Cider Pub Guide to Mid Wales
From Ukcider
Including the counties of Montgomery, Radnor, Brecon, and Merioneth. 15 (operational) pubs listed so far.
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Abercraf
- Ancient Briton, Brecon Road, Penycae, Abercraf SA9 1YY. Tel: 01639 730273.
Westons Old Rosie and Thatchers Gold. Friendly roadside inn on the A4067 (Swansea-Brecon road) just north of Abercraf, on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons. Unspectacular but decent food: curries a speciality.
Brecon
- Boar's Head, Ship Street, Brecon LD3 9AL. Tel: 01874 622856.
Westons 1st Quality and Addlestones. Large 2 roomed pub, with smaller "locals" bar to the front, with the main set of Hand pumps (Beers from the Breconshire Brewery); and the larger back bar with the Cider Hand Pump. May occasionally stock Gwynt y Ddraig ciders. Large riverside garden/patio to the rear. One of the 'unofficial' Jazz Festival venues.
Also - other pubs in the town occasionally do real cider, try the Drover's Arms in Llanfaes or the Clarence on the Watton as starting points.
Crickhowell
- Nantyffin Cider Mill, Brecon Road, Crickhowell, Mid Wales NP8 1SG. Tel: 01873 810775. Pub website.
Top quality food pub of over 17 years standing serving "...only real draught ciders...".
Really? Don't be fooled by the name: Addlestones, Stowford Press or Old Rosie seems to be the limit of choice (29/05/07). Didn't seem interested in our queries about cider (or the beer that we settled for...) just on whether we'd be dining or not - we couldn't afford the prices. More like a fake themed restaurant than a cider mill. Disappointing - wasted journey, didn't bother taking a photo.
Can't really understand what the above person is talking about- fake, did you seen the dining room ? - we love this place 3 ciders on tap (very rare) in these parts, amazing food and i would imagine it was packed out with folk. Don't think it would survive these days as a boozer without a chimney pot in sight !!!
Our observations were made purely on the lack of 'real' cider (apart from the ubiquitous Old Rosie) which you would not expect from something calling itself a "cider mill". We were not interested in the unused cider mill fittings or architecture - if these are merely 'there' and not being used (i.e. like stone apple mills and painted ploughs decorating folk's front gardens) they hold no interest for us. It wasn't packed either. Just our opinion of course, just as you are welcome to yours. I'm sure it's great as a dining experience.
- Vine Tree, just over the bridge (left at the lights) between Llangattock and Crickhowell on the A4077. NP8 1HG Tel 01873 810 514
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Pub/Restaurant with excellent food and beer, and cider made exclusively for the pub. The cider is claimed to be organic and is (unfortunately?) kept in the fridge in 1 x litre glass bottles (29/05/07). The cider was delicious when allowed to reach a reasonable temperature; dark golden brown, dry and very tasty. Landlady would only say that "...it is made within a mile of here..." when asked for more details. It's marked up on the chalkboard, along with a local organic mead - same producer perhaps?
Glasbury
- Hollybush Inn, between Glasbury and Hay-on-Wye. Tel: 01497 847371.
Attractive, isolated country pub with grounds leading down to the Wye. Good range of draught Westons (cider and perry). Has a good reputation for its food, but when I visited, the chef had walked out/been fired (there was some dispute about which...) and there was nothing on offer! On the B-road between Glasbury and Hay.
Hay-on-Wye
- Kilvert's Hotel, The Bullring, Hay-on-Wye HR3 5AG. Tel: 01497 821042
Dunkerton's Organic 'Black Fox' (7.0% ABV) bottled Cider. Excellent, reasonably-priced food and outdoor seating on the square. Don't be misled by the hotel name - this is a real pub.
- Rose & Crown, Broad Street, Hay-on-Wye HR3 5DB (Tel: 01497 820435)
Down-to-earth locals' pub with Westons' Herefordshire Country Perry on draught (plus Aston Manor Kingstone Press).
- Three Tuns, Broad Street, Hay-on-Wye HR3 5DB (pub website)
Recently re-opened following a devestating fire, the pub is now much changed and expanded from it's former life as a one room cider house. The Autumn 2007 edition of 'Hereford Hopvine', the newsletter of Hereford CAMRA, report that the pub now offers up to three real ales, plus two ciders from Westons.
Knighton
- Harry Tuffin Ltd Knighton, Powys, Wales, LD7 1DA
If anyone lives within striking distance of Knighton in Powys the local supermarket, Harry Tuffins, is worth a visit. They have a range of Westons products but best of all they stock Gwatkins !! The bottled single variety range, Kingston Black, Foxwelp, Norman, Stoke red (my favourite!!) and also his Blakeney Perry. A marvelous range of bottled beers too.... HT's is a great store who keep many other weird and wonderful things that you didn't know were still available. Regards Ni.
"Based in Churchstoke, Montgomeryshire we also have branches in Knighton, Craven Arms, and Bishop's castle."
Llanthony
- Llanthony Priory (Abbey Hotel), Llanthony, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 7NN
Thatcher's 'Gold' (electric pump).
- Half Moon Inn - Llanthony, Abergavenny NP7 7NN. Tel: 01873 890611. E-mail: halfmoon@llanthony.wanadoo.co.uk Web site: halfmoon-llanthony.co.uk
Draught Addlestones - very welcome on a long walk through this glorious area, Quiet stone pub in intensely rural surroundings. Now has westons stowford press cider and bottles of bulmers cider. I think three ciders now tick all the boxs a great little old world pub with 3 lots of real ale to get on with and a great camp site near by to sleep it all off ? Good down to earth pub grub at good prices. Great veiws of the black mountans and the pub does B & B. well worth a try for a weekend.
New Radnor
- Radnor Arms, Broad Street, New Radnor, Powys LD8 2SP. Tel: 01544 350232.
Draught Ralphs (delicious!), Westons-in-a-box, and draught Thatchers (plus Strongbow and GL if you must). Excellent village pub - generally quiet though seems to attract hordes of bikers on occasion. Good ham eggs & chips.
- Old Badland Farm. Tel: 01544 350304.
Ralph's Cider with off-licence.
Talgarth
- New Inn, Bronllys Road, Talgarth LD3 0HH. Tel: 01874 711581.
Stowford Press, Strongbow, Magners, plus occasional polypins of Old Rosie + others (when available.)
Friendly atmosphere, Fine Real Ales, Home Made Food.
Talybont-on-Usk
- Star Inn, Talybont-on-Usk LD3 7YX. Tel: 01874 676635.
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Cider varies: has included Westons Old Rosie, Moles Black Rat and Dunkertons Organic Scrumpy on our visits. Busy canalside pub, popular with locals. Live music on occasion, real fire, and good honest food. Accommodation. Just off the Taff Trail (National Cycle Network route 8) and an ideal base for walking in the Brecon Beacons. Excellent (and wide) range of real ales too. A real pub with an ambience to match - don't expect too many frills.
- White Hart, Talybont-on-Usk LD3 7JD. Tel: 01874 676227.
Thatchers Heritage. The most touristy of the four pubs in Talybont, but in a great location with very pleasant canalside seating. There's a bunkhouse attached, too.
The Usk Inn is rumoured to do real cider, too: haven't tried it yet. (- Neither have we - had just closed when we got there!)
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