LESS than a month to go until Indy Man Beer Con pours its heart out at Victoria Baths. All that lovely beer in that iconic heritage setting. Taste of Manchester’s thirst for the event (October 6-9), now in its fifth year, has been whetted by the announcement of the final line-ups for booze, food and music.
The full list of breweries involved, session by session, can be found here. It’s a remarkable line-up that defines the UK craft beer revolution.
There’s also been a revolution in the ticketing of this year’s event, which may prove controversial. For the first time every beer, from session to super strong, will be the same token price. “One Indy Man Beer Coin for any beer at the festival. One token to rule them all,” says the website.
“For IMBC 16 we have been working on a token structure that breaks down boundaries, giving all beers at the festival a level playing field. This is in response to the way you, our customers, like to drink at IMBC.
“In our experience you like to try a bit of everything we have on offer: pale, strong, dark, sour, the lot, and we wanted to make this easier. If you have one token in your hand there will be no limitations on where you spend it. You can take that one token and cash it in at any of the 35+ breweries on any given session on any one of the 150+ beers on offer.”
The third of a pint measure also still rules, giving drinkers the chance to sample a wider range of brews. Tokens can also be used to purchase food, merchandise, soft drinks, and cider, while excess tokens can be refunded used to purchase cans of their favourites to take away. Eleven beer tokens will cost you £25.
There are still a handful of tickets remaining for the Thursday and the Sunday sessions of IMBC, but expect these to sell out before the festival begins so booking is advised. Visit www.indymanbeercon.co.uk to find out more and for all the latest info: @indymanbeercon
Port Street Beer House 39-41 Port St, Manchester M1 2EQ.