Psst: Fagins Beers Festival starts today

If you don't know about Fagins Real Ale and Chop House just a few miles outside Cardiff then please stop reading now.

Fagins in Taff's Well is our best kept secret. For those of us in the know, it is (as their slogan states) a great, welcoming pub serving real ale and real food to real people.

Today sees the start of their annual beer festival which continues until Sunday evening.

Events include the legendary Andy Thermal on guitar this evening, a hog roast on Sunday and a special 'Bring your own' day on Saturday.

The idea behind 'Bring your own' according to chief cook and bottle washer Simon Madley is that:

"people have their own preference when tasting real ales, some like crackers, others cheeses and cold meats. Some of our regulars even bring in olives.

"On Saturday we are encouraging people to bring along whatever foods they like to eat when sampling our ales to share with their friends and swap with strangers."

Beers at the festival include:

Atlas – Kinlochleven – Three Sisters – 4.2% - Dark fruity beer with whole flower hops balances the dark malt character.

Brew Dog - Fraserburgh north east Scotland - Dogma – 7.8% - Heather Honey infused ale – Brewed with Guarana, Poppy seeds & Kola nut blended with Scottish heather honey.

Brew Dog – Fraserburgh north east Scotland - Punk IPA – 6% - Light Golden in colour with tropical fruits & caramelon the nose. Made with New Zealand hops

Brew Dog – Fraserburgh north east Scotland – Zeitgeist – 4.9% - Black lager.

Cairngorm – Aviemore – Nessies Monster Mash – 44% - Malty lightly hopped.

Cairngorm – Aviemore – Trade Winds – 4.3% - Golden beer made with wheat. Blended with pearle hops & elderflower to give a bouquet of fruit & citrus flavours.

Valhalla – Shetland – Auld Rock – 4.5% - Dark full bodied Scottish style ale.

Valhalla – Shetland – Simmer Dim – 4% - Golden Bitter.

Bridge of Allan – Stirling - Bannockburn – 4.2% - Pale Golden Beer.Refreshing complex hoppy & fruity aroma.

Bridge of Allan – Stirling - Bramble – 4.2% (cloudy) Brewed with the finest & freshest Scottish brambles from the forth valley.Smooth with a tangy aftertaste.

Elland – Leeds – Tomohawk – 4.7% - A pale gold premium bitter with a aromatic hop aroma. Made with USA hops Columbus tomahawk.

Hambleton – Melmerby North Yorkshire – Stallion – 4.2% - Premium bitter. Has a distinctly malty character with a hint of nuttiness.

Goose Eye – Keithley West Yorkshire – Chinoock – 4.2% - Pale beer with plenty of hops giving a hoppy subtle citrus flavour.

Timothy Taylors – West Yorkshire – Landlord – 4.3% - Classic strong pale ale. Has won more awards nationally than any other beer.

Ossett – Ossett West Yorkshire – Silver King – 4.3% - Lager style beer with a crisp dry flavour & citrus fruity aroma.

Ossett – Ossett West Yorkshire – Excelsior – 5.2% - Mellow yet full flavoured. Fresh hoppy aroma with toffee & floral characteristics.

Red Squirrel – Hertford – WeissBier – 5% - Contains lots of wheat malt & a German yeast. A cloudy beer with that traditional refreshing weiss beir taste.

Red Squirrel – Hertford – White Mountain American India Pale Ale – 5.4%.- Contains four pale malts & one coloured malt plus two American hops.

Breconshire – Brecon – Ramblers Ruin – 5% - Dark amber,malty well hopped with a beautifully balanced aftertaste.

Bragdy’r Nant – Llanwrst – North Wales – Monkey Nells – 5.9%.

Purple Moose – Porthmadog – Glaslyn Ale – 4.2% - A golden coloured fruity best bitter with a well balanced hopped finish.

Newmans – Cearphilly – Red Castle Cream – 4.7% - Copper coloured bitter with a smooth finish.

Otley – Pontypridd – Porter – 6.6%ish – This porter has been casked conditioned for 14 months.!!!

Otley – Pontypridd – 01 – 4% - Straw coloured pale ale with styrain goldings armo hops.

Otley – Pontypridd – 0F – 4.8% - Brewed for only Fagins a pale golden well balanced modern premium bitter.

St Austell – Cornwall – Proper Job – 4.7% - A powerfully hopped golden bitter that explodes with citrus & grapefruit flavour.

PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL THIS ARTICLE TO A FRIEND, POST ON YOUR BLOG, ADD TO TWITTER, MENTION ON FACEBOOK etc. AS SOME OF THE BEERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO RUN OUT

Photograph: Brian Francis and the boys from CAMRA at last year's Fagins Beer Festival