It seems that, since we started Dark Farm Homebrewing back in 2018, the world has constantly been on the verge of collapse. Whether it’s a pandemic, climate emergency, financial mess, or some nutter with a weiner complex. But life continues, and therefore beer is needed. In this spirit, we have taken the leap and found ourselves some bricks and mortar, aptly named MASHED HQ. 

Since moving to Aberystwyth two years ago, we have been amazed by the diversity it offers considering it’s such a small town. Yes, it’s a two hour drive from any large towns, but this is possibly the reason Aberystwyth is like no other place I’ve lived! Nestled between sea on one side and mountains on the other, Aberystwyth, or ‘Aber’ as it’s known, is a great place to be. And to add to all the fantastic independent pubs, bars, eateries and shops there is now our hub for homebrewers and beer lovers.

We have loads of plans at MASHED HQ; the main one is a community nano brewery. We will be opening the doors to all to come in and brew beer. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or experienced, anyone can have a go. You’ll either be able to take your brew with you to enjoy at home, or, better yet, sell it in our tap room to share with others. 

We will also be hosting homebrewing workshops for groups, as well as one-to-one sessions. An amazing opportunity to learn to brew, whilst sampling a full range of beers! We will be also launching our new Beer Academy, an online guide to beer making, working with some leading beer professionals. Watch this space and make sure you’re on our email list for updates.

We are hoping to open in time for the very exciting MASHED Knockout Tournament in April. So those who entered and are coming, which is a lot of you, can come and say hello! 

Talking of which, we quickly filled the allocated spaces for our first tournament. We have an awesome venue picked, a pub called the Castle Hotel which has been a part of Aber for over 100 years, restored in the 90s by the brilliant landlady, Llinos. It looks so good; you could easily mistake it for a set on a Guy Richie movie. We will be raising the roof on the 27th April with 32 beers competing head-to-head. Only one will survive - more than the number of judges I fear. 

We’ll report back in the next issue in June. Until then, happy brewing!