Newmans Daliad Da

Popped into the Pen and Wig, Stow Hill, Newport for a lunchtime pint and found this beer from Newmans/Celt Experience on the bar. A tawny coloured session bitter with a dry finish, this tastes strongly of crystal malt, not unpleasant but hardly spectacular. A good session ale at only 4.2% ABV, the name translates as "Good Catch". Not bad for a lunchtime pint in the City Centre for only £2.20 and the food is quite good in here as well!

Hoppy Gristmas

Hopefully the last of the Christmas beers, the puns are starting to wear a bit thin in the new year now. Hoppy Gristmas is the second seasonal offering from Newmans in Caerphilly. Weighing in at healthy 5% (terminology deliberatly used to wind up the health Stasi, yes you Shenker), this light brown ale has an aroma of fruit and this is present in the taste as well. Some astringency in the aftertaste and a a subtle bitterness build up with some roast flavours to produce a good flavour. Liked the first pint and the (2 day) hangover is easing. May stay for another pint or two!

Christmas Ale on draught

Have not seen too many local breweries doing a Christmas Ale this year. However popped into the always good Pen and Wig in Newport and found this Winter Hog Ale from Newmans/Celt Experience Brewery. A mid-brown beer with a biscuity aroma, full malt taste and a bitter, warming aftertaste, this 6% ale is quite drinkable. Blogging may be more entertaining later.

New Newmans Beer

Popped into the Pen & Wig, Newport and discovered this new beer from Celt Experiance/Newmans Brewery in Caerphilly. The 4.4% ABV Autumn Valley Flower is a mid-to-light brown ale (its night time so cannot judge colour too accuratly) with a distinctive hoppy nose. A smooth taste leads to an increasingly bitter and astringdent aftertaste that lingers. More of a bitter than hoppy ale, should be good with a strong cheese. Good pumpclip as well with an attractive picture of an oast house on it.

New Newmans Beer

Enjoyable pint of Newmans Spring Cottage Biscuit, 4.2% ABV, in the Pen & Wig, Newport. Good to see our local brewers supported, the Newmans Brewery is also known as Celt Experiance and is brewed in Caerphilly. Anyway, back to the beer, Spring Cottage Biscuit is a pale amber ale with plenty of hops and fruit in the aroma, a bitter taste and a firm bitter aftertaste. Makes you want another pint! Excellent!