CAMRA’S big Manchester event is back with a new home – Manchester Central – and a unique tie-in with Barcelona, now one of Europe’s top beer destinations.
The third Manchester Beer & Cider Festival runs from Wednesday, January 20 to Saturday January 23 and alongside a vast selection of British cask ales hosts, as usual, two international bars. One will feature a carefully selected range of 16 beers from 4 of the most highly rated Spanish craft breweries which are being imported specially for the festival.
The featured breweries are Dougall’s and Bidassoa from the Basque region, Catalonian favourites Cervesa Guineu and one of the smallest but most innovative in Quer brewery. It will be the first time most of these beers have been available in Britain.
These have been curated by Barcelona Beer Festival in what may be the first such tie-up. Brewers from Quer and Bidassoa will also come over to team up with local brewers Blackjack Beers and Runaway to brew up a couple of international collaboration beers.
In return MBCF organisers will go to to the BBF, Spain’s biggest festival, in March, taking 24 beers from six Mancunian brewers, including 12 cask conditioned ales.
Blackjack Beers Head Brewery Rob Hamilton said “Barcelona is my favourite city in the world, full of amazing architecture, friendly people and in recent years, some of the very best beer in the world. When I was approached to ask whether would be interested in going over to Barcelona Beer Festival with my beers, I didn’t need a second to think about it – if my beer is there, I’ll be there too!”
Manchester Beer & Cider Festival showcases over 500 beers, ciders, and perries from some of the UK’s best craft breweries. Organisers expect more than 50,000 pints to be consumed over four days. 11,500 attended in the Velodrome last year (Main picture) and that figure should be bettered at Manchester Central.
Beer and Cider Festival. Jan 20-23. Manchester Central, Windmill Street, Manchester, M2 3GX. For further details, opening times and to buy advance tickets visit this link.