ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Ceredigion branch of CAMRA will take place at the Black Lion, Llanbadarn Fawr on Saturday June 19th starting at 2.30pm. Nominations for Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and committee members’ positions should be sent to me at Gwynedd, Llanilar, SY23 4NR by a fortnight before the meeting please. As well as electing a committee for the coming year we’ll be planning a range of activities including our ever-popular…

SUMMER TRIP

Following last year’s highly enjoyable trip to pubs in the hills, there will be another minibus trip, this time going south into Pembrokeshire. We’ll be visiting the Gwaun Valley Brewery at Pontfaen, followed by the superbly unspoilt Dyffryn Arms in the same village, and returning via a selection of pubs in north Pembrokeshire and south Ceredigion. The date will be Saturday July 17th, leaving Aberystwyth in the morning and returning by mid-evening. The trip is currently fully booked, but I’m happy to run a waiting list – ring me on 01974-241255 or email rhys.gwynedd@btopenworld.com .(Equally, if you’re booked on but now find you can’t make it, please do let me know.)

BEER FESTIVALS AND OTHER EVENTS

The Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival returns to Cardiff International Arena on Mary Ann Street in the centre of Cardiff this June. The festival is open 11am to 11pm from Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th June, offering an unrivalled showcase for the best beer cider and perry from Wales and elsewhere. With something like 40 craft brewers now in Wales, plus thirty or so cidermakers, this is an ideal opportunity to sample the best that Wales has to offer alongside great drinks from beyond our borders. The keenly contested Champion Beer of Wales competition will be judged on the Friday afternoon.

Just across the English border, July sees Beer on the Wye VI, otherwise known as the 6th Hereford Beer and Cider Festival, held in the pleasant riverside setting of the Hereford Rowing Club on Greyfriars Avenue. With live entertainment at all sessions, great beer, and a fantastic range of Herefordshire cider and perry, the festival opens from 2pm to 11pm on Friday 9th July, midday to 11pm on Saturday 10th July, and midday to 5pm on Sunday 11th July. The same week sees a festival at one of my favourite pubs: the Bhurtpore Inn at Aston, Cheshire. Always a great pub, the place really comes alive for the annual festival, which this year runs from Wednesday 7th to Saturday 10th July. And while Aston may not be a very well-known place, it’s only a short walk from Wrenbury railway station, which is served by stopping trains between Shrewsbury and Crewe.

Later in the year, don’t forget the Great British Beer Festival at Earl’s Court, London, from 3rd to 7th August.

LOCAL PUB NEWS

Some interesting beers have been appearing around the area. In Machynlleth, beers from Newmans celt Experience Brewery in Caerphilly have frequently been noted at the White Horse, while beer from the highly impressive Monty’s Brewery of Montgomeryshire have appeared at the Wynnstay Arms. Timothy Taylor’s excellent Landlord is now a very welcome permanent presence at the Mill Inn in Aberystwyth, while in Aberaeron, the Harbourmaster’s house beer from Purple Moose Brewery, known as HM, continues to sell well. The Pentre Arms in Llangrannog has been selling Gales Seafarers Ale, brewed by Fullers of London, at the bargain price of £2.20 for this 3.6% ale; the brewery have an arrangement with the charity Seafarers UK to donate 5p for every pint sold. The pub also sells St Austell Tribute, and Evan Evans Cwrw will be coming on for the peak holiday season in July and August.

Iechyd da!

Rhys Jones, Chair, Ceredigion CAMRA