Champion Beer of Britain

Champion brewer Tiny Rebel plans new pub and brewery

12-Aug-2015 - Last updated on 13-Aug-2015 at 16:32 GMT

Award winning brewers Tiny Rebel pick up their award from CAMRA

Two self-confessed “beer geeks” who met at university as engineers and started brewing together for fun are expanding their brewery and opening a second pub after winning the Champion Beer of Britain.

Brothers-in-law Gareth Williams and Bradley Cummings, started brewing at uni, but decided to “turn the hobby into a lifestyle” and founded Tiny Rebel three years ago in their hometown of Newport, Wales.

Following the popularity of Cwtch, which won the award at Campaign for Real Ale’s Great British Beer Festival and is already stocked in 200 pubs, the duo are moving to a bigger site in Newport which will give Tiny Rebel six times the capacity.

The brewers hold the lease at the Urban Tap House, Newport, and are in negotiations to open another pub in their hometown. The brothers-in-law hope to finalise the agreement in the next six weeks.

The second pub will serve a combination of Tiny Rebel’s beers and guest ales.

'Relaxed'

Speaking to the PMA at the festival, Williams said the award has “put us on the map”, and the duo realise they may have to open three or four breweries with the publicity and demand which will follow.

Cummings added: “We’re naturally growing in the market anyway with the style of beer we provide, and we can’t keep up with it.

“We want to keep enjoying our jobs. We want them to always be fun. It’s not all about business, that’s not why we started brewing. It’s family orientated and we want to keep that family aspect. We take the beer very seriously, but we want the business to be as relaxed as it can be.”

The founders are passionate about their love for Wales and intend to stick to their roots and keep brewery local.

Traditional

Cwtch means “cuddle” in Welsh, to reflect the intended effect on a drinker. The 4.6% ale is brewed with six malts, two US hops and “weeks of Tiny Rebel love and attention”.

Describing Cwtch, Williams said: “We’ve tried to brew traditional cask beer with new-world flavours. A modern beer, with traditional methods. Too many brewers are scrapping tradition.”

Citrus and tropical fruit dominate the taste, backed up with caramel malts to balance the moderate bitterness.

To order from Tiny Rebel contact them directly at bradley@tinyrebel.co.uk