Beer bars of Newport

It's ben a few years since I last did a video with You Tube Beer Reviewer Simon Martin so we recently met up in Newport for brief history lesson on the pubs and former breweries of Newport

 

Another new Cardiff Brewery

Popped into the Pen & Wig in Newport today and discovered they have a new beer on tap from a new Cardiff Brewery, the Surfing Monkey Brewery! I don't know anything about this brewery but from this brew, Off Shore Howler, a wheat beer brewed with orange and coriander I have high hopes of great beer from them.
Tasting Notes:
Off Shore Howler is a slightly hazy golden colour, which as a wheat beer should have a haze to it. Spicy aroma with cloves, coriander and orange zest present. Coriander and orange in the taste as well, the orange dominating towards the end along with some astringency. Dry, bitter-orange finish. A good thirst quencher!

Best pub in Newport for sale

The Pen & Wig in Newport is for sale with Sidney Phillips for £397,500 freehold. Not sure if that includes the website written in Comic Sans or not. Current leaseholder Richard Jackson has had enough of the trade and the high business rates charged by the council for a thriving business in what is the ghost town of Newport and owner Billy wants to spend his retirement in Spain, not dealing with his pubs. Over the past 2 years Richard has built the Pen & Wig up to be the premier pub in Newport with a fine range of real ales and ciders, and, of course being a great local outlet for Tiny Rebel Brewery amongst others. Also Richard has cleaned up the pub a lot, banning dozens of people for their behaviour or just being chavs, giving more profit to Tim Martin and Chaverspoons in whose pubs these people now reside.
The building needs some work on it, probably about £40k to bring it up to standard so the £397k price is over-optimistic to say the least. Still at least it has a few things going for it - a large car park at the rear, upstairs bar and City Centre location. Just wait and see if anyone is willing to invest in City Centre Newport as neither shops (Marks & Spencer have left the City Centre) or the Council want to invest.

Beerfestival to celebrate Newport Food Festival

To celebrate the Newport Food Festival, the Pen & Wig on Stow Hill will once again be hosting a beer festival in the upsatirs room. As well as the fllowing beers being, a range of ales from Tiny Rebel Brewery will be on the downstairs bar together with ciders from Gwynt Y Ddraig. The new Tiny Rebel beer 'Kookie', a 6% Double IPA will be on the bar as well as on the Tiny Rebel bar on the Riverfront.
The Festival kicks off on Friday 5th October at 1600 hrs and continues all day on Saturday 6th.

Dark Star Brewery
The Dark Star Brewery of Sussex have been brewing since 1994.
Dark Star Hophead (3.8%) Pale golden ale with a floral aroma. Full bodied and flavoured. An excellent session ale.
Dark Star American Pale Ale (4.7%) Both yeast and hops are imported from the USA to make this light, dry and crisp hop explosion of a beer.
Dark Star Revelation (5.7%) Four different hops are used in the mash with another used for dry hopping. A powerful blend.
Dark Star Summer Meltdown (4.8%) Thirst quenching summer beer with a hint of ginger and spices.

Liverpool Organic Brewery
Established in 2008, its a miracle the locals have not pinched the brewing kit!
Liverpool Organic Honey Blond (4.5%) English organic malt and hops are used in this new addition to the range. A slightly sweet but very drinkable ale.
Liverpool Organic Shipwreck IPA (6.5%) An Indian pale Ale with intense citrus flavours.
Redemption Brewery
Brewing in Tottenham since 2010, their beers are good enough to start a riot!
Redemption Trinity (3.0%) Malty and bitter. Surprisingly good drink for its low alcohol strength. Well worth a try.
Redemption Urban Dusk (4.4%) Chestnut premium bitter with a caramel and fruit flavour.

Devilfish Brewery
Brewed near Frome in Somerset by Iain Masson, who also brews at the Kite Brewery in Carmarthenshire.
Devilfish Gold Devil (4.2%) A light golden ale with a strong taste from this new brewery located close to Bath.

East London Brewery
Brewing in Hackney since 2011
East London ELB Pale Ale (4.0%) A light and pleasant session ale.
East London Nightwatchman (4.5%) This red tinged beer has a dark and smooth taste with a lingering hop aftertaste.
Hackney Best Bitter (4.4%) A very traditional style of ale for those who like their beer the way it used to be brewed

Windsor & Eton Brewery
Established in 2010 and brewed within sight of Windsor Castle
Windsor & Eton Conqueror (5.0%) .Rich, complex and distinctive. This Black IPA is a blend of five malts and two hops.

Raglan Cider Mill
Traditional cider made on a Monmouthshire farm.
Raglan Dry. Distinctive and dry. Winner of the 2011 Hereford International Cider award.
Raglan Medium Cider A popular cider that has a pronounced fruitiness.

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