Sat, 18th July Cardiff 22°
Nation.Cymru wordmark
Advertisement

News, Culture

Welsh brewer faces backlash over Platinum Jubilee ale

By David Owens
Felinfoel Platinum Jubilee Ale / The Queen (Credit: Wiki Commons)

A Welsh brewery has sparked a storm of criticism after producing a Platinum Jubilee Ale.

Felinfoel Brewery was inundated with complaints online after manufacturing the limited edition ale which marks the Queen's Jubilee.

However, Wales oldest family brewery and the oldest canners of beer in the world, faced a backlash from hundreds of people who criticised the move, taking exception at the Welsh company's support of the Royal Family.

In a post on Twitter which has prompted the backlash the brewer posted a picture of the Jubilee Ale with the words: 'Here it is, our crowning glory! Get your hands on the limited edition Platinum Jubilee Ale. Available for purchase now, while stocks last.'

šŸ‘‘ Here it is, our crowning glory! Get your hands on the limited edition Platinum Jubilee Ale.

Available for purchase now, while stocks last.

Buy online here;https://t.co/e9Z164oJ2Z pic.twitter.com/TOow0kbnp2

— Felinfoel Brewery (@FelinfoelAles) May 5, 2022

One user posted that it was Felinfoel's 'Ratner moment' a reference to the time when Gerald Ratner, former chairman of jewellery chain Ratners, described one of its products as ā€œtotal crapā€. Others called for a boycott of the brewer, while one Twitter user user suggested 'I guess stocks may last a while judging by the replies.'

(Many of those replies can be seen below)

The company has longstanding links with the Royals having produced an ale to mark Prince Charles investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

On its website in a section detailing the history of the brewery, it writes: 'More recently we were delighted to welcome HRH Prince Charles to the brewery during his tour of Wales in July 2012.

'He took a keen interest in the tour of the brewery and was shown the entire brewing process. We were able to show him the commemorative ale we brewed for his investiture'.

The brewery founded in 1878 is based in the village of Felinfoel, near Llanelli and owned by the Lewis family.

It produces such popular beers as Double Dragon - described as 'the national ale of Wales', Celtic Gold and Dragon's Heart, which all trade on the company's Welsh heritage.

Its limited edition Platinum Jubilee Ale is described as a 'premium Welsh ale with a fruity flavour, a drink to be enjoyed'.

We have contacted Felinfoel for a comment.

[mid-content-banner]

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News

32 comments

Llinos

Can you stop trying to cancel people’s opinions? Actions have consequences. In this instance, people feel a brand which trades on being synonymous with Welshness has betrayed them with a genuflection to the archaic baubles of the oppressive regime. Too often these days people feel entitle to behave poorly then when having to face the consequences they complain of being ā€œcancelledā€. Felinfoel are an established business. They knew this would be controversial and made their decision. Let the cards fall as they may.

Reply
Tomos Androw Bennett

That’s it! Never going to drink Felinfoel beer again. Goodbye!

Reply
Llinos

Now if Brains breweries social media team were on the ball, they could benefit from this

Reply
hdavies15

Brains ? It's all part of the Marston's empire now so they are probably dreaming up something similar. Best go to a smaller niche brewer.

Reply
Gareth

Prince Andrew, and felinfoel, guilt by association.

Reply
Julie Jones

Not another penny from me will be handed over to these sad sycophants.

Reply
Cynru

U notice how anyone who disagrees with the messages (which are often negative rather than positive) is deleted from this platform. That's also why plaid doesn't make inroads. Negative messages

Reply
Llinos

No I’ve not noticed that. They’ll delete sweary ones for sure or ones which are aggressive or confrontational. If yours are being removed, I’d check for that. The sweary ones go automatically so it’s most likely to be that.

Reply
Y Cymro

As Welsh people we must stop this blind deference towards the English Monarchy? I find it embarrassing to witness how some sycophants follow sheep-like others. Do they want to stand tall or prefer to crawl, is the question I ask? The idea of doffing ones cap while referring to them as "Your Royal Highness " or "Your Majesty" makes my skin crawl. This is a woman & family that's never lifted a finger in their entire for themselves without an army of advisors, publicists and servants either putting them in a good light, advising to front a charity or wiping their backsides. Worst still. They enjoy the best of everything at public expense. They are the biggest benefit scroungers going, but money is thrown at them while the unemployed, disabled and working poor are terrorised by government benefit agency Capita who sanction them resulting in their money stopping absolutely perverse?! And then we see them maintaing their grip at the top of the privilege pyramid by pumping out children like there's no tomorrow. Roll on the Republic of Wales and end of the Monarchy.

Reply
Dubdee

Plenty of "benefit scroungers" who've "never lifted a finger" here in Wales too. Are you one?.

Reply
defaid

The only presence those particular benefit scroungers have in Wales is Llwynywermod, Charlie's holiday home.

Reply
Stephen Owen

How embarrassing, time for an independent Republic of Cymru

Reply
Pmb

Wales does not have an economy to do so and with the current approach from Plaid and Welsh Labour never will have .

Reply
CJPh

Er gwaetha bob Dic Sion Dafydd...

Reply
Richard

A great brew im sure to celebrate her fine service and to recognise the end of an of an era and the start of a new one that suites our nations šŸ“ó §ó ¢ó ·ó ¬ó ³ó æemerging confident, inclusive pathway towards self determination. Iechyd da a diolch ā€˜Mam’ šŸŗ ac Ymlaen rwan at y cam nesa tuag at Cymru newydd fel Wlad Rhydd

Reply
Ann C

What's the harm? And what's the big deal? People get silly dramatic on Twitter. If you're not a royalist, don't drink it. No need for a riot.

Reply
Andrew Thomas

Agreed I'm for an independent Wales I'm not buying it personally but if the sales help a small Welsh brewery survive then so be it. I will also be enjoying the jubilee holidays with an opportunity to spend time with family not celebrating the royals as such just like an extra Christmas but without the nonsense

Reply
Llinos

People have every right to feel betrayed. Brands have values these days. If they express a sentiment, people are likely to have views on it. It’s fallout from the post-truth age. When we don’t have facts and we can’t trust the information sources, we pick sides with those who align with us. It’s an unintended consequence, but a consequence nonetheless. I don’t drink. It makes no odds to me in this instance. But I will make purchasing decisions based on the stated values or political alignments of a company or it’s owner. And I make no apologies for it. And if people want to mob social media to express their displeasure, we’ll that is the purpose of social media. It can’t all be selfies, pictures of your dinner, conspiracy theories and cat memes can it?

Reply
NOT Grayham Jones

Im sure Felinfoel Brewery will be very happy with all of the negative publicity from the Nats who have nothing better to do in their lives. As they say there is no such thing as bad publicity- after all this has brought a previously unknown brand to the front pages of NC. Carry on lads

Reply
Rhosddu

Doubt it. Anyway, Felinfoel is anything but "previously unknown", but I accept that you wouldn't know that.

Reply
Lee j

Get a life

Reply
Lee j

Get a life you anti English saddest

Reply
Wrexhamian

Have another read of the article and see if you can find anything anti-English there. It's about a Welsh brewery plugging a pro-royal family line for commercial reasons, and the reaction to their sycophancy from across the country.

Reply
Pmb

What childish pathetic lives you lot must lead .

Reply
Phil

Sad to see both of my posts deleted. N.C. doesn’t like anything that goes against the idea of Premier Wales and nothing else matters.

Reply
Simon John

Small minded racist people šŸ™„

Reply
Johnny Gamble

Ok then Mr Know it all please tell me where a Racist comment has been made?

Reply
ProudBrit

Well done Felinfoel. I am proud to be British and will be raising a glass of your excellent ale to Her Majesty, at the street party in my (Welsh) town to celebrate the platinum jubilee. Hopefully the small minded racists who posted negative comments will stay at home and nurse their imaginary grievances, as I have no desire to drink or socialise with people like that!

Reply
Johnny Gamble

And Her Majesty will be well aware of the fact that you raised a glass 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Reply
Wrexhamian

There is nothing "racist" in the comments quoted in the article, unless the Royal Family are now their own race. The opinion in those comments is quite evdently that such forelock-tugging no longer sits comfortably with a wide cross-section of the Welsh public. Read the article again.

Reply
Lewychewy

A handful of Welsh nationalists get offended by a company celebrating the Royal family. Why is this even news lol

Reply
Johnny Gamble

What a pity Cymru didn't follow Ireland's example.They had the good sense to see this rubbish off their backs a Century ago.

Reply

Leave a reply

Replying to NOT Grayham Jones Cancel

Im sure Felinfoel Brewery will be very happy with all of the negative publicity from the Nats who have nothing better to do in their lives. As they say there is no such thing as bad publicity- after all this has brought a previously unknown...

Comments are reviewed before they appear.