6 Nations beers from Wales

It's that time of year again when men with oddly-shaped balls chuck them around the field to the cheers of shouting fans. I don't mean the Superbowl either where heavily-padded Americans stop every few seconds and Madonna comes on at half time. Yes it's the 6 Nations and the brewers of Wales have been coming up with some beers to go with the rugby as everyone knows rugby and beer go together well.

First up is Hop Head Jay at Neath Ales with his 6% 6 Hop Nations IPA. Now his Green Bullet is one of my favourite beers but for this one-off Jay has sourced hops from 6 Nations for this beer, unfortunately he could not get the hops from the Nations participating in the cup as Scotland and Italy are not favoured climates for growing the 'pernicious weed', however he does have this to say about his beer:
  " I decided on some subtle hops which lead to a really complex flavour rather than one which smash you in the nose: the ones which are evident in the taste are lots and lots of Northdown, lots of Hallertauer, and a seasoning of Pacific Gem".

"Vale of Glamorgan Brewery return with their Fe Fi Fo Fum, a 4.3%, a copper-coloured Best Bitter with ' subtle malt flavour and hop varieties giving the aroma and taste reminiscent of the hedgerow'. Not too sure what that actually means? Does it smell of badger piss and taste of bird droppings?

The soon-to-be-moving Waen Brewery of Powys have also produced a Best Bitter, this time called 'Scrum and Get it'. I did try try some last week but I found it unbalanced in flavour tasting like not very good home-brew but some others have had positive things to say about it so each to their own!

Finally Brains bring back 'Bread of Heaven' a 4% ABV beer.
Named to embody the spirit and passion of the Welsh Nation, Bread of Heaven is handcrafted to celebrate Brains’ sponsorship of the Welsh National Rugby Team and is the official ale of the 2005 and 2008 Grand Slam.
Its rugby ball-shaped logo features the WRU Official Ale logo and the words ‘Bread of Heaven’ and ‘feed me till I want no more’ from the famous Welsh hymn, ‘Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer’.

A traditional cask ale with a distinctive reddish hue and a rich hop aroma, finely balanced by a more-ish fruit finish.

Christmas Beers

A quick round-up of a few Christmas beers from breweries in South Wales.

First up is FirKing Good from Brains, brewed with Aromatic Malt and containing spicy hop flavours, this is a deep amber-coloured ale with a warming finish.

Next to Jay at Neath Ales with his Winter Star - a chestnut coloured ale which goes down easy and puts a festive smile on faces. 4.6% very low bittering hops but loads of spicy/earthy late hop flavour from buckets full of traditional hop varieties.

Vale of Glamorgan Brewery have brewed a couple of Christmas specials this year, the first one being Sleigh Belle. a tawny best bitter with pleasant bitterness and gentle hoppiness from cascade whole hops.




Their second seasonal brew is Holly Daze 5.4% ABV and is described by the brewery as 'Our Christmas brew, watch don't get in too much of a daze drinking this smooth, full bodied ale that has a hint of chocolate undertone'.

Celt Experience/Newmans Brewery also have a couple of beers out this Christmas:

Winter Hog Ale 4.6% 

Winter Hog is strong winters ale with a powerful bitterness that explodes into a delicious mixture of fruit flavours and aromas. Amber brown in colour this premium ale is complemented by a good sweet bitterness and a blend of aroma hops lending to its grapefruit and slightly citrus flavour.

Hoppy Gristmas 5.0%

A strong winter speciality ale, Hoppy Gristmas is a deep ruby beer with a delicate fruity aroma and a good hop presence. The lovely taste is distinguished by the sutbly sharp and full bodied flavour.

Best name for any Welsh Christmas Beer has to be from Purple Moose Brewery with X-Moose!

Meanwhile Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider have launched their seasonal cider, Sleigh Ride

Neath Ales at the Cricket Club this Saturday

The award-winning Neath Ales, mmm Green Bullet, will be hosting their second ever beer festival this Saturday (12th November 2011) at Neath Cricket Club, following on from the sell-out success of their first festival earlier in the year.

Over 10 delicious real ales from quality independent Welsh breweries including Rhymney, Cerddin (Maesteg), Neath, and more... Kick off is midday 

The Gnoll Ground, Dyfed Road, Neath, Neath Port Talbot SA11 3
Google Map:

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Find Neath Cricket Club on Foursquare!

Neath Food and Drink Festival

 

Things are looking up in the food & drink sector and in Neath, what with the award-winning brewery Neath Ale, mmm Green Bullet, going from strength to strength and a food & drink festival in the town as well.

Full list of exhibitors here but the important ones are:

Neath Ales

Untapped Brewery

Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider

Neath is easy to reach as its on the mainline from London to Swansea.

Beer Festival at the Borough in Neath

Situated only a short walk from Neath town centre, the Borough Arms will be holding a beer festival this weekend (Saturday & Sunday 3rd-4th September. Naturally beers from local brewery Neath Ales will be there, with the 4.2% Firebrick and the 5.5% Platinum cask lager on sale as well as beers from Cerddin Brewery (Maesteg), Otley and Newmans, in total there will be 14 beers on sale at the festival.

Borough Arms
2 New Henry Street
Neath
SA11 1PH

The Borough Arms is less than 10 minutes walk away from the train & bus stations, though can be a difficult to find on a first visit.
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Black Falls Republic

Was lucky enough to have some samples of Neath Ales sent to me the other day - thanks Jay! Have been a fan of their beers since I first tried their amazing Green Bullet beer last year. Of course we have their beers on the CAMRA bar at Tredegar House this weekend, but not the Republic.

Neath Ales Black Falls Republic, 330ml bottle, 6.2% ABV

Black Falls is the name chosen by Neath Ales for their limited edition brews, each of their beers is brewed using one hop variety, in the case of Republic it is the Amarillo hop.

Republic is golden-orange colour and pours with a lively, white head. The distinctive citrus and floral tones of the Amarillo hop are noticeable in the aroma. An initial biscuity sweetness in the taste is quickly overwhelmed by a huge bitter flavour with a lasting but satisfying dry finish. Very moreish.

As good as the Green Bullet? Well that has to be decided in a comparison between the two. An excellent USA IPA style of beer, the type of flavoursome ale I would drink all the time if I could find it.

The only problem I have with the beer is that it comes in a 330ml bottle - after downing the first one I immediately felt like a second! Dangerously drinkable, especially if you like hops like I do!

Hop Fest at the cricket club

Well the small beerex at Neath Cricket Club is going down a storm. Pride of place at this beer festival are beers from the local brewery, Neath Ales and brewer Jay Thomas is here with the rest of his family who he has roped in to work behind the bar! Now Jay is a man who likes his hops and his 6.2% beer Black Falls Republic is dangerously drinkable, packed full of Armarillo hops this pale ale is almost as good as his Green Bullet beer from last year. As well as that beer his Gold, Firebrick, and Black are also on. Its not just a Neath Ales Festival as Champion Beer of Wales winner Otley O Garden is on as well.
All in all this is a great little festival and acts as a good showcase for locsl breweries. One can just hope it will become a regular event.

Bowled over by beers at Neath Cricket Club

This Saturday, 5th February 2011, Neath Cricket Club will be playing host to a small but very interesting beer festival with new brews from their local brewery, Neath Ales, taking pride of place alongside the current Champion Beer of Wales winner, Otley O-Garden, as well as with beers from Rhymney and Hereford breweries. Making its first festival appearance will be a beer from the brewery at the Cross Inn in Maesteg.
Neath Ales will also be launching its new range of limited edition seasonal beers, enticingly called Black Falls, a rare cask version of the first beer will be available at the festival, the rest of the time the Black Falls range will be bottled in 330ml bottles. The first beer will be a heavily hopped 6.2% Pale Ale, in the style of the Green Bullet beer they brewed last year (Brew Wales Beer of the Year 2010!) Other Black Falls beers being brewed during the year include a pils and a black lager.
Beer Festival, Saturday 5th February 2011, Neath Cricket Club, The Gnoll Ground, Neath, SA11 3AW
No admission charge, 

Opening times: 1100 till 2300

Live music from 1930 including acoustic and rock sets.

Food and drink available

Neath Cricket club is situated a short walk from Neath train station.
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Neath Ales Green Bullet and Gold beers

Every so often I come across a truly excellent beer and having tried Green Bullet from Neath Ales in both bottle and draught format I can confirm that this is a truly stunning beer.

Green Bullet, 6% ABV, 330ml bottle,

Green Bullet is the name given to a variety of hop grown in New Zealand and this beer is an amber coloured beer with a complex aroma of sharp, fruity citrus flavours from the hops matched with the biscuity aroma of the Maris Otter Malt used to brew this beer. The sweet,malty biscuity flavour is also present in the taste before the unique flavour of the hops provides the bitterness at the end. This is surprisingly drinkable for a 6% beer, a wonderful example of a traditional Indian Pale Ale beer style.

Last week the brewer kindly helped Swansea Bay Beer Festival keep a good range on right to the end, with an emergency reorder. So thanks Jay and keep up the good work.

Neath Ales Gold, 5%ABV, 500ml bottle 

Neath Ales Gold is a deep amber colour and has a rich aroma of citrus fruits and orange marmalade, caused by the First Gold hops used to brew this beer. A smooth bitter initial taste leads on to a very complex aftertaste with the true bitterness coming through a good few minutes after drinking.

An intensely bitter beer that goes well with strong hard cheeses.

 

I look forward to trying the rest of the range. 

Thousands attend the Bay for Food & Drink Festival

Cardiff Bay International Food Festival

The food festival held over last weekend was definitely one of the best I have been to. This year saw more local brewers involved than ever before with Pen-Lon, Neath, Otley, Kingstone, Celt Experience and Untapped all selling their bottled beers. It was the first chance I had to try the beers from Neath Ales and tried one at the festival, Green Bullet; a 6% IPA brewed with New Zealand hops and named after them. Brewed with Maris Otter malt, the biscuity malt flavour combines with the heavily hopped ale to produce a stunning beer. Also chatted to the owner Jay Thomas whose enthusiasm and passion for brewing really shows through in his beers. I look forward to trying more of his beers in the future, especially in cask as Neath Ales will be taking delivery of casks in a few weeks time. In the meantime their beers are available via Realbeerbox.

 Above: Some bottles from the beer range of Neath Ales

Above: Celt Experience beers

Above: the Untapped Brewery range

The Norwegian Church was the venue of the Otley brewery bar and their new Weissen Beer quickly sold out there. A naturally cloudy wheat beer brewed with 6 different hop varieties this was another refreshing beer from the hop heads of the valleys. Alongside O1, O5 and O-Garden the Otley beers proved extremely popular and the Norwegian Church, set in its own grounds was the perfect place to chill out with a pint and listen to the bands playing at the venue. The church also offers great views across the harbour.

 Above: The Norwegian Church and Otley Bar

Cidermakers were also well represented at the festival with a new bottled drink, Pyder – a blend  of cider and perry, being launched by the Gwatkin cider company and a 3 litre bag-in-the-box of Scrumpy from Gwynt Y Ddraig which will also be available in Tesco's very soon.

 Above: the new 3 litre box of Gwynt scrumpy

Ralph's cider also made an appearance and the stunning perries and wines from Wernddu also went down very well.

 Above: Gwatkin cider bar staff

The festival was extremely popular and the weather for once perfect and well done for Cardiff Council for organising such a great event.  Having attended this event down the Bay for many years, I did think this year was the best ever and is even starting to rival the Abergavenny Food Festival in terms of quality and enjoyment. One problem with the Abergavenny Festival is the increasing prices, both for the stallholders and the customers, as the Festival now employs staff all year round. Cardiff Council have shown it is possible to put on a successful and extremely popular food and drink festival with free entrance for all. Any chance of Newport Council now showing some initiative and supporting our artisan food and drink producers?

I did find time to enjoy myself despite helping out on the Gwatkin stand, here is a photo taken by Dom at Welsh Icons of me at the Festival:

 NB: All photographs are copyright of me or of Dom/Welsh Icons. I realise that there is a common thief out there on the internet who enjoys stealing photographs from the site, along with empty barrels from Welsh brewers. It's okay I realise you are a sad, twisted old thief, you do not have to continue to prove it to me or the rest of the world.

Neath gets a new brewery

The chav-filled town of Neath is now home to a new brewery. Neath Ales was started by former sociology lecturer Jay Thomas and is the first brewery in the area for about 5 years, when the Borough Arms was a short-lived brew pub.
A great quote from the brewery:
"At Neath Ales we love hops. We believe that a beer should be a great balance of flavours and so our bittering hop rates simply balance the beers or are appropriate for a particular style. However many other brewers would consider our late hopping rates decadent. Outrageous perhaps. But these levels of late hopping give Neath Ales outstanding aroma and subtle flavour profiles which set them apart".
A new Welsh brewery producing flavoursome and tasty ales? Whatever next?
Good luck to to the new venture and I look forward to trying their beers the next time I'm in Neath.
If you cannot get down to Neath then they do mail order.
Here are their beers, with tasting notes supplied by the brewery: 

Neath Ales Gold is a premium bottle conditioned beer. A Pale Ale at 5% ABV, it is brewed to a traditional strength and bitterness. It is crisp and refreshing with aggressive hopping rates which produce outstanding aroma and flavour. 

 

Neath Abbey Ale is a 4.2% ABV beer brewed with three different kinds of malt and generous amounts of hops. The quality and blend of ingredients make this an exceptional beer.

 Neath Ales Black is a 5.5% ABV premium bottle conditioned beer. Superb dark malt flavour is balanced by a refreshing hop bitterness and an outrageous amount of late/aroma hops.

This 4,2% premium bottle conditioned beer marks the invention in Neath in 1821 of the silica firebrick. Firebrick is brewed using the worlds finest malted barley and well balanced with classic hop bitterness to create a beer that is refreshing with all hot spicy food!


One beer to look out for will be available in July, called Neath Ales Reserve, it is described as an extra stout porter and is 7.5% ABV and will be sold in champagne-style 750ml bottles.

The Western Mail also has a take on this story, though they missed the bit about the Borough Arms brewing a few years back. Should have asked the beer expert on the Echo or Brian on the subs desk!