Mid-Wales Beer festival starts this weekend

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The smallest town in Britain, Llanwrtyd Wells, will be playing host to the 10-day Mid-Wales Beer Festival this weekend. The festival is centered on the Neuadd Arms Hotel and brewery but other pubs in the town do take part.
Starting on the 18th and going on until the 27th November, this long-stablished beer festival will feature around 60 real ales on tap from breweries all over Wales, it is a true showcase of Welsh brewing talent.

The 60 ales are those just available in the Neuadd there are as many ales again available at other establishments in the town, and with no entry charges it is simply a case of turning up and enjoying as many as you can cope with. There is live music each Friday and Saturday evening, or visit during the week for quieter enjoyment of the ales.

No beer list but Sue from Waen Brewery tells me that their Blackberry Stout, Chilli Plum Porter and Festival Gold will all be available
The beer festival also has a couple of fringe events:
Real Ale Wobble
The Wobble is a mountain biking event where participants down free fresh pints of ale from the local Heart of Wales Brewery. The three trails are 15 miles, 20 miles and 35 miles long, through the Cambrian Mountainside. Riding is mostly off-road due to the alcohol consumption.

Routes change from year to year or sometimes just run backwards. Trails used in the past few years have run towards Coed Trallwyn and the Woolen Mill. Riders used to go near the LLyn Brianne reservoir, but not in recent years. A video of the 2010 event shows the trail highlights, stops and after-party.

Checkpoints are located throughout routes and are where the free drinks are tapped. These stops are also used make sure no one has gone astray during the adventure.

Around 700 riders joined the Saturday ride in 2010 and about 70 the next day.

Real Ale Ramble
The Ramble is similar to the Wobble, only stomped out on foot. Think of it as a pub crawl through the Welsh countryside. The routes begin at the town center and are a tad bit shorter. The three distance options are 10 miles, 15 miles and 20 miles.

While in anticipation of their next pint of Felinfoel's Double Dragon, ramblers will walk clearly marked trails through the mountains, moors and forests of Mid Wales. Medals are awarded to those who complete the trek, although badges have to be purchased.

Traveline Information:
Llanwrtyd Wells is on the Heart of Wales line, a very scenic journey that runs through the mountainous countryside between Llanelli and Shrewsbury.