Purple Moose lays an egg for Easter

The latest sesaonal beer from the award-winning Purple Moose Brewery of Porthmadog is Cwrw'r Pasg / Easter Ale and is described by the brewery as "An easy drinking chestnut session bitter with a fruity hop finish".
Just hope some of it reaches South Wales.

The Rhymney Story

 I was recently given a copy of the film 'The Rhymney Story” (thanks Dave!) which gives a fascinating glimpse into a brewery in the 1960s. Although the film is undated it contains footage of the opening of the new brewery offices by Lord Robens, Chair of the National Coal Board, at the Crosswells Brewery site in Ely, Cardiff, in February 1963. The coal-fired boilers burnt 40 tons of a coal a week so there was a vested interest by the NCB.

The film begins with a few scenic shots of Rhymney and of course mentions the importance of the ironworks to the locality. The brewery owes its origins to the Rhymney Iron Company who established it in 1838 with Andrew Buchan (pictured on a commemorative mug) as manager, to slake the thirst of those who worked in the iron industry. 

By 1867 it was considered the largest brewery in South Wales. The ironworks closed in 1890 and since then the company focused on coal mining until it was purchased by the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Ltd in 1920. In 1929 the brewery became a separate company in its own right when it merged with Griffiths Brothers Brewery of Blaina under the title of Andrew Buchan's Brewery, the name of the legendary figure who first managed the brewery. 

The famous brewery clock is shown, which once stood at the gates of the brewery and has now been moved to the rear of a building close to Rhymney train station.

In 1936 Rhymney Brewery purchased Crosswells Brewery of Ely, Cardiff. By the time this film was made these were the only two breweries left operating in the Rhymney Brewery empire after a series of takeovers and closures. The film does shift from one brewery to another without making it clear which site is which but from what I have deduced from other sources is that the bottling plant was at the Crosswells site and the majority of draught beers brewed at the Rhymney site.

There is a good little piece about brewing the beer with some facts that you just don't normally see in the history books such as the malt came from the Dereham Maltings in Norfolk and sugar was used in the brew.

 Above: Two copper mashtuns fed via a copper pipe from the hopper overhead

Below: the copper was painted white, in 1960 according to the beam

Above: the hop back

The gleaming copper vessels makes a change from the stainless steel vessels we are familiar with today in breweries. In fact the copper was also made from copper as was the hopback and some of the older fermenting vessels. The Rhymney brewery underwent a refurbishment in the 1950s and closed stainless steel fermenters can be seen in one shot.

 Above: fermenters

In 1963 closed fermenters were still unusual in this part of the country with Brains, Hancock's, Crown (Clubs) and Buckley's and Felinfoel breweries still using open ones. In fact the old Bass/Hancock open fermenters at Brains have only recently been covered over. Felinfoel still use open fermenters and were still using an open-fired copper up until the 1980s and Brains were still using some copper open fermenters in the Old Brewery up to when it closed in 1999.

The film also shows the cask washing and at this time the  brewery was using a mixture of wooden and metal barrels. Although this shot of the cask racking room only shows wooden casks.

 I was a bit surprised that some beers were dry hopped – the process of putting hops in the barrel with the beer to impart more flavour – its not something normally associated with Welsh beers and goes against the image of Welsh beers traditionally being bland.

 After being racked into barrels the beers are stored in a cool room, only being given a dose of finings immediately before they leave the brewery. It is not mentioned how long the beers are stored here for but there are quite a few barrels being stored in this room.

The pubs get a mention, although with a huge estate of over 730 pubs only a few get a mention, the Salutation in Weobly, the Hollybush in Hay, the Angel in Pontneddfechan and the famous Old House at Llangynydd. The unique Railway in Pontlottyn, now sadly demolished, is shown. This pub was built under the arches of a railway viaduct, as this land was owned by the Rhymney Railway Company and not by the temperance loving landowner of the rest of the village who would not allow pubs in the area.

 Above: the Railway Inn, Pomtlottyn

Footage of tanked beer on the drays is also shot – in 1963 Rhymney Brewery equipped sixty pubs with this facility where the beer was fed from the tanker and into the cellar tank, where it was kept under gas and pumped up to the keg fonts on the bar.

The former Iron Company shop which ran out the notorious 'truck' system is seen converted into a mineral water factory, still using the crates of the Llanfoist name, taken from the former Charles Edwards Brewery of Llanfoist, Abergavenny which was taken over in 1945.

As well as soft drinks, the brewery also bottled wines and spirits. The massive wooden butts that transported and stored the wine can be seen in the background of this image below.

There the film leaves Rhymney and footage of Crosswells Brewery at Ely is shot showing the bottling process. “Return your empties please” says the narrator to this story. How many breweries now have the facilities for washing and reusing bottles? Even beer crates are a rarity today with most bottled beers going out shrink-wrapped to a cardboard tray.

The scale of the bottling line can be seen in the pasteurising plant below:

Rhymney took over Crosswells neighbouring brewery Ely in 1959 and demolished it in 1963, concentrating production on the Crosswells site and virtually building a new brewery and a administration block.

 Above and below: Crosswells Brewery, Ely, Cardiff

Looking at this film there is only a small amount of branding in it, compared to how a brewery would project itself nowadays. The famous Hobby Horse trademark gets a mention and can be seen throughout the film but apart from the 'Welsh Brown' sign and 2 indistinct pumpclips there is very little. 

 The flavour of the beer does not get a mention at all, something I think all of us would be interested in nowadays! A brief shot of the keg beer 'Silver Drum' is shown, though the name is not, perhaps because it was one of Ely Brewery's most famous products, not Rhymney or Crosswells. 

This film is a brief snapshot of what was at the time the largest brewery in Wales. At the time this film was made Whitbread Brewery owned 30% of Rhymney Brewery, it was said that Rhymney was one of the breweries that 'sheltered under the Whitbread Umbrella'. A few years later in 1966 Whitbread made a £4.2 million takeover of Rhymney Brewery and replaced the Rhymney beers with their Tankard and Trophy beers. Rhymney Brewery was closed and demolished in 1978, the Cardiff brewery followed in 1982.

Film: 'The Rhymney Brewery'

Year: 1963 or thereabouts

Length: 24 minutes

Director: Ken Pople

Production: Stanley Jones-Frank

There is of course a Rhymney Brewery today, brewing in Merthyr Tydfil though shortly to move to Blaenavon, so once again the Hobby Horse roams the South Wales valleys.

Multi-tasking by Tomos Watkin

Brewery videos are few and far between but this little viral advert gave me a chuckle:


MULTI TASKING BY TOMOS WATKIN by sharkyb

About time I annoyed the feminazis again!

Beermat distributor to cut 350 jobs

Beermat distributor Gwent Police have announced that they will be cutting 350 jobs in an effort to save £3 million off their budget.
Landlords throughout Newport, Monmouthshire, Torfaen and Caerfilthy Unitary Authorities are outraged that they will no longer be able to have bilingual beermats delivered to them by police officers.
One Newport publican, who wished to remain anonymous said, "This really is the thin end of the wedge. Breweries cannot afford to print beermats any longer so we rely on Gwent Police to spend public money producing their propaganda and for their officers to deliver it to my pubs. I mean why do we pay our taxes if the police will not be making deliveries of beermats to pubs".

A spokesperson for Gwent Police said that the beermats had been designed by the Beermat Working Committee and had been approved by both the Ethical and Diversity Committees of the Force, none of which will effected by the job losses in the police force, "That only applies to frontline staff and not to our backoffice team of diversity coordinators and five-a-day fruit advisors. Police officers will still be visiting pubs throughout the Gwent Constabulary area to drop off beermats and collect donations for the Police Widows and Orphans Fund which are always gratefully received, especially in unmarked envelopes containing non-consecutive notes".

Gwent Police have their own Facebook page where you can find out which PCSO has found out whose dog has been fouling the pavement.
They also have their own Twitter account where I aim to help them where possible:

Brains barmaid wins top award!

An employee of award-winning brewer SA Brain came top of the league last night, scooping the 'Barperson of the Year Award' at the Publican Awards in London. Rebecca Jones, team leader of the Terra Nova,on Mermaid Quay in Cardiff Bay beat contenders from across the UK to win this prestigious title.
I have to admit I am a fan of the Terra Nova and have reviewed it previously here.
It is by far the best pub in the Bay, the others suffer from poor beer quality and cleaniless problems on my visits there, yes I am referring to the Eli Jenkins, a pub that surely Mitchells & Butlers could improve by just getting the staff to clean the place regularly.
Back to the awards, Brains were the only Welsh winners last night, the full list is up on the Morning Advertiser site here.
Congratulations to Fullers, one of my favourite breweries who walked away with the Regional Brewer of the Year Award and Managed Pub Company of the Year Award.

Farmer's Arms, Rhymney

Farmers Arms, Old Brewery Lane, Rhymney, NP22 5EZ

The Farmers Arms is located almost at the top end of the Rhymney Valley and although the heavy industries have disappeared from the surrounding areas, the Farmers has survived for almost 140 years as a pub , witnessing the birth, success and eventual demolition of the nearby Rhymney Brewery of which the pub became the brewery tap for. Today a disused supermarket stands on the site of the famous Rhymney Brewery, whose Hobby Horse logo was once a familiar site throughout South Wales. The Farmers Arms opened its doors as a pub in 1875, although it was a farmhouse before that. The building seen today is an extension of the original farm and this explains why it is set at an odd angle to the surrounding and later-built streets. Today the Farmers Arms is a two-story light-coloured building with a contrasting Welsh slate roof and a single-story extension to the side.

The entrance porch leads to a small hallway with the old serving hatches for off-sales directly in front of the door. These were once a popular feature of many Victorian pubs, though few of them survive refurbishments. To the right is the bar area and there is a lounge/dining area and function room to the left. The bar area has a traditional feel to the place with both flagstone and stripped floorboards. Half-timbered walls, cast-iron table legs and high-backed settles add to the atmosphere in this room with a large stone fireplace occupying one wall of the pub. A modern wood-burning stove sits in the old fireplace and heats up this room, perfect to keep the chill out on cold winter evenings. To the side of the bar the thick internal stone walls that belonged to the original farmhouse have been cut through, providing access to other areas of the pub such as the back room and dining area.

The Farmers Arms is decorated throughout with memorabilia from the former Rhymney Brewery, old photographs of the staff at work, beer bottles and the Hobby Horse logo all feature around the pub. The pub also has a function room and this is used by the Silurian Choir as their headquarters and is decorated with their photographs.

The bar is a central island bar, with three separate counters for serving the different areas of the pub and, of course, the old off-sales hatch. Above the bar, dimpled beer glasses hang down like fisherman's hooked worms, acting as bait for the thirsty customer in this old, historic pub. The real ales are from the Enterprise Inns list with Bass being a permanent beer served from the gleaming handpumps with painted china handles, alongside guests such as Everards Tiger from Leicestershire. 

The Farmers Arms is open all day and serves food from 12-2 and 6-9 (not Monday).

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British Beer and Pub Association launch photographic competition

The British Beer & Pub Association presents the UK’s biggest pub photography competition and exhibition – Pub Life. Taking place over the next three months British drinkers have a once in a lifetime opportunity to capture their beloved local and help celebrate a great British institution, which has been facing tough times.

Regulars, amateurs and professionals are invited to enter photographs of their local pub across six distinct categories in the hope of winning an Olympus camera and for their image to be exhibited at an exclusive exhibition from the 16th -23rd May 2011 at The Old Truman Brewery in East London.

The Public House has been a national treasure since the sixth century, providing a hub for the community and a lively social watering hole for all walks of life. Fifteen centuries later and the much loved institution has borne the brunt of the economic downturn despite being one of Britain’s most recognised traditions.
Now, in a nationwide celebration of everything great about the pub, Pub Life invites members of the public, whether they are a professional photographer or not, to capture their favourite scenes from their local pub under six categories for the chance to win a camera from Olympus and a prestigious spot in the exclusive Pub Life Photography Exhibition.
All six winners will receive an Olympus E-PL2 Single Kit Lens Camera; six runners up will also win an Olympus XZ-1 camera. One lucky overall winner will win the Olympus E-PL2 Double Kit Lens Camera as well as a host of photography accessories to help them get the best shot possible.

Pub Life is homage to the local pub through a unique national photography competition that aims to capture the true spirit of life inside a British pub. Entries will be shortlisted to 10 images across the six categories with the winning images being chosen by a panel of judges. The competition will culminate in a series of unique events running alongside the Pub Life exhibition at London’s Old Truman Brewery gallery space.

Entrants can submit as many images as they like across all six of the competition categories. The categories range from The Sun’s Beautiful Game through to Strange But True category with the most prestigious Pub Life category aiming to uncover the image that best captures life inside the modern British pub.

Pub Life is supported by British In order to submit your photographs visit facebook or email them to entries@publifecompeitition.com

Categories
From the 21st March, budding photographers both professional, amateur and pub locals will be invited to submit images to be judged through the six different categories. From this British Beer & Pub Association and The Sun will nominate a shortlist of photographers who will then be invited to exhibit in a top London gallery for Pub Life.

The exhibition will be from 16th – 23rd May 2011 in a gallery within The Old Truman Brewery.

The six categories are:
• Pub Life: The image that truly represents the essence of life in the modern pub
• The Sun’s The Beautiful Game: An image that depicts sportsmanship within the local pub
• Strange But True: An image that portrays the bizarre nature of the local pub
• The Regulars: This could be a Landlord, or regular figure or feature of your local pub
• Pub With A View: An incredible landscape outside or through a fireside window
• Lazy Sunday: The quintessential English social activity; spent with great friends and a roast dinner

More Information
BBPA Press release (pdf)
Pub Life Facebook Site

Real Ale Guide visits Brains

Met up with Simon Martin from Real Ale Guide recently on a trip around SA Brain and here is some of his footage and interviews of the event:



Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4

Last pub left in village wins CAMRA award

The Red Cow at Llwydcoed, near Aberdare may be the last pub left in the village, out of six that have closed down, but that has not stopped it from winning Mid-Glamorgan Branch of CAMRA Pub of the Year 2011.

The Red Cow is situated on the steep road leading into Aberdare from Merthyr Tydfil and this pub is a haven in an area of closed pubs. The pub is set back from the main road and has its own car park alongside, there is also a bus stop directly outside, the number six from Merthyr to Aberdare runs twice an hour during the day. 

The Red Cow was built in the nineteenth century and has been sympathetically altered throughout the centuries. There is a small outside drinking area at the front with tables and benches and a central entrance door leads to the open-plan interior with the bar on the left and a raised seating area to the right. Six shining  chrome-plated handpumps dispense real ales from an ever-changing selection of breweries and a local cider from International Cidermaker of the year Gwynt Y Ddraig. Chalkboards both inside and outside the pub inform the customers of which ales are available at the pub, recent guest beers have been from Rhymney, Breconshire, Wychwood, Celt Experience and Hop Back breweries and the landlord has a policy of stocking real ales from Welsh independent breweries wherever possible. Beers are even served in third of a pint glasses to encourage customers to taste beers they might not always order a pint of at the bar. Bottled beers include Marston's Pedigree, Courage Best and Grolsh Weissen.

Regular beer festivals are held in the pub throughout the year, with the next one being held over the weekend of the 29th April with over 30 different reals and ciders being on sale at the event.

To the rear of the pub is a restaurant and function room, this is decorated with a painting of Rorke's Drift and features a wood-burning fire in the winter. The military theme is continued throughout the pub with military insignia and memorabilia hanging up in various parts, a reminder of the landlord's  previous career in the Parachute Regiment.  The rear room leads out to a conservatory and another outside seating area, offering views over the Brecon Beacons National Park. 

The Red Cow offers an extensive menu, using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible including rare breed pork sausages and organic Welsh beef steaks. Handcut chips and generous portions of food on the plate often leave the customers with no room for something from the desert menu.

The current landlord took over the pub in March 2008 and has steadily increased the real ale range from one handpump to the six that now serve great Welsh beers to the thirsty customers of Llwydcoed and those from further afield. The Red Cow may be the last pub in the village but offering excellent quality real ales and top quality food will insure its survival well into the future. 

 Above: an old picture of the Red Cow in the days it was owned by Welsh Brewers

Red Cow, 6 Merthyr Road, Llwydcoed, Aberdare, CF44 0YE, 

Open Monday 6-12 (no food), Tuesday-Thursday 12-2.30, 6-12 (food 12-2, 6.30-9), Friday, Saturday, Sunday – open all day.

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There is a bus stop outside the pub

Pubs to pay for diversity coordinators

The rate of pub closures may have dropped to 25 a week but it is still an industry in decline. So what have the Local Government Association (LGA) successfully lobbied for? Well an increase in fees that pubs pay for their licence! Yet another tax on the pub will form part of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill and will allow councils to set the fees they charge pubs.

As anyone who has had regular dealings with local councils over the years, it is a fact that the majority of these councils are overstaffed and inefficient, employing jobsworths and busybodies whose sole purpose in life is to stilffle new business and interfere in successful business with more red tape.

Jobsworth and apologist for council non-jobs Cllr Nilgun Canver, the LGA’s licensing busybody, said it was “vital for public protection” that councils can take swift action against individuals and pubs, but “it all costs money”.
She added: “Operating the current licensing system has cost council tax payers over £100m more than anticipated and given the current economic climate, could not be sustained.”

Well my answer is to give licencing back to the courts where it was dealt with at a far cheaper cost to the taxpayer. A publican I know used to pay £50 every two years to renew his licence, this has now increased to over £250 a year for the same bit of paper that allows him to selll beer in his pub. So the obvious answer is that the ineficient council cannot do the job in a cost-effect way so the solution is to take the job away from the council. Better for the publican and the consumer all round.

Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, said the new plans will have a “devastating impact on pubs, bars and restaurants across the country”.
He added: “Councils are already facing significant budget cuts so the temptation will be all too great to use licensing fees as a revenue raising exercise.”

Martin Rawlings, director of pub & leisure at the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “This does not sit well with the freeze on small business regulation which the Chancellor announced last week.
“In our meetings with the Home Office we have consistently made the point that if the government is intent on introducing locally set fees, then they must be capped in the same way as gaming licence fees. We will continue to lobby hard for a national cap on licensing fees in the regulations.”

And licensees are fearing the worst after news of the change on fees. Andy Brooks of the Laughing Fish, Isfield, East Sussex, said his fixed costs were already far too high.
“For our licence fees to go up as well will be a real blow,” he said. “It’s about time this government and the LGA did something for pus and stopped adding to the difficulties we face.”
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Under our proposal, Licensing Authorities will be able to set the level of the fee within a nationally-set cap. The level of the cap will be set out in regulations which will be consulted on before being introduced.”
The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill is due to become law next year.

Hat Tip to SIBA for the story

Otley Motley Brew

Otley Brewery launches new seasonal beer for April

Current Champion Brewers of Wales, the Otley Brewing Company, has announced its new seasonal beer for April, Motley Brew.

Motley Brew is a 7.5% ABV IPA beer that is chestnut red in colour and is infused with sweet notes of malt, caramel and citrus fruits, leading to a dry alcoholic finish. The big aromas and high bitterness gives it a classic IPA mouthfeel.

Nick Otley, managing director of the Otley Brewing Company, said: “This beer is an excellent mix of bitter and fruity notes and has proven to be a popular brew over the past two years since it was first brewed. This beer is named after Otley family member and head brewer, Matthew Otley, and will be available to all trade customers from April 1.”

 Above: Matt Otley at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival

Meet the Bullmastiff Brewer

Bob Jenkins, owner and head brewer of the award-winning Bullmastiff Brewery of Cardiff, will be holding one of his regular 'meet the brewer' sessions at the Bear's Head pub in Penarth tomorrow night (Wednesday 30th April) from 1900hrs.

Bob will be sampling some of his beers and answering questions from inquisitive customers at the JDW Wetherspoons pub:
Bear's Head

37-39 Windsor Road

Penarth

CF64 1JD

 

Picture to the left is an old photo taken in the now defunct Royal Hotel in Penarth, of Bob Jenkins pouring a pint of beer.

 

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 Whilst looking for a photo of Bob to use for this piece I came across this old photo from 1996! Taken in the days I had hair and designer stubble! The awards are for Beer of the Festival at the one and only Poola Festival, held at Pontypool Rugby Club and for runner-up in Champion Beer of Wales Competition.

Artisan brewery announces 'Bar Open' this Saturday

Pontcanna's favourite brewery, well only, Artisan Brewing Company, will this Saturday (2nd April) be holding their the first 'BAR OPEN' event of the year. Be our guest as the Kings Road Art Studios opens its beer garden doors to you fine beer swilling folk of Cardiff (and beyond).

Beers available will be:.
CHOCOLATE WHEAT 5.0%ABV
BOHEMIAN PILSNER 5.4%ABV
SMOKED LAGER 5.4%ABV

Happy hour prices all day!

HOT BBQ FOOD (with veg options)

According to brewery Simon Doherty, "It's a casual affair this time round, so bring your mates for entertainment... We'll add some background tunes, a few seats (fit for children), board games and a dart board if I can find it".

Saturday 2nd April - 12noon till 9.30pm
183A Kings Rd Cardiff - CF119DF
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BTW its through the arch to reach the brewery!

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British Drinks aim for European Protection

Four styles of British alcohol are hoping to gain European recognition with protected name status.

Applications for protected  geographic status have been made on behalf of Welsh cider, Welsh perry and Yorkshire beer.

Herefordshire Perry is already protected.

There is also a non-regional application for cask-conditioned ale to be recognised by the system, which already accords protection to Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pies.

All four products are in the “initial assessment” phase. This is followed by wider UK consultation, during which time objections will be considered before the European Commission makes a decision on whether to award protected name status.

The only problem I can see with this is that as a cidermaker myself I know that some of the Welsh varieties of cider and pear fruit are, shall we say, not that good for making cider with. That's why most of the orchards still standing have been planted with better varieties of fruit that make a better product. There is also the problem of identifying the fruit - often a local name given to a cider apple is known by another name across the border in Herefordshire. So will PGO Welsh Cider or Perry have to be made with Welsh apple or pear varieties or any varieties grown in Wales? Or will the cider just have to be fermented in Wales just to be called Welsh Cider?

Or alternatively the EU can just stop interfering in our wonderful Welsh ciders and perries so that we can enjoy without being policed by the Fourth Reich?

The Star Inn, Dinas Powys

Star Inn, Station Road, Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan, CF64 4DE

Open all day

Located in the heart of the village, the Star is a white-washed building with narrow sash windows. A five-pointed golden star acts as the pub sign and the unmistakable red and gold dragon of brewers SA Brain takes pride of place at the apex of the building.  

 

From the outside the Star appears to be an early twentieth-century building but this extension hides an original building that dates back five-hundred years to the reign of Henry VIII, making the Star the second oldest building in Dinas Powys, after the castle. The entrance from Station Road leads up a few steps to the oldest part of the building, situated on the right side as the customer enters. A large stone inglenook fireplace with a wooden beam across the top is original and to the right of it is an arched stone doorway that leads to a spiral staircase, a stout wooden door with decorative iron hinges guards it shut nowadays. 

This room was the Tudor hall (pictured), the now blocked-up doorway to the left of the fireplace lead to what was then the kitchen of the original building, the Old Court, next door, is today a separate building but in the 1500s these were one building. The ceiling consists of large cross-beams which are decorated with hops strung across them. The Tudor hall also features exposed stonework and red plaster around the fireplace as well as tables and chairs around the room. The original Tudor hall forms only a small part of the pub today, the early twentieth century extension has vastly increased the size of the original building and almost masked it.  

Opposite the Tudor fireplace is a more modern Edwardian fireplace and the floor is made up of wooden blocks in a herringbone pattern. This leads to the bar servery which stretches out towards the rear of the pub. To the left is the extension which provides more seating and a dining area and views of the village of Dinas Powys can be seen through the narrow sash windows. At the rear of the Star Inn there is a beer garden/patio area and a large car park. There is a wheelchair lift providing disabled entrance from the rear car park.

The handpumps on the bar serve a range of real ales from SA Brain including Dark, Bitter, SA, SA Gold as well as guest beers from other breweries. Food is served all day and chalkboard menus supplement the already extensive standard pub menus.

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