The latest 'Iechyd Da' beer column from brewer Simon Buckley

The latest Iechyd Da beer column written by Simon Buckley, chief executive of the Llandeilo-based Evan-Evans brewery, for the Carmarthen Journal . . . 

Last week I was told that winter was behind us. Spring was in the air . . .
The evenings are certainly getting lighter and the weather in general is much milder. So what are those dark clouds on the horizon?
This week, I have wondered whether a career in brewing is worth the constant criticism.
Our Prime Minister attacks our industry, our doctors and surgeons attack our industry, and in the mean-time our politicians agree further taxes that will again emasculate our pubs and the rural communities that they serve.
So why battle on?
The answer is simple –
We have not battled the changes in our industry over the last few years to let our ‘here today and gone tomorrow’ politicians destroy an age old industry that people travel the world to experience.
You do not hear politicians in Dublin attack a cherished part of their heritage, the great Irish pub, do you?
So why here?
A series of governments have destroyed our indigenous traditional industries and we now have a generation of young people who have never worked.
In the short term, they are unlikely to find jobs.
So, with nothing to look forward to, they turn to cheap alcohol.
That’s no reason, however, to let people blame us brewers for what is not of our making.
Our politicians and journalists must stop whipping the 95 per cent of society who behave sensibly in drink and respect their fellow customers.
We need our government to stand up and stop attacking the professional licensees in this country and to acknowledge the important part that our great Welsh pubs play in the economy.
We have to work to get our politicians to understand what we do in our industry and to understand that, until our politicians get a high dose of testosterone that gives them the courage to tackle the supermarkets (and to stop them destroying our society), we will suffer the problem of minority binge drinkers.
We need to focus our efforts on making our great Welsh pubs even better, making sure that when people come out they have a great time, receive high levels of service. Those that don’t want that must be quietly turned away.
Now is not the time for being gloomy. But an occasional reality check makes the good things even better.
I started the year with the belief that we were set to have a good year - and I still believe that we can.
Our order book is chocker for the spring and summer and this week I hope to conclude a bottling contract that will keep my son James and his team busy for the rest of this year.
With our success comes opportunity for others and I hope that we will be able to offer those wanting a career a series of new jobs that will give them hope for the future and a sense of purpose.
In two weeks’ time I am off to the United States. No more false starts, boots on, Cwrw in the pot and the first time in 200 years that a Welsh beer has been brewed in the States. I can’t wait!