the yard's heritage

The YARD Bar & Kitchen stands on the site of the original Old Brewery. It was founded in 1713 to exploit the natural well water of the area and brew beers for local public houses, one of which was re-named the Albert in Victorian times.

In 1882 the brewery and the Albert (along with ten other pubs) were purchased by Samuel Arthur Brain and his uncle Joseph Benjamin Brain beginning the company which still bears the Brains name today.

Beer was brewed on this site from 1713 right up until 1999 and in that time the brewery expanded significantly. Generations of Master Brewers and their staff have worked on this site dedicated to producing the finest ales to refresh the people of both Cardiff and South Wales.

We are proud that the YARD Bar & Kitchen now stands on the site where our company began reflecting our heritage and values while looking forward to the future.

At the front of YARD Bar & Kitchen, you can relax and enjoy a drink in what was once the Albert, famous for years as Brains' own "Brewery Tap". Below this, the washrooms are located in the original cellars which were extended across the whole of the Old Brewery Yard between 1887 and 1890.

The bars and eating areas at the back of the building and on the first floor are on the site of the original brewery buildings, extensively rebuilt in 1919. Traditional mash tuns, coppers and fermenting vats once filled these vaults.

On the second floor our private suites and meeting rooms are in the old brewer's offices and our outdoor space is the original yard where casks were loaded onto horse-drawn, steam powered and finally petrol-driven drays over the centuries.

As recently as 1999, this site was Wales' most famous open air pub during the celebrations surrounding the Rugby World Cup.