Latest Simon Buckley 'Iechyd Da' column from the Journal

The latest Iechyd Da beer column written by Llandeilo brewer Simon Buckley in the Carmarthen Journal -
Summer now seems virtually over!
Last week, I had the good fortune to host a table at the Parliamentary Beer Group’s annual dinner in Westminster, London.
At the dinner were the great and the good of the brewing industry, from the very biggest to us smaller specialist brewers. There were not many ‘comrades’ from the Welsh brewing scene and it was left to Brains and the Evan-Evans team to fly the flag.
Sadly, the Brains team, led by their Chairman John Rhys, were seen retreating to their hotel rooms early, leaving us as the last brewery team to lock up at the end of the night!
It was a memorable evening, but the tenor of the conversation was one of long-term gloom, and the demise of the brewing industry and the great British pub.
I was forced to do a reality check because that is not what we at Evan-Evans brewery in Llandeilo are experiencing.
Yes, we are having to work harder than ever (I am spending more time travelling looking for new markets for our beer), but our order book for the rest of 2011 is good, with not much room for more.
The truth is that the market has changed, the customer now wants great pubs that are traditional, offer high levels of cleanliness and comfort, and offer good food with a superb selection of crafted guest ales, good service, and value for money. The staff-need to be knowledgeable and polite, not scruffy and discourteous.
This an easy and obvious solution and a simple recipe for success. But how many -times do you go into a pub here in Wales and find these simple things missing? Sadly, all-too often.
How often is the ‘Croeso’ replaced with the skywards lift of an eyebrow?
Last Saturday, I went to Saundersfoot and Tenby, hoping to have a classic glass of ale and a summer seaside experience. The pubs were horrific, blasting loud music, serving cheap and basic food, each one looking as though they needed a damn good clean. Not the Tenby of 20 years ago.
What a contrast, then, to go to London and to visit some of the pubs in the West End. Yes, it’s London and, yes, the beer is hugely expensive by comparison, but here you see pubs that are spotlessly clean, with brasses polished to regimental standards, and staff who really care about the job they are doing.
For years, we have worried about the viability of country pubs, but the country pub now has an opportunity to provide what people are prepared to travel to find.
There’s an opportunity for country pubs, with real winter fires, well-presented and well-cooked home-made food from local producers, with local provenance, to do well. We don’t want steaks that are killed halfway round the world in Argentina; we want local steaks, well hung, properly butchered, and that taste fantastic.
The Evan-Evans brewery website is due to be launched soon on http://www.evan-evans.com/
So, keep an eagle-eye out for the latest news from my brewery.