences. More serious offences would result in endorsements on the entitlement card and the cardholder would not be able to purchase alcohol, tobacco or other drugs available for sale through the entitlement card scheme. The main benefits of the policy would be reduction in the health care and crime costs associated with use of substances hopefully leading for more better functioning society. Have posted the entire article in full, just to show what an authoritarian idiot John Cowan is. Not just an idiot for having these views, but for publishing them on a Labour website. Still a good way to prove to the voters of South East Cambridgeshire that no one in their right mind should vote for an authoritarian lunatic such as this and that the Labour party are totally unelectable. Why doesn't Cowan just put a swastika armband on and declare his true colours? This all goes to prove how far removed the Labour Party have become from the public; the Nanny State has become the Bully State, wishing to control every minutiae of our lives and believing it is for the good of the people. They may have thrown out the idea of National Identity Cards but each of these "entitlement cards" will be issued to an individual, recording where and when you drank, what you drank and who you were with. A Tesco clubcard without the bonuses and all the information going to the Government. Cowan is even talking about restricting healthcare to those who have been involved in alcohol related incidents. What happens if you're the one in hospital on the receiving end of the attack? The medical staff swipe your "entitlement card" only to find you were drinking. Hence you get pushed down the triage list. Police later arrest the attacker but you were the victim and denied or had delayed healthcare due to the information on your "Ent ID Card". This is a very a stupid idea from a very stupid man, obviously having 63 votes in a council election has given him a sense a grandeur. This is the sort of politician who can best serve our country dangling from a lampost. Hell I'd even supply the piano wire. Wonder what happens when the pill-popping Prime Mentalist finds out about his PPC writing this? - duck the Nokia's are flying, quick get his pills and move the laser printer before.....too late. Obo also has his take on this story As does Salted Slug Update: the Devil's Kitchen also runs with this As does the Lone Voice

A quick visit to Brussels

2022-11-02T16:36:00.001+00:00

St Pancras International, looked over by Sir John Betjeman

St Pancras station was a dreary place some thirty years ago when I first arrived there by train; almost derelict, the station hotel had long since closed under the nationalised British Rail and the magnificent building had been left to ruin, a dark and gloomy reminder of what happens when Governments run things. Thankfully, that is all in the past and today St Pancras is a light, airy, bustling station with plenty of bars including a Wetherspoons, The Barrel Vault and a Young's pub, the Betjeman Arms, both of which are preferable to the waiting area for the Eurostar, which does have a bar, serving keg Camden Brewery beers. My choice would be the Betjeman Arms, unfortunately, my delayed incoming train prevented more than a couple of pints before I had to check in.

First pub stop in Brussels after negotiating the North African pickpockets who inhabit Brussels Zuid/Midi/South was next to Brussels Central

Yes, Brewdog have a bar in the centre of Brussels. This gave me time to look at a few other options so booted up Untappd and looked at where else to visit in the centre of Brussels. On Untappd there were a few recommendations from friends who had sadly passed away, a bit of a shock seeing their names pop up in the digital afterlife and even more unfortunately most of their recommendations had closed. Being a Monday night, not much else was open.

No matter, a wander around central Brussels. Any pub flying the Union Flag alongside a Belgium Flag with a Chimay canopy outside must be worth visiting and St Nicolas featured Chimay on draught. In addition the late 1960s/70s Greek prog-rock band Aphrodite's Child which featured Vangelis and Demis Roussos, was blasting out from the music system.

Now in the Netherlands, St Nicolas has a helper, Zwarte Pete and there were a few representations to him in this bar. Ah, the PC Brigade in the UK would be going mad over this, whereas in Belgium it is just seen as a normal custom.

Back to the hotel, as the next morning I had a brewery to visit

The breweries, pubs and bars of Bath

2022-11-02T12:53:00.003+00:00

Forgot to link to this video I made over the Summer with Simon Martin

Beer bars of Newport

2022-06-17T08:57:00.005+01:00

It's ben a few years since I last did a video with You Tube Beer Reviewer Simon Martin so we recently met up in Newport for brief history lesson on the pubs and former breweries of Newport

Herefordshire Cidermaker celebrates 30 years of making cider

2022-05-27T16:46:00.000+01:00

A Herefordshire cidermaker is celebrating 30 years of making award-winning cider and perry with a launch of a new cider. The cider is a blend of traditional cider apples: Yarlington Mill, Dabinett and Michelin, their juice is fermented with wild yeasts and matured in oak barrels. The resulting 7% cider is available in bottles, direct from the farm shop in Abbeydore, Herefordshire, or by mail order here

As well as celebrating 30 years of cidermaking with a bottle of cider, Gwatkin Cider have opened a tavern at their farm in the Golden Valley of Herefordshire, the Red Cow, named after the farm's historic herd of Herefordshire cattle, will be dishing up locally produced food together with the full range of Gwatkin ciders and perry.

Beer Review: Burnt Mill Pintle Pale

2022-03-31T09:51:00.000+01:00

Another beer review with Crafty Beer Guy Tim, this time it's Burnt Mill Brewery Pintle

Beer Review: Full Circle Brew Co Repeater

2022-03-27T10:33:00.003+01:00

Once again myself and Tim the Crafty Beer Guy taste another beer, this one from Full Circle Brew Co

Beer Review: Siren Craft Brewery - Prest to Zest (Coffee & Lemon)

2022-03-14T09:00:00.001+00:00

In this episode, myself and Crafty Beer Guy Tim take a look at Siren Craft Brewery Prest to Zest, a coffee and lemon beer

Beer Review: Arbor Ales Massive Azzac

2022-03-12T13:58:00.001+00:00

Another beer review with Crafty Beer Guy Tim and myself, another great beer from Arbor Ales

Best Beers in Wales

2022-03-01T08:09:00.001+00:00

Time for my annual review of the best beers in Wales, as judged by various online sites

First up, is Ratebeer:

1 Polly's Brew Spectrum QIPA

2 Mabinogion Mead / Superstition 'Hounds of Annwn' Strawberry vanilla

3 Polly's Brew DDH Oh My

4 Polly's Brew Fallow Plans

5 Tiny Rebel Imperial Puft

6 Loka Polly Souvenirs

7 Polly's Brew Farrago

8 Polly's Brew Lo-Fi

9 Polly's Brew India Pale Ale El Dorado Deluxe Edition

10 Polly's Brew DDH Rosa

11 Polly’s Brew Every Piece Matters

12 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Chocolate

13 Loka Polly Rosa

14 Polly's Brew DDH Pines

15 Polly's Brew Livewire

16 Tiny Rebel / Siren Dark Cherry & Chocolate Barley Wine

17 Mabinogion Mead Transformation to Eagle

18 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Praline

19 Polly's Brew Fickle

20 Loka Polly Double IPA Mosaic Simcoe

21 Polly's Brew Rock The Bit

22 Polly's Brew Mylar

23 Polly's Brew Avery

24 Polly's Brew Double IPA Azacca Mosaic

25 Polly's Brew What Did You Feel IPA

26 Tiny Rebel / Arbor Bonsai

27 Polly's Brew Nada

28 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Irish Cream

29 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Espresso Martini

30 Polly's Brew Naive Melody

31 Polly's Brew Wave Mix

32 Polly's Brew Discount Jazz Hour

33 Polly's Brew Cahb

34 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Salted Caramel

35 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Amplified Imperial

36 Loka Polly Spur

37 Polly's Brew India Pale Ale Simcoe Mosaic

38 Tiny Rebel / Deya NEIPA

39 Polly's Brew Ghost Voices

40 Loka Polly Petal

41 Polly's Brew Patternist

42 Polly's Brew An Original Mix

43 Polly's Brew DDH Spur

44 Tiny Rebel Dooms Night

45 Tiny Rebel Chunky

46 Polly's Brew Surface Edition

47 Tiny Rebel Dodge, Dip, Duck, Dive and Dulce

48 Polly's Brew A Late Summer Pale Ale: Idaho 7

49 Polly's Brew Floating Through the Surface

50 Polly's Brew High Speed Soul

Okay, well that's a toss up between Polly's and Tiny Rebel, with the Mabinogion Mead cropping up despite the meadery appearing to close some years ago? Looking at the individual scores it appears some made their way to America and were still be drunk in 2021.

Ratebeer also mentions the top places to drink in Wales (based on what their members say)

Over to my favourite beer app, Untappd

NB, a beer must have 150 ratings or more to appear on this list:

Polly's Brew Co. DDH Spur
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Pines
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Patternist
Polly's Brew Co. IPA - Birthday Beer
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Every Piece Matters
Polly's Brew Co. Positively Unattached
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Rosa
Polly's Brew Co. Deep Fake
Polly's Brew Co 58 BPM
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Super Hero Landing
Polly's Brew Co. Nada
Polly's Brew Co. This Never Happened
Polly's Brew Co. DDH Oh My…
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial Salted Caramel Stay Puft
Polly's Brew Co. Everything We Dream Of
Polly's Brew Co Acapella
Polly's Brew Co A Fleeting Sound
Polly's Brew Co Fallow Plans
Polly's Brew Co Keeler
Polly's Brew Co Controversy Between Deep
Polly's Brew Co Ghost Voices
Polly's Brew Co Cahb
Polly's Brew Co Spur
Polly's Brew Co Good Nature
Polly's Brew Co Rosa
Polly's Brew Co The New Renassaince
Polly's Brew Co Lo-Fi
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial Chocolate Stay Puft
Polly's Brew Co. Does It Matter How Far?
Polly's Brew Co. Amateur Dance
Polly's Brew Co. Every Piece Matters
Polly's Brew Co. Floating Through the Surface
Polly's Brew Co. Wallow
Polly's Brew Co. Spectrum TIPA
Polly's Brew Co. Circadian Rhythm
Polly's Brew Co. The Feels Vol. 3
Polly's Brew Co. Hi, Everything’s Great
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Amplified Imperial Stay Puft 12.8% ABV!
Polly's Brew Co. Farrago
Polly's Brew Co. Mylar
Polly's Brew Co. Naive Melody
Polly's Brew Co. Dream Like Sequence
Polly's Brew Co. Chinook Mosaic Double IPA
Polly's Brew Co. Brand New Only
Polly's Brew Co. Jennasea
Polly's Brew Co. The One You Can’t Control
Polly's Brew Co. Step Inside the Panic Room
Polly's Brew Co. Humble Clairvoyance
Polly's Brew Co. Circle Foam

Okay, that's quite a list from Untappd, with Polly's Brewery definitely producing the best beers in Wales according to Untappd.

So the Untappd list of Best Brewries in Wales looks like:

Polly's Brew Co., Mold, Flintshire
Dog's Window Brewery, Bridgend, Bridgend
Lucky 7 Beer Co, Hay on Wye, Powys
Crafty Devil Brewing Co, Cardiff,
Wild Horse Brewing Co, Llandudno, Conwy
BeerRiff Swansea, Swansea
Bragdy Mona Gaerwen, Isle of Anglesey
Wilderness BreweryNewtown, Powys
Tenby Brewing Co, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Flowerhorn, Cardiff, Cardiff
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co, Newport
PIPES™Cardiff,
Grey Trees Brewery, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf,
Brew Monster Caerphilly,
Rival Brewing Co.Cardiff,
The Waen Brewery Llanidloes, Powys
Lines Brew Co.Usk, Monmouthshire
Gwynt y Ddraig Pontypridd,
Geipel Brewing Llangwm, Conwy
Cwrw Cader Dolgellau, Gwynedd s
Purple Moose Brewery (Bragdy Mŵs Piws) Porthmadog, Gwynedd
Well Drawn Brewing Company, Caerphilly,
Untapped Brewing Company , Raglan, Monmouthshire
Mad Dog Brewery Co, Penperlleni, Monmouthshire, Cardiff soon!
Mantle Cardigan, Ceredigion
Gower Brewery, Swansea,
Cwrw Llŷn, Ffordd Dewi Sant, Gwynedd
Tenby Harbwr Brewery, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Wye Valley Meadery, Caldicot, Monmouthshire
Glamorgan Brewing Co, Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Tinworks Brewing Co., Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
Cwrw Iâl Community Brewing Company, Eryrys, Denbighshire
Hafod Brewing Company, Mold, Flintshire
Bragdy Twt Lol / The Trefforest Brewery Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Hallets, Mynedd Maen, Newbridge, Caerphilly
Caffle Brewery, Narberth, Pembrokeshire
Big Hand Brewing, Wrexham, Wales
Lithic Brewing, Brynmenyn, Bridgend
Bragdy Lleu, Penygroes, Gwynedd
Snowdon Craft Beer, Colwyn Bay, Conwy
Kingstone Brewery, Tintern, Monmouthshire
Magic Dragon Brewing, Wrexham,
VOG Brewery, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
Mumbles Brewery, Swansea,
Cold Black Label, Bridgend,
Coles Family Brewers, Llanddarog, Carmarthenshire
Tomos & Lilford, Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan
Conwy Brewery, Llysfaen, Conwy
Bragdy Nant, Llarwst
Great Orme Brewery, Llandudno, Conwy Wales

Over at Beer Advocate, again, no Welsh beers make it into the top-rated beers beers for the UK, however the Welsh list is rather surprising

1 Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Stay Puft

2 Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Clwb Tropica

3 Purple Moose Brewery Dark Side Of The Moose (Ochr Tywyll Y Mws)

4 Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Dutty

5 Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Cwtch

6 Brains Dark

7 Brains Bitter

8 Felinfoel Brewery Co , Thames Welsh ESB (6.5% ABV, Export only?)

9 Hurns Brewing Co ,Tomos Watkin Old Style Bitter

10 Purple Moose Brewery Snowdonia Ale (Cwrw Eryri)

11 Conwy Brewery Clogwyn Gold

12 Brains The Rev. James

13 Brains SA

14 Brains SA Gold

15 Brains Craft Brewery Barry Island IPA (6% version!)

16 Felinfoel Brewery Co. Double Dragon

A new list to look at this year is the Untappd app copy, Pint Please, which out of it's top twenty UK beers, only one Welsh entry, Tiny Rebel makes an appearance at number 6

No CAMRA awards for real ales brewed last year due to COVID

Once again, beers from the Llandeilo Village Idiot failed to get a mention in any of the lists

Beer Review: Arbor Ales Zero Zero

2022-02-27T15:05:00.002+00:00

Once again, another one of our video beer reviews, this one, number 6, is Abor Ales Zero Zero. I did like the use of American hops in this beer, bitter, orange citrus flavours, my type of beer.

Beer Review: Arbor Brewery Mosiac

2022-02-22T08:00:00.001+00:00

Beer review number 5 and it's over to Arbor Ales in Bristol for their Mosiac

Beer Review: Brew York Born Under Peaches

2022-02-21T15:51:00.000+00:00

The fourth in our series of Beer Reviews, another beer from Brew York

Review: Brew York Cherry Kola

2022-02-17T11:38:00.001+00:00

The third in the series of video beer reviews, this time it was part of the Brew York Sweet Shop Range and their Cherry Kola Sour. Not a beer I particularly liked as can be seen in the video below. Hopefully we will be trying a beer that tastes of beer in the next video!

Beer Review: Verdant - There Will Be No Intervals

2022-02-16T15:50:00.000+00:00

Beer review number 2, and myself and Tim tried some Cornish beer this time with Verdant There will be No Intervals. Again this is available from Tim's stall at Monmouth Market on Saturdays.

Beer Review: Burning Sky Arise

2022-02-15T16:52:00.003+00:00

Been awhile since I posted anything on here so here's something totally different, the first of a series of beer reviews with myself and Tim Whiting who runs Crafty Beer Guy at Monmouth Market on Saturdays underneath Monmouth Town Hall, and at Ludlow Market on Sundays. Hope you enjoy this first review, we have a few others in the pipeline. This beer was Burning Sky Arise, not a brewery I'm too familiar with but one I will definitely be seeking out in future.

A pint in the Pilot

2021-10-09T15:32:00.001+01:00

The Mumbles Mile pub crawl is one of those historic crawls that is better left to history than attempted, apparently there were 26 pubs when the pub crawl was first put around in the 1960s, far less today but at least there are no Watney Brewery pubs left. Probably about 13 pubs now, although the line blurs between "eatery" and "pub". A few of the pubs are food only so are actually restaurants, others are hardly open, The George for example but that may have to do with the Brains sale of their pubs. Anyway, any serious attempt at the Mumbles Mile faces serious problems in that the beers in the Pilot brew pub and the nearby micropub Ty Cwrw, Welsh for Beer House, are far better than in the other pubs/restaurants along the way. Mumbles is worth a visit just for those 2 pubs.