Bryncelyn Brewery
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| Bryncelyn Brewery | |
|---|---|
 Bryncelyn Oh Boy pumpclip |
|
| Location | Ystalyfera, Wales, UK |
| Owner | Will & Sandra Hopton |
| Year opened | July 1999 |
| Annual production | Approximately 200 brewer's barrels per year at capacity |
| Active Beers | |
| Buddy Marvellous | Mild ale |
| Oh Boy | Best bitter |
| Holly Hop | Golden ale |
| Seasonal Beers | |
| Peggy's Brew | Golden ale |
| Buddy's Delight | Bitter |
| Cwrw Celyn | Stout |
| CHH | Best bitter |
| Rave On | Irish red ale |
| Buddy Confusing | ESB |
| Feb 59 | Bitter |
| May B Baby | Mild ale |
| That'll Be The Sleigh | Winter ale |
Bryncelyn Brewery is a small brewery located in the Wern Fawr Inn, a pub located near Ystalyfera, West Glamorgan in Wales. Brewing was begun in July 1999, and the brewers are Will Hopton and Robert Scott.[1]
While Bryncelyn's overall production is quite small, producing only a single UK brewer's barrel of beer at a time, Bryncelyn's ales have been consistent and frequent winners of awards at beer festivals since the brewery's inception.
Contents |
[edit] Beers
The first beer produced was Buddy's Delight; this was done in nine-gallon (one-firkin) batches. The brewery then expanded to 27-gallon batches and began producing five beers in 2000[2]; by 2002, this had further expanded to one barrel and as of 2006 twelve recipes are brewed, with brewing taking place up to four times a week.
Bryncelyn's three regular beers are Oh Boy, a bitter; Buddy Marvellous, a strong mild ale; and Holly Hop, a golden ale. A further nine beers are produced on an occasional or seasonal basis. The Good Beer Guide describes Oh Boy as:
An enticing hop and fruit aroma, a golden color and a taste full of hops and fruit. Good bitterness and underlying malt add to the flavor, with a long, hoppily-bitter finish.[3]
Bryncelyn's beers are usually available only at the Wern Fawr Inn, but can be purchased for take-away in polypins and frequently appear at beer festivals in Wales.[4]
[edit] Buddy Holly
The names of Bryncelyn's beers all feature the motif of references to the singer & guitarist Buddy Holly; the name "Bryncelyn" itself means "Holly Hill" in Welsh. Pump clips and associated artwork for the brewery also feature Holly's image or references Holly in some way:
- Oh Boy refers to the song "Oh, Boy!"
- Holly Hop refers to the instrumental of the same name
- Peggy's Brew refers to the song "Peggy Sue"
- CHH are the initials of Charles Hardin Holley, Buddy Holly's birth name
- Rave On refers to the song of the same name
- Feb 59 refers to Holly's death on 3 February 1959.
- May B Baby refers to the song "Maybe Baby"
- That'll Be The Sleigh refers to the song "That'll Be the Day"
Says brewer and publican Will Hopton about Holly, "He was such a talented fellow and he died at 22. He was such an influence on such a lot of different groups and individuals. Elvis was good performer but Buddy wrote most of his own music." Hopton sees the beer theme as a way of paying tribute to the performer.[5]
[edit] Awards
Bryncelyn's beers frequently place highly in blind tastings performed at festivals. Buddy Marvellous was awarded the Champion Beer of Wales title in 2002, and Oh Boy that title in 2003.[6]
- Carmarthen Beer Festival: Buddy's Delight, silver medal
- Cardiff Beer Festival: Buddy Marvellous, silver medal
- Cardiff Beer Festival: Oh Boy, gold medal
- Carmarthen Beer Festival: Oh Boy, bronze medal
- Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival: Buddy Marvellous, gold medal[7]
- Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival: Oh Boy, gold medal; Buddy Marvellous, bronze medal[8]
- Carmarthen Beer Festival: Oh Boy, silver medal
- Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival: Buddy Marvellous, bronze medal[9]
- Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival: Oh Boy, bronze medal; Buddy Marvellous, champion mild ale; Oh Boy, champion best bitter[10][11][12]
- Mumbles Beer Festival: Oh Boy, gold medal
- Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival: Holly Hop, champion bitter.[13]
The Wern Fawr Inn has itself been awarded the title of "Pub of the Year" in 2005 by the Neath and Port Talbot branch of CAMRA, as well as "Regional Pub of the Year" for South and Mid Wales by a ballot among all branches of CAMRA in the area.[14]
[edit] References
- ^ Bryncelyn Brewery, Wern Fawr Inn, Beer,Brewery. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.Beer Me! - Bryncelyn Brewery - Swansea, Wales. Retrieved on December 28, 2006.
- ^ Matt Gullam (2000-02-16). "Bryncelyn, Ystalyfera". uk.food+drink.real-ale. (Google Groups). Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
- ^ Protz, Roger (September 2006). Good Beer Guide 2006. CAMRA Books. ISBN 1852492244.
- ^ Bryncelyn Brewery our selection of beers. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ "Buddy Holly pub wins beer award", BBC News, 2005-09-14. Retrieved on December 28, 2006.
- ^ Bryncelyn Brewery our selection of beers. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ Champion Beer of Wales Winners. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ Champion Beer of Wales Winners. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ Champion Beer of Wales Winners. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ Champion Beer of Wales Winners. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ Shipton, Martin. "Small is beautiful for Wales' top beer brewers", Western Mail, 2005-12-03. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ Neil Warnock. Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival (English). Retrieved on December 28, 2006.
- ^ Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival. Retrieved on December 27, 2006.
- ^ Good Beer Guide 2006 names Top 16 Pubs in Britain 12/09/2005 - CAMRA (English). CAMRA (2005-09-12). Retrieved on December 28, 2006.
