Food glorious food. Cakes, beers and pop-ups. We round up some of the best foodie delights Wales has to offer.
BREWERIES, DISTILLERIES AND VINEYARDS
Compiled by ELOUISE HOBBS
PENDERYN
Pontpren, Penderyn
The preeminent whisky distillery in Wales, Penderyn takes its name from the ‘gold stream’ that runs through the foothills in the Brecon Beacons where the single malt whiskies and spirits are distilled. Launching on St David’s Day in 2004, they produce their award-winning spirits in a unique copper single pot still, designed by 19th-century scientist Michael Faraday, and use American oak bourbon casks to age the spirits. The distillery offers daily tours, with an opportunity to taste a variety of their whiskies; don’t worry if you are driving, as they offer sample bottles that you can take home and enjoy later.
Info: 01685 810650 / www.penderyn.wales
DÀ MHÌLE DISTILLERY
Glynhynod Farm, Llandysul
Dà Mhìle Distillery produces artisan, small batch liquors, gins which have been oak-aged or infused with seaweed, and whiskies using organic ingredients and traditional methods. Dà Mhìle is Gaelic for the year 2000, although the company was formed in 1992; interestingly, they are one of the only distilleries to malt their own barley. Of the original 15 hogsheads (barrels) and 11 tonnes of barley that was first delivered to the distillery, five barrels remain; they are now 25-years-old and are now highly sought after by collectors. The tours offer not only views of the distillery but also the adjoining farm and the dairy of Caws Teifi Cheese; there is even a chance you’ll be shown round be the owners.
Info: 01239 851998 / www.damhile.co.uk
MANTLE BREWERY
Cardigan, Ceredigion
Mantle Brewery is a family-run microbrewery that produces Welsh real ales right in the heart of Cardigan. Mantle started brewing in the summer of 2013 and with their first ever cask, a barrel full of Cwrw Teifi, they took the drink straight to their local, the Eagle Inn in Cardigan, and enjoyed the drink with the people who had supported them in their journey. Tours of the brewery are available by prior arrangement and the beer is stocked in most Cardigan pubs as well as select locations across south Wales. Their most popular ales are their Cwrw Teifi bitter and Rock Steady, a golden session ale.
Info: 01239 623898 / www.mantlebrewery.com
BRAINS BREWERY
Crawshay Street, Cardiff
It wouldn’t be a list of local breweries if it missed out the biggest and most well-known. Brains Brewery is located in the heart of Cardiff and it is the place that gives Cardiff its famous smell of molten barley when you arrive off the train. The brewery is over 100 years old, and it owns many of the local pubs in the centre of town. If you look around Cardiff you will also see that many of the bridges are also branded with Brains slogans. They are best known for SA and Brains Bitter but they are rapidly expanding their craft beer sections, with Boilermaker and IPA Black Mountain quickly becoming firm favourites.
Info: 029 2040 2060 / www.sabrain.com
SNOWDONIA PARK
Waunfawr, Gwynedd
Snowdonia Park in Waunfawr is probably the only microbrewery and campsite in the country, if not the continent. The unique concept has attracted visitors from around the world to this quiet part of Snowdonia. At first, this may seem like a small operation, but they are very ambitious and currently brew 11 real ales, which can be enjoyed in your tent or at the pub attached to the campsite. They actually currently only brew beer for the Snowdonia Park pub and campsite but as they grow in popularity and capacity, they are likely to expand.
Info: 01286 650409 / www.snowdonia-park.co.uk
LLANERCH VINEYARD
Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan
Llanerch Vineyard is just 20 minutes outside of Cardiff and after planting their first grapes in 1986, the vineyard has won numerous awards for their wines. The wines, named Cariad after the Welsh for love or sweetheart, is now well known across Wales. The vineyard harvests between 8-12 tonnes of grapes each year and produces approximately 10,000 bottles of Cariad wine. The vineyard is also a hotel, so you can stay there, dine in the adjoining bistro and enjoy Cariad wine metres away from where it was harvested. They also offer self-guided vineyard tours and cookery classes.
Info: 01443 222716 / www.llanerch-vineyard.co.uk