Run by two real ale enthusiasts. Beers are tasty and imaginative. Brewed in a converted cow byre…read more Available through a number of local pubs. Worth seeking out.

I highly recommend to go there and have a tour. Nigel was such an excellent guy, he knows a lot and…read morehe's very passionate about beer. My go to are the IPA, Haus and Pils. The place have si much potential, I hope they will open a bar and a bear garden

Excellent brewery, came here for a tour which was all you can taste at the end. The staff was…read moreextreamly knowledgeable and friendly, take the tour!

Despite the slightly dodgy name (snicker), Butcombe are a local producer of quality real ales and…read morethey have the award to prove it. So you can buy them all in the shops now and in many pubs now, but they're all brewed right here in a small, one shed factory. I am a fan of all their deep-flavoured, well fermented Gold, Blond, Bitter and Brunel ale varieties. They've even branched out into cider and are in cahoots with other local North Somerset alcohol producer, Thatcher's cider. Visitors are always welcome to the on-site shop, so head on down.

My new favourite brewery! Having been brought up on real ales I've never really fitted in with the…read morewhole cider drinking culture in the south west. So to find Butcombe Brewery just a short bike ride down the road is a real bonus. I'd had a few pints of their bitter since moving to the area (thankfully they serve it in my local pub) I was aware of their mainstream beer already. Then last year I visited the brewery on their open day - what an event! There was a band on, a burger bar and lots of people. They had a wide range of beers on and it really did feel like they'd opened their doors to the public. They even gave away free beer! I did note their brewery tours were booked up well in advance and I'm guessing they might give you a drink or two for free then too. The beer is certainly my new favourite and I hope to pop back at some point to stock up from the shop.

Tiny micro brewery which produces really, really nice continental style craft beers like Pilsners,…read moreBelgian and Bavarian style wheat beers (my favourite is the Chocolate Wheat Beer) At the moment you can only buy the bottled beer in a few venues in Cardiff (see their website) and in a few festivals, but I believe this about to change and will soon be available in shops. They also hold regular MicroBEER Festivals in the yard outside now and again, so sing up for their e-mails.

The microbeer festivals, the first weekend of every month, are lovely, intimate and busy affairs…read morewith live music and much conversation. The brewery itself is open most saturdays selling bottled beers. The beers are totally delicious and unqiue but not as cheap as your local pub, just a warning which shouldn't put you off since you pay for what you get. The entrance to the beer courtyard is opposite The Diary (formally Pontcanna Pine),just go under the archway. As well as the website the facebook site is an excellent way to keep informed about the festivals etc.

Bristol is home to many a proud cider drinker, myself among them. Thatcher's probably take a…read moresizeable chunk of my income every week, providing pint after delicious pint of appley merriment. Much better than Strongbow or Blackthorn, they've got a diverse couple of ciders, and are bound to have one to suit your pallet. I particularly recommend a bottle of Katy's on a warm summers day. To get the best experience of what they offer head to the brewery. You can learn all about the highly technical business of making cider and, more importantly, sample some straight from the barrel. The educational side is fairly interesting actually, and you can take a tour of the orchards, which feels slightly more wholesome than just drinking lots of cider. Once you've sunk a couple of pints you can then make a trip to the giftshop and buy some cider themed tat. All in all, an excellent day out.

The West country is famed for its cider. Thatcher's is a success story and their appley alcohol…read moregoodness stands testament to local flavour. If you have a taste for Thatcher's, take a daytrip to their shop and visitor centre. The pens, umbrellas and t-shirts for sale are a bit superfluous, I say head straight for the bottles and kegs, tastier and cheaper than you can buy anywhere else. They also do some quality fun days for families and tours extensive orchards, it makes you feel super appley!

Simon of the Artisan Brewing Company is a very nice man, with a very nice business. He owns a micro…read morebrewery that produces 100% natural , handcrafted, unfiltered, extremely tasty beer. It would be fair to say that he is thriving. So, all is as it should be, suggesting that there may indeed be some justice in this world of ours! I want to apologise to Simon for something. I had hoped to post my review in time for the last micro-brewery beer festival, held in the gorgeous enclave that is home to Bare Naked Beer, just off the King's Road, but I missed the date, (it's been a busy time). Nevertheless, I hear tell that it went down famously without so much as a mention from me... I realise I'm irrelevant! However, the next one is on the 3rd of July. If the sun is shining I highly recommend that you pay Simon a visit! If it's not, perhaps you should go along and try some of his finest beer and commiserate with him, rueing the inclement times we live in... I can think of worse things to do! He does a fine selection of ales, including Altbeer, made how it used to be 250 years ago, and he even does a larger too... he's a progressive man! But best of all, he does a couple of chocolate wheat beers... pure genius!

The Artisan Brewing Company is one of those small businesses that remind us how much fun running…read moreyour own business can be! Predominantly run by one man, and his pal and assistant, the micro-brewery is the reult of the love of good beer, an interest in brewing an urge to share, and then the search for profit. This is a business full of love! I'm only giving it four stars because I am always a bit disappointed it isn't open as a bar every day - probably a good thing as you'd never get me out - but, it does open and when it does, it does properly! Approximately the first Saturday of every month (check the website) they hold a micro-brewery micro-festival. The little courtyard that hold the brewery is filled with revellers (and in the wetter weather, tarpaulin) and with a barbecue and some fab live music on the go, what more could you want? The beer is amazing. It isn't cheap, but then neither is champagne or diamonds. This is a beer to be savoured and enjoyed, and then try another type and savour and enjoy that one. I can particularly reccommend the Chocolate Beer (certainly not for children or chocoholics). But don't panic, there are other ways! Firstly, whilst the beer is amazing fresh from the keg, it can be bought bottled to enjoy at home or a party. And it can be found at various local festivals and bars. Keep an eye out for it. Definitely not your average beer!