PUB OF THE YEAR 2009
Ceredigion CAMRA’s Pub of the Year for 2009 is the Druid in Goginan. The Druid was also last year’s winner, and it’s rare for us to present the award to the same pub two years running, but at last month’s meeting it was agreed that the continued high standards at the pub fully merited the award. The presentation will take place at the Druid at around 3pm on Saturday 25th April, and will be preceded by a short branch meeting at 1pm. (These times are to tie in with the buses to Goginan which leave Aberystwyth at 12.25 and 2.25). A good turn-out would be appreciated as we congratulate licensee Lewis Johnston on his achievement, so put the date in your diaries now.
LOCAL PUBS WEEK
This year, CAMRA’s Community Pubs Week, which has been held in February, has been renamed Local Pubs Week, and is being run by branches at a date of their choosing. So we’ve decided to run ours in the week leading up to the Pub of the Year presentation, ie 20th – 25th April. So far, the only event planned is Pub of the Year at the Druid (although the following week sees the ever-popular festival at the Ship and Castle – see below). However, pubs are very welcome to put own their own events – quizzes, promotions, music, whatever – as part of the week, and I will shortly have a stock of beermats, posters, etc to help with publicity. So why not talk to your local and see if they want to get involved, then get in touch with me (details below) for help with publicity.
SOCIAL EVENTS
We have two events planned for March.
Quiz Night at the Ship & Castle
Thursday March 26th sees the return of the famous quiz night at the Ship and Castle, High Street, Aberystwyth starting at 8pm sharp. This time the questions are being set by the winners of the last quiz, licensee Ian Blair and regular Mark Price. They’ve been keeping impressively tight-lipped (in my hearing at least) about the questions, but no doubt it will be another enjoyable evening. Once again it’ll be £1 per head to enter, and there’ll be the usual raffle with quality beer-related prizes.
Purple Moose Brewery Trip
Two days later on Saturday 28th March we have a trip to the hugely impressive Purple Moose brewery in Porthmadog. We travel by public transport, leaving Aberystwyth at 9.45 am on the X32 bus to arrive at Porthmadog around noon. Purple Moose have been making some of Wales’s finest beers ever since their launch in 2005, and this is your chance to get answers to all those crucial questions: “how do you make it?”, “why can’t I get it in my local?”, and – most important, this – “could I try another one please?”. After some time at the brewery, and perhaps in the town, we’ll come back by train with stops en route (decided on the day, but the Branwen at Harlech and Ty Mawr at Llanbedr seem prime contenders). The day’s travel will cost just £6 on a Tocyn Taith day rover ticket – you should be able to buy this on the bus but might be better advised to get it at Aberystwyth railway station, as in my experience bus drivers aren’t always fully clued up on these tickets. On the journey Chris Giles promises to entertain us with a “treasure hunt” style quiz offering some excellent prizes. All in all, this should be an excellent day out.
BEER FESTIVALS
Ship & Castle Beer Festival
Next beer festival at the Ship and Castle will run from Tuesday 28th to Thursday 30th April opening from 2pm to midnight each day. This time the spotlight falls on three excellent small breweries from the Midlands.
Cwrw ar y Cledrau
In May, the weekend Friday 8th to Sunday 10th sees Cwrw ar y Cledrau, the annual beer festival organised by the Welsh Highland Railway. Venues for the festival include several freehouses along the railway route in the Caernarfon area, but the main event takes place in the rather splendid goods shed at Dinas, with live music afternoons and evenings and a wide range of beers. From the Aberystwyth area, a combination of Trawscambria, local bus, and Cambrian Coast railway will get you there and back. Further information on 01766-516000.
Iechyd da!
Rhys Jones, Chair, Ceredigion CAMRA.