Last week

Photo courtesy of Dom, Welsh Icons

Well it was a busy time last week, with 6500 customers drinking their way through the annual Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival at the CIA. Thanks go to Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider, Otley Brewery and Vale of Glamorgan Brewery for emergency beer and cider deliveries throughout Saturday.
Photos of the Festival by Welsh Icons can be found here.
Wales Online also did some photos and lots of coverage here.
Matt Otley has his facebook photos here.

Normal blogging will hopefully return to normal sometime soon.

View from above

The view of the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival from the second floor of the CIA. Friday night was a huge success with hundreds of happy customers enjoying the beer, cider, perry and bands. More supplies of beer and cider are being brought in to cope with the hundreds of thirsty customers expected on Saturday. The Festival opens at 11 on Saturday so expect another day of good beer and music. Oh and the Morris Men are in as well...... and there's the "Save the Vulcan" celebrations so a busy day for all. Brew Wales may even find time to tweet a few beers or ciders?

Otley O de Friday night

Well the Cardiff International Arena is packed tonight with hundreds of thirsty customers flocking to the beer oasis of the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival rather than the gig in the stadium. More beer and cider has been ordered for Saturday. Great Festival, Great Beer, Great Welsh!

Champion Beer of Wales 2009

Pictured Above: Purple Moose brewer Laurence Washington celebrates winning the SIBA West award last year

The Purple Moose Brewery of Snowdonia has won the Champion Beer of Wales Competition with their 3.6% ale, Snowdonia. Pictured above is brewer Laurence Washington celebrating his win. Second place went the Otley Brewery with OG and third place also went to Otley Brewery with their Porter.

New Welsh Brewery

The Waen Brewery of Newtown in Powys has only just started brewing and their beer is at the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival, a bitter, golden coloured beer with a lasting hoppy aftertaste. Good start for a new brewery.

Best Pumpclip?

Looking through the real ales at the forthcoming Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival, Brew Wales is hugely impressed by this pumpclip from Great Orme Brewery of North Wales. A recognisable outline that is carried on through the rest of their range of beers and a really good logo on a pumpclip that stands out on the bar. The 4.5% beer is described as "a refreshing blonde ale bursting with citrus notes". Really looking forward to sampling it when the Festival opens on Thursday.

The longest bar in Wales

Okay the photo is a bit of cheat as the bar is rectangular but at 70 metres long the bar at the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival is surely the longest bar in Wales. All the beers have now arrived and are on the stillage being cooled. Ciders and perries are in the fridge. We open on Thursday at 11.

Brains Old Brewery Bitter

Well the beers are up and the bar is being built. Welsh brewers SA Brain have their own bar at the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival and their new beer, Old Brewery Bitter will be on the bar when we open on Thursday. OBB? Thought Sam Smiths had the trademark on that one? Never mind yet another real ale to try at this event.

More Beer

The Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival is the high point of the brewing world in Wales. Real ales from across Wales are at this moment being racked up on the stillages. Above photo is of the name plate on a barrel from Purple Moose Brewery from Porthmadog, one of the many award-winning breweries at the Festival which opens on Thursday.

Beer Festival Setup

Building the bar and stillage for the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival is well underway at Cardiff International Arena. Beer deliveries arriving as well, including Iain Turnbull's Brewers Swansong, a 6.2% ale, brewed at Tryst Brewery in Scotland. Beers from Breconshire Brewery also here along with Brains. Other beers here are Golden Valley Ales, Spinning Dog and Jacobi. All on schedule at moment!

Battle of the Welsh Brewers begins Next Week

Welsh brewers gear up for Champion Beer of Wales Award.
Brewers from across Wales will be heading to Cardiff next week for the Champion Beer of Wales Competition, to be held at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival, Cardiff International Arena.
With nearly 40 breweries in Wales at the moment, it will be a tough job to decide which beer wins the coveted title of 'Champion Beer of Wales'.
If you want to see if your local Welsh brewery will be at the Festival, then click here for a map of Wales with the breweries shown. Thanks to Uncle Wilco at Media Wales for designing the map for us.

Welsh Beers at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival. All subject to availabilty.

Brains Dark, 3.5% ABV, Mild

Brains Bitter, 3.7% ABV, Bitter

Brains SA, 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Brains Reverend James. 4.5%ABV, Best Bitter

Brains SA Gold, 4.6% ABV, Golden Ale

Brains seasonal, 4.6% ABV, Best Bitter

Breconshire GVX, 6.00% Strong Bitter

Breconshire Welsh Pale Ale, 3.40% ABV, Mild

Breconshire Mountain Rescue Brew 4.4%

Breconshire Golden Valley, 4.2%ABV, Golden Ale

Breconshire Ramblers Ruin, 5% ABV, Strong Bitter

Breconshire Cribyn, 4.5% ABV, Best Bitter

Breconshire Spirit of the Dragon, 6.50% ABV, Barley Wine

Breconshire County, 3.70% ABV, Bitter

Bragdy'r Nant Special, 4.50% ABV, Best Bitter

Bryncelyn Holly Hop, 3.9% ABV, Bitter

Bryncelyn Buddy Marvellous, 4% ABV, Mild

Bryncelyn Oh Boy, 4.5% ABV, Best Bitter

Bullmastiff Welsh Gold, 3.8% ABV, Golden Ale

Bullmastiff Son of a Bitch, 6% ABV, Strong Bitter

Bullmastiff Welsh Black, 4.60% ABV, Speciality Ale

Celt Experience Native Storm, 4.4 ABV, Best Bitter

Celt Experience Golden, 4.2%ABV, Golden Ale

Newman's Red Castle Cream , 4.7%ABV, Speciality Ale

Coles Dewi Sant, 4.40%ABV, Best Bitter

Conwy Mulberry Mild, 3.80%ABV, Mild

Conwy Telford Porter, 4.50% ABV, Porter/Stout

Cwmbran Crow Valley Stout, 4.20% ABV, Porter/Stout

Cwmbran Pink Panther, 4.50% ABV . Speciality Ale

Cwmbran Double Hop, 4.00% ABV, Best Bitter

Dare Summer beer, 4.10% ABV, Golden Ale

Dare Falcon Flyer, 5.20% ABV Strong Bitter

Evan Evans Cwrw, 4.20% ABV, Best Bitter

Evan Evans, Best Bitter, 4.20% ABV, Best Bitter

Evan Evans Golden Hop, 4.20% ABV, Golden Ale

Facers Daves Hoppy Beer, 4.3% ABV, Best Bitter

Facers Flintshire Bitter, 3.80%ABV, Bitter

Facers Sunny Bitter, 4.20%ABV, Golden Ale

Ffos Y Ffin, 3 Arches , 4.80%ABV, Strong Bitter

Felinfoel Double Dragon, 4.2%ABV, Best Bitter

Great Orme Celtic Dragon, 4.40% ABV, Best Bitter

Great Orme Welsh Black, 4.50% ABV. Strong Mild

Jacobi Red Squirrel, 4.00% ABV, Bitter

Jacobi Light Ale, 3.80% ABV,

Kingstone Gatehouse, 5.10% ABV, Strong Bitter

Kingstone 3 castles, 3.80% ABV, Bitter

Kingstone Kinsons Gold, 4.00% ABV, Best Bitter

Miws Piws Snowdonia, 3.60% ABV, Golden Ale

Miws Piws Dark Side of the Moose 4.60% ABV, Old Ale

Miws Piws Cwrw Glaslyn 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Heart of Wales Aur Cymraeg , 4.10%ABV, Best Bitter

Heart of Wales, Welsh Black, Porter/Stout

Heart of Wales High as a Kite, 9.00% ABV, Barley Wine

Monteys Sunshine, 4.20%ABV, Golden Ale

Otley O1, 4.10% ABV, Golden Ale

Otley O Garden, 4.60% ABV, Speciality Ale

Otley Dark O, 4.10% ABV, Porter/Stout

Otley Porter, 6.00% ABV, Porter/Stout

Otley OG, 5.40% ABV, Strong Bitter

Otley O8, 8% ABV, Barley Wine

Otley New Brew to be confirmed

Plassey Welsh Border , 3.5% ABV, Mild

Plassey Bitter, 4% ABV, Best Bitter

Rhymney Dark, 3.9% ABV, Mild

Rhymney Export, 5% ABV, Strong Bitter

Rhymney Bitter, 4.5% ABV, Best Bitter

Rhymney Hobby Horse, 3.8% ABV, Bitter

Rhymney Lager, 5% ABV, Speciality Ale

Sandstone Postman Prat, 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Swansea Deep Slade Dark, 4% ABV, Mild

Swansea 3 Cliffs Gold, 4.7% ABV, Golden Ale

Tomos Watkin Chwarae Teg, 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Tomos Watkin Seasonal to be confirmed

Tomos Watkin Cwrw Haf, 4.20% ABV, Golden Ale

Vale of Glamorgan Grog y Vog, 4.3% ABV, Best Bitter

Vale of Glamorgan Wheat's Occurring, 5% ABV, Speciality Ale

Vale of Glamorgan Best Bitter, 4.3% ABV, Best Bitter

Warcop to be confirmed

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival, Cardiff International Arena, CIA, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff CF10 2EQ

Open: Thursday 11^th June 11-11, Friday 12^th & Saturday 13^th June 11-11

Entrance £5 (£4 for Under 26s and CAMRA members), includes souvenir glass and festival programme. For more information log onto: www.gwbcf.org.uk, tel:07807 609712

Morris Men to play Cardiff International Arena!

Photo from Isca Morris Dancers Website
Saturday afternoon at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival will see local Morris Dancers, the Isca Morris Men, perform at the biggest pub in Wales.
This year, the Isca Morrismen are being sponsored by local breweries including Otley, Tomos Watkin, Cwmbran and WARCOP. Of course real ales from all these breweries will be available at the bar of the Festival.

Full details of other entertainment at the Festival can be found here.


Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival, Cardiff International Arena, CIA, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff CF10 2EQ

Open: Thursday 11th June 11-11, Friday 12th & Saturday 13th June 11-11

Entrance £5 (£4 for Under 26s and CAMRA members), includes souvenir glass and festival programme. For more information log onto: www.gwbcf.org.uk, tel:07807 609712

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival Beer List

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival

Welsh beer list 2009

All beers subject to availability when the festival is open

78 Welsh Beers from 29 different Welsh Breweries

Brains Dark, 3.5% ABV, Mild

Brains Bitter, 3.7% ABV, Bitter

Brains SA, 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Brains Reverend James. 4.5%ABV, Best Bitter

Brains SA Gold, 4.6% ABV, Golden Ale

Brains seasonal, 4.6% ABV, Best Bitter

Breconshire GVX, 6.00% Strong Bitter

Breconshire Welsh Pale Ale, 3.40% ABV, Mild

Breconshire Golden Valley, 4.2%ABV, Golden Ale

Breconshire Ramblers Ruin, 5% ABV, Strong Bitter

Breconshire Cribyn, 4.5% ABV, Best Bitter

Breconshire Spirit of the Dragon, 6.50% ABV, Barley Wine

Breconshire County, 3.70% ABV, Bitter

Bragdy'r Nant Special, 4.50% ABV, Best Bitter

Bryncelyn Holly Hop, 3.9% ABV, Bitter

Bryncelyn Buddy Marvellous, 4% ABV, Mild

Bryncelyn Oh Boy, 4.5% ABV, Best Bitter

Bullmastiff Welsh Gold, 3.8% ABV, Golden Ale

Bullmastiff Son of a Bitch, 6% ABV, Strong Bitter

Bullmastiff Welsh Black, 4.60% ABV, Speciality Ale

Celt Experience Native Storm, 4.4 ABV, Best Bitter

Celt Experience Golden, 4.2%ABV, Golden Ale

Newman's Red Castle Cream , 4.7%ABV, Speciality Ale

Coles Dewi Sant, 4.40%ABV, Best Bitter

Conwy Mulberry Mild, 3.80%ABV, Mild

Conwy Telford Porter, 4.50% ABV, Porter/Stout

Cwmbran Crow Valley Stout, 4.20% ABV, Porter/Stout

Cwmbran Pink Panther, 4.50% ABV . Speciality Ale

Cwmbran Double Hop, 4.00% ABV, Best Bitter

Dare Summer beer, 4.10% ABV, Golden Ale

Dare Falcon Flyer, 5.20% ABV Strong Bitter

Evan Evans Cwrw, 4.20% ABV, Best Bitter

Evan Evans, Best Bitter, 4.20% ABV, Best Bitter

Evan Evans Golden Hop, 4.20% ABV, Golden Ale

Facers Daves Hoppy Beer, 4.3% ABV, Best Bitter

Facers Flintshire Bitter, 3.80%ABV, Bitter

Facers Sunny Bitter, 4.20%ABV, Golden Ale

Ffos Y Ffin, 3 Arches , 4.80%ABV, Strong Bitter

Felinfoel Double Dragon, 4.2%ABV, Best Bitter

Great Orme Celtic Dragon, 4.40% ABV, Best Bitter

Great Orme Welsh Black, 4.50% ABV. Strong Mild

Jacobi Red Squirrel, 4.00% ABV, Bitter

Jacobi Light Ale, 3.80% ABV,

Kingstone Gatehouse, 5.10% ABV, Strong Bitter

Kingstone 3 castles, 3.80% ABV, Bitter

Kingstone Kinsons Gold, 4.00% ABV, Best Bitter

Miws Piws Snowdonia, 3.60% ABV, Golden Ale

Miws Piws Dark Side of the Moose 4.60% ABV, Old Ale

Miws Piws Cwrw Glaslyn 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Heart of Wales Aur Cymraeg , 4.10%ABV, Best Bitter

Heart of Wales, Welsh Black, Porter/Stout

Heart of Wales High as a Kite, 9.00% ABV, Barley Wine

Monteys Sunshine, 4.20%ABV, Golden Ale

Otley O1, 4.10% ABV, Golden Ale

Otley O Garden, 4.60% ABV, Speciality Ale

Otley Dark O, 4.10% ABV, Porter/Stout

Otley Porter, 6.00% ABV, Porter/Stout

Otley OG, 5.40% ABV, Strong Bitter

Otley O8, 8% ABV, Barley Wine

Otley New Brew to be confirmed

Plassey Welsh Border , 3.5% ABV, Mild

Plassey Bitter, 4% ABV, Best Bitter

Rhymney Dark, 3.9% ABV, Mild

Rhymney Export, 5% ABV, Strong Bitter

Rhymney Bitter, 4.5% ABV, Best Bitter

Rhymney Hobby Horse, 3.8% ABV, Bitter

Rhymney Lager, 5% ABV, Speciality Ale

Sandstone Postman Prat, 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Swansea Deep Slade Dark, 4% ABV, Mild

Swansea 3 Cliffs Gold, 4.7% ABV, Golden Ale

Tomos Watkin Chwarae Teg, 4.2% ABV, Best Bitter

Tomos Watkin Seasonal to be confirmed

Tomos Watkin Cwrw Haf, 4.20% ABV, Golden Ale

Vale of Glamorgan Grog y Vog, 4.3% ABV, Best Bitter

Vale of Glamorgan Wheat's Occurring, 5% ABV, Speciality Ale

Vale of Glamorgan Best Bitter, 4.3% ABV, Best Bitter

Warcop to be confirmed

English Beers

Woods Pot o Gold 4.40%ABV, Golden Ale

Wye Valley HPA 4%ABV, Golden Ale

Wye Valley Butty Bach, 4.5% Best Bitter

Wye Valley Summer Stinger, Speciality

Wye Valley Bitter, 4.2%ABV , Golden Ale

Wye Valley Golden Ale, 4.2%ABV, Golden Ale

Spinning Dog Mutts Nuts, 5%ABV, Strong Bitter

Six bells Marathon, 4.5%ABV, Best Bitter

Salopian Lemon Dream, 4.50%ABV Speciality

Sadlers Seasonal, Best Bitter

Kinver Special for Festival, Best Bitter

Sarah Hughes Pale Amber, 4.00%ABV, Best Bitter

Elgoods Black Dog, 3.6%ABV, Mild

Elgoods Cambridge, 3.80%ABV, Bitter

Batemans Salem Porter, 4.7%ABV, Porter/Stout

Batemans Valiant, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Dark Tribe Galleon, 4.7%ABV, Strong Bitter

Highwood Best Bitter , 3.5%ABV, Bitter

Newby Wyke White Squall, 4.8%ABV, Strong Bitter

Oldershaw Grantham Stout, 4.3%ABV, Porter/Stout

Poachers Pride, 4%ABV, Best Bitter

Belvoir Peacock Glory, 4.7%ABV, Strong Bitter

Everards Tiger, 4.2%ABV, Best Bitter

Everards Seasonal

Grainstore Rutland Panther, 3.4%ABV, Mild

Grainstore Silly Billy, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Shardlow Golden Hop, 4.1%ABV, Golden Ale

Potbelly Crazy Daze, 5.5%ABV, Strong Bitter

Thornbridge Jaipur, 5.9%ABV, Strong Bitter

Thornbridge Blackthorn, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Weetwood Oast House Gold, 5%ABV, Golden Ale

Oakham Bishops Farewell, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Oakham JHB, 3.8%ABV, Golden Ale

Townes Speedwell Bitter, 3.9 %ABV, Bitter

Howard Town Dinting Arches, 4.5%ABV, Best Bitter

Derventio Nero, 3.9%ABV, Bitter

Castle Rock Hemlock , 4%ABV, Best Bitter

Castle Rock Harvest Pale, 3.8%ABV, Golden Ale

Frog Island Fire Bellied Toad, Strong Bitter

Milestone Loxley Ale, 4.2%ABV, Best Bitter

Brewsters Hophead, 3.6%ABV, Bitter

Alcazar Vixens Vice, 5.2%ABV, Strong Bitter

Blue Bell Old Honesty, Best Bitter

Cathedral Red Imp, 4.2%ABV, Best Bitter

Fugulestou Fulstow Common, 3.8%ABV, Bitter

Hopshackle Hop Shackle Gold, 5.2%ABV, Strong Bitter

Riverside Old Diabolical, 4.4%ABV, Strong Bitter

Swaton Kiss Goodnight, 4.5%ABV, Best Bitter

Willys Old Groyne, 6%ABV, Strong Bitter

Digfield Fools Nook, 3.8%ABV, Golden Ale

Cherwell Valley Lark Rise, 4%ABV, Best Bitter

Great Oakley Wot's Occurring, 3.9%ABV, Bitter

Hoggleys Northampton Bitter, 4%ABV, Best Bitter

Nobbys Wild West, 4.6%ABV, Best Bitter

Caythorpe One Swallow, 3.6%ABV, Bitter

Full mash Séance, 4%ABV, Best Bitter

Grafton Lady Julia, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Holland Blonde Belter, 4.5%ABV, Golden Ale

Magpie Thieving Rogue, 4.5%ABV, Best Bitter

Mallard Duckling, 4.2%ABV, Best Bitter

Maypole Maybe, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Whim Seasonal

Leatherbritches Hairy helmet , 4.7%ABV, Strong Bitter

Ashover Rainbows End, Best Bitter

Brampton Wasp Nest, 5%ABV, Strong Bitter

Brunswick Black Sabbath, Porter/Stout

Falstaff Seasonal

Globe Comet, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Headless First Bloom, 4.3%ABV, Best Bitter

Leadmill Ginger Spice 5%ABV, Speciality

Son of Sid Re session , 3.8%ABV, Bitter

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival, Cardiff International Arena, CIA, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff CF10 2EQ

Open: Thursday 11^th June 11-11, Friday 12^th & Saturday 13^th June 11-11

Entrance £5 (£4 for Under 26s and CAMRA members), includes souvenir glass and festival programme. For more information log onto: www.gwbcf.org.uk, tel:07807 609712

Music confirmed for Wales' biggest pub

The Cardiff International Arena will be home to the biggest pub in Wales in June, when the Campaign for Real Ale holds the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival there.
Alongside the beers and ciders the music for the for the largest beer festival in Wales has just been announced.

Thursday - quite day

Friday 12th afternoon 3.30pm Baggyrinkle

"Swansea Shantymen"

Baggyrinkle sing in three-part harmony with some of the songs accompanied by the concertina and their programme complemented by the occasional instrumental piece.
The group currently consists of nine members, (eight performing and one female to keep the boys in order!) who come from all walks of life and have been brought together by their love of folk music with the emphasis on maritime material, of course.
Most of the Baggies’ repertoire is traditional, although contemporary songs also feature – some of them penned by group members Dave Robinson & Andrew McKay – and Welsh language songs are also beginning to make an appearance.

Friday 12th 9pm Dansette
Dansette are a horn - driven eight piece band who play an authentic mix of 60's Soul standards from the Stax/Atlantic/Motwn stables. If you want to think Blues Brothers and Commitments you'll be half right, but we don't stop there, we'll take you on a Soul Journey through that golden era that you just won't want to end. Dancing shoes are optional but enjoyment is guaranteed.

Saturday 13th Early afternoon -Cardiff Blues Male Voice Choir

The 60-strong Cardiff Blues mixed voice choir is one born out of the S4/C series, Codi Canu. This successful TV series aimed to bring back singing to the rugby terraces through the medium of Welsh. Each of the 4 rugby regions had a choir and a list of songs to learn throughout the 2006-07 season. Each region competed against each other by singing pitchside at the Wales vs England 6Nations match in Cardiff in April 07. The Blues Choir were lucky enough to sing Rhyfelgyrch Gwyr Harlech(Men of Harlech) and although we came runners-up to the Dragons choir, we loved the whole experience.

Saturday 13th 1400 hrs -Isca Morris Men

The Isca Morrismen were formed in 1976 by three experienced dancers taking their name from the Roman Fortress of the Second Augustan Legion which once stood on the site of the town of Caerleon in the old county of Gwent in South East Wales, UK.

Saturday 13th Late afternoon- The Booze Brothers

“The Booze Brothers - Playing well known party hits and drinking songs on tuned beer bottles and glasses".

Saturday 13th 8.30pm The Jug Band

"The Jug Band was once referred to as the Drinking man's Pink Floyd"

The Jug Band is a band that is going forward in no particular direction and backwards in both. They are the only band to give you stereo washboards. So, if you like your bands a bit rough around the edges (to say the least), not even the tiniest bit politically correct with a hint of Mungo Jerry thrown in. A bit rude and a bloody good laugh then come and see us.

All through the Festival Balloon Platoon will be entertaining the customers and staff.

Festival Facts

• 6000 thirsty drinkers are expected at the 3 day event
• 24,000 pints of real ale, cider and perry will be consumed during the Great Welsh
• Over 10 pints a minute will be served during the festival
• Almost 4000 pints of cider and perry will be available
• Over 250 different real ales, ciders, perries and foreign beers will be available at the Great Welsh
• 2000 pints of German beer will be specially imported for the Great Welsh
• Over 120 CAMRA members will be volunteering to work at the festival
• The bar is 70 metres long!
• The Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival 2009 is the 9^th annual festival, the 2^nd at the CIA, the previous 7 having been held at Cardiff City Hall
• CAMRA outgrew Cardiff City Hall and with help from the Welsh Assembly Government relocated to the CIA last year
• Pub games, stalls and food will be available at the Festival

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival, Cardiff International Arena, CIA, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff CF10 2EQ

Open: Thursday 11^th June 11-11, Friday 12^th & Saturday 13^th June 11-11

Entrance £5 (£4 for Under 26s and CAMRA members), includes souvenir glass and festival programme. For more information log onto: www.gwbcf.org.uk, tel:07807 609712

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival Facebook site here

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