Raise a glass to the Welsh Beer Festivals

The Festival season is now upon us with a number of Welsh Breweries doing well at the Great British Beer Festival, the showcase event in Olympia, London.  Monty’s Brewery did well with making the finals with their ‘Sunshine’, meanwhile making the journey back with some well earned silverware was Rhymney Brewery who scooped a silver with ‘Hobby Horse’ in the Bitter category and topping the bunch Aberdare’s Grey Trees won the Strong Bitter category and gained a Silver Supreme Champion Beer of Britain award with their legendary Afghan Pale ale.

For those not lucky enough to get to London then fear not, there’s festivals coming your way, this week sees the highly popular Swansea Beer Festival return for the 33rd annual festival, it’s over 3 days from Thursday 22nd August to Saturday 24th August and will feature up to 100 real ales, ciders and perries at the iconic Brangwyn Hall.

Quickly on it’s heels is Wales’ main event the Great Welsh Beer Festival. Having had a bit of a nomadic existence over the last few years it is being relocated to The National Cricket Training Centre in Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Running from Thursday 17th October to Saturday 19th October and will feature a vast range of cask ales, craft beer, cider and perries, live entertainment and pub games.

Nestled between these 2 festivals is the West’s own Carmarthen Beer Festival. Having studied in Carmarthen I make an annual pilgrimage to Carmarthen to volunteer at the annual beer festival. This year marks the 25th annual festival and unlike other events has remained at the same venue at roughly the same date every year and hosts approximately 40 real ales with Country Wines, Cider and Perry also on offer. It is based in the comfy and friendly St Peters Civic Hall in the town centre, only a short walk (or stagger back) from the train station.

It’s always a pleasure to help out behind the bar, the fellow volunteers are a friendly and welcoming bunch so I took the opportunity to catch up with the captain of the ship, festival organiser Stephen Griffiths. A Carmarthen boy who is now an IT professional in Cardiff as well as a Vale of Glamorgan County Council Councillor who took on the reigns a couple of years ago after many years as an attendee before making the transition to the other side of the bar. He loves the festival and everything about it and tells me there’ll be new beers like Albina from Mumbles Brewery and some special one off brews, although Stephen didn’t want to give the game away just yet, but you can bet there’s something special planned for their 25th year. There’ll also be festival favourites like Bullmastiff Son of a Bitch and Wye Vale Butty Bach as well as a variety of different styles to suit all preferences from pales, IPAs, bitters and stouts.

One of the highlights is the live music acts which drinkers can’t help but stomp their feet to whilst deciding on their favourite beer of the festival, Glamorgan Brewery having being voted ‘Beer of the Festival’ by attendees for the last 2 years with their Golden Ale ‘Jemima’s Pitchfork’. On Friday night there’s ESP, a high energy guitar/vocal duo covering hits from all genres from the 50’s to present day. On Saturday drinkers will be entertained by the popular Blue Street Band.

Beer Festivals are always a good opportunity to try new beers, besides local Welsh beers you’ll also find some beery gems from further afield, I particularly look forward to the Yorkshire beers like Elland 1872 Porter and I hear this year my good friend Timothy Taylor’s Landlord is making an appearance, hopefully you will too.

Upcoming Festivals & Events
Swansea Bay Beer & Cider Festival – 22nd – 24th August
Vale of Glamorgan Ale Trail – 7th September – Award winning bus based ale trail
Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival–  17th – 19th October – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
Carmarthen Beer Festival – 3rd October – 5th October 2019 St Peters Civic Hall, Nott Square, Carmarthen