Bottle & Barrel, Aberystwyth

This was a new pub for me and it is another one popular with the local students. There is a cosy lounge area overlooking the street at the front, with the bar just behind. To the rear is another area with 3 bench-type tables and some shelves against the walls. Further back is an enclosed outdoor patio at the rear. Students seem to prefer the indoor or outdoor tables to the rear, whilst there was a more mature bunch in the lounge at the front. At the bar, there are a couple of handpulls offering real ales (the pub is in the Good Beer Guide) and a much larger selection of craft beers. There were also a couple of real ciders. All are listed on a screen behind the bar linked to the Untappd app. A fridge near the door also has a further selection of bottles and cans. Real ales on my visit were Purple Moose Solstice & Tiny Rebel Juicy. Ciders were Hunt's Hazy Daisy & Watergull Orchards Cider With Elderflower. Craft beers were Geiper Pilsner, Polly's Fault Lines, Vault City Kirsch of Life, Overtone Momentum, Double-Barrelled Rivers, Schofferhoffer Watermelon Mint, Glasshouse Begin To Bloom, Marble Stout, Zapato Libro De Fabeloj, Below Ohana, Phantom Summer Jam & Wilderness To The Night And Its Stars. This is a decent addition to the bar scene in Aberystwyth and one I definitely hope to re-visit the next time I'm in town.

Official site of Bottle & Barrel - www.bottleandbarrel.cymru

Official site of Bottle & Barrel - www.bottleandbarrel.cymru

Something a little different in the GBG recommendations for this part of the country. A nice little micro - unusually, with some comfy seating. Pleasant owner and his dog, Bella a gorgeous Golden Retriever. Lots of keg and a couple of cask - craving something different, I went for some Keg IPAs and Pales from Neon Raptor and Pollys. Nice selection of welsh bottles for takeaway - which I will export to the west midlands They have a deal with the kitchen/takeaway over the road - so you can order food to be delivered from there. Dressed crab, sourdough and fine craft beer, make for a decent lunch!

My cask was just about drinkable. Large selection of keg which seems to be the recommendation in Aber now. There's a beer patio on the partitioned road out front - avoid falling bits of roof and seagull droppings.