Ble i fwyta yn Y Fenni dros yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol

eisteddfod

Byddwch yn dod i’r Fenni am yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr wythnos yma? Croeso!
Dw i wedi byw yn Y Fenni am bymtheng mlynedd – a dyma rhai o’r lleoedd gorau i fwyta o gwmpas y dref:

The Hardwick, yn Hardwick ger Y Fenni
Mae’r cogydd Stephen Terry’n enwog am ddefnyddio mwyd lleol. Mae’r bwyd yr Hardwick yn syml ac yn flasus iawn. Rhaid i chi archebu bwrdd ‘na – mae’r Hardwick yn boblogaidd iawn gydag ymwelwyr a phobol leol.

The Angel, Stryd y Croes
Mae’r Angel yn enwog am fwyta gwych a the yn y prynhawn. Dewiswch o’r fwydlen a la carte, neu archebu bwrdd am de gyda brechdanau gwych a chacennau.

Marches Deli, Heol Nevill
Perffaith am brynu cigoedd a chawsai lleol, gwînau o Sir Fynwy, brechdanau, a photelau’r cwrw Iechyd Da.

Gurkha Corner, Stryd Nevill
Bwyd o Nepal ydy’r arbenigedd y bwyty yma. Trio’r ‘daal bhat’ (reis a chorbys) ac yr ‘achar’ (siytni).
Mae’r cogydd yn paratoi’r perlysiau a sbeisys yn forter carreg a phestl, fel sy’n draddodiadol yn Nepal Mae hwn yn gan roi blas unigryw i’r fwyd.

Fig Tree Espresso, Stryd Nevill
Coffi gwych, te, tartenni sawrus, a chacennau blasus.

Hoffi Coffi, Stryd Nevill
Caffi newydd sy’n gweini coffi, te, cacennau, a brechdanau.

The Trading Post, Stryd Nevill
Coffi gwych, te, brechdanau ffres, a chacennau.

Cwtch Café, Stryd y Croes
Coffi a the da, cacennau gwych, ac mae’r caffi yma’n enwog am grempogau.

Luigi’s, Stryd y Croes
Caffi traddodiadol Eidaleg sy’n gweini te, coffi, cwrw, gwin, a mwyd Cymraeg ac Eidaleg.

Boonta Too, Stryd y Croes
Bwyty Thai poblogaidd iawn gyda’r bobl Sir Fynwy ydy Boonta Too. Does dim trwydded alcohol am y bwyty yma – felly rhaid i chi ddod â chwrw neu gwîn.

For The Love Of Cake, Stryd Frogmore
Caffi anhygwyl sy’n gweini te, coffi, brechdanau, a chacennau a gwneud â llaw.

Lazy Days Café, Stryd Frogmore
Mae’r caffi’n drws nesaf i siop cigydd ac yn enwog am cigaoedd – yn frechdanau a chiniawau rhost.

Pizzorante, Stryd y Farchnad
Bwyty gwych am bitsa – poblogaidd iawn gyda’r bobl Y Fenni.
Ac ar y maes…

Edrychwch am y cwrw’r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol ar werth ar y maes o’r bragdy Mad Dog. Cwrw coch gyda’r blas o siocled ac sydd oren ydy Iechyd Da. Darllenwch mwy am Mad Dog ac yr Eisteddfod yma.

Digwyddiadau’r wythnos.

Mad Dog Brewing has the recipe for success

Passionate brewer Alexis Jones has been cooking up a great 2016 for his company, Mad Dog Brewing.

The Goytre company is currently brewing the official beer for the National Eisteddfod 2016 which will be staged in nearby Abergavenny. Europe’s biggest cultural festival is expected to welcome 160,000 visitors between July 29 and August 6.

He’s also poised to take on his first two staff, both experienced brewers, and to expand into a nearby unit as his business grows. He also has plans to open a family venue in Abergavenny.

The company’s beers can now be bought across South Wales. Mad Dog Brewing supplies Wetherspoon’s pubs from Llanelli in the west to the English border in Monmouthshire.

It’s a DIY success story born from home-brewing in his kitchen after watching a number of videos on YouTube. After learning his trade, qualifying in microbiology for brewing, and working for a brewery in Caerphilly, he started his own company just two years ago.

Now, he’s begun his eight brews of the Eisteddfod beer Iechyd Da, a red ale which tastes of oranges and chocolate and has a spicy finish on the tongue.

“It’s clean and crisp and is 4.1%,” he says.

The beer has a lower AVB than some other craft ales because it is designed to be a refreshing drink for the Eisteddfod maes, where Mad Dog will have a bar. It will also be sold in bars in South Wales.

The brewery is making 160 casks for the festival, along with 1,000 500ml bottles.

Iechyd Da will be launched at The Bridge in Llanfoist on June 4 – and Alexis will also be showing off one of his most popular beers, Bohemian Hipster.

“I was asked to brew the beer by Monmouthshire Council. When I first got the email, I thought it was a wind-up, but I went to a meeting two days later and found out it was serious,” Alexis says.

“As well as having a bar on the Eisteddfod field, we’ll be staging a brewing demonstration on the first Saturday of the festival.”

The event will provide a huge audience for Mad Dog’s beers – and a massive boost to the company’s profile.

The secret to Mad Dog’s success is the fact Alexis is a perfectionist who uses unusual and local produce, like juniper berries and granola, as part of the brewing process to create unusual and delicious tastes.

2016-05-20-11-16-53_resized — Brewing begins on Iechyd Da

The brewery carries out a pilot brew on its ales as they perfect the recipes, ensuring all its beers meet Alexis’s exacting standards. Even its used mash doesn’t go to waste – it becomes cattle feed for a nearby beef farm.

The brewery is planning its own beer festival with guest ales from around the UK in September at its site in Goytre, to raise funds for mental health charity MIND.

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In July, Mad Dog will also be involved in a ‘tap takeover’ at Cardiff’s Urban Tap House, and Alexis is in the process of planning a Christmas event too.

“Our two new brewers start work in the next few months, which will help us meet the growing demand for our beers,” Alexis says.

He can’t reveal more details about his plan for an Abergavenny venue as yet – watch this space!

For more details about Mad Dog’s beers go to http://maddogbrew.co.uk/

Maria Williams is a copywriter, professional blogger, and PR for small business: www.wordsyoucanuse.co.uk

UPDATED: Sup a new red ale to support Wales in the Six Nations

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UPDATE: Monmouthshire brewery Mad Dog has been chosen to create the official beer for this year’s National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny.

Founder Alexis Jones says the decision was made by Monmouthshire County Council and the Eisteddfod board. The ale will use Welsh ingredients, and, like its Six Nations ale, it will be red.

Cwrw Steddfod will be available in cask and bottles in pubs in Mid and South Wales, and there are plans for a brewing demonstration at the July event.

Six Nations ale goes red for Wales:

If you want to show your Six Nations support for the Welsh rugby team while supping a local craft ale, the Mad Dog brewery has come up with your perfect tipple.

The brewery based in Penperlleni near Abergavenny has brewed a Welsh cask ale called Scrum Sox which it is distributing to a select group of pubs. In honour of Warren Gatland’s side, it’s red.

Brewer Alexis Jones says the ale is made using chocolate rye malt, which gives it the distinctive colour.

“I’ve made about 1,000 litres, and it will be available in the Boar’s Head, Brecon, the Horseshoe in Mamhilad, and the John Fielding in Cwmbran,” he said.

Mad Dog has made a name for itself by creating delicious craft ales from unusual ingredients, many of which are sourced locally. Its All Day Breakfast granola stout, available between October and March, uses handmade granola from the Wye Valley.

all_day_granola_stout_bottle

Afternoon Sunshine, which has citrus notes, is an American Pale ale which is dry-hopped to the finish. Alexis said this is to give the beer “extra bark”.

Full-bodied stout John Peel, available between September and March, is infused with fresh orange peel, and is named after one of Alexis’ musical heroes.

“I listened to John Peel’s programme when I used to drive a truck,” he said.

john_peel_bottle

Submissible Anarchy, available between September and March, is a golden crafted ale made with local honey, and added flavours of citrus and juniper berries.

A keen home brewer whose passion for creating beer was re-ignited by YouTube videos, Alexis learned his craft at Caerphilly’s Celt Experience brewery. He also completed a microbiology course in beer at Brew Lab.

He started Mad Dog Brewing Company Ltd in October 2014, initially creating four beers from his home kitchen – Afternoon Sunshine, Bark Like A Bird, Dirty Dog, and Now In A Minute.

He moved the brewery to a unit in Penperlleni in February 2015. The business has taken off, and now he’s expanding, and hopes to take on two members of staff.

A number of Mad Dog’s bottled beers are available in a number of shops as well as cask ale being available in pubs.

“We’ve got around 26 different wholesalers situated across the UK,” Alexis said. Close to home, the beer is sold at The Marches Deli in Abergavenny.

Find out more about the beers at http://maddogbrew.co.uk/beer-range/

Customers can buy the brewery’s bottled beer, including John Peel, Now In A Minute, Bohemian Hipster, and It’s All Propaganda, online at http://maddogbrew.co.uk/shop or through Beer Revolution http://www.beerrevolution.co.uk/

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Maria Williams is a professional blogger, copywriter, and PR for small business. Visit www.wordsyoucanuse.co.uk