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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Will Larter
Submitted on Sunday, 6th August 2017
With picture contributions to 12229 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (7 more images)
Detail Pages
The Royal Oak, Brecon
Pencelli
Postal town: Brecon
LD3 7LX
Served areas
Reviews of The Royal Oak (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Royal Oak
It had been a cold day for cycling, so I was glad of the offer to warm myself by the solid fuel stove in the larger of the two rooms. As Steve says below, the bar makes an appearance in both rooms, the smaller to the left having the character of a public bar, with the larger room to the right (presumably once two smaller rooms) more like a dining room or lounge. Two other cyclists were there before me, so we swapped stories of routes and bikes and pubs, like you do. On the bar were three beers (some hand pumps in each room but not necessarily all connected to barrels): Greene King Old Golden Hen, Brains Reverend James and Tudor Black Rock. I'm glad the Black Rock was on, because a) it's a very nice beer, albeit a little strong at 5.6% when cycling, and b) it would have been a disappointing beer offering otherwise.
Date of visit: 4th October 2017
On 18th October 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Royal Oak
The Royal Oak is a nice looking white washed stone pub in the small village of Pencilli. Not the biggest space inside with two small bars, but it does benefit from a large external garden space behind the pub which stretches up to the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
On entering through the front door there is some nice stained glass in the door surrounds and then you enter left into more of a bar section or right into more of a dining section, both of which have thick stone walls, low beamed ceilings, assorted pine furniture on polished flagstones, open fireplaces and each with their own section of the central bar with three ale hand pumps.
The section on the right has some rugby memorabilia in the shape of a frame with autographed Wales and Harlequins rugby shirts and then a collection of rugby tickets glued to one of the ceiling beams. The barman explained that this was due to one of the lads from the village who made the grade at both club and international level and now coaches at Worcester.
Two of the three handpumps were in operation with Brecon Brewing Jazzy Beacons and Tomos Watkins OSB and both were in good condition. We did eat here and the food was very good. Quite a small menu and mostly cold dishes so not a great deal of choice, but could not fault our Three Cheese Ploughmans and Prawn Salad, both of which were very fresh and flavoursome.
On 20th August 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2236 recommendations about 2098 pubs]
A walk along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal from either Crickhowell or Talybont-on-Usk, via Pencelli to Brecon. by Steve of N21
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- Official site of The Royal Oak - www.theroyaloakpencelli.com
- Facebook page of The Royal Oak - www.facebook.com
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Royal Oak - whatpub.com
Ebbw Vale Town, 14.44 miles, 4 hr 38 min walk (show)
Pontlottyn, 15.31 miles, 4 hr 55 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 03 February 2014 by Alan Hurdle
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Car Park : Yes last updated 03 February 2014 by Alan Hurdle
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Darts : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Function Room : Yes - Tables can be booked for parties; no dedicated room - last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Hot Food : Yes - Served 12-3, 5-8. - last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Jukebox : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Karaoke : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Live Music : Yes - Very occasionally, mainly for Brecon Jazz - last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Live TV Sports : Yes - Terrestrial only - last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Micropub : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Pinball : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Pool Table : No last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Quiz Night : Yes - Occasional; mainly in winter - last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 03 February 2014 by Alan Hurdle
- Real Cider : Yes - Summer only - last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 03 October 2024 by Steve O'Gorman
- WiFi : Yes last updated 18 October 2017 by Will Larter
