TV Highlights

A new series of Fishlock's Wales begins tonight on ITV Wales and featuring on the show will be Gwynt Y Ddraig, the Welsh Cider and Perry Company. Have previously covered the filming at the farm here.

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The programme is on the ITV viewer here

Also on Channel 4 at 2100 hrs is a documentary on British pubs called "Red Lion"

"With the financial crisis forcing seven pubs a day to shut their doors for good, Cutting Edge explores why pub culture is central to British society. Sue Bourne visits some of the country's 600 establishments that use the name The Red Lion to find out why Britain is still a nation of drinkers, despite Government warnings about the dangers of alcohol. Along the way she hears the stories of those propping up the bars, from tipsy grannies to lonely souls".

The Red Lion

Update
The Channel 4 programme is available to watch here (UK only)

The Graniud has a review of the programme here

No to bland beers

Spent the night in the Pen & Wig, Newport drinking the very enjoyable Otley Columb-O, not a strong beer at 4% but packed full of flavour, it's most probably the hoppiest ale brewed localy. And yes I do like hoppy beers. The American Columbus hop used in this beer produces wonderful citrus flavours, we are talking grapefruit here, a lasting astringency as well. The aroma is hoppy as well, think some other hops have made their way into this excellent golden brew. To get back to the title of this post, a few breweries in Wales stil produce bland beers and then complain to CAMRA when their beers fail to win awards at national competitions. Very sorry, Brew Wales has no sympathy for those sad outcasts from SIBA who claim that they brew bland beers for the 'locals' as that it what they call for. Tasty beers are what the customers want, not some boiled-up Welsh river water at which a hop was waved in the general direction of. If brewers want to be noticed then put some flavour in your beers. Bland beers don't do the public or the Welsh brewing industry any favours, neither does taking the casks of other brewers without their permission and using them for your own beer. NB the points made above involving cask theft and bland beers do not refer to Otley brewery, but to another Welsh brewery a bit further West. Any comment from the Clown Prince of Welsh Brewing?

Zero Degrees Cardiff

Popped into the Zero Degrees in Cardiff, not a pub I use regularly but will give it a go once in a while. Six beers brewed on site available today, the 6% Octoberfest the best of the lot, both in terms of flavour and accuracy of the beer style. This brewery on Westgate Street has a very modern feel to it, despite being housed in a former 1930s Art Deco garage! The beers: Pilsner - light and hoppy but a heavy malt aroma, may be served too young here. Lager the beer for a few months or even weeks if you want it to call it a Pilsner. Pale Ale - not very pale as is red in colour and not very at all similar to an English ale as US hops (Cascade and centennial are used). Cloying sweetness, not a well-balanced beer. Black Lager - a taste sensation of roasted malts hitting the tongue, leading into chocolatey overtones. Wow factor on this one, suggest having the Smoky Mexican pizza with this. Wheat Ale - the banana aroma of this beer is the first hint of what to expect from this beer, a very good example of a German Wheat Beer tastes like. Surprisingly good. Mango beer - mangos go well with curries with chutneys but with beers? An interesting fruity aroma leads to a sickly sweet mango flavour. Can only think to match this beer with a curry. The sample tray pictured above cost £2.50 but did not include the Octoberfest Beer which was the best of the night. Zero Degrees is a good addition to the Cardiff scene, a US style brew pub, just wish the beer was a bit less cold an fizzy.

Broome Farm Cider Cellar

After a day picking and pressing perry pears, where better to finish the day than the cider cellar at Broome Farm, just outside of Ross. Different ciders served straight from the barrel, by award-winning cidermaker Mike Johnson and the weather is still good enough to drink outside whilst watching the Alpacas feed off the apples in part of the orchard. Right now to find that panking pole.

Pressing pears

After picking and scratting (choping) the pears comes pressing. Today we are using a Victorian twin screw press, owned by Seidr Dai and kept at the Ross on Wye cider farm. Cwm Green perry pear has produced 24 gallons of juice, not bad for one tree. All we have to do now is try and remember which farm we left the panking pole in!

Red Huffcap

Another old variety of perry pear is this Red Huffcap, which may also be known as Jenkin's Red. The problem is trying to identify the various old varities, especially when the tree can be a few hundred years old. Then of course after picking and pressing we have to wait 3 or 4 months to taste it. Off to press in Ross next.

Perry pear picking in Monmouthshire

On an orchard overlooking the hills of Herefordshire and close to the famous Rockfield Studios we find the old perry pear varieties such as Cwm Green and Blakeney Red. The farmer has even started to replant some of the old varieties. Back to picking.

Artisan Cider Making

You can tell you are an artisan cider maker when the press is set up in the rear room of a terraced house. After a day spent picking different varieties of apples and pears, the fruit is washed, then cut up in a scratter, before being built up in cheeses and pressed to release the juices. The picture above shows Alex from Llanblethian Orchards using his self-built press, made from Monmouthshire oak, to extract the sugar-rich juices of the Blakeney Red perry pear. The juice will now ferment for a few months and be ready to drink in the new year. Another pear pressed today was called Tainton Squash, a sweet-tasting pear which will ferment out, hopefully by the new year. More apples and pears to pick and press over the weekend, may even have a beer if we have time!

Cider apples in Monmouthshire

In the shadow of the Skirrid Mountain, just outside of Abergavenny is one of the old orchards of Monmouthshire. The farmer does not use the orchard but allows Llanblethian Orchards Cider to come in and pick the apples and pears. There are varieties of apples such as Kingstone Black, Newtons Wonder, Yarlington Mill and a few we dont know. Each variety will be fermented separatly and may be blended to produce the final product, available next year. Its not raining yet but may do so later, onwards to pick the KB!

All Aboard The Cambrian ALEways!

The Cambrian Railways Partnership (CRP) has teamed up with the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) to promote travel by train to pubs on the Cambrian network through the new Cambrian ALEways initiative.

Launched at the Llanbedr Beer Festival, held over the last weekend in September at the Ty Mawr Hotel, the ALEways leaflet features 20 hostelries that appear in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide that are easily accessible via the Cambrian lines. Also included are some ideas of rail related things to do that combine to make a great day out for locals and visitors as well as of course rail and real ale enthusiasts!

Speaking at the launch Bob Jones, CAMRA Director commented “The Cambrian Railways are some of the most spectacularly scenic in the world but have the advantage over other great international railways in having an excellent selection of great British pubs to quench your thirst adjacent to almost every station. Having your breath taken away by the views is thirsty work and where better to absorb the local culture than in one of the local pubs which offer an increasingly wider range of quality local real ales. As well as a safe means of travelling the Cambrian railways are probably the most enjoyable way of seeing one or two pubs. The ALEways leaflet offers a selection of some of the best local hostelries recommended by local CAMRA members”.

From left to right Bob Jones Director CAMRA, Gerwyn Jones Cambrian Railways Partnership and Eirwyn Thomas Chairman Llanbedr Beer Festival

Gerwyn Jones on behalf of the CRP commented “The local pub is an important social meeting place for the communities they serve. We hope the Cambrian ALEways initiative will help support these and encourage people to use the trains to access them”.

This initiative was developed by the Cambrian Railways Partnership working with the hostelries, supported by SARPA, the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Rail Passengers Association and is endorsed by CAMRA, the Campaign For Real Ale.

For a complete listing of all CAMRA endorsed public houses in the UK and other information pick up a copy of ‘The Good Beer Guide’ published annually.

The Cambrian Aleways Leaflets can be downloaded here (pdf)

The Cambrian ALEways map can be downloaded here (pdf)

Above: Cambrian ALEways launch held on Friday the 25^th of September 2009 at the Ty Mawr Hotel as part of the Llanbedr Beer Festival.

Cider at the Roast Ox

The Roast Ox Inn, Painscastle, Builth Wells will be holding their third cider and beer festival next weekend, the 10th-11th October. The Inn previously held a beer and cider festival in August. The cider festival will feature a display of apple pressing as well as live entertainment and a cider menu.
The Roast Ox is a traditional country public house but with the added attraction of a restaurant seating 60 persons, 10 fully en-suite letting rooms and superb conference facilities with full audio-visual equipment.

Recently completely renovated and refurbished following a disastrous fire some years ago, the Inn is steeped in history and is known to have been in existence for at least 500 years.









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The Roast Ox Inn
Painscastle
Builth Wells
Powys
LD2 3JL

Tel: 01497 851398

Hendre Huffcap

Another traditional perry pear is the Hendre Huffcap, named after the part of Monmouthshire the tree was first found in. Quite a tannic pear, will probably blend with another, sweeter pear such as the Tainton Squash we just picked (did not blog that one, ganger was getting me to pick and pank, not blog!) Very good year for perry pears this year.

Blakeney Red pears in Monmouthshire

Another day of perry pear picking at a Monmouthshire Farm. This time the variety is Blackeney Red, a traditional perry pear originaly from Gloucs. Centuries old farm with 200 year old trees. Good tannins in the perry pear balenced with plenty of sugar, this should ferment out to about 5-6% ABV when ready in the new year. Roll on the Welsh Cider and Perry Festival in May when this perry from Llanblethian Orchards.

Don Shenker is a Chump

Both Pub Curmedgeon and Dick Puddlecote have picked up on this excellent blog, written by Brew Wales' drinking buddy Fido and entitled Don Shenker is a Chump. Well its not actually called that but I'm sure Fido meant those words. Okay possibly not, but if Mandelson can attempt to get away with it.......
Here at Brew Wales we are no fans of the Government-funded Fake Charity Alcohol Concern or of its boss, Don Shenker. In fact a Brew Wales article appears on the Don Shenker is a Chump blog.

To quote from the blog:
"Head of a fake charity, Don sees his role as blowing booze into a media problem. A scaremonger who claims that a tipple or two turns us into mad beasts that need control. Then booze can give us cancer, reduces our immune system leads to all of societies ills. Unelected, a puritan who is given your tax money to put across his pet message. Don needs to be stopped".

Digging around in his background, it appears that the fake charity boss spent some time in Wales, as he did his degree at the Trefforest Miners Institute (1987-1990), now the University of Glamorgan.
Brew Wales cannot help but think if he spent more time researching in the 'O Block' his puritanical anti-pub views would not be so strong as they are today.

Fagin's Beer Festival on Now

The award-winning Fagin's Ale & Chop House, situated just outside of Cardiff, will be holding their a beer festival this weekend. Well it opens today (Thursday) and carries on until Sunday.
Fagins Festival Beers List - (In Alphabetical order) Subject to availabilty

Atlas – Kinlochleven – Three Sisters – 4.2% - Dark fruity beer with whole flower hops balances the dark malt character.
Bragdy’r Nant – Llanrwst – North Wales – Monkey Nells – 5.9%
Breconshire – Brecon – Ramblers Ruin – 5% - Dark amber,malty well hopped with a beautifully balanced aftertaste.
Brew Dog - Fraserburgh north east Scotland - Dogma – 7.8% - Heather Honey infused ale – Brewed with Guarana, Poppy seeds & Kola nut blended with Scottish heather honey.
Brew Dog – Fraserburgh north east Scotland - Punk IPA – 6% - Light Golden in colour with tropical fruits & caramelon the nose. Made with New Zealand hops
Brew Dog – Fraserburgh north east Scotland – Zeitgeist – 4.9% - Black lager.
Bridge of Allan – Stirling - Bannockburn – 4.2% - Pale Golden Beer.Refreshing complex hoppy & fruity aroma.
Bridge of Allan – Stirling - Bramble – 4.2% (cloudy) Brewed with the finest & freshest Scottish brambles from the forth valley.Smooth with a tangy aftertaste.
Cairngorm – Aviemore – Nessies Monster Mash – 44% - Malty lightly hopped.
Cairngorm – Aviemore – Trade Winds – 4.3% - Golden beer made with wheat. Blended with pearl hops & elderflower to give a bouquet of fruit & citrus flavours..
Elland – Leeds – Tomahawk – 4.7% - A pale gold premium bitter with a aromatic hop aroma. Made with USA hops Columbus tomahawk.
Goose Eye – Keithley West Yorkshire – Chinook – 4.2% - Pale beer with plenty of hops giving a hoppy subtle citrus flavour.
Hambleton – Melmerby North Yorkshire – Stallion – 4.2% - Premium bitter. Has a distinctly malty character with a hint of nuttiness.
Newmans – Caerphilly – Red Castle Cream – 4.7% - Copper coloured bitter with a smooth finish.
Ossett – Ossett West Yorkshire – Silver King – 4.3% - Lager style beer with a crisp dry flavour & citrus fruity aroma.
Ossett – Ossett West Yorkshire – Excelsior – 5.2% - Mellow yet full flavoured. Fresh hoppy aroma with toffee & floral characteristics.
Otley – Pontypridd – 01 – 4% - Straw coloured pale ale with styrian goldings aroma hops.
Otley – Pontypridd – 0F – 4.8% - Brewed for only Fagins a pale golden well balanced modern premium bitter.
Otley – Pontypridd – Porter – 6.6%ish – This porter has been cask conditioned for 14 months !!!
Purple Moose – Porthmadog – Glaslyn Ale – 4.2% - A golden coloured fruity best bitter with a well balanced hopped finish.
Red Squirrel – Hertford – WeissBier – 5% - Contains lots of wheat malt & a German yeast. A cloudy beer with that traditional refreshing weiss bier taste.
Red Squirrel – Hertford – White Mountain American India Pale Ale – 5.4%.- Contains four pale malts & one coloured malt plus two American hops.
St. Austell – Cornwall – Proper Job – 4.7% - A powerfully hopped golden bitter that explodes with citrus & grapefruit flavour.
Timothy Taylors – West Yorkshire – Landlord – 4.3% - Classic strong pale ale. Has won more awards nationally than any other beer.
Valhalla – Shetland – Auld Rock – 4.5% - Dark full bodied Scottish style ale.
Valhalla – Shetland – Simmer Dim – 4% - Golden bitter that explodes with citrus & grapefruit flavour.

Fagins Ale & Chop house
8 Cardiff Rd
Taffs Well
Cardiff
CF15 7QD

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