Swansea Bay Beer Festival

IT'S coming up to the August Bank Holiday weekend again and that means the second biggest CAMRA beer festival in Wales, the Swansea Bay Beer Festival, held at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea Guildhall.


The Festival opens on Thursday, August 27 at 5pm, closing that day at 11pm. On Friday and Saturday it's 12noon to 11pm. Admission is £5 for non members and £3 for Camra members and includes a festival glass and programme.

There will be over 100 real ales, a wide selection of ciders and perries, food and the Camra stall. There's music all the way too, with rock covers from Best Supporting Actors on Thursday from 9pm. Friday night at 9pm it's Ted Crook and The Blues Highway. Buttonsville play Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm, and ska tribute band 2 Rude bring the festival to a skanking finish on Saturday night from 9pm.

For further information contact festivaldeb@hotmail.com or phone 07970680616.

Here's the Provisional Beer list - organisers cannot guarantee to have every beer on all the time.

Beer Style key: Bitter B, Strong Bitter SB, Golden Ale G, Mild M, Porter/Stout PS, Barley Wine BW, Speciality S.

ADNAMS, Southwold, Suffolk.

Bitter 3.7% B

Dry and refreshing, with a distinctive lingering hoppiness. Appetising and delicious.

Explorer 4.2% G

A blonde beer fused with the aromas of a grapefruit grove.

Broadside 4.7% SB

Rich fruitcake aromas wonderful balance of malt and hop flavours.

BRAINS, Cardiff.

Bitter 3.7% B

Rich amber coloured, well balanced and refreshing.

Bread of Heaven 4.0% B

A distinctive reddish hue and a rich hop aroma, finely balanced by a more-ish fruit finish.

Dark 3.5% M

Treacle-coloured, brewed using Chocolate malt with hints of liquorice and fresh ground coffee.

Reverend James 4.5% B

Full-bodied and warming. Rich in palate, spicy and aromatic with a deeply satisfying finish.

SA 4.2% B

Copper coloured with a nutty richness, balanced with a satisfying dryness.

SA Gold 4.7% G

A full-flavoured, hoppy and refreshing golden ale with complex and refreshing citrus aromas and flavours.

BRECONSHIRE, Brecon, Powys.

Brecon County Ale 3.7% B

Well hopped, providing a refreshing beer, with a distinct hoppy bitterness.

Golden Valley 4.2% G

A deep, golden coloured beer with floral notes and a gentle but pervasive bitterness.

Ramblers Ruin 5.0% SB

Dark amber, malty and well hopped.

Red Dragon 4.7% SB

An unusually red coloured beer, with biscuity malt characteristics.

BRYN CEYLN, Ystradgynlais.

Buddy Marvelous 4.0% M

A dark ruby mild ale, with a smokey roast taste.

Oh Boy 4.5% G

An enticing golden colour with a taste full of hops and fruit.

BULLMASTIFF, Cardiff.

Son of a Bitch 6.0% SB

A complex warming amber ale with a tasty blend of hops, malt and fruit flavours, with increasing bitterness

Welsh Black 4.8% PS

Double black stout, brimming with blackcurrant.

CELT EXPERIENCE, Caerphilly.

Bronze 4.5% B

A delightful rich bronze colour, distinguished by a full bodied character with crystal maltiness.

Golden 4.2% G

A rich full-bodied texture accompanied by a unique blend of traditional and fruity hops.

CLEARWATER, Devon.

Cavalier 4.0% B

Malty brown ale with complex nutty flavours and a bitter finish.

Oliver’s Nectar 5.2% SB

A malty, nut brown, bitter.

Village Pride 3.7% B

Mid-brown session ale.

COLES, Llanddarog.

Amber Ale 4.0% B

Dewi Sant 4.4% B

CONWY, Conwy.

Castle Bitter 3.8% B

A session ale, malty rather than hoppy.

Special 4.5% B

Rich, fruity and smooth dark bitter.

CWMBRAN, Cwmbran, Gwent.

Crow Valley Bitter 4.2% B

Crisp, clean mix of malt, hop and fruit flavours. Moderate bitterness, leaving a lasting finish

Full Malty 4.8% SB

Aptly named and full bodied

DARE, Aberdare.

Elwyn Samuel’s Beer 4.8% SB

Well balanced malt and hop flavours.

Old Dare Devil 7.9% BW

A very dark and strong traditional winter ale.

DARK STAR, Ansty, Sussex.

Best Bitter 4.0% B

Silky with hints of fruit, smooth and enticing on the palette.

Hophead 3.8% G

Pale gold coloured ale with a strong floral aroma and elderflower notes.

Festival 5.0% SB

A chestnut bronze coloured bitter with a smooth mouth feel and freshness

EVAN EVANS, Llandeilo.

BB 3.8% B

Light and refreshing with a full flavour. Rich and malty with a distinct fruity palette.

Warrior 4.6% B

A distinctive premium bitter, with a malty fruity & distinctive floral hop palette.

FACERS, Flintshire.

Dave's Hoppy Beer 4.3% G

Ideal for those who like their beers really hoppy!

Northern Country 3.8% B

FELINFOEL, Llanelli.

Blonde Bombshell ? G

Double Dragon 4.2% B

Malty and subtly hopped with a rich colour and smooth balanced character

FREEMINER, Gloucestershire.

Bitter 4.0% B

Hops abound and blend perfectly with a balanced malt character.

Speculation 4.8% SB Plenty of hops in the nose, and loads of rich malt flavours in the mouth.

FULLERS, Chiswick, London

Chiswick 3.5% B

Refreshing, highly drinkable flavour, with well developed hop characteristics

London Pride 4.1% B

Well-balanced ,with bitter orange notes, blending with malt characteristics.

ESB 5.5% SB

An ample, grainy-nutty aroma and a broad, authoritative flavour, with lashings of dry marmalade-like bitters'

GREAT ORME, Colwyn Bay.

Three Feathers 5.0% SB

Its strength is well disguised by the perfectly balanced hop bitterness and sweet malt.

Welsh Mountain IPA 3.8% B

A full hop flavour and dry finish.

HALL & WOODHOUSE, Dorset.

Badger First Gold 4.0% G

A classic country ale using a single English hop.

King & Barnes Sussex 3.5% B

Clean tasting & hoppy without being over bitter.

Tanglefoot 4.9% SB

Noticeable floral dry hop aroma balanced with biscuity and fruity notes.

HOBSONS, Worcestershire.

Best Bitter 3.8% B

Medium bodied beer with strong hop character throughout.

Mild 3.2% M

Chocolate malt gives of flavour and aroma which belies its strength

Town Crier 4.5% B

The hint of sweetness is complemented by subtle hop flavours, leading to a dry finish.

HOOK NORTON, Oxfordshire.

Hooky Bitter 3.6% B

Hoppy to the nose, malty on the palate - the classic session beer.

Hooky Gold 4.1% G

A very pale, crisp beer, with a fruity aroma and a pleasant, light taste.

Old Hooky 4.6% B A beautifully balanced beer, fruity by nature, and well-rounded.

HOPBACK, Salisbury.

Crop Circle 4.2% G

Very clean, with wonderful thirst-quenching properties, which is delicately fruity.

Entire Stout 4.5% PS

A rich dark stout with a strong roasted malt flavour and a long, smooth aftertaste.

Summer Lightning 5.0% G

The original Summer ale. Straw coloured beer with a terrific fresh, hoppy aroma.

JACOBI, Pumsaint.

Dark Ale 5.0% SB

Original 4.5% B

MONTY’S,

Desert Rats 3.8% B

Summer seasonal session bitter. Blonde, dry and citrus

Mojo 3.8% G

Golden/amber colour with hints of toast and marmalade

Moonrise 4.0% B

Copper, Traditional, Malty

Sunshine 4.2% G

Golden, Hoppy, Floral ale

OTLEY, Pontypridd.

O1 4.0% G

Straw coloured pale ale

O8 8.0% BW

A very pale and very strong ale, deceptively smooth and friendly.

OBB 4.5% B

Tawny red coloured

OG 5.4% G

Extremely smooth, steeped in progress and brambling Cross hops.

PURPLE MOOSE, Porthmadog.

Glaslyn Ale 4.2% G

A golden coloured fruity best bitter with a well balanced hoppy finish.

Madog’s Ale 3.7% B

Full-bodied session bitter.

RCH, West Hewish, Somerset.

East Street Cream 5.0% SB

Chestnut coloured ale, with flavours of roast malt and a bittersweet finish.

Old Slug 4.5% PS

A delicious traditional porter with a full bodied taste of chocolate, and coffee.

Pitchfork 4.3% G

A golden bitter with a floral hop aroma.

RHYMNEY, Merthyr Tydfil

Rhymney Best 3.7% B

Chestnut, hoppy session best bitter.

Rhymney Bitter 4.5% B

A bold, refreshing bitter.

RINGWOOD, Hampshire.

Best Bitter 3.8% B

Delicious, easy drinking slightly tart pale bitter.

Fortyniner 4.9% SB

Golden full-bodied malted beer

Old Thumper 5.6% SB

Warm, rounded yet surprisingly strong beer.

ROBINSONS, Stockport.

Unicorn 4.2% B

Superb mouth-feel of rich malt and hops, long dry finish with citric fruit notes.

Double Hop 5.0% SB

Richly flavoured with an interesting balance of both hop flavour and hop bitterness.

Old Tom 8.5% BW

Dark, rich and warming superior strong ale.

SHEPARD NEAME, Favesham.

Kent's Best Invicta 4.3% B

Merging the biscuity sweetness of malt with the fruity, floral bitterness of kent hops.

Spitfire 4.5% B

An underlying depth of maltiness, tinged with a subtle hint of toffee.

Bishops Finger 5.0% SB

A full-bodied, nut-brown, nourishing ale with a lingering hoppy finish.

ST AUSTELL, St Austell, Cornwall.

HSD 5.0% SB

Full-bodied, strong and Cornish, brimming with a kaleidoscope of flavours.

Tinners 3.7% B

A light refreshing flavour with only a hint of bitterness.

Tribute 4.2% B

Bronze coloured with a rich aroma of biscuity malt and citrus.

SWANSEA, Bishopston, Swansea.

Bishopswood Bitter 4.3% B

A delicate aroma, balanced taste, with bitterness growing in the finish.

Deep Slade Dark 4.0% B

Dark bitter, with a roasted chocolate flavour.

Original Wood 5.2% SB

Full-bodied, with complex flavours with and a firm bitter ending.

Three Cliffs Gold 4.7% G

Golden beer, with a hoppy, fruity taste and quenching bitterness.

THORNBRIDGE, Derbyshire.

Wild Swan 3.5% G

Aromas of light bitter lemon with species.

Lord Marples 4.0% B

Tastes of honey and caramel, with a long bitter finish.

Jaipur IPA 5.9% SB

A wonderfully hoppy, full flavoured IPA.

ULEY, Gloucestershire.

Hogshead IPA 3.5% B

A pale coloured, hoppy session bitter.

Old Ric 4.5% B

Copper in colour, hoppy palate with some underlying fruit.

Old Spot 5.0% SB

A distinctive, full-bodied ruby coloured ale with a fruity aroma.

WILLIAMS, Alloa, Scotland.

Fraoch Heather Ale 4.1% S

A floral peaty aroma, full malt character, with a spicy herbal flavour.

TOMOS WATKIN (Hurns), Llansamlet, Swansea.

BB (Brewery Bitter) 4.0% B

Pale brown with a moderate bitterness and rounded flavour of hops, malt and fruit.

Cwrw Braf 4.5% B

A clean-drinking, amber-coloured ale with a light bitterness and gentle hop aroma.

Cwrw Haf 4.2% G

A refreshing citrus palate with a fruity aromatic hop.

OSB (Old Style Bitter) 4.5% B

Deep amber, full-bodied with good bitterness and a clean, lasting finish.

WOOD, Wistanstow, Shropshire.

Parrish Bitter 4.0% B

A light-coloured beer, hopped in the cask for a hoppy, refreshing flavour.

Wonderful 4.8% SB

A dark and powerful ruby brew with a flavour that you can enjoy from the first to the last.

WYE VALLEY, Herefordshire.

Dorothy Goodbody Stout 4.6%PS

A classic stout with intense roasted barley flavours and a dry bitter finish.

Brew 69 6.0% SB

Deceptively strong, with target hops and malt in the finish.

A range of ciders and perries will also be available.