Manchester Beer & Cider Festival is pleased to confirm no fewer than 135 British breweries will supply beers to the 2017 festival.
While Manchester breweries feature heavily, some of the finest breweries from around the country are included. We hope you like our choices…. Is your favourite included?
Lucky drinkers are in for a treat as 13 breweries showcase their fantastic beers at the biggest beer and cider festival in the North.
Manchester Beer and Cider Festival will have beers from over 100 breweries, as well as a remarkable selection of foreign beers and ciders. It has always invited some brewers to promote their own beers at their own bars, alongside the huge main bars. But this month there will be a record number of brewery bars where festival goers will have the chance to meet brewers, talk all things beer – and, of course, drink their ales.
The festival has grown consistently and for 2017 will offer 30% more floorspace – and more seating – than ever before. Returning to Manchester Central, it is organised by the combined expertise of the nine Greater Manchester CAMRA branches. It has become an essential entry in most beer and cider lovers’ calendars.
Brewery bars manager Caroline O’Donnell said: “We have some returning established favourites, and five breweries new to the festival as its reputation spreads. But more than half our brewery bars are from Greater Manchester, reflecting the county’s position in the brewing industry. “
“We expect the beer selection will include Championship winners, traditional favourites, key-keg conditioned and some new beers never seen before. With such a great selection, Manchester can expect to be the UK’s beer capital this month.”
The breweries exhibiting are: (more…)
Come and have your say about beer in Manchester and beyond at this lively free event to held in the foyer of Manchester Central at 15.00 on Saturday 21st January.
Chaired by Festival Deputy Organiser and beer writer, Peter Alexander, this will give you a chance to ask our expert panel a question, so bring one along with you.
The subject of the debate will be loosely based around “The Changing Beer Scene” but as long as your question is beery and relevant, that’s just fine.
Our panel will consist of:
The appeal of two of the UK’s traditional drinks is set to swell attendance at the biggest beer and cider festival in the North this month.
Cider and its pear-based cousin, perry, has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in recent years. It has suffered from an negative image driven by cheap industrial namesakes, but real cider and perry have always been traditional products made naturally from selected varieties of apples and pears.
The natural yeasts from freshly-pressed apples or pears ferments the juices, producing alcohol and CO2 and are matured in barrels before being released to enjoy. Real cider and perry are never carbonated or pasteurised, a status they share with real ale. But unlike their beer counterpart, cider and perry production is dependent on the seasons, with October the busiest month.
Now one of the largest selections of cider and perry ever assembled will be available for drinkers to savour at Manchester Beer and Cider Festival, held in the cavernous hall of Manchester Central.
The festival has grown consistently and for 2017 will offer 30% more floorspace – and more seating – than ever before. It is organised by the combined expertise of the eight Greater Manchester CAMRA branches. Offering nineteen separate bars, it has become an essential entry in most beer and cider lovers’ calendars.
Among the treats in store are the current national silver medal Dunkerton’s cider from Herefordshire at 7% ABV. Many ciders are considerably stronger than ales, with Green Valley’s Rum Tiddly Tum from Devon eclipsing this at 7.5%. But there are also less alcoholic fruit ciders available, including Celtic Marches’ Raspberry from Bishops Frome and Hogan’s Elderflower from Warwickshire (both 4%) . Making a welcome return to the festival is the national gold medalist Two Trees Perry from Gwynt Y Ddraig in Pontypridd, Glamorgan.
Cider bar manager Mike Robinson said: “The traditional cider counties of Devon, Somerset and Herefordshire have been joined by enthusiastic producers across England and Wales. We’ll have ciders from across Great Britain including seven ciders made right here in Greater Manchester, together with the greatest selection of northern ciders on sale anywhere.
“Our perrys are a world away from the dubiously-named ‘pear ciders’ you may see on supermarket shelves. I’d encourage all festivalgoers to sample the excellent examples and maybe we’ll convert a few ale aficionados to apples and pears!”
Manchester Beer and Cider Festival runs from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st January 2017. General entry tickets are available from www.mancbeerfest.uk
The full list of cider and perries ordered is here: mancbeerfest.uk/beers-ciders/cider-perry-2017/
The biggest beer and cider festival in the North is hoping to attract a new charity partner for 2018 and 2019.
And the ability to scoop up loose change from festivalgoers across the huge floorspace of Manchester Central is not the only opportunity offered by organisers of the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival. The chosen charity will have a guaranteed income from a share of programme sales as well as a free promotional stand to increase awareness. The festival will feature the charity extensively across its website, posters and social media. In return, the charity will need to provide enough trained volunteers to enrich the experience of the expected 15,000 visitors.
Although charities are encouraged to seek sponsorship for their activities, the festival can also provide introductions to corporate supporters.
The festival has grown consistently and for 2017 will offer 30% more floorspace – and more seating – than ever before. It is organised by the combined expertise of the eight Greater Manchester CAMRA branches. Offering nineteen separate bars, it has become an essential entry in most beer lovers’ calendars.
Organiser Graham Donning said: “Although we want applications in a couple of months time, the 2017 festival in January gives potential partners to visit and see for themselves the size and scope of the event. We have had some great charities in the past – all have told us festivalgoers are a generous lot. We provide some guaranteed opportunities to raise money, but we are particularly interested to attract a partner with some innovative ideas which add to our festival.”
Charities are invited to contact the festival organiser outlining their charitable aims, the number of volunteers they would expect to assist the festival, examples of similar events they have participated in and suggestions for activities they would be willing to run. Applications should be sent to organiser (at) mancbeerfest.uk by 1st March 2017. The successful partner can expect to be chosen at the festival’s review meeting that month.
Manchester Beer and Cider Festival runs from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st January 2017. General entry tickets are available from www.mancbeerfest.uk