Now and Then, former Travellers Rest PH, Tafarnaubach

The former Rhymney Brewery pub, the Travellers Rest, Merthyr Road, Tafarnaubach is now a private residence but has kept the name.

Now and Then, Prince of Wales Inn, Princetown

The Hobby Horse logo on the Prince of Wales Inn, Merthyr Road, Princtown, Tarfanubach, NP22 3AE, has actually got bigger since the old photo was taken in the 1960's!

Now and Then, former Star Inn, Pontyberem

The former Star Inn, Heol Y Parc, Pontyberem which may have had a connection to Oliver Cromwell and is now a private residence.

Now & Then, former Gwendraeth Arms, Pontyates

The former Gwendraeth Arms PH, on the corner of Heol Llanelli/B4317 is now a fish and chip shop. The former Rhymney Brewery pub appears to have closed around 2004.

Now & Then, The Ogmore Gilfach Goch

 The Ogmore, Abercerdin Rd, Gilfach Goch, Porth CF39 8RR, has been renamed Ye Olde Ogmore

The pub has an old window from the Rhondda Valley & Ely Breweries dating between 1920-28, more details on this link

Now and Then, former Wellington PH, Nelson

The former Wellington Inn, High Street, Nelson is now the Wellington Stores, Rhymney Brewery Hobby Horse sign can be seen on the old picture

Now & Then, Lord Nelson Inn, Nelson

The Lord Nelson Inn, Commercial Street, Nelson, Caerphilly UA. The inn predates the village of Nelson, to which it gave its name.

Now & Then, Ferndale PH, Ferndale

One of the few colour photos in the collection of former Rhymney Brewery pubs, The Ferndale, Duffryn Street, Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taff UA. Photo above appears to be from the 1970s, the Whitbread Tankard can be seen hanging on the building. Not too sure if the pub is still open or not?

Now & Then, former Cymmer Hotel, Cymmer

The former Rhymney Brewery pub, the Cymmer Hotel, Pleasant View, Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot UA, looks rather neglected, boarded up in these 1960s photographs, Today it is a self-catering accommodation known as Rose Cottage

Now & Then, Avondale Hotel, Cymmer

The Avondale Hotel in Avon Street, Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot UA has changed it's name to the Welsh spelling Afandale Hotel and the history below is taken from it's website. Another former Rhymney Brewery pub
"The Afandale was built in 1877, originally a hotel in the heart of the bustling mining village of Cymmer. It then became a pub, indeed one of many pubs in Cymmer which on a Tuesday night was one of the most popular areas in South Wales. Following its many years as a pub, the Afandale became a gym and boxing club. The Afandale then became a pottery and a craft shop until the 1980/90’s. Finally it has now turned a full circle and become an accommodation provider again."

Now & Then, former Farmers Arms, Cymmer

The former Farmers Arms, 12 Avon Street. Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot UA, is now the Cymmer Coronation Club. Another former Rhymney Brewery pub, unusually for this collection of 1960s photos we have 5 different views of the pub

Now & Then, former Prince of Wales PH, Pontllanfraith

The former Prince of Wales PH, Penmaen Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood, now known as Riverside House

Cardiff to get a new micropub

With the closure of the Gravity Station in Barrack Lane, Cardiff has been missing a micropub. Yes I realise the Gravity Station did move to Womanby Street but it appears to have closed before Christmas and not reopened. So step forward Baptist Minister James Karran who has decided to change a former hairdressing saloon into St Canna's Alehouse, named after the saint who gave her name to the areas of Canton and Pontcanna.

St Canna's Alehouse is situated at 42 Llandaff Road, opposite the Butcher's Arms pub and James hopes to have the pub open in March, in the meantime keep up to date with what's happening via the pub's Facebook page.



There's an article on Walesonline about the pub as well

Now & Then the former Nanthir Hotel, Blaengarw

The Nanthir Hotel, Blaengarw, a former Rhymney pub was demolished in the 1970s and Nanthir Lodge built in it's place

Micropub to open in Newport

A former computer shop in Newport is set to be turned into the City's first ever micro-pub. The Cellar Door at 5 Clytha Park Road will be the first pub in this part of the City, even in it's Victorian heyday there were no pubs in this area of Newport. The application for change of use was passed by the council earlier this month, although one local resident decided to be a NIMBY, Not sure if the moaner meant the empty building next door or the pharmacy when he complained, "There are plenty of drinking venues not only next door to that address but less than 200 yards into town centre". Still it's good for Newport and for brewers and cidermakers that there is a new independent outlet in the City. Good luck to Paul Tully in running this micropub. The pub won't be doing food but a few doors away is a fantastic burger restaurant, Meat, well worth visiting.

Best Breweries in Wales

According to the geosocial networking service Untappd, the following are the best breweries in Wales at the moment:

1. Crafty Devil Brewing Co

2. Tiny Rebel Brewing Co

3. Tenby Brewing Company

4. PIPES™

5. Hopcraft Brewing

6. Grey Trees Brewery

7. Mad Dog Brewing Co

8. Gwynt y Ddraig

9. Heavy Industry Brewing

10. Purple Moose Brewery (Bragdy Mws Piws)

11. Otley

12. Hallets

13. Glamorgan Brewing Co

14. Mantle

15. Untapped Brewing Company

16. Gower Brewery

17. Mumbles Brewery

18. Cwrw Ial Community Brewing Company

19. Big Hand Brewing Co

20. Hafod Brewing Company

21. VOG Brewery

22. Bluestone Brewing Co.

23. Great Orme Brewery

24. Bragdy Twt Lol

25. Boss Brewing Company

26. Tomos Watkin and Sons Ltd.

27. Celt Brewing

28. Tudor Brewery

29. Brains Craft Brewery

30. Conwy Brewery

31. Kite Brewery

32. Brains

33. Rhymney Brewery

34. Evan Evans

35. Monty's Brewery

36. Facer's

37. Brecon Brewing

38. Felinfoel Brewery Co Ltd

39. Plassey Brewery

According to Untappd, "A brewery must have at least 1,000 ratings and at least 5 beers in their portfolio to qualify for this list." Their ratings explainer is explained here.

Impressive that Evan Evans brewery, run by former gay nightclub boss Simon Buckley came in as only the sixth worst brewery in Wales, given the poor quality of their beers I would have thought they would have come in much lower!

Over at Ratebeer, the list is somewhat different with the top 50 beers being dominated by Tiny Rebel

1              Lines Line ACD - Farmhouse IPA India Pale Ale (IPA)       

2              Lines Line FA - Primary Brett Imperial stout Imperial Stout           

3              Lines Line CA - Nelson Saison Saison                       

4              Lines Line A - Dry hopped IPA India Pale Ale (IPA)                            

5              Tiny Rebel / Arbor Bonsai India Pale Ale (IPA)                    

6              Tiny Rebel Tiny Batch Baby’s Got a Temper Imperial IPA                               

7              Lines / Trois Dames Date Line Saison                      

8              Tiny Rebel Loki Lite Session IPA

9              Tiny Rebel Hadouken India Pale Ale (IPA)            

10           Tiny Rebel / Dark Star Rebel Alliance Saison                        

11           Lines / Fyne Ales Green Lines Saison Saison                        

12           Tiny Rebel XLPA Golden Ale/Blond Ale                  

13           Crafty Devil You Love Us India Pale Ale (IPA)                      

14           Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropicana India Pale Ale (IPA)   

15           Tiny Rebel Tiny Batch In and Around the Mouth India Pale Ale (IPA)        

16           Tiny Rebel Dirty Stop Out Stout 279        

17           Tiny Rebel Frambuzi Sour/Wild Ale         

18           Lines Line AE - Munich Table Beer Specialty Grain            

19           Hopcraft Sharks Against Surfers American Pale Ale          

20           Tiny Rebel The Vader Shuffle Porter                      

21           Hopcraft A Good Rogering Black IPA       

22           Otley mOtley Brew Imperial IPA               

23           Otley Oxymoron Black IPA                          

24           Hopcraft Devilfish Ink Black IPA                

25           Hopcraft Citraic American Pale Ale                          

26           Hopcraft Graveyard Eyes (5.3%) Porter  19          

27           Tiny Rebel / Weird Beard Dirty Perle StoutNew 

28           Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Stout           

29           Tiny Rebel / Dugges Pina Colada Pale Ale American Pale Ale        

30           Tiny Rebel Urban IPA India Pale Ale (IPA)             

31           Tiny Rebel Cereal Killer Session IPA                         

32           Tiny Rebel Cali American Pale Ale            

33           Tiny Rebel The Full Nelson American Pale Ale                    

34           Tiny Rebel Bass Drop Imperial Stout       

35           Tiny Rebel Loki Black IPA                              

36           Tiny Rebel Cwtch Amber Ale                      

37           Tiny Rebel Beat Box American Pale Ale                 

38           Tiny Rebel Sonic Boom India Pale Ale (IPA)                          

39           Hafod Dubbel Abbey Dubbel                     

40           Waen Snowball Sweet Stout      

41           Tiny Rebel Gin & Juice Spice/Herb/Vegetable    

42           Hopcraft Citra Plus American Pale Ale    

43           Heavy Industry 77 Amber Ale    

44           Tiny Rebel Grand Regal (Canadian Bourbon) Imperial Stout         

45           Tiny Rebel Billabong American Pale Ale                 

46           Hopcraft Mate Spawn and Die American Pale Ale             

47           Tiny Rebel Lupulin Fiasco Saison                               

48           Hopcraft Spanish Main Stout

49           Tiny Rebel Tiny Batch Hot Box Smoked
50           Hopcraft Oceanic American Pale Ale

Over at Beer Advocate, there is no separate section for Wales, merely a UK & Ireland section and no Welsh breweries make the top 100

Meanwhile CAMRA has not bothered to update their list of Champion Beers of Wales for last year but I found the results elsewhere:

Mild Brecon Brewing - Dark Beacons

Bitter Monty's - Old Jailhouse
Best Bitter Tiny Rebel - Cwtch
Strong Bitter Greytrees - Afghan IPA
Old Ale Heavy Industry - Collaborator
Barley Wines Monty's Magnitude
Speciality Purple Moose - Ysgawen
Porter Tudor - Black Rock
Stout Boss Black
Champion Beer of Wales 2016 Grand Champions
Gold - Tudor - Black Rock
Silver - Boss Black
Bronze - Monty's Old Jailhouse

Three lists of very different results!

Now and Then, former Snatchwood Inn, Abersychan

The former Snatchwood Inn, Snatchwood Road, Abersychan has now been converted into 2 houses. The above photo shows the pub in the Rhymney and Crosswells livery, before that it was a Buchan's Brewery pub

Now & Then Church Inn, Bedwellty

Another former Rhymney and before that a Andrew Buchan's Brewery pub, the Church Inn, Bedwellty Road, Blackwood, Caerphilly UA. NP12 0BD. The Church Inn supposedly dates back to the sixteenth century.



A short distance away is the New Inn, which has kept it's Rhymney Hobby Horse sign

Above photo is © Copyright Jaggery and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Now & Then, former Green Meadow PH, Troedyrhiw

The former green Meadow PH at 28 Bridge Street Troedyrhiw was renamed The Silver Bullet some years ago

Now and Then, former Gelli PH, Abergwynfi

The former Gelli pub, Commercial Street, Abergwynfi, A former Buchan's Brewery pub, shown here after the take-over of Rhymney Brewery by Whitbread.

Now and Then, former Traveller's Rest, Aberbargoed

The former Travellers' Rest pub, Bedwellty Road, Aberbargoed, a former Rhymney Brewery pub. Originally owned by Buchan's Brewery

Now and Then, former Greyhound PH, Aberbargoed

Another former Rhymney pub, this time, the former Greyhound pub, Bedwellty Road, Aberbargoed. Now demolished along with the railway viaduct behind it. Originally owned by Buchan's Brewery

Raglan Cider Wassail

Raglan Cider Mill will be holding a Wassail on Saturday 28th January, with dancing, singing and music. Cider bar all evening and a hog roast. £5 entry (£4 to Welsh Perry & Cider Society Members, U16s free.
Address is Tynewydd Farm, Llanarth, Usk, NP15 2LU

Now and Then, former Horse & Groom, Maesteg

The former Horse & Groom, 128 Commercial Street, Maesteg, as it was, above, as a Rhymney Brewery pub and below on Google Street View as it is today, split into 2, a pizza take-away and an optician. The modern Rhymney Brewery today has a bar in Maesteg, The Federation Bar, which is almost opposite this former pub.