Beer Revolution in Hay has moved!

A couple of years ago the Brew Wales editor visited Beer Revolution in Hay-on-Wye, an adventurous bottle shop located in the historic old stables of Hay-on-Wye Castle.

 The old premises of Beer Revolution

The new premises of Beer Revolution, 7 Market Street

The first major difference is not having to duck when walking through the front door of the new place! Whereas the Castle Stables was a dark and rather cramped premises the new Beer revolution, converted from a former shop is light and airy with plenty of seating and an outside area at the rear of the premises. 

There is also a bar serving six draught beers, good to see Beavertown, Moor and Hillside Breweries represented. Freshly ground coffees are also available with plans to do food in the next few weeks.

The large fridges with beers from the local Lucky 7 Beer Co, Hay-on-Wye's own brewery, along with beers from Tiny Rebel Brewery, Dugges, Wiper and True, Crafty Devil and Siren to name just a few.

All the beers and ciders are available to take out or drink in

 A welcome edition to the pub scene in Hay-on-Wye

Beer Revolution

7 Market Street

Hay on Wye

HR3 5AF

Whilst in Hay, we heard that the lease of Kilverts has been taken over by Brecon Brewing.

There's a Beer Revolution in Hay!

Popped into Hay-on-Wye the other morning, not somewhere I visit often, the last time I was there was June last year, according to Swarm. A lot has changed since then with a new manager in Kilverts who is eager to bring in the changes with different ales and local cider hitting the pumps shortly.

The biggest surprise was the new off-licence, Beer Revolution, based on the cobbled yard of the castle, a bit difficult to find at first but well worth the effort. This shop is packed with beers from the best breweries from Wales and beyond, Waen, Tiny Rebel, Celt Experience, Mad Dog to name just a few. A couple of surprises were two new Welsh breweries Radnorshire Ales from New Radnor and the Lucky 7 Beer Co who are based in Hay-on-Wye,
Local ciders and perries from Gwatkins are also available
A welcome outlet for good and unusual beers in this part of the world!

Hay to get brewery after 75 years

Brewing in Hay-on-Wye

 The closure of Cwmbran brewery was a sad loss to the Torfaen area but the brewing plant has gone to a good home, namely Kilverts in Hay-on-Wye, though Ed Davies is yet to start brewing. Follow his journey to restart commercial brewing in Hay via the Hay Brewery website here and his blog here and follow him the pub Twitter as well as following Ed himself on Twitter

When brewing recommences in Hay it will be the first time in almost 75 years that beer has been brewed in the town, now famous for its books rather than its beer. In the nineteenth century almost every pub in the town would have brewed its own ales and two of them lasted into the twentieth century:

The Wine Vaults in Castle Street was brewing in 1906 under Thomas Stokoe, although the premises became a hotel, the Wye Hotel in 1910 and a café, the Wye Café later, but has now reopened as a pub once more.

The Swan Hotel in Church Street carried on brewing until at least 1935 under William Samuel Jones. This is one of the oldest pubs in Hay and although it has been rebuilt over the years has its roots stretching back to at least the 18^th Century.

More information on pubs of Hay can be found in the book, “The pubs of Hay-on-Wye and the Golden Valley”, ISBN 1904396461, published by Logaston Press.