Time for the annual run-down of the best beers in Wales, a month late this year due to visiting Bamberg!
Before I start, at a guess Tiny Rebel and Polly's will be in the lead? Let's see, as recorded by various on-line sites
As in traditional, we begin with Ratebeer
1 Polly's Brew Spectrum QIPA IIPA DIPA - Imperial
/ Double Hazy (NEIPA) 13.0%
2 Polly's Brew Fallow Plans IIPA DIPA -
Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.2%
3 Tiny Rebel Imperial Puft Porter -
Imperial Flavored 9.0%
4 Loka Polly Souvenirs IPA - Hazy / New
England (NEIPA) 6.8%
5 Polly's Brew Farrago IPA - Hazy / New
England (NEIPA) 6.7%
6 Polly's Brew DDH Rosa IIPA DIPA -
Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 10.0%
7 Polly's Brew DDH Oh My IIPA DIPA -
Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 17 8.5%
8 Polly's Brew Finding Dark Magic Stout -
Extra / Foreign / Tropical 7.0%
9 Polly's Brew Lo-Fi IIPA DIPA - Imperial
/ Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.0%
10 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Chocolate
Porter - Imperial Flavoured 9.0%
11 Loka Polly Rosa IIPA DIPA - Imperial /
Double Hazy (NEIPA) 62 8.5% 3.76
12 Polly's Brew DDH Pines IIPA DIPA -
Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 10.0%
13 Polly's Brew This Never Happened IIPA DIPA
- Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 13.0%
14 Polly's Brew Livewire IPA - Hazy / New
England (NEIPA) 6.7%
15 Tiny Rebel / Siren Dark Cherry &
Chocolate Barley Wine Barley Wine / Wheat Wine / Rye Wine 11.0%
16 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Praline
Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%
17 Polly’s Brew Every Piece Matters IPA -
Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.7%
18 Polly's Brew Fickle IPA 6.8%
19 Loka Polly Double IPA Mosaic Simcoe IIPA
DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA 8.2%
20 Polly's Brew Rock The Bit IPA 6.4%
21 Polly's Brew Ghost Voices IIPA DIPA -
Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.2%
22 Polly's Brew What Did You Feel IPA IPA -
Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.8%
23 Polly's Brew Avery IPA - Black / Brown /
Cascadian Dark 7.2%
24 Polly's Brew B-Side: Rosa IPA - Black /
Brown / Cascadian Dark 8.5%
25 Polly's Brew Double IPA Azacca Mosaic IIPA
DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 7.8%
26 Polly's Brew Mylar IPA 6.3%
27 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Irish Cream
Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%
28 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Espresso
Martini Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%
29 Loka Polly Spur IPA - Hazy / New England
(NEIPA) 7.2%
30 Tiny Rebel Stay Out Porter - Imperial
Flavored 18.0%
31 Tiny Rebel Dooms Night Stout - Imperial 11.5%
32 Polly's Brew Nada IIPA DIPA - Imperial /
Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.0%
33 Polly's Brew Naive Melody IIPA DIPA -
Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.2%
34 Tiny Rebel Wood Aged Belgian Birthday Cake
Belgian Ale - Strong Dark 11.0%
35 Polly's Brew Wave Mix IIPA DIPA - Imperial
/ Double Hazy (NEIPA) 7.8%
36 Polly's Brew Discount Jazz Hour IIPA DIPA
- Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA) 8.0%
37 Polly's Brew Cahb IIPA DIPA - Imperial /
Double IPA 8.0%
38 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Salted
Caramel Porter - Imperial Flavored 9.0%
39 Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Amplified Imperial
Porter - Imperial Flavoured 12.8%
40 Tiny Rebel 10 For 10 Porter - Flavored 10.0%
41 Tiny Rebel Double 99 Stout - Imperial
Flavored / Pastry 9.9%
42 Polly's Brew India Pale Ale Simcoe Mosaic
IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA) 6.5%
43 Tiny Rebel / Deya NEIPA IPA - Hazy / New
England (NEIPA) 6.8%
44 Polly's Brew India Pale Ale El Dorado
Deluxe Edition IPA 7.0%
45 Loka Polly Petal IPA - Hazy / New England
(NEIPA) 7.0%
46 Polly's Brew DDH Spur IIPA DIPA - Imperial
/ Double Hazy (NEIPA) 10.0%
47 Polly's Brew Surface Edition IPA 7.0%
48 Tiny Rebel Dodge, Dip, Duck, Dive and
Dulce Stout - Imperial Flavored / Pastry 11.0%
49 Polly's Brew An Original Mix IPA - Hazy /
New England (NEIPA) 6.4%
50 Polly's Brew DDH Patternist IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA 10.0%
Top places to buy or drink beer in Wales according to Ratebeer are:
- Tiny Rebel Cardiff (91)
- BrewDog Cardiff (87)
- City Arms (Brains) (84)
- Tiny Rebel Newport (83)
- Fire & Ice (81)
- Clytha Arms (80)
- Stori Beer & Wine (79)
- Albion Ale House (79)
- Vinomondo (79)
- Discount Supermarket (77)
Over to my favourite beer app, Untappd
NB, a beer must have 150 ratings or more to appear on this list:
- Polly's Brew Co. DDH Spur IPA
- Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. DDH Pines IPA
- Triple New England / Hazy
- Polly's Brew Co. DDH
Patternist IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Birthday Beer
IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Five Years IPA
- Quadruple 13.2% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. DDH
Every Piece Matters IPA - Triple 10% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Positively
Unattached I PA - Triple New England / Hazy
- Polly's Brew Co. DDH Rosa IPA
- Triple 10% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Deep Fake IPA
- Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. 58 BPM 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Spectrum
QIPA IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
- Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Super
Hero Landing Stout - Imperial / Double Milk 13% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. This
Never Happened IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. DDH Oh My… IPA
- Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.5% ABV
- Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial
Salted Caramel Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 9% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Nada IPA -
Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Everything
We Dream Of IPA - Imperial / Double 8.7% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Quinquennium
Stout - Imperial / Double. Whisky Sherry Cask Imperial Stout 13.2%
- Polly's Brew Co. Good Nature
IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 7.8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Acapella IPA
- Imperial / Double 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Fallow Plans
IPA - Imperial / Double 8.2% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Keeler IPA -
Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.5%
- Polly's Brew Co. A
Fleeting Sound IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 11%
- Polly's Brew Co. Ghost Voices
8.2% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Controversy
Between Deep IPA - Triple 10% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Cahb IPA - Imperial
/ Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Lo-Fi IPA -
Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. The
New Renassaince IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Spur IPA - New
England / Hazy 7.2% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Chameleon IPA
- Imperial / Double 8% ABV
- Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial
Chocolate Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 9% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Amateur
Dance IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.1% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Floating
Through the Surface IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.3% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Wallow IPA -
Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8%
- Polly's Brew Co. Does
It Matter How Far? IPA - New England / Hazy 7.2%
- Polly's Brew Co. Spectrum
TIPA IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Rosa IPA -
Imperial / Double 8.5% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Circadian
Rhythm IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. The Feels
Vol. 3 IPA - Milkshake 6.2%
- Polly's Brew Co. Every
Piece Matters IPA - New England / Hazy 6.7% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Retrorenegade
IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.9% ABV
- Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Amplified
Imperial Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 12.8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Farrago IPA -
American 6.7% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Hi,
Everything’s Great IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Mylar IPA - New
England / Hazy 6.3% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Naive Melody
IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.2% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Dream
Like Sequence IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Brand New
Only IPA - American 7.2% ABV
- Polly's Brew Co. Chinook
Mosaic Double IPA IPA - Imperial / Double 8.6%
- Polly's Brew Co. Jennasea IPA
- Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8%
Well, that's a resounding success for Polly's from Mold in Flintshire
The Untappd list of Top-Rated Breweries in Wales is:
- Polly's
Brew Co. Mold, Flintshire
- Black
Cloak Brewing, Colwyn Bay, Conwy
- Dog's
Window Brewery, Nant-yr-adar, Bridgend
- The
Coach Brewing Co, Bridgend,
- Lucky 7 Beer Co, Hay on Wye, Powys
- Wild
Horse Brewing Co, Llandudno, Conwy
- BeerRiff,
Swansea,
- Bragdy
Mona Gaerwen, Isle of Anglesey
- Wilderness
Brewery, Newtown, Powys
- Tenby
Brewing Co, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
- Flowerhorn
Cardiff,
- Tiny
Rebel Brewing Co, Newport
- Brew
Monster, Caerphilly,
- PIPES™Cardiff,
- Grey
Trees Brewery, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff
- Lines
Brew Co., Usk, Monmouthshire
- Geipel
BrewingLlangwm, Conwy
- Anglesey Brewhouse, Isle of Anglesey
- Gwynt y
Ddraig, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Otley, Pontypridd,
Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Purple
Moose Brewery (Bragdy Mŵs Piws) Porthmadog, Gwynedd
- Cwrw Cader Dolgellau, Gwynedd
- Wye
Valley Meadery Caldicot, Monmouthshire
- Tinworks
Brewing Co.Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
- Mantle Cardigan,
Ceredigion
- Mad Dog
Brewery Co, Cardiff,
- Well
Drawn Brewing Company, Caerphilly,
- Cwrw
LlÅ·n, Ffordd Dewi Sant, Gwynedd
- Gower
Brewery, Swansea
- Tenby
Harbwr Brewery, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
- Glamorgan
Brewing Co, Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf,
- Bragdy
Twt Lol / The Trefforest Brewery, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Cwrw
Iâl Community Brewing Company, Eryrys, Denbighshire
- Big
Hand Brewing, Wrexham,
- Hafod
Brewing Company, Mold, Flintshire
- Snowdon
Craft Beer, Colwyn Bay, Conwy
- Hallets,
Mynedd Maen, Newbridge, Caerphilly
- Magic
Dragon Brewing, Wrexham,
- Bragdy
Lleu, Penygroes, Gwynedd
- Lithic
Brewing, Brynmenyn, Bridgend
- Kingstone
Brewery, Tintern, Monmouthshire
- VOG
Brewery, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
- Mumbles
Brewery, Swansea,
- Coles
Family Brewers, Llanddarog, Carmarthenshire
- Conwy
Brewery, Llysfaen, Conwy
- Tomos & Lilford, Llandow, Vale of
Glamorgan
- Cold
Black Label, Bridgend,
- Gwaun
Valley Brewery, Pontfaen, Pembrokeshire
Over to Beer Advocate where the Welsh list is somewhat different to the others:
1 Hadouken Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Imperial
IPA | 7.40%
2 Stay Puft Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American
Porter | 5.20%
3 Cali Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American
Pale Ale | 5.60%
4 Dark Side Of The Moose (Ochr Tywyll Y
Mws) Purple Moose Brewery English Bitter | 4.60%
5 Dutty Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.
American
Pale Ale | 4.20%
6 Dirty Stop Out Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.
Oatmeal
Stout | 5.00%
7 Clwb Tropica Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.
New
England IPA | 5.50%
8 Brains Dark English Dark Mild Ale |
3.50%
9 Cwtch, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American
Amber / Red Ale | 4.60%
10 Brains Bitter English Bitter | 3.70%
11 The Full Nelson, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American
Pale Ale | 4.80%
12 FUBAR, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American
Pale Ale | 4.40%
13 Snowdonia Ale (Cwrw Eryri) Purple Moose
Brewery English Pale Mild Ale | 3.60%
14 Brains Craft Brewery Boilermaker English
IPA | 6.50%
15 Brains The Rev. James English Bitter |
4.50%
16 Brains SA English Bitter | 4.20%
17 Brains Black English Stout | 4.10%
18 Brains SA Gold English Pale Ale | 4.30%
19 Brains Craft Brewery Barry Island IPAAmerican
IPA | 6.00%
20 Double Dragon Felinfoel Brewery Co.
The Untappd app copy, Pint Please, does not list best beers by country
No CAMRA awards for real ales brewed in Wales
Once again, beers from the Llandeilo Village Idiot failed to get a mention in any of the lists