For every £1 you spend we’ll give you a point on your card.

Overnight we’ll turn your points into money for you to spend in the pub. We’ll give you 10p for every point you have!

You can then use your points to buy pints in the pub! Beer Club members will also be invited to attend special events.

This week they also had the lovely Adnams Oyster Stout – some would say a saintly pint

on another note another Brains pub, The Yard has just been done up, with designer style and posh touches

but they do a great quick lunch for a £5 and their Brains Dark is pretty good as usual, but served in a posh glass.

so Cardiff has the lot from decent real ale boozers to upmarket pubs (that ladies who lunch enjoy)

But on the way we decided to get some food and popped into the newly refurbished Duke of Wellington, not normally my cup of tea a posh new pub.. but we were hungry and I fancied a pint.

From Brains website : Situated in the Hayes, in Cardiff city centre the Duke of Wellington is an ideal location for a relaxing drink and bite to eat whilst taking a break from the hustle & bustle of the city. A combination of traditional British inn and contemporary style, the Duke of Wellington offers a great selection of food for quick lunches and light bites including sharing platters and tapas. We have a great range of cask ales as well as continental beers and a variety of wines, soft drinks and coffees.

They have spent a bit of money doing it up they have a the full range of Brains Beers and for the moment a Guest Ale the lovely Everards Sunchaser Blonde (which hopefully they will continue with some great regional beers)- the prices were not that cheap for drinks (over £2.50 a pint I think but not sure )

But they had a great snack menu with Six Items for £12 (from 5pm) which for two of us was just enough.

The selection from the menu we had was

Calamari (in thick batter) X 2
Blanche Bait (yes that’s white bait) very big and juicy
Prawns with a wonderful Garlic butter sauce to dip in X 2
Lamb Kofta with a great sauce

They have other more meaty items on the menu as well.

The staff were a bit over clinging, but suppose they want to make a good impression on a new pub , I forgot how many times I was asked “everything ok Guys” – yes it was thanks.

There were not that many people in the pub as most where making use of the “alfresco” area out the front – we are not the continent how ever much the marketing people try and tell us and I am sure the whiff from Caroline street which the pub is on the corner may affect the punters outside.

anyway I will be visiting again as the mini toad in the hole and mini pies look good as well.

I can see if you hire it out you could get the money back but I would stick to a few bottles of ale in my shed.

They come in various sizes from the largest and most expensive

The Hogshead Inflatable Pub
for £27,815.00!

Fully inflatable with graphic panels for roof, walls and gables
• High quality PVC materials
• Requires support frame
• Can be erected in less than 10 minutes by 4 adults
• Can be installed on any flat surface
• Features 2 fire places
• Internal artwork includes dart board
• Holds 20-50 people

to something more manageable but still a lot of cash

The Barrel Inflatable Pub £12,580.00

Ideal for any occasion from a large private party to a small event, it can be quickly set up, set down and transported. Featuring artistic brick walls, tiled roof, chimney pots and fire place, this has been designed to create an authentic pub, just don’t lean on the walls!

I went along to one of my favourite Cardiff City pub (after the Goat Major), The Old arcade on monday, thanks to Brains for the lovely half of dark and the snacks on the house

Anyway the book is a great celebration of pubs with interiors of special historic interest that are still with us, it’s mad that Wales has over 4000 pubs but only just over 100 with original features.

The book is A5, so handy for your man bag when you are traveling around Wales looking at these great pubs.

Each entry for the pub contains a great photograph taken by Michael Slaughter, a potted history of the pub with info on the interior and facilities ie does the pub do food, its not a replacement for the Good Pub Guide but a great addition if you are on the lookout for a pictorial guide to the best old boozers in Wales.

A bargain at £6.99

Of course my mate Rob is a one man old pub photo machine with his Travels with Beer be good if he put a book out as well

So here are my favourite Pubs

Otley arms

View Larger Map

The Philharmonic Dining Rooms Liverpool

View Larger Map

The Black Pub Winchester

View Larger Map

But looks Like the google eye has missed St Mary Street In Cardiff where the Goat Major is, you can just about see it here.

View Larger Map

Bush Inn Llantwit Fadre

View Larger Map

The Vulcan Cardiff

View Larger Map

Farmers Arms down the road from my house

View Larger Map

More to follow after doing some work

If you have a 2 mins enter your fave 5 here

The five on my list that I would go to again in a flash are..

1) The Goat Major In Cardiff
2) The Black Boy Pub in Winchester
3) The Philharmonic Dining Rooms, Liverpool
4) The Volunteer, London
5) Otley Arms/Bunch of Grapes Treforest/Pontypridd

of course the Welsh ones I go to quite often.

What’s On Tap is a project that me and Rob came up with, but Rob has done most of the work, I just meet him in pubs to talk about it, but he will be the driving force in getting it launched and the future development as I have something called shed week taking up my 5 to 9 time, so if you see him buy him a pint, he deserves it.

The Otley arms does not pull any punches it serves quality real ale and all the favorite keg beers to an audience that’s either students and locals or the odd person who pops in depends on the time of the year.

If you like an old fashion pub then you may think you are getting one from the outside

But the Otley has gone through so many internal changes over the years that It does not really know what it is.

But I think that’s what gives it its unique charm, Pool for the students, great jukebox, good food the Sunday lunches are what you would expect and more – many tellys and a biog screen for football/rugby when the big matches on… and some great odd regulars who never seem to leave.

The saving grace and the reason I always seem to return if I get off the train at treforest is the quality of the beer, there is always at least two award winning otley beers on tap (yes they brew their own up the valleys) – mostly the excellent O1 (£2 a pint currently) and whatever they are brewing at the moment like OG a stronger brother to O1.

The guest beers they have on are normally of good quality and wide ranging but the price is something you would be-used to in the city unless you are a holder of an Otley card or a O badge were you will get a discount.

One of the beat beers they do is called ColumbO but this was not on on my recent visit, in fact it’s one of my favorite beers from the last few years, if your local serves it then grab a pint.

If you want a proper history to the Otley then beer “know it all” Arfur Daley has a post somewhere online

Beers on today include Brewseters Red Hop Lover, DangleBeery & Brains own Bread of Heaven.

Later in the Week (or when the have gone ) they have the Lovely Brew Dog Trashy Blonde

If you are in Cardiff this week it’s worth popping over the Goat (which is near the Castle) as it’s what Cardiff Pubs used to be like.

You can now Follow the Goat Major on Twitter thanks to GdnCardiff for the heads up.

I said I wanted a nice Porter this festival and I was not dissapointed, Caledonian double dark oatmeal stout

Maybe I should have left that for the end as my pallet was just tasting wheaty lovelyness for all the other brews.

Then a sip of Simon’s – Purity -Pure Gold

This was lovely and a session beer from heaven… I will try and get a full pint later.

I then had a half (well it’s was lunchtime) of Pier Ale from RCH brewery, it was very drinkable at 5% but could not get the zesty lemony finish it’s supposed to have (must have been the Porter)

Other beers available but not tasted (did not go upstairs they may have had more)

had this before in Liverpool, a unique beer

Davenport’s Last minute Cask Lager – nice to see a Lager on…

Wadworths Fairport Five, It’s Simon home brewery and he said that’s it’s Wadworth as soon as he tasted it… so worth a visit.

I think the next few weeks will be very good! but may try their 3 1/3 of a pint tasters until I find my session beer for the festival which after one taste would be Purity-Pure Gold!!

Tomorrow I will venture to the other City Centre ‘Spoons pub the Prince of Wales, but with a riot squad in tow I hope it’s £1.69 a pint there as some reports (thanks @avw) that it’s £1.79 in some Welsh Pubs, whats your local ‘spoons doing the festival beers for?

Today is the start of their 30th anniversary Beer festival (28 Oct–15 Nov 2009) and around the country they will be having up to 50 beers on I hope some of my favourites are served in the pubs of Cardiff , I have had a few of these already this week (O’HANLON’S RED ALE and COTLEIGH LONG-EARED OWL) as they have put them on – but looking forward to the Porters.. I will tweet later #SpoonsBeer to say which ones my locals have, so if you are on twitter why not say which of the list below your local has as well..

01 ADNAMS PALE CHAMPION ALE 3.4% ABV
02 JW LEES SUPERNOVA 3.5% ABV
03 GALBRAITH’S MR G’S LUNCHEON ALE 3.7% ABV
04 CLARK’S RESURRECTION ALE 3.8% ABV
05 PURITY PURE GOLD 3.8% ABV
06 TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH ALES RED TORPEDO 3.8% ABV
07 EXMOOR ANTLER 4% ABV
08 NAMYSLOW ORIGINAL PLUM BEER 4% ABV
09 TOM WOOD’S SCARECROW 4.0% ABV
10 BATEMANS IRON LADY 4.1% ABV
11 GREENE KING BOSS HOGG BITTER 4.1% ABV
12 LANCASTER BLONDE 4.1% ABV
13 ST AUSTELL GEORGE’S TIPPLE 4.1% ABV
14 BUTCOMBE OLD VIC 4.2% ABV
15 COACH HOUSE OLD WHARF BITTER 4.2% ABV
16 HARVIESTOUN DEER HUNTER 4.2% ABV
17 THORNBRIDGE PIONEER 4.2% ABV
18 SPINNING DOG BRASS IN POCKET 4.3% ABV
19 YORK COPPERGATE 4.3% ABV
20 BANKS & TAYLOR BAT’S HAT 4.4% ABV
21 LEEDS GATHERING STORM 4.4% ABV
22 SHEPHERD NEAME DAMBUSTER 4.4% ABV
23 TOSHI’S AMBER ALE 4.4% ABV
24 WOODFORDE’S DRAGON HALL BITTER 4.4% ABV
25 DAVENPORTS LAST MINUTE 4.5% ABV
26 OAKLEAF OLD NAVY CUSTOM 4.5% ABV
27 O’HANLON’S RED ALE 4.5% ABV
28 THWAITES LIBERATION ALE 4.5% ABV
29 TITANIC ANOTHER PINT IN THE WALL 4.5% ABV
30 WELLS BANANA BREAD BEER 4.5% ABV
31 WOOD’S HOLY COW 4.5% ABV
32 CALEDONIAN DOUBLE DARK 4.6% ABV
33 EVAN EVANS SBA 4.6% ABV
34 HILDEN SCULLION’S IRISH ALE 4.6% ABV
35 JENNINGS COCKER HOOP 4.6% ABV
36 BATH HEFEWIEZEN HARED 4.7% ABV
37 MORDUE NEWCASTLE COFFEE PORTER 4.7% ABV
38 RINGWOOD FILLY DRIFT 4.7% ABV
39 BURTON BRIDGE DAFT BURTON ALE 4.8% ABV
40 MOORHOUSE’S BLACK PANTHER 4.8% ABV
41 PURKMISTR BOHEMIAN SCHWARZBIER 4.8% ABV
42 COTLEIGH LONG-EARED OWL 4.9% ABV
43 CAINS FINE RAISIN BEER 5.0% ABV
44 PORT GRUMPY’S PALE ALE 5.0% ABV
45 JRCH PIER ALE 5.0% ABV
46 WADWORTH FAIRPORT FIVE 5.0% ABV
47 WHITE HORSE VOLUND’S HAMMER 5.0% ABV
48 EVERARDS OLD ORIGINAL 5.2% ABV
49 DALESIDE MOROCCO ALE 5.5% ABV
50 ANKER GOUDEN CAROLUS AMBRIO 8.0% ABV

Breweries

1. Adnams Brewery, Suffolk | www.adnams.co.uk
2. JW Lees Brewery, Manchester | www.jwlees.co.uk
3. Galbraith’s Brewery, New Zealand | www.alehouse.co.nz
4. Clark’s Brewery, West Yorkshire | www.hbclark.co.uk
5. Purity Brewery, Warwickshire | www.puritybrewing.com
6. Traditional Scottish Ales, Stirlingshire | www.traditionalscottishales.co.uk
7. Exmoor Ales, Wiveliscombe, Somerset | www.exmoorales.co.uk
8. Browar Namyslow, Poland | www.namyslow.com.pl
9. Highwood Brewery, Lincolnshire | www.tom-wood.com
10. Batemans Brewery, Lincolnshire | www.bateman.co.uk
11. Greene King Brewery, Suffolk | www.greeneking.co.uk
12. Lancaster Brewery, Lancashire | www.lancasterbrewery.co.uk
13. St Austell Brewery, Cornwall | www.staustellbrewery.co.uk
14. Butcombe Brewery, Somerset | www.butcombe.com
15. Coach House Brewery, Cheshire | www.coach-house-brewing.co.uk
16. Harviestoun Brewery, Clackmannanshire | www.harviestoun.com
17. Thornbridge Brewery, Derbyshire | www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk
18. Spinning Dog Brewery, Herefordshire | www.spinningdogbrewery.co.uk
19. York Brewery, Yorkshire | www.york-brewery.co.uk
20. B & T Brewery, Bedfordshire | www.banksandtaylor.com
21. Leeds Brewery, West Yorkshire | www.leedsbrewery.co.uk
22. Shepherd Neame Brewery, Kent | www.shepherd-neame.co.uk
23. Toshi Ishii, Japan | no Web site at present
24. Woodforde’s Brewery, Norfolk | www.woodfordes.co.uk
25. Highgate Brewery, West Midlands | www.highgatebrewery.com
26. Oakleaf Brewery, Hampshire | www.oakleafbrewing.co.uk
27. O’Hanlon’s Brewery, Devon | www.ohanlonsbeer.com
28. Thwaites Brewery, Lancashire | www.thwaites.co.uk
29. Titanic Brewery, Staffordshire | www.titanicbrewery.co.uk
30. Wells & Young’s Brewery, Bedfordshire | www.wellsandyoungs.co.uk
31. Wood Brewery, Shropshire | www.woodbrewery.co.uk
32. Caledonian Brewery, Edinburgh | www.caledonian-brewery.co.uk
33. Evan Evans Brewery, Carmarthenshire | www.evan-evans.com
34. Hilden Brewery, County Antrim | www.hildenbrewery.co.uk
35. Jennings Brewery, Cumbria | www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk
36. Bath Ales, Bristol | www.bathales.com
37. Mordue Brewery, Tyne and Wear | www.morduebrewery.com
38. Ringwood Brewery, Hampshire | www.ringwoodbrewery.co.uk
39. Burton Bridge Brewery, Staffordshire | www.burtonbridgebrewery.co.uk
40. Moorhouse’s Brewery, Lancashire | www.moorhouses.co.uk
41. Purkmistr Brewery, Czech Republic | www.purkmistr.cz
42. Cotleigh Brewery, Somerset | www.cotleighbrewery.com
43. Cains Brewery, Merseyside | www.cainsbeers.com
44. Port Brewery, California | www.portbrewing.com
45. RCH Brewery, Somerset | www.rchbrewery.com
46. Wadworth Brewery, Wiltshire | www.wadworth.co.uk
47. White Horse Brewery, Oxfordshire | www.whitehorsebrewery.com
48. Everards Brewery, Leicestershire | www.everards.co.uk
49. Daleside Brewery, North Yorkshire | www.dalesidebrewery.com
50. Brouwerij Het Anker, Belgium | www.hetanker.be

You can download the tasthing notes from the ‘spoons website (PDF here)