The queue to get into the Brangwyn Hall on Friday night.

IT’S been another record breaking year for Swansea Bay Beer & Cider Festival, with beer and cider sales and attendance figures up yet again.

Numbers through the doors of the Brangwyn Hall were up to 3,536 (compared to 3,200 in 2014 and 2,900 in 2013).

There was a huge crowd on Friday night – with the queue to get in stretching right down the road – but Thursday and Saturday were also busier than last year.

There were noticeably more young people and more women at the festival this year, reflecting the growing popularity of real ale and cider among these groups.

We signed up around 70 new members at the festival, which is also a record.

The festival is organised, run and staffed entirely by volunteers so the success of the event is a credit to them.

Visitors voted Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch and Gower Gold as the joint best beers of the festival.

Strong beers and fruity brews once again proved popular and the same trend was repeated on the cider bar.

Alan Atwell, cider bar manager, said: “The first cider to sell out was a strawberry cider called Vision in Pink and we noticed that our female customers in particular were looking for the fruity ciders or perries. Anything with blackcurrant, elderflower or lemon was selling well. Even the chilli beer Red Moon (or as we called it – Madras in a Glass) was very popular and ran out by the end of Friday.”

The Brangwyn Hall once again proved the perfect setting for the festival with the colourful panels, ample space, good lighting and acoustics all adding together to create a fantastic atmosphere.

The hall was packed with people enjoying themselves in a relaxed and happy manner and the programme of live music and fringe events – talks, tastings, meet the brewer sessions – got the thumbs up from everyone who attended.

The festival in photos – click here