In which we explore a little bit of Cardiff, just to the west of the centre, visiting a brewery, a proper pub, a micro and a craft cellar that's not in the cellar.
From the railway station we walked alongside the Millennium Stadium, crossed the river, then navigated the side-streets into the area that I guess is Pontcanna.
Along Kings Road, somewhere, was a brewery tap...
Pipes Brewery (183a Kings Road, Cardiff, CF11 9DF - web)
This is a venue to tackle in good weather (as we were fortunate to have) with there being no indoor seating and little in the way of shelter. As you head down the yard there are several small independent businesses serving food and coffee, with Pipes at the far end, the brewing equipment visible behind the bar counter.
Under the blue skies, with a hum of chatter and folk relaxing with their Bohemian Pilsners, it was all feeling very Continental.
Ahhh...sitting in the sun with my 6% red IPA - what could possibly go wrong?!
The Romilly (69-71 Romilly Crescent, Cardiff, CF11 9NQ - web)
From the railway station we walked alongside the Millennium Stadium, crossed the river, then navigated the side-streets into the area that I guess is Pontcanna.
Along Kings Road, somewhere, was a brewery tap...
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| There's a brewery down there somewhere |
This is a venue to tackle in good weather (as we were fortunate to have) with there being no indoor seating and little in the way of shelter. As you head down the yard there are several small independent businesses serving food and coffee, with Pipes at the far end, the brewing equipment visible behind the bar counter.
Under the blue skies, with a hum of chatter and folk relaxing with their Bohemian Pilsners, it was all feeling very Continental.
Ahhh...sitting in the sun with my 6% red IPA - what could possibly go wrong?!
Pipes proved to be quite a winner for a laid-back sunny afternoon option.
I had a superb Cauli-Power burger from the Lazy Leek vegan burger shack, which I somehow managed to eat without getting into too much of a mess.
Full of food and boozy IPA, in the warm sunshine, I'd be in danger of dozing off if we didn't make a move.
So we made the decision: enough craft beer in plastic pots. It was time for a proper pub....
I had a superb Cauli-Power burger from the Lazy Leek vegan burger shack, which I somehow managed to eat without getting into too much of a mess.
Full of food and boozy IPA, in the warm sunshine, I'd be in danger of dozing off if we didn't make a move.
So we made the decision: enough craft beer in plastic pots. It was time for a proper pub....
I'd had my fill of al fresco drinking at this point, electing not to join the majority of customers in the back garden. Although this meant feeling a little lonely and side-lined from the action, with only a half dozen punters spread throughout the rooms inside.
Marston's have recently taken over the running of Brains pubs, so 'Pedigree' appeared on the handpumps alongside Brains 'Best' and 'Rev. James'. A best bitter for me, taken to the front room with a view of the football on TV.
Marston's have recently taken over the running of Brains pubs, so 'Pedigree' appeared on the handpumps alongside Brains 'Best' and 'Rev. James'. A best bitter for me, taken to the front room with a view of the football on TV.
Someone came to check what was playing on the jukebox -'Tracsuit Gwyrdd' by Geraint Jarman apparently. He must've liked it, as he returned with some coins and selected to play it again.
And again.
"Not again, it's been on three times now!" complained someone on the other side of the bar when the opening notes rang out for a third time in a row.
And that was our experience of the Romilly - an okay best bitter, Liverpool winning on the tele, Tracsuit Gwyrdd on repeat forever.
Time to set off and find another current Beer Guide entry in the vicinity.
And again.
"Not again, it's been on three times now!" complained someone on the other side of the bar when the opening notes rang out for a third time in a row.
Time to set off and find another current Beer Guide entry in the vicinity.
I really liked the St Canna's - it bucked the micropub trend of converting unappealing modern retail units, instead being in the premises of an old traditional corner shop.
We received a warm and friendly welcome, with a good choice of ales and ciders to pick from.
I've managed to get a picture (yet again) with absolutely no-one in it, but there were actually a fair few folk in the back garden, plus the blokes who arrived and took it in turns to admire our table made of old wooden pallets.
As we left the Ale House and ambled down the street we came upon Crafty Devil's Cellar bar.
"Best beer in Cardiff" promised the chap drinking outside.
And if that hadn't sold it to me...
'Beard Friendly Pub of the Year' award winner - oh, go on then!
Here's the beer-list, names mostly music and rugby-themed...
Mrs PropUptheBar pondered the list for several minutes, then picked the 'Tutti Frutti' that she was always going to have.
I chose the 'Safe as Milk' coffee milk stout, pretending that I'm musically knowledgeable enough to 'get' Captain Beefheart.
The Cellar Bar is confusingly not in a cellar at all, consisting of the busy front bar and a second room to the rear dominated by the football being projected onto one wall. Not being part of the locals gang up front, and not being fussed about the footy, we took our drinks out into the back yard.
I chose the 'Safe as Milk' coffee milk stout, pretending that I'm musically knowledgeable enough to 'get' Captain Beefheart.
The Cellar Bar is confusingly not in a cellar at all, consisting of the busy front bar and a second room to the rear dominated by the football being projected onto one wall. Not being part of the locals gang up front, and not being fussed about the footy, we took our drinks out into the back yard.
And with that, it was time to catch the train back to our Newport base and pop into the Pen & Wig again to see if the Bass was back on.
I used to visit Cardiff fairly often, always sticking to the pubs and bars in the centre, so it had made for a nice change to stroll out this way and find a quartet of very different places.
Next up: we walk around the harbour to see what Penarth has to offer.
I used to visit Cardiff fairly often, always sticking to the pubs and bars in the centre, so it had made for a nice change to stroll out this way and find a quartet of very different places.
Next up: we walk around the harbour to see what Penarth has to offer.
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