We have some fantastic news for those of you who regularly pop into the town centre to stock up your fridges. Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) has just announced updated vehicle access rules for the high street starting on 14th April, making it significantly easier for you to pick up your favourite craft beers without…
As the sun finally starts making a regular appearance over Bridgend, our fridges at Nearest Beer Shop see a massive shift. The heavy winter stouts move to the back, and the crisp, golden cans migrate to the front. But here is a secret: brewing a truly world-class lager is actually the hardest job in craft…
We all love cracking open a fresh can on a Friday night, but there is a massive difference between simply drinking a beer and genuinely tasting it. Hosting a craft beer tasting at home with a few friends is one of the best ways to explore new flavours, discover styles you never thought you’d enjoy,…
If you had walked into a pub twenty years ago and ordered a premium beer, you’d expect it to arrive in a glass bottle. Back then, cans were strictly reserved for cheap, mass-produced lagers sitting at the back of the cupboard. But if you look inside the fridges here at Nearest Beer Shop, you’ll notice…
Welcome back! As much as I love tearing into a bag of Scampi Fries or salty peanuts at the end of the week, we are doing craft beer a massive disservice if we stop there. Modern beer has an incredible spectrum of flavour that can easily stand toe-to-toe with fine wine when it comes to…
Modern craft beer labels are beautiful, but they can be a bit of a word soup. Between the vibrant artwork and the tiny print, there are a lot of acronyms and technical terms that might leave you wondering exactly what you’re about to pour into your glass. If you’ve ever felt like you needed a…
The Science of Aroma and “Head” Retention The single most important reason to use a glass is aroma. Roughly 80% of what we perceive as “flavour” actually comes from our sense of smell. When you drink straight from a can, you’re missing out on the “nose” of the beer because the opening is too small…
We are always on the hunt for exciting new independent breweries to bring to the shelves here at Nearest Beer Shop. This week, we are thrilled to introduce a fresh delivery from a brilliant new name in the UK craft beer scene: As Intended Brewing Co. Whether you are a dedicated haze-chaser or a lover…
When people talk about the craft beer scene in South Wales, the conversation often heavily focuses on the big cities of Cardiff and Swansea. But if you are travelling between the two, or heading out for a weekend on the coast, you might be driving straight past one of the best-stocked, fully cold-stored indie bottle…
If you’ve ever cracked open a fresh, hazy IPA from our fridge and been hit by that unmistakable punch of citrus or pine, you’ve got the humble hop to thank. As we move into the 2026 season, all eyes in the brewing world are turning toward the hop gardens of Kent, Herefordshire, and beyond. The…
