Brains outsources deliveries to Tradeteam

Wales' largest real ale brewer SA Brain has signed an 8 year contract, worth an estimated £12 million, with Tradeteam. Under the agreement Tradeteam, part of DHL, will be responsible for delivering products, including beers, soft drinks and wine, to 'trade outlets' (Ed- they mean 'pubs') and also for managing stock levels throughout the tied pub estate of around 260 pubs. Localy Tradeteam operates out of Ebbw Vale and Swansea in South Wales.
The deal comes after SA Brain sold their free trade business to Scottish and Newcastle (Heineken) earlier this year and before the retirement of Company Chairman Chris Brain this autumn. He will be replaced as Chair by another member of the family, John Rhys, who is a direct descendent of Samuel Arthur Brain.

125 pints a minute!

The Great British Beer Festival this year will be better than ever with over 450 beers and a wide selection of real cider and perry await thirsty Festival-goers this year!

- 14 UK regional beer bars serving beers from some of the nation’s best loved small, micro and family brewers

- Bottled-conditioned beer bar- sample some of the best bottled beers from around the world, all conditioned to ensure maximum flavour and taste!

- Bieres San Frontieres bar- a showcase of the best beers from around the world, including brews from Germany, Belgium, Italy, USA, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The bar also plays host to the winners of the American cask-conditioned beer competition, judged each year at the Festival.

- Bar UnusuALE- presents organically produced beers, as well as vegetarian and coeliac-friendly brews.

- Real cider and perry- an essential stand for lovers of apples and pears with up to 100 different varieties of the UK’s best produce.

- Champion Beer of Britain – Final judging of the most prestigious beer competition in the UK takes place on Tuesday August 4^th 2009. After success in 2008 for the Triple fff brewery from Alton, Hampshire, who will walk away this year with the most coveted accolade in the beer industry today?

- Tutored Tastings – Beer lovers at GBBF this year will rejoice as beer tutors such as Roger Protz, Jeff Evans, Melissa Cole and Tim Webb return to the Festival to amaze drinkers with their heady knowledge of beer. CAMRA is also offering drinkers the chance to come face to face with brewers in tasting sessions where all the secrets of their favourite tipples are revealed.

- Interactive brewing exhibition- Britain’s oldest brewery, Shepherd Neame, are this year introducing an novel way of showing consumers how to brew. Guided by staff from Shepherd Neame's visitor centre, Festival-goers will be able to touch, taste and smell the raw ingredients which go into beer, and learn all about a pint of beer’s journey to the pub bar.

- A feast of food- Festival-goers can try anything from Bratwurst to Biltong, a perfect complement to a beer from the same nation.

- Live music/entertainment sponsored by Planet Rock Radio

Chaminade String Quartet

Tuesday August 4^th 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

The Acoustic Strawbs

Wednesday August 5^th 2009, 1pm and 2.30pm

Feast of Fiddles

Wednesday August 5^th 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin

Thursday August 6^th 2009, 1pm and 2.30pm

Oysterband

Thursday August 6^th 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

Peter Knight's Gigspanner

Friday August 7^th 2009, 1pm and 2.30pm

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Friday August 7^th 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

Denham Hendon brass band

Saturday August 8^th 2009, throughout the afternoon

Festival Facts

- More than 340,000 pints were ordered in for last year’s Festival, with over 125 pints poured to the public per minute!

- Over 1,000 volunteers give up their time to staff the Festival over the 5 days.

- In order to serve the beer, approximately 5 kilometres of beer tubing is needed to connect the barrels to the taps.

FESTIVAL OPENING TIMES

Tue 4th August: 5.00pm to 10.30pm
Wed 5th, Thu 6th and Fri 7th: 12noon to 10.30pm
Sat 8th: 11.00am to 7.00pm

FESTIVAL ADMISSION PRICES

Tickets can be purchased from the See Tickets hotline (0844 412 4640) or from the GBBF website at gbbf.camra.org.uk/tickets

Advance Day Tickets, £6 (CAMRA members) / £8 (Non-CAMRA members)

Advance Season Tickets, £20 (CAMRA members) / £23 (Non-CAMRA members)

Tutored Tastings, £11 (CAMRA members) / £12 (Non-CAMRA members)

Day Tickets (on the door), £8 (CAMRA members) / £10 (Non-CAMRA members)

"Windowlicker" Minister refuses to list Vulcan

+++++BREAKING NEWS++++
Alun Ffred Jones, Minister for Kulture and windowlicking at the Welsh Assembly Government has refused to grant listed building status to the Vulcan pub in Cardiff. The pub was recently granted a 3 year reprieve by the developers of the site and campaigners were hopeful of a more permanent solution to saving the pub. The Welsh Assembly Government and "Two fs Jones" have put the dampners on the roaring flames of protest to Save the Vulcan.
More on this story tomorrow.

UPDATE
Okay had a few complaints about referring to the Heritage Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government as a 'windowlicker' but he has sat on this for months and only gives his decision after the pub has been granted a 3 year reprieve.
According to the Minister "The pub fails to meet the required listing criteria although he does acknowledge the importance of the Vulcan in Cardiff’s history and the ‘welcome element of diversity’ it brings to its surroundings"
So why does the Minister not protect it if he acknowledges the importance of the Vulcan?

Anyway Alun Ffred Jones AM does seem quite happy to have the taxpayer pay his party, Plaid Cymru, £345 a year for his website, which is not the greatest site in the world and appears not to have updated since June last year. Why not chuck all the AMs onto blogger - it will save the taxpayer a fortune as its free and better looking than his website.
Oh and the rent for his constituency offices is paid for by the taxpayer as well. And the owners of his offices in Bangor ( rent: £715.00 a quarter) and Caernafon ( rent £1650.00 a quarter) are, Plaid Cymru, who are in effect subsidised by the taxpayer. £79.64 is also paid by the taxpayer for 'Office Maintenance' which includes 'Repairs, lighting & heating, cleaning, waste disposal'. So not just the rent is overcharged to the taxpayer, but we have to pay for the upkeep of the building! The BBC have covered this troughing by AMs to fund their own parties.
Elsewhere on the internet, there are some questions as to the involvement of the AM with a company called Arianrhod of which according to the Assembly List of Members Interests, he is shareholder. A quick check at Companies House reveals that the accounts of the company are 7 months overdue. Nearly as bad as not updating your website for a year.
He is also listed in the Members Interests as a director of Moreia Ltd, which according to Companies House is in liquidation.
All in all, with all these outside interests is a wonder that "2Fs Jones" can find the time to make any decision, let alone the wrong one.

Oldest Brewery to go interactive at Earl's Court

Britain's biggest and best beer festival goes interactive next month at Earl's Court when the oldest brewers in the UK, Shepherd Neame, bring their brewing beer exibition to the great British Beer Festival.

Visitors, guided by staff from Shepherd Neame's visitor centre, will be able to touch, taste and smell the raw ingredients which go into beer. You'll be able to see the difference in colour, taste and aroma of the different malts - and find out the effect they have on the beer.

Shepherd Neame, famous for its Kentish hops, will be bringing hop bines from its home county and planting a mocked up hop garden, so people can see how these vital plants grow - as well as learn about the process of harvesting, processing and final use in making beer.

A special clear fermentation tower will also let visitors see how yeast works in the wort.

Shepherd Neame have come up with the fantastic idea of putting a glass viewing window on the end of a cask, which will let beer fans see exactly what happens inside a live barrel of conditioned beer as it settles out. The privacy of a beer engine has been similarly ignored and a cut-away version will show just how beer gets from the barrel to the bar.

Great British Beer Festival 2009, Earls Court, London, August 4^th-8^th

FESTIVAL OPENING TIMES

Tue 4th August: 5.00pm to 10.30pm
Wed 5th, Thu 6th and Fri 7th: 12noon to 10.30pm
Sat 8th: 11.00am to 7.00pm

FESTIVAL ADMISSION PRICES

Tickets can be purchased from the See Tickets hotline (0844 412 4640) or from the GBBF website at gbbf.camra.org.uk/tickets

Advance Day Tickets, £6 (CAMRA members) / £8 (Non-CAMRA members)

Advance Season Tickets, £20 (CAMRA members) / £23 (Non-CAMRA members)

Tutored Tastings, £11 (CAMRA members) / £12 (Non-CAMRA members)

Day Tickets (on the door), £8 (CAMRA members) / £10 (Non-CAMRA members)

Another new Otley beer

Popped into the Pen & Wig, the only freehouse in Newport, this lunchtime and luckily discovered an Otley beer on, the 4.3% O-Mai. Another golden coloured hoppy ale from the Ponty boys this light refreshing ale is perfect for the summer.

Vulcan Saved for 3 years

From Brew Wales

Vulcan Saved
Thursday 25th saw the celebrations at the Vulcan in Cardiff as the pub has been granted a reprieve from demolition, albeit for only 3 years. The campaign to save the pub is not over yet and the campaigners are trying to work out a way of saving the unique atmosphere of this famous Cardiff watering-hole for another 156 years.

More on the story from the BBC here.

And at Wales Online here

Save the Vulcan website here

Wither Bass?

Bass was once the most popular real ale in Britain with over 2 million barrels a year being brewed but today it is rumoured that only around 100,000 barrels are produced a year, probably a lot less. It is owned by the worldwide brewer InBev, makers of Stella and Budweiser but brewed by Marston's in Burton-upon-Trent. Recently Brew Wales had the opportunity to question an Inbev Executive and on asking how much the marketing budget was for Bass, was told zero. That's correct, the marketing budget for Bass is zero, zilch, nothing. So Inbev own the name of one of the most iconic beers in the world, yet have no interest in marketing the product what so ever. Hardly surprising as we live in a world of where the mega-breweries are controlled by accountants and not brewers and Bass is a beer that benefits from good cellar work, not something a keyboard-puncher at a mega-brewer is interested in. A stable brewery-conditioned product is all that these people are interested in.

The Bass Red Triangle was the first trade mark ever registered in the UK in 1876 and by 1882 bottles with the red triangle on them were immortalised in Manet's Bar at the Folies-Bergère. The pale ale from Burton had achieved world-wide fame.

Bass used to have legendary status, not least for the Vesuvial effects of drinking copious quantities of the said beer that has been brewed with the gypsum-rich waters of Burton-Upon-Trent. The effect of calcium sulphate on the digestive system of the human body cannot be understated but the production of hydrogen sulphide gas as a result of the digestion of Bass has been known to make the staff toilets of many an office unusable by fellow workers until the sulphurous volcanic aromas have dissipated.

Pubs in Newport were once renowned for the quality of their Bass; the Lord Raglan on Commercial Street (demolished in the 1970s), followed by Conti's, the Royal Albert and the Queens Hotel were all popular Bass pubs. Conti's and the Queens were not even owned by Bass but served their beer. Nowadays only the Pen & Wig serves Bass in the City Centre. A few may say that the quality of Bass went down hill in the 1970s when, in a cost-cutting measure, the beer was fermented in giant conical fermenters rather than the traditional Burton Union sets, a method of production unique to Burton which involved wooden barrels linked together and helped produce the unique flavour that made Bass the famous beer it was.

Above:the Burton Union System in the 19th Century

Bass is still a good beer but one that benefits from good cellar work. Bass even tastes better served gravity than on a handpump – go to the Star in Bath or Bessie's (Dyffryn Arms) at Pontfaen if you don't believe me. So what is the future of Bass, as the owner Inbev does not have an interest in promoting it as a brand? Well if they were to sell the brand, which has to be brewed in Burton, would it not be better to see this beer being owned by Marston's and perhaps even being brewed in the union system again as it was before the 1970s? A better future than slowly dying out through lack of promotion by a multi-national mega-brewery.

More on Bass at Wikipedia here

Hall of Shame - Watneys Starlight

Hall of Shame, part 2

An occasional series devoted to what Brew Wales considers the worst in the world of brewing and drinking

Watney's Starlight - this beer was so weak in strength that a 1971 Sunday Mirror investigation discovered that it could have been legally sold in the United States during Prohibition.













Luckily it died a death along with the Watney Empire some time ago. Not even tickers want to see this return.

Planet Rock to sponsor beer festival

This year at the Great British Beer Festival, the entertainment will be sponsored by Brew Wales favourite radio station, Planet Rock.
Now Brew Wales is not expecting to see Alice Cooper doing his morning show from the festival as Earls Court is a bit too far away from a golf course for him, but there is some great music lined up for the festival and no, it's not all rock.

Chaminade String Quartet

Tuesday 4 August 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

The Acoustic Strawbs

Wednesday 5 August 2009, 1pm and 2.30pm

Feast of Fiddles

Wednesday 5 August 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

Beatles, Blues and Blue Violin

Thursday 6 August 2009, 1pm and 2.30pm

Oysterband

Thursday 6 August 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

Peter Knight's Gigspanner

Friday 7th August 2009, 1pm and 2.30pm

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Friday 7th August 2009, 7.15pm and 9pm

Denham Hendon brass band

Saturday 8th August 2009, throughout the afternoon

The Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court, Britain's biggest beer festival, brings together a wide range of real ales, ciders, perries and international beers.

At least 450 beers available throughout, including golden ales, fruit beers, stouts, bitters and some international real lagers. As well as beer there is also cider and perry, all available in pint, half pint and third pint measures.

There's plenty to occupy you at the festival, you can play on some traditional pub games, enjoy live music, sample some food, including good traditional pub snacks, and also attend tutored beer tastings. The tutored tastings usually sell out in advance so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Open times

Tue 4th
5.00pm to 10.30pm

Wed 5th to Fri 7th
12noon to 10.30pm

Sat 8th
11.00am to 7.00pm

More details here

Daley Dozen - 12 South Wales Pubs

Daley Dozen, part 3
An occasional series devoted to a dozen best things in the beer world.

12 favourite pubs in South Wales

1. Clytha Arms, Monmouthshire. Set in its own grounds, the Clytha has won countless awards over the years for its real ales and food. It is even on a bus route, though a somewhat irregular one.
2. Joiners, Bishopston, Swansea. Home of the Swansea Brewing Company, the Joiners offers good beer and good food in a pleasant setting a short bus ride from the city centre. Brew Wales has heard that all the beers are good here, though Three Cliffs Gold is the only one ever imbibed by him here.
3. Boars Head, Tyla Garw, Glamorgan. Great pub, about 10 minutes walk from Pontyclun Railway Station. The management actively support local breweries here.
4. Ye Olde Murenger House, Newport. The Brew Wales local, despite their being around other 15 pubs between home and this pub. A haven in a superpub ghetto. Dates back to the 1520s with ghosts and Sam Smiths OBB, although Brew Wales avoids the spirits!
5. Green Dragon, Monmouth, Monmouthshire. The Brew Wales regular hangout in Monmouth, situated close to the now pedestrianised medieval bridge. A fine 2-bar boozer with good beer, Fullers London Pride is a regular on the bar here.
6. Winchester, Merthyr. Well anywhere named after Arthur Daley's preferred drinking establishment has to be good and this is no exception. Four real ales on, that's often three more than the nearby chav palace, all from the local Rhymney Brewery.
7. Goat Major, Cardiff. I like the beer, the 1920s décor and even the food is interesting. Despite being on the busy St Mary Street and close to the castle, the Goat Major is often quite, a good place to hide away from the busy streets of the capitol.
8. Bell, Caerleon. A cider pub, with often up to 20 different ciders and perries on. Excellent food and real ales as well. Hidden away in a back street of Caerleon.
9. Otley Arms, Trefforest. One of Brew Wales favourite pubs for years, the Otley offers everything that is needed in a good pub, good beer, good conversation and good food. Oh and did I mention the beer? O1 for Brew Wales, unless Columbo is on.
10. Boar's Head, Brecon. Situated by the river, the Boar's offers the full range of Breconshire Beers and is one of the best pubs in Brecon.
11. Vulcan, Cardiff. Well, Brains Bitter and SA on here, the famous brown urinals have been saved for 3 years, let us just hope that a more secure future can be made for this wonderful pub.
12. Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd. Yes I know it's a gastopub and my feelings on such pubs are mixed but the beer is superb and the food is as well.

Newport pub reopens

The Engineers in Baneswell has reopened after closing earlier this year. The Admiral Taverns pub featured on the BBC Wales current affairs programme Wales this Week (or was it Week in Week out?) that highlighted pub closures in Wales. Anyway good to see a pub reopen when many of us thought the Engineers Arms would never see another beer poured again. The pub is owned by Admiral Taverns and serves HB, it was after all a former Welsh Brewers pub. Looking forward to visiting the pub again and not just for the interesting clothing the barmaid was wearing (shorts and bikini top) but for the live music as well. Score 8/10 for #pubtotty!

Old Swan, Llantwit Major

Found myself down the Vale of Glamorgan and of course had to pop into the Old Swan in Llantwit Major. A fantastic medieval building with varied arches and windows dating to that era. Oh and the beer is an ever changing selection of up to 4 different ales, today RCH East Street Cream, Wye Valley HPA and Newmans Snowdonia are all available. Bottled Tomos Watkin and Gwynt y Draig cider also available.

Artisan Brewery Beer Festival

After drinking my first bottles of Artisan Beer at Gwdihw the other week, Brew Wales is looking forward to this little beer festival in Cardiff.

MicroBEER Festival 2009

27th & 28th June

Artisan Brewing Co.in conjunction with the Kings Road Art Studios is pleased to announce the very first MicroBEER Festival

Starting 10am Saturday (12noon Sun)

Market Stalls, Open Studios, Live Music, BBQ and specialty beers on tap.

Sunday is a little more relaxed with beer flowing music all day and the hot food from the BBQ.

Join us... entry is free

View Larger Map

Travelodge supports real ale in a bottle

The annual Champion Bottled Beer of Britain Competition, held at the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court, will this year be sponsored by Travelodge. The Festival will be held between 4th and 8th of August and is the biggest beer festival in Britain.
The Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition is conventionally held the day before the 5-day Festival at Earls Court begins, with this year’s competition being judged on Monday August 3^rd. Past winners of the prestigious bottled-beer accolade include Wye Valley Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout, O‘Hanlon Port Stout and Worthington White Shield.

As a further commitment to bottle-conditioned beer, Travelodge have reacted to their own customer feedback by pledging to stock the winning beer in up to 100 of its hotel bars and cafes, giving the Champion brewer unrivalled access to the hotel chain’s thirsty customers.

Paul Harvey, Managing Director of Travelodge, said, "I am delighted that we will be selling the Champion Bottled Beer of Britain in our hotels. Our customers have told us that they want a real ale offer and what could be better than CAMRA’s winning drink?"

As part of their sponsorship, Travelodge will also be offering 2 lucky customers the chance to sit on the Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition judging panel alongside some of the best palettes in the industry.

Louise Ashworth, CAMRA Head of Marketing, said, "It’s fantastic that Travelodge are backing this competition at the Great British Beer Festival in August, as well as actively promoting bottle-conditioned beer by agreeing to stock the winner in their many outlets. Recent market trends show the increasing consumer demand for real ale continues, therefore we’ve no doubt Travelodge customers will enjoy the best bottle-conditioned beer in Britain according to CAMRA!’

Great British Beer Festival 2009, Earls Court, London, August 4^th-8^th

FESTIVAL OPENING TIMES

Tue 4th August: 5.00pm to 10.30pm
Wed 5th, Thu 6th and Fri 7th: 12noon to 10.30pm
Sat 8th: 11.00am to 7.00pm

FESTIVAL ADMISSION PRICES

Tickets can be purchased from the See Tickets hotline (0844 412 4640) or from the GBBF website at gbbf.camra.org.uk/tickets

Advance Day Tickets, £6 (CAMRA members) / £8 (Non-CAMRA members)

Advance Season Tickets, £20 (CAMRA members) / £23 (Non-CAMRA members)

Tutored Tastings, £11 (CAMRA members) / £12 (Non-CAMRA members)

Day Tickets (on the door), £8 (CAMRA members) / £10 (Non-CAMRA members)

Hall of Shame

An occasional series devoted to what Brew Wales considers the worst in the world of brewing and drinking

Part 1

Ushers Welsh Pale Ale _ marketed as 'Cwrw Cymreig' or 'Welsh Ale' in the 1990's this con-trick of real ale was actually brewed by Ushers of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, for their extensive estate of pubs in Wales. Weighing in at 3.2% ABV, this real ale was short-lived, unpopular and bland. Complaints to Trading Standards went unheeded as there was no Protective Geographical Status (PGI, PGO etc) for Welsh beer, allowing any brewer in the world to brew and market a beer as 'Welsh'. It turned out to be unpopular with real ale drinkers due to being bland, tasteless and low in alcohol and so was soon dropped from Usher's pubs.

Would any ex-Ushers employee who reads this blog like to claim responsibility for trying to con Welsh drinkers?