A group of six Welsh drink producers are heading to Manchester next week - looking to catch the attention of the UK hospitality sector at the Northern Restaurant & Bar Show 2020 (March 17th & 18th).
Held at Manchester’s Central Convention Complex, the trade event is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for the hospitality and catering industry. The exhibition encompasses all elements of the sector from food and drink to catering equipment, fittings and furnishings.
The group are exhibiting under the auspices of Cywain - a programme that is dedicated to developing new and existing micro-businesses and SMEs in the Welsh food and drink sector.
The Welsh producers will feature over the two days of the Show, and among them are a number of North Wales companies - Angelsey Brewhouse, The Mug Run (Rhyl), Dinorwig Distillery (Caernarfon), and Hafod Brewing Company Ltd (Mold).
Old Coach House Distillery from Monmouth and Cardiff’s Flowerhorn Brewery take the Welsh contingent to six.
The Cywain stand will also showcase several products from members of the Fine Foods Cluster, including Halen Môn, Mountain Mead, Trailhead Fine Food (beef jerky), Cwm Farm (chorizo crisps, and salamis) and Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits (salted pretzels & sea salted crackers).
Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said: “I am very pleased to see Welsh producers will be showcasing at the Northern Restaurant & Bar Show 2020.
“There are hundreds of fantastic food and drink businesses operating in Wales, and those attending the Show are some of the best. Cywain – funded by our Rural Development Programme - is there to help foster and develop businesses just like the ones on show during the event, and to help them realise their potential in the sector.
“As such, we are very pleased such a strong cohort of Welsh businesses will be on hand to show off some of the very best examples of Welsh produce, and help boost Wales’ reputation as the home of some of the best food and drink in the world.”
COMPANIES EXHIBITING ON TUESDAY MARCH 17th
MUG RUN COFFEE ROASTING
Rhyl-based coffee roaster, Tim Parry, has been perfecting his coffee skills since 2013. He prides himself on bringing out the deep flavours of his coffee beans which are ethically sourced from across the world.
A family-run business, Mug Run Coffee Roasting provides speciality grade single-origin and blended coffee. Roasted and ground to perfection, it is available to hospitality and retail customers.
The business is run on the principles of supporting growers, using degradable and reusable packaging and supporting local enterprise wherever possible - whilst providing great coffee!
At Northern Restaurant & Bar, Mug Run will be showing its single-origin and blended coffee tasters and will have examples of packaging - including bespoke projects.
More information: www.mug-run.com
ANGLESEY BREWHOUSE
Anglesey Brewhouse is very much a family affair, combined with a love of their surroundings.
Karen and Phil Chadwick (Mr & Mrs C) manage the sales and production at the Great Taste award-winning brewery, with son Adam Kershaw as head brewer.
There are three hand crafted beers in their core range, and says the family a little bit of Anglesey’s ‘island magic’ goes into every bottle.
Inspired by local sunsets, Rhosneigr IPA (4.6%abv) is a golden medium bodied easy drinking beer. Trearddur Bay ESB (3.8% abv) is an amber and malty brew with a fruity light hop finish. While Beaumaris SPA - a session pale ale at 4.0% ABV – is a blonde crisp and refreshing ale and perfect for a summer’s afternoon.
Encouraged by the success of their core brews they have recently completed the installation of a brand new, purpose built, Ten-Barrel Brewhouse.
More information: Facebook @AngleseyBrewhouse
OLD COACH HOUSE DISTILLERY LTD
Produced in Monmouthshire using traditional methods, GIN-ESQUE® is an exclusively non-alcoholic distilled botanical drink made with organic herbs.
Offering a new ‘totally sans alcohol’ experience; Old Coach House Distillery Ltd’s gin like products have distinctive flavour profiles that are soft on the palate and hold their own when mixed with tonic.
With over 40 years combined experience of working with botanicals, plant biochemist David O’Brien and food scientist Farhana Rahman O’ Brien have created handcrafted distilled botanical drinks free of added flavours, sweeteners, artificial colours and calories.
At the Show, Old Coach House Distillery will be showcasing its two variants - Celtic Myst and Silk Roots.
Celtic Myst is a herbal blend of ‘piney citrusy notes with a hint of rosemary’ and takes inspiration from the Celtic nations.
Silk Roots is an aromatic, warm blend of ‘clove and cardamom with a hint of cinnamon’ drawing inspiration from the Silk Roads.
More information: www.oldcoachhousedistillery.co.uk
COMPANIES EXHIBITING ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 18th
FLOWERHORN BREWERY
Flowerhorn is run by friends, Andrew Traynor and Arran McHugh, who met at university and found they both had a love of craft beer.
Following university, they both got jobs in the brewing industry; and last year, with help from family and friends, they launched Cardiff-based Flowerhorn Brewery. There the pair use high-quality fresh ingredients combined with surreal and distinctive branding (the brewery takes its name from a fish) to create their Flowerhorn beers.
Their core range of 330ml bottled beers includes Capo (5.1% ABV) Citra Pale Ale, Loops (5.7%ABV) Mango Lactose IPA, and Pharmaceutical Stimulant (6.3%ABV) Coffee Milk Stout.
While St David’s Day saw the launch of Flowerhorn’s first one-off beer – Mantis (7%ABV) Passion Fruit IPA. It is made using an experimental new hop strain called Strata, Flowerhorn is believed to be one of the first breweries in the UK to use it.
More information: Instagram @flowerhornbrewery
DINORWIG DISTILLERY
Dinorwig Distillery captures the flavour of the land by using Snowdonia-grown botanicals and mountain well water to create its signature Blue Slate Gin/Jin Llechen Las.
Jessica Eade and Lew Hardy’s tiny distillery is set in the grounds of a former quarry workers cottage, beneath the slate quarries of Dinorwig. There they distil gin in micro-batches using local variety botanicals many of which are grown in their own garden.
The family-run business has succeeded in producing an award-winning, contemporary gin made in the London Dry way and cut to a drinking strength of 42% ABV.
More information: www.dinorwigdistillery.co.uk
HAFOD BREWING COMPANY LTD
Hafod Brewing Company prides itself on its ‘deliciously modern Welsh brewing’.
With his team, owner and head brewer Phill Blanchard produces a diverse range of beautifully balanced cask, keg and bottled ales at the company’s 15-barrel brewhouse in the North Wales market town of Mold.
The brews include the enterprise’s flagship beer - Landmark Best Bitter; the decadent, heather-infused dark ale Moel Famau; and Moldbreaker – a crisp pilsner-style lager.
Joining the trio of favourites at the Northern Restaurant & Bar Show will be Sunrise (session pale ale), Honey Honey (a refreshing pale ale brewed with over 50 kilos of Mexican honey), Bilberry Brew (a fruity copper ale infused with locally foraged Welsh bilberries). While new to the range is Pilgrim, a hoppy pale ale brewed with Pilgrim and Simcoe hops.
More information: www.welshbeer.com