MOVING to Manchester Central sends out a big signal from the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival (MBCF). We're cool and contemporary, too.
Our picks aimed leftfield with the likes of Alphabet's Beetroot and Horseradish Nouvelle Saison and Bad Seed's Orange and Rosemary Belgian Pale
The trek up to the Velodrome for the first two years of this landmark local CAMRA beerathon (itself filling the gap left by the departing National Winter Ales Festival) felt a bit of a chore. Trundling back, awash with ale and contemplating curry, even more so.
It was all very well for the new wave craft ale hipsters and many a real ale renegade to ponce around the equally distant Victoria Baths, but hey that venue boasted tiles, stained glass and Victorian swagger. And it couldn't be damned as out of date and parochial.
MBCF, which kicked off on Wednesday 20 January, sticks to the Stakhanovite principles of Cask Conditioned Ale for the True Believers, but in the two saucily monikered Bars Sans Frontieres they embrace the brave new world of international beer styles, just as the massed ranks of cask pumps are pouring out an eclectic torrent of beer styles a world away from mere bitter, mild and stout. This year CAMRA have even slipped into bed with Key Keg... sleeping with the enemy indeed.
There are more than 600 beers, ciders and perries from most of the UK's best breweries. Organisers expect more than 50,000 pints to be swilled down by the finale on Saturday 23rd. ManCon arriving at the vast hall in the vanguard reckoned they were well on the way, adding our own modest contribution to the mass quaffery.
Our picks aimed leftfield with the likes of Alphabet's Beetroot and Horseradish Nouvelle Saison and Bad Seed's Orange and Rosemary Belgian Pale, but the festival judges who chose the 'North West Beer of the Year' settled for a more trad cask offering, Nutty Slack mild from Standish brewery Prospect. Runner-up was Robinson's legendary strong ale Old Tom and Dark Rum Porter from Horwich's Black Edge rolled in third.
As true hop aficionados would, we also sought out the groundbreaking section devoted to beers curated by the Barcelona Beer Festival. The city, is apparently among Europe's hottest craft beer destinations. Who would have thought it? There are 16 beers from four of Spain's most highly rated microbreweries - Dougall's and Bissadoa from the Basque region, Catalonian favourites Cervesa Guineau and the tiny, innovative Quer brewery. Brewers from Quer and Bissadoa have come over to team up with local faves Blackjack and Runaway to create a couple of collaborative brews. In return a hop-driven Manc mission will return the favour, shipping their own batch of beers to BBF in March.
A dedicated Manchester beer bar at the Barcelona Beer Festival, how about that?
IndyManBeerCon, a shot across the bows for you!
Manchester Beer and Cider Festival runs from Weds 20 to Saturday 23 January at Manchester Central - tickets here
