Bragdy Conwy - Honey Fayre

Honey Fayre is a golden honey ale from Conwy Brewery, brewed in Llysfaen in North Wales and finished with a measure of Welsh honey. It sits at around 4.5% ABV on the brewery's own listing, though some retailers and beer databases record it at 4.8%, a common enough discrepancy with cask and bottled ales that can vary slightly between batches. Either way, it is a beer designed to be well balanced rather than assertively strong, with the honey there to add character rather than to make the beer taste sweet in an obvious way.

The brewery behind it, Conwy Brewery, was founded in 2003 by Gwynne Thomas and his wife Adele, becoming the first brewery to open in North Wales in more than a hundred years. What began as home brewing in Llandudno grew into a commercial operation that has since moved twice, most recently in 2013 to larger premises in Llysfaen that now include the brewery's own taproom. Conwy Brewery naturally conditions its cask and bottled beers, allowing a secondary fermentation in the vessel that builds natural carbonation and flavour, and the brewery limits filtration across most of its range in order to keep that character intact.

Honey ales sit within a long tradition of British brewers using honey as an adjunct alongside malted barley, valued for the subtle floral and slightly waxy notes it can bring to a beer's aroma and finish, as well as a gentle roundness on the palate. In Honey Fayre this shows up as a golden coloured ale with a clean, crisp finish, the honey lending a soft sweetness that sits alongside the more familiar malt and hop character of a classic golden ale rather than dominating it. Expect a light body and moderate bitterness, making this an approachable beer for drinkers who find hop-forward styles too aggressive.

Serve Honey Fayre lightly chilled in a straight pint glass or a tulip glass if you want to concentrate the aroma. Its gentle sweetness and light body make it a good match for milder foods: roast chicken, pork dishes with a fruit element such as apple or cranberry, or a simple ploughman's lunch with a mild cheese. It also works well as an aperitif style beer, served on its own before a meal.

As a Welsh honey ale from an independent North Wales brewery, Honey Fayre offers a change of pace from more heavily hopped modern styles, built around balance and drinkability rather than intensity. It is a fair representation of what Conwy Brewery does well: naturally conditioned, locally rooted beer with a clear sense of place.