The latest 'Iechyd' Da' beer column from the Carmarthen Journal

The latest Iechyd Da beer column written by Llandeilo brewer Simon Buckley in the Carmarthen Journal -
Every year I say the same, Abergavenny Food fair is a ‘must attend’ event!
This year was no exception, with some great finds, new food styles and more artisan cheese producers.
But it was disappointing to note that there were not many exhibitors flying the flag for the West Wales food fraternity.
With autumn upon us and the nights fast drawing in, it’s time to get the bottle beers out and to sit down and enjoy the marriage of great ales to great food, and to understand what a marvellous marriage beer makes with food.
Rather than sing the praises of specific brewers, I have decided to set out my stall and go for generic beers and styles, and let you pick the one for the job.
The food, however, is a different matter.
Autumns means different things to different people, but for me it’s about berries, chutneys, and a myriad of stews and mature dishes.
You cannot eat stews or cheese without great bread.
At Abergavenny, you had a wonderful choice of artisan breads, but where can we get them back home?
The answer is: with increasing regularity at farmers’ markets and a few chosen delis that have gone the extra mile and found a specialist baker.
The Olive Branch in Llandeilo is one such shop, with an excellent selection of organic baked breads, crisp, freshly baked and delicious.
So, what’s next? What was fascinating was the increased number of Welsh and Border charcuterie producers, and the butchers producing real pies.
‘Chutney Jeff’, Llandeilo’s Antonio Carluccio of chutneys, tells me this year is going to be an excellent vintage for green bean, plum, and fruit apple chutney.
So armed with this, what did I find at Abergavenny?
Edwards the butchers’ pork pies, were unquestionably the finest I have ever tasted, perfect pastry, crisp, with a lightly-seasoned pork filler. That, and some plum chutney, is a perfect starter to that traditional brewer’s lunch.
To follow, some cave-aged Teifi red cheese from Caws Teifi!
John has again produced a magnificent crumble cheese that melts in the mouth. If that’s not enough, then try the bean and chorizo stew.
So what should we drink with these?
As a brewer of ale, I have a few suggestions, but let’s start with a Perry - Oliver’s Cider from Much Marcle. Look at their website and see the single variety Perry Moorcroft, soft with a hint of tannin but fresh and full of pear fruit.
Find a stout (not Guinness), slightly chilled, and make that your ideal accompaniment to bread and cheese.
But if you want a general all-round drink to quaff and enjoy, then you have to go down the route of finding a premium bitter at 4.7% that is full flavoured and full bodied.
I have just brewed an Archers Empire to go on sale in time for the Carmarthen Beer Festival that, in my mind, fills the slot.
If the beer was a lady, you would call her blousy with underlying character!