Visit The Bring on the Beer site


Devilish...or heavenly?
It's genuinely impossible to put into words what Bubs is, but I'll try: A true craft beer paradise, run by good people with good hearts, with a relaxing and comforting ambience, where the casual drinker and the hardcore wanker are treated equally and fairly. I love it.


Let there be lights

Originally this location opened up as a Cardiff branch of the "Small Bar", Left Handed Giant's brewpub. Then, a constructive confluence of coincidence meant that Cardiff's Crafty Devil brewery, in search of a city centre home themselves, gave up on conquering Warhammer and instead were offered the keys.

Then Crafty Devil themselves decided to concentrate their resources on their locations in Canton and Penarth, so for a moment it looked like Church Street would lose something special.

Not so. It is now an independently owned and operated location with a wonderfully approachable and friendly team serving some of the best and most exciting craft beers from Wales and beyond.





Keg and smallpack are the order of the day here. And while it has a few mainstays - White Hag's Black Pig and Lost & Grounded Keller Pils never fail to disappoint - a variety of brewers have been seen on the famous chalkboard over the years, such as Verdant, Rival, Deya, Vault City, Siren and Omnipollo.





A clear, unequivocal, informative beer board. Why can't they all be like this?


They are also, happily, a location that frequently advertise their lineup on their social media channels.




The centrepiece above the cellar stairs


It is one of the yearly launch locations for Siren's four-packs of Caribbean Chocolate Cake tins, and has frequent themed events and tap takeovers - its Omnipollo tap takeover attracting a full bar just before lockdown and introducing me to the wonder that is carrot cake beer.



Mine, all mine


Food is frequently provided by local businesses; Keralan Karavan, The Pie Box and New York Deli bagels among the recent offerings. If that's too much for you, then the Tuck Shop will make you feel 14 again.




There is plenty of seating of various heights and sizes both inside and out as well as an upstairs area. As well as bar service Bubs uses the Yeollo app for table ordering - once again an example of local business being involved and supported by this venture.



I very very rarely have a day out in Cardiff without calling into Bubs, purely because it's one of the few locations where regardless of my mood or inebriation levels, I feel most at home - and am welcomed and indulged - as a beer enthusiast. Furthermore it is complementary of, and complemented by, other locations on Church/Quay Street - many of which I will cover in this series - all of which makes for a very compact, easily navigable series of locations for a decent session.


More...