The Gravity Station comes to Cardiff

 

The Gravity Station

 Cardiff''s first micro-pub opened the other week, situated in Barrack Lane.

Where?

Yes, I had to look it up as well, Barrack Lane runs parallel to Charles Street on the Eastern end of the St David's 2 redevelopment. Not too sure when the Barracks were ever here though but it must have been before 1855 as the Barracks marked on a map of that date are on Roath Road, later Newport Road and the Cardiff Royal Infirmary site. The lane is marked on the 1831 map but there are only a couple of buildings marked on it. More recently, before the St David's 2 development, there was an open-air market on the site.

 How to find The Gravity Station?

Exit St David's 2 via the Food Court and turn left, the Gravity Station is on the left-hand-side, halfway along the lane.

Google Map:

View Larger Map
/>https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=gravity+station+cardiff&safe=active&ie=UTF8&hq=gravity+station&hnear=Cardiff,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=1543232312660098535&ll=51.480283,-3.173695&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map

The Gravity Station is an unique, at least for Cardiff, combination of pub and off-license. Owned by the Waen Brewery of Llanidloes, Powys, this compact bar sells a range of beers from cask, keg and bottle, to drink in or take-away,

The Gravity Station is a fusion of bar and off-licence, with this extensive range of bottled beers available to drink-in or take-away.

The keg beers are served from the bar whilst from the rear cabinet, real ales are served via gravity from pins, 4.5 gallon casks, which makes sure no beers are kept hanging around for too long.

Oh and this pub does not smell of fish.

Waen Blackberry Stout review with Mrs Real Ale Guide

Simon Martin's other half, Mrs Real Ale Guide joined me for a tasting of the Waen Brewery Blackberry Stout at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival the other week.

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.

Abergavenny Christmas Food & Drink Fair

Abergavenny looks like the place to be this Sunday (5th December) as the historic market town plays host to their first Christmas Food & Drink Fair.

Not quite as big as their food festival, this winter wonderland for gastronauts will still extendover the Market, the Brewery Yard and the Priory Centre.

Stallholders include:

Ralph's Cider & Perry

The Skirrid Bar with beers from Tudor Brewery

Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider

Kingstone Brewery

Wernddu Vineyard & Winery

Full list of stallholders here but the above ones are the most important. 

Entry is £3.50. The Market Hall, Upper Brewery Yard and St Mary’s Priory Centre, all situated in the centre of the town. Children under 16 get in free if accompanied by an adult!

Author and Blogger Pete Brown will also be doing a tasting at the Priory Centre with his favourite festival ales, including Mary Mother Mild from the Waen Brewery.

Pete will also be launching a gourmet cheese matured with Blackberry Stout, again from the Waen Brewery.

Mary Mother Mild

 The award-winning Waen Brewery of Caersws in the currently-snowed under county of Powys have launched their Christmas Ale, a 3.5% ABV - a spiced, lightly-hopped mild perfect for supping by a log fire during this period of Global Warming we are all experiencing in the UK.

Mary Mother Mild is described as "Having a lovely spicy nose and flavour from cinnamon and cloves with gorgeous bitter chocolate/espresso coffee flavours but still easily drinkable.

Mary Mother Mild is availble both in cask and bottle.

Follow the Waen Brewery on Twitter

Waen Brewery on Facebook

SIBA Award winners - Wales and West

SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers held their Wales and West competition at Ludlow Castle last week and although the Brew Wales editor was invited along to be judge it, he could not attend as was busy running a CAMRA beer bar at Tredegar House Folk/Dance Festival.
Well done to all the winners, especially Norman at Corvedale who came second overall with his St George's Stout. No doubt we can all look forward to seeing this beer at forthcoming CAMRA beer festivals, especially those local ones in Shropshire.
The full list of winners is available here
List of Welsh winners:
Mild: Bronze for Great Orme Brewery Welsh Black

Best Bitter: Silver for Breconshire Brewery Cribyn

Premium Bitter: Silver for Tudor Brewery Sugarloaf

Strong Bitter: Gold for Waen Brewery Landmark

Strong Ale: Gold for Celt Experience Bleddyn 1075

Porters, Strong Milds and Stouts: Silver for Waen Brewery Blackcurrant Stout

Speciality Beers: Silver for Otley Brewery O-Garden

Python goes local!

Former Monty Python star Terry Jones was spotted supporting a Welsh brewery the other day at the Star Inn, Dylife where he enjoyed a few pints of Festival Landmark and Brewster's from the Waen Brewery at Caersws. “Best pint around”, said Terry who expressed his love of the local beer and spent the afternoon drinking it.

The Waen Brewery was only set up earlier this year and has already featured on a bar in Parliament.

Terry Jones is known to be a fan of real ale, he was a partner in the Penrhos Brewery, Lyonshall, Kington, Herefordshire (1977-83) and even opened the Great British Beer Festival one year. The first brew of the Penrhos Brewery was the aptly named Jones' First Brew. In 1983 the brewing equipment was sold to Summerskills Brewery of Plymouth.

Welsh beer in Parliament

Today will see beer from the Waen Brewery of Newtown in Powys being served on the Strangers Bar in the Palace of Westminster. Their beer, "First of the Summer Waen" is the last brew of that beer for this season but is a favourite of the local Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik who has helped support his local brewery by getting their beers into Parliament.
The Waen Brewery was set up earlier this year by Sue and John Haywood and supplies both bottled and cask ale.
First of the Summer Waen is described as "a 4.2% summer beer, full of fruity flavour and a touch of wheat". As this is the last brew of this beer until the Spring, "Last of the Summer Waen" may be a better name!
For those of you wishing to try beers from the Waen Brewery, they will be at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Winter Fair on Monday 30th November and Tuesday 1st December at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells.