The quest for the perfect pint is finally over.<\/p>\n
The award-winning Llangollen Brewery has created a new beer called Holy Grail Ale.<\/p>\n
It’s been inspired by a local legend involving the great Cistercian abbey of Valle Crucis and Dinas Bran Castle, on the hilltop towering over the town.<\/p>\n
According to the story, the castle is the final resting place for the Holy Grail, the cup that Christ drank from at the Last Supper and that there is a tunnel all the way down to the abbey below.<\/p>\n
Holy Grail Ale will be launched at Hamper Llangollen 2012, the annual food and drink festival on Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21.<\/p>\n
The brewery is\u00a0 aiming to quadruple production this year and the new beer is central to their expansion plans.<\/p>\n
But they would probably have needed even more capacity had the monks been around still – they each drank up to eight pints a day.<\/p>\n
The idea for Holy Grail Ale came to head brewer Ynyr Jeffreys-Evans\u00a0 came after reading a book called, The Keys to Avalon.<\/p>\n
Author and historian Steve Blake claims there is evidence from modern Grail myths that Joseph of Arimathea came to North Wales.<\/p>\n
Steve said: “These Grail romances actually state that Joseph of Arimathea landed in Nor Gales, which is North Wales, and was captured by the King of the region Crudel.<\/p>\n
“On being rescued by Avalwch, after whom Avalon is reputedly named after, he travelled to Castle Corbenic where the Holy Grail was kept for safe keeping.<\/p>\n
“Corbenic is French for crow or raven which, when translated back into Welsh becomes Castell Dinas Br\u00e2n, the spectacular ruin which overlooks the town of Llangollen.”<\/p>\n
Roger Farnham, Lead Custodian at Valle Crucis Abbey, which is looked after by the ancient monuments organisation, Cadw, was delighted to hear about the new beer.<\/p>\n
The 13th century abbey is a popular destination for visitors with up to 10,000 people making a pilgrimage there every year.<\/p>\n
Roger said: “Some people believe there\u2019s a tunnel leading from here up to Dinas Bran.<\/p>\n
“I love the idea of the legend living on in the form of this new beer. The monks enjoyed a drop of beer, they drank eight pints a day because they couldn’t trust the water.<\/p>\n
“The beer had a very low alcohol content – the term small beer is named after what monks used to drink.<\/p>\n
“I think they would have approved of Holy Grail Ale because there would have been brewery here, right next door to the church.”<\/p>\n
Ynyr is in partnership with his cousin, Steven Evans, who has been the landlord of the Abbey Grange Hotel for more than 25 years and is also a real ale aficionado.<\/p>\n
He said: “We started the brewery which is based next door to the hotel about five years ago.<\/p>\n
“It’s got to the point where we need to increase the capacity again,\u00a0 so this October we\u2019ll be going four times bigger to cope with demand.<\/p>\n
“All of our bitters are traditional whereas Holy Grail Ale is a new style of bitter, it’s a lighter, more citrusy style of bitter – and very refreshing. This one is going to be about four per cent proof.<\/p>\n
“The reaction we have had to our tasting sessions has been phenomenally positive, I believe the quest for the perfect pint is finally over.<\/p>\n
“We chosen to launch Holy Grail Ale at the food festival because it is such an important event for us.<\/p>\n
“It provides us with a public showcase and an opportunity for people to taste our beers.<\/p>\n
“There is a growing demand for real honest to goodness beer so we have high hopes for Holy Grail Ale. We’re confident it will take off really well.”<\/p>\n
It will be one of a host of fine beers being featured at this year’s festival which is supported by the rural development agency, Cadwyn Clwyd.<\/p>\n
Cadwyn Clwyd\u2019s contribution came via the Rural Development Fund for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.<\/p>\n
Starring at this year’s event will be a trio of Wales’s top chefs.<\/p>\n
Graham Tinsley, the star of ITV’s Taste the Nation and a former captain of the Welsh Culinary Team, will be joined in the show kitchen by S4C favourite Dudley Newberry.<\/p>\n
Completing the hat-trick will be the ever popular Dai Chef, who is returning to the event after an absence of several years.<\/p>\n
Robert Price, <\/strong>Cadwyn Clwyd’s agri-food project officer, said: “In addition to many favourites, we have lots of new food producers wanting to come this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks to a whole host of indigenous companies, North East Wales is rapidly establishing a reputation as a centre of excellence for high quality cuisine.<\/p>\n \u201cThe food festival is a perfect shop window for the companies who form the backbone of our rural economy.<\/p>\n “The location of the Pavilion is absolutely\u00a0 spectacular – I can’t imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting.”<\/p>\n For more information about Hamper Llangollen 2012 visit www.llangollenfoodfestival.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n