Otley pubs feature in top restaurant guide

South Wales pubs make Good Food Guide 2013

Two pubs in south Wales, both run by Nick Otley(above) from the Otley Brewing Company, have been listed in the UK’s best-selling restaurant guide.
The Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd and the King’s Arms in Pentyrch have both been selected for the Which? Good Food Guide 2013, an annual report of the best places to eat in the UK.

All listings are based on feedback from diners alongside anonymous annual inspections to ensure that every entry is up to date. The Good Food Guide has been reviewing the UK’s best restaurants, pubs and cafes since 1951.
The Bunch of Grapes has featured in the guide for the past four years running and the King’s Arms entry is the first since the management of the pub was taken over from Brain’s earlier this year.

Nick Otley said: “Both pubs aim to make the most of quality Welsh produce including Breconshire Beef, Welsh lamb, locally made fine cheeses, as well as fruit and vegetables we grow on site.

“Through our menus we aim to push the boundaries by incorporating innovative dishes throughout the seasons such as sausage desserts and beer ice-cream.

“We’re over the moon to have made the Good Food Guide and be among the best places to eat in the UK.”



Neither of the pubs smell of fish.

Kings Arms, Pentyrch

Kings Arms, Church Road, Pentyrch, CF15 9QF
Open all day

The King's Arms is an old, long building, built on slope leading from the modern estate of Pentyrch to the site of the medieval church of the village, rebuilt in the 1850s. The thick white-washed stone walls of the pub defy mobile phone networks and are a sign of the age of this pub, at least three-hundred years old but with later additions over the years. A central doorway leads to the top bar on the left and the snug and restaurant areas to the right. The top bar is split-level and features a bar made out of a light-coloured wood and four handpumps. The stone walls are exposed in places and there are settles sofas and tables with a range of daily newspapers for customers to read. A wood-burning stove stands in the fireplace and there are chalkboard menus on the walls.

The snug is a traditional public bar, quite possibly the oldest part of the pub, or at the least altered in any form, with its huge fireplace and flagstone floor. The fireplace takes up one wall of the building and there is a hatchway to the right hand-side which may have been a stairway to an upper level, a typical feature of old rural buildings which featured a winding staircase to the side of the fire.

The ceiling was raised sometime in the past and a doorway was cut in the fireplace wall, on the left-hand side, today this leads to the restaurant area. Old copper and brass ornaments decorate the walls, the polished copper reflecting what little light there is in this small and rather dark part of the pub. Four gleaming chrome handpumps are on the bar, serving beers from Brains and Otley breweries. The pubis owned by SA Brain but leased to Nick Otley of Otley Brewery and the Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd fame. This unique collaboration results in beers from both breweries being on the bar with Brains Bitter and IPA alongside Otley Boss and Croeso, although the beer range may vary. Local cider Orchard Gold from Gwynt y Ddraig is also available along with Brains Black.

The restaurant area, to the side of the snug is a modern extension,light and airy with a high ceiling; this area leads out to a patio area and garden with more seating. Food is served 12-2.30 and 6.30-9 and there are lunchtime and evening menus together with daily chalkboard specials, with Welsh ingredients used where possible.

Quiz night Wednesdays and regular events are held throughout the year.
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The King's Arms is accessible via public transport, although the service is not that frequent; the 136 from Cardiff run by Stagecoach

Otley Brewery hits the catwalk

WELSH BEER TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT LONDON FASHION WEEK

Award-winning Welsh brewers, the Otley Brewing Company, will be swapping their kegs and casks for catwalks at London Fashion Week this week (14 to 18 September).

The Otley brewers have been invited to host their own bar at vibrant designer, Eley Kishimoto’s launch party where they will showcase two of the company’s best ales. The German style, 07 Weissen and the Thai green curry flavoured Thai-Bo, will take centre stage at the show and will complement what’s set to be a memorable return to the catwalk for Eley Kishimoto.

The contemporary brewery has grown significantly since it was first established in 2005 and its unusual ales and unique branding has meant that it not only appeals to beer enthusiasts but also to a wider audience of younger, female drinkers.

Nick Otley, pictured above, managing director of the Otley Brewing Company, said: “To be showcasing our beers at one of the world’s most iconic events is a great opportunity for us to bring some Welsh flavour to the show.

“The beer industry is changing in a big way and for us to be hosting our own bar at London Fashion Week is a real sign of how beer is appealing to a young, trendy and more female audience.

“At Otley, we’ve worked hard to establish ourselves as a unique, contemporary brand which aims to transform the traditional image of beer drinkers. We’re excited to be supporting the Eley Kishimoto show and being part of London Fashion Week.”

Otley in top 50 of British Food and Drink

Otley beer makes official top 50 British food and drink list

O-Garden, a clear wheat beer spiced with roasted orange peel, coriander and cloves, crafted by the Otley Brewing Company in Pontypridd, has been named among the best-tasting food and drink products in Britain.
Named Champion Beer of Wales at the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival in 2010, the 4.8% beer was chosen from 123 entries awarded a coveted three-star gold from 8,807 products judged in the 2012 Great Taste scheme run by the Guild of Fine Food.
Ranging from beers to brownies, saffron to smoked rack of bacon and mincemeat to marmalade, many reflect the return to more traditional foods but given a modern twist.
Judges this year included Masterchef winner and restaurateur Mat Follas, restaurant critic and Masterchef judge, Charles Campion, food writers Lucas Hollweg and Xanthe Clay and over 300 food buyers from leading food halls, delicatessens and farm shops including Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason.
According to Guild of Fine Food chairman, Bob Farrand, each of these food and drink products was rigorously scrutinised. He said: “To achieve a 3-star grading involves at least 25 experts unanimously agreeing that the product tastes divine.

“But to be included in the Top 50 Foods in Britain meant each one had to satisfy the discerning palates of a further 25 dedicated foodies. These products all deliver the most extraordinary taste.”

Nick Otley, managing director of the Otley Brewing Company, said: “To reach the top 50 Great Taste List is brilliant news and a real testament to the quality of our beers.

“O-Garden has always been a firm favourite in our portfolio since it was first brewed in 2009. Since then it’s received critical acclaim from top beer judges such as Melissa Cole who described it as exciting, refreshing and complex.

“We have only been brewing since 2005 and the company has grown so much since then. It’s an exciting time for the craft beer industry right now and many people are seeking out new flavours and fusions. We’re always thinking of new ways with beer by cooking with it and matching beers to different foods.
“To be part of Great Taste is a fantastic industry stamp of recognition and we’re pleased to have been ranked alongside some other top Welsh and UK food and drink products.”

Above: Nick Otley inspects his bottled beers

Great Taste is the biggest independent benchmarking scheme for local, regional and speciality foods in Britain. Over 350 professional foodies are brought together each year to take part in 45 days of judging, deciding which foods deserve one-star, two-star or the ultimate three-star awards.
The scheme has become known for launching little-known artisan producers into the big time of the fine food world, while occasionally discovering the odd mainstream surprise. Speciality foods in this year’s Top 50 also include a North African Berber cake made in Gloucestershire, a pear juice from a college in Warwickshire, a sourdough miches from Cumbria, a corned pork from Northern Ireland and a Lithuanian Scalded Rye Bread from Essex.

The annual programme culminates with the ‘Golden Fork’ Awards in London in September and the naming of the Great Taste Supreme Champion, a title won last year by a corned beef from traditional Northern Ireland butcher, McCartney’s of Moira which has been nominated again in 2012.

Going O out for Otley at the Bunch

Award-winning Otley Brewery are featuring a weekend of their beers at their pub, the Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd.

Above: Nick Otley at a previous Otley Festival in the Bunch

A showcase of the award winning Otley Brewing Company with a wide selection of Beers, all on handpull

What’s On -
Friday 29th June
Night: Live New Orleans style music from ‘The Occasional Brass Ensemble’

Saturday 30th June
Day: BBQ
Night: Rock and Blues Guitar Duo ‘Rustie Nutz’

Sunday 1st July
Soak up the rest of the beers with our epic Sunday Lunch

ON THE MAIN BAR
O1 – 4.0%
Our Flagship Golden Ale

CroesO 4.2%
Light, hoppy and delicate with big aromas. This is the Bunch’s house Ale and is hugely drinkable, as our regulars will attest to!

Thai-bO – 4.6%
Infused with lemongrass, lime leaf galangal and lime zest.  Fabulous with food, equally refreshing on its own!

O4 Columbo – 4.0%
In your face hop refreshment. Gold Medal in the Golden Ale category at the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival 2011

O-Garden – 4.7%
Clear wheat beer flavoured with roasted Orange peel, coriander and cloves

Oxymoron – 5.5%
Our Black IPA, brewed to look dark and taste light. Dry hopped with five different varieties – the result is both complex and satisfying.

O7 Weissen – 5.0%
Usually found in the Bunch in kegged form, for this weekend we have it Cask Conditioned. A lighter wheat beer with banana aromas and lemony aftertaste.

O3 Boss – 4.4%
A traditional, chestnut red coloured bitter with American hops for flavour and aroma

O5 Gold – 5.0%
American hops and lager malt. Quaffable refreshment.

Stonegate – 4.0%

O6 Porter – 6.6%
An old style porter with a deep and full flavour.  Truly satisfying with smooth mouth feel

ON THE FESTIVAL BAR
Not So – 5.5%
A modern take on the ‘Old Ale’ style. U.S., New Zealand and British hops unite!

O–Roger – 5.4%
A classic Burton Ale brewed with Roger Protz in the summer of 2011, with a slightly higher level of hops! Will you ever see this Beer again?

Saison Obscura – 5.5%
A continental dark Saison.  Flavoured with Grains of Paradise, Curacoa and orange peel.

O-Ho-Ho [vintage cask] – 5.0%
Our Christmas ale, blueberry infused.  Bitter with a delicate rose hue.

O-Mai – 4.3%
Our seasonal beer for May, pale and summery with fresh raspberries added late to the brew

O-Rosie 4.3%
Single hopped and infused with rosemary

Grape vs Grain at the Bunch of Grapes

GRAPE VS GRAIN: The two greats go head to head at an award-winning Welsh pub


Tuesday, June 19 at 7pm at the Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd
Flagship pub of the Otley Brewing Company, the Bunch of Grapes, in Pontypridd, is inviting people from across south Wales to an evening of fine dining with a twist. This evening will allow diners to judge which tipple tastes best with fine food- real ale or wine.

Diners will be served both ale and wine alongside each of the five courses and will be asked to judge which compliments each dish best. This evening has not been designed for real ale or wine experts but is an evening for everyone to learn more about the wonderful worlds of finely brewed ale and quality wine.

Each course will be carefully prepared by critically acclaimed head chef of the Bunch of Grapes, Sebastien Vanoni where he will use locally sourced produce to produce some of the Bunch of Grapes’ most memorable, signature dishes. MD of the pub and of the Otley Brewing Company, Nick Otley, will head up the real ale team with bar manager Gareth Hutt and they will go head to head with wine connoisseur Max Lloyd of Bibendum Wines and Manager of the Bunch of Grapes, Nina Richards.
With over 27 million* Britons being classed as wine drinkers compared with only 7.8 million** real ale drinkers, the Otley Brewing Company is campaigning to change this by highlighting the diversity of real ale and how it is just as satisfying as a cold glass of high quality white wine.
Nick Otley, said: “It’s a known fact that a good wine can make a great dish taste even better but we want to get people thinking about the wonders of real ale too and how its flavours can really enhance certain dishes.
“We’ve used the ale we brew in meals at the Bunch for quite some time now and our customers can’t get enough of our Otley beer ice cream, O6 porter reduction and Oxymoron jus. If they enjoy the ale so much in their meals then we can guarantee that they will enjoy them as accompaniments too.
“It’s also great having Max on board, he’s so passionate about quality wine which means he’s a great match for Gareth and I when we take centre stage in convincing diners which drink works best with each course. We’re sure that the evening will be a memorable one and I’m sure that both teams will work as hard as possible to ensure their tipple reigns supreme.”
The ultimate battle between ale and wine will begin at 7pm on Tuesday, June 19 at the Bunch of Grapes. The evening costs just £40 per head (or £140 for four) which includes the five course meal, ales and wines. Places are limited so it is advised that those wanting to attend book their places as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please book your place by contacting the Bunch of Grapes on 01443 402934.
Five course meal to include:

On arrival
Live Colchester oyster

1st course
Nightingale bush nettle soup
Peppered crème fraiche
Sourdough bread

2nd course
Seared Carpaccio of welsh beef fillet,
Pickled girolle mushroom, watercress
3rd course
Filo papillotte of Anglesey farmed seabass, ginger, chilli and coriander
Wild and red Camargue rice

4th course
Confit leg of free-range Wye valley chicken
Pea, broad beans and Swiss chard
Mustard jus

5th course
British Raspberry crème brûlée
Lavender shortbread

Otley use Brains for New Pub

Otley Brewery opens first pub outside Pontypridd

The award-winning Otley Brewing Company has opened its first pub outside of Pontypridd by taking the keys to the popular King’s Arms in Pentyrch.


The Brains owned pub, which is set in the heart of the village, will see a change in menu, décor and will offer a wider selection of real ales. Otley hopes to recreate the success of its critically-acclaimed flagship pub The Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd, which is famed for its fresh, locally sourced food, award-winning beers and relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

Nick Otley, the managing director of The Bunch of Grapes, and now The King’s Arms, said: “This is a big step for us as a business. Our brewery and pubs are all based in Pontypridd and this is our first venture outside of the area. The King’s Arms is a terrific pub with a good reputation and bags of character and we want to build on that. It fits in perfectly with our ethos of what makes a great local restaurant and real ale pub. We want to bring a flavour of the Bunch of Grapes to The King’s Arms while still retaining the charm and homeliness that has made the pub so popular with locals and visitors for years.”The King’s Arms is a Grade II listed building that dates back to the 16th Century and features the original flagstone floors, oak beams and a roaring open log fire. It also has a large beer garden.

The Otley family opened The Otley Brewery in Pontypridd in 2005 and soon took on three pubs in the area. Its range of beers and real ales quickly became the drink of choice for beer and ale drinkers looking for new flavours and styles. The unique branding and clever seasonal offerings from Otley have seen them become stocked in bars and restaurants right across Wales.

Nick continued: “We will permanently run our popular 01 golden ale at the King’s Arms bar as well as a second ale on rotation to give people the chance to sample other flavours. These ales will complement the excellent range of beers that Brains supplies.

“Ken Bell - one of our fantastic chefs from The Bunch of Grapes - is our new head chef at The King’s Arms and he will be showcasing the best seasonal, local produce and some fantastic homemade specials. We also have one of our best managers taking over the day-to-day running of the pub – Joanne Davies. We are really looking forward to meeting everyone in the village and hope they will call in soon to say hello to Ken, Joanne and the rest of the team and enjoy a pint.”

Richard Davies, sales and marketing director at Brains, added: “Nick has built a very strong business in Pontypridd and the Bunch of Grapes is a truly excellent offer. We are delighted that Nick has taken on the King’s Arms as a tenant and we look forward to working with him to maximise the potential of the pub.”

The new menu will launch at The King’s Arms on February 10 and the official opening will be held in April.



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