COULDN’T organise a piss-up in a brewery? Doesn’t apply to Manchester Beer Week, who have persuaded a dozen of our finest to open their doors in a spectacular start to 10 days (June 23-July 2) of malt, hops and merriment citywide.
Billed as the city’s biggest ever brewery open day, this unique Brewery Expo takes place on Saturday, June 24, centred on two ‘beer quarters’. There’s a quartet from the north of the city centre – Beatnikz Republic, Blackjack, Joseph Holt and Runaway – as well as eight from the Piccadilly area – Alphabet, Beer Nouveau, Chorlton Brewing Co, Cloudwater, Manchester Brewing Co, Squawk, Track and Dan's Brewery, the latter running a tap for the first time.
Big selling point, prices apart, is the sheer freshness of the ales you’ll encounter on your hop-sodden safari, plus a chance to learn more about the stories behind the pints through as series of tours, tastings, talks and debates (or you could just get tired and emotional!).
“Manchester’s brewing scene is incredibly vibrant at the moment, so it seemed only right that we should dedicate the opening weekend of Manchester Beer Week to the breweries themselves,” MBW organiser Connor Murphy told us.
“This is a unique chance for the public to explore virtually all of the city centre’s independent breweries and find out more about the quiet revolution taking place in unassuming industrial units across Manchester.
“You don’t have to be a beer fanatic to enjoy it either. Each brewery offers something unique so not only will you be spoiled by a huge selection of incredible beer, you’ll also find great food, live music, art, and educational talks and tastings.”
Although Saturday, June 24, is the focus of the celebration, a handful of breweries – including Beatnikz Republic, Blackjack, Beer Nouveau, Cloudwater, Manchester Brewing Co and Track – will also be open at other times throughout the opening weekend.
Proving that it is a genuinely Greater Manchester event, the legendary Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar is holding its own opening weekend celebration (Fri 23 to Sun 25, 12pm to 11pm) in Victorian surroundings with cutting-edge beer from the likes of Alphabet, Beer Nouveau, Blackjack, Cloudwater, First Chop, Marble, Runaway, Seven Bro7hers, Squawk, Track and more.
There are 70 breweries to go at across the metropolitan county, 50 of which have opened over the past five years.
Manchester Beer Week proper kicks off on Friday, June 23, with a launch party at the new weekly food fair at the Mayfield Depot. You’ll find a selection of beer from Manchester's best breweries – including a number of specials created especially for the festival – as well as top street food, pop-up tastings, talks and DJs. It runs from 6pm-11pm.
It’s just the start of 10 hectic days, aiming to surpass last year’s inaugural event, which showcased our incredible beer scene through 94 events at 72 venues across Greater Manchester, including pubs, bars, breweries, restaurants and retailers. An estimated 10,000 folk attended.
"We believe Manchester is the best beer city in the country – now it's time for the brewers, venues and the public to stand up and prove it,” added Connor, who has once again
helped curate a fascinating series of collaborations between brewers. The launch for these is on the first Monday of MBW, June 26, at a number of venues. This year's teams see Blackjack paired with the Lake District's finest, Hawkshead, while craft beer forefather Marble forms an intriguing partnership with rapidly-growing Leeds brewery Northern Monk.
Hop masters Track will work with highly-rated London brewery Brew By Numbers and Runaway has big plans for their collab with cuckoo brewer Left Handed Giant, from Bristol.
Cloudwater, going one better, will team up with two of the most talked-about new breweries in the country – Lost and Grounded from Bristol and Falmouth's Verdant, recently named Best New Brewery in the UK by review website RateBeer.
Cloudwater are also teaming up with JW Lees again to produce a collaboration beer.
Meanwhile, Blackjack have touched base with festival headline sponsors the Co-op to create the official festival beer, a Breakfast Pale Ale. Using all British hops and leftover fruit from the production of Co-op’s own brand yoghurts, it will be brewed with oats and lactose, to create a twist on porridge.. Full story here.
If this fusion off food an ale fascinates you, it’s just the tip of the spiceberg!
Six Manchester breweries are collaborating with indie food producers, each charged with creating a drink designed to reflect the unique approach and flavours of the producer involved. From Marble and Holy Crab there’s Langoustine and Pineapple Gose (a sour style from Eastern Germany); Cloudwater and from Ginger’s Comfort Emporium a Chocolate Salted Caramel Imperial Stout, which Ginger’s own Claire Kelsley is going to make vegan ice cream with, for service as a beer ice cream float.
Runaway and Pollen Bakery have come up with a White Oatmeal Stout conditioned over whole coffee beans and cocoa nibs, inspired by Pollen's Oat Porridge Sourdough, brewed using almost 50 percent oats including a proportion of freshly roasted flaked porridge oats from the bakery ovens. To complete the full Pollen experience, they're adding flavours to represent one of their super rich chocolate brownies, and a fresh coffee.
Manchester Brewing and Manchester Gin have gone for a New England style IPA single hopped with Citra, with citrus peel in it as well, plus fermented with Boddingtons yeast. The citrus additions are designed to reflect the citrus botanicals in Manchester Gin.
Discover the results at a relaxed food and drinks fair at Runaway Brewery’s new brewery tap in Dantzic Street between 12pm and 6pm on Sunday, June 25.
Beatnikz Republic brewery go one sweet step further the previous day (Saturday, June 24) at their Red Bank taproom. For their Doughnut and Beer Pairing Party they are brewing three appropriate one-off beers to accompany three signature treats from Manchester Doughnut Co.
The three pairings are Sour Passionfruit Doughnut Beer with Passionfruit Doughnut; Pecan Doughnut Porter paired with Maple Bacon Doughnut; while Cherry & Chocolate Doughnut with Bourbon Jelly meets its math with Russian Riot (Beatnikz’ Russian Imperial Stout with cherries, muscovado sugar and bourbon oak).
Finally, on the closing weekend two outstanding showcases for beers from Manchester and far beyond. First up from Thursday, June 29 the cask ale big guns show their mettle at the Central Manchester Beer and Cider Festival, held in the 53two Theatre on Albert Street. Entry prices are £2 for the Thursday session; £3 on Friday (£5 after 5pm), and £4 on Saturday. Pay on the door. CAMRA members receive a £2 discount on all sessions.
Also continuing until Sunday, July 2 but starting a day later on Friday 30th is a craft beer bonanza in NOMA’s ‘home-made pub’ in Sadler’s Yard near Victoria Station – the Pilcrow Summer Beer Thing with 200 beers on offer.Tickets cost £8.
These are the big events. Throughout the 10 days, in bars across the region there is a plethora of takeovers, taps, matching dinners, homebrew competitions, masterclasses and debates. For the full schedule pick up a print programme or visit the website events page.
Keep right up to date via @mcrbeerweek and to vote in the inaugural Greater Manchester Beer Awards visit this link.