Festival News

Although Manchester Beer & Cider Festival has moved from Manchester Velodrome to Manchester Central, the Summer Beer Festival in the NCC Cafe will return in August 2015.

The Manchester Beer & Cider Festival is behind us, but June will see our sister festival come to Copper Face Jacks @ The Palace Hotel on Oxford Street. Now in its fifth year, the Greater Manchester CAMRA Cider and Perry Festival will provide a unique opportunity to sample a wide range of traditional cider and perry without any possible distractions from beer. The GMCPF is one of the few CAMRA festivals which focuses exclusively on cider and perry, a rare event outside of the main cider producing regions in the South. There will be a choice of over 40 ciders and perries available at the festival, sourced from a variety of small and medium sized producers from around the country.

Friday 26th & Saturday 27th June 2015 Open from Noon – 10:30pm daily Copper Face Jacks @ The Palace Hotel

For more information, see the festival website at http://manchesterciderfestival.org.uk/

The second Manchester Beer & Cider Festival was a runaway success, putting behind it some of the teething problems that beset the 2014 inaugural event.

MBCF 2015 – Photo by Stuart Revell

Over 11,000 customers came through the doors, but this time every single one of them was anticipated meaning that there was beer for everyone right to the end – in fact even at 7pm on Saturday there were over 250 different beers available. Taking over the whole of the Velodrome gave more space for everyone with beers on both the concourse (near the loos!) and on the floor.

We at MBCF would like to thank all our customers who attended the festival and especially those who have taken the time to give us so much positive feedback.

“Was most excellent with too many very fine Ales….cheers..” – Phil Mercer (via Facebook)

“@MancBeerFest it was fantastic. Even better than last year’s, which was also great. You’ve set a very high standard!” – @neilcondron (via Twitter)

“This was by far the most colossal beer festival any of us have attended. The sheer intensity of beer related movement made what we soon started calling ‘the pit’ a pretty impressive sight.” – specialbrewsmcr.blogspot.co.uk

“Top, top day on Saturday. Excellent venue, great range of beers, decent food and friendly, helpful staff. Thanks to all involved.” – Nick Holden (via Facebook)

“Holy Cow! What a fantastic Festival 2015! Congratulations to all those involved in making it happen.” – @BBrewery (via Twitter)

“The beer choice was, to say the least, probably the best I have ever encountered at any one venue and the way the bars were assembled allowed easy access to whatever one wanted and bar service was excellent.” – Chris Coates (via e-mail)

“First time visit to this venue. Fantastic time. Great selection of beers….good choice of food….totally civilised (no pushing at bars)…..well done to the organisers. Thank you and congratulations. Here’s to next year’s event!” – Ian Rigg (via Facebook)

Just like we did after the first event, we’ll take on board all your feedback and seek to improve for the future.

Thanks again – hope we will see you all again in 2016.

Transport information for those visiting us on Saturday.

There is a Manchester City home game on Saturday. Metrolink have advised that services will not stop at the Velopark stop for around an hour after the game finishes (from approximately 4.30 until around 6pm). Customers can walk to the Etihad stop but clearly it will be very busy. The best advice would be for them to take the tram before about 4.30pm or after about 6pm.

Unfortunately there are also network improvements on the 24th and the 25th of January. The Ashton line will remain operational, but a small section of the city centre will be served by replacement buses instead.Please check before you travel at http://www.metrolink.co.uk/Pages/PNIArticle.aspx?articleid=149

CHAMPION BEER OF THE NORTH WEST 2015

GOLD: Pied Bull Black Bull Porter

SILVER: Hawkshead Cumbrian Five Hop

BRONZE: RedWillow Smokeless

CHAMPION WINTER BEER OF BRITAIN
NORTH WEST REGIONAL ROUNDS 2015

PORTERS

Gold: Pied Bull Black Bull Porter

Silver: Phoenix Black Bee

Bronze: Dent Dent Station Porter

Finalists:
Bank Top Port O’ Call
Boggart Hole Clough Rum Porter
Dunham Massey Dunham Porter
Fell Robust Porter
Hawkshead Brodie’s Prime

BARLEY WINES & STRONG OLD ALES

Gold: Outstanding Imperial IPA

Silver: Coniston No 9 Barley Wine

Bronze: Hawkshead Brodie’s Prime Export

Finalists:
Dunham Massey Winter Warmer
JW Lees Moonraker
Robinsons Old Tom
Strands Barley Wine
Thwaites Old Dan

STOUTS

Gold: Beartown Polar Eclipse

Silver: Barngates Goodhew’s Dry Stout

Bronze: Millstone Stout

Finalists:
Coniston Special Oatmeal Stout
Dent  T’owd Tup
Liverpool Organic Imperial Russian Stout
Peerless Oatmeal Stout
Hawkshead Dry Stone Stout

OLD ALES & STRONG MILDS

Gold: Marble Chocolate Marble

Silver: Jennings Sneck Lifter

Bronze: Prospect Dynamild

Finalists:
Cumbrian Legendary Grasmoor Dark Ale
Fuzzy Duck Ruby Duck
Hesket Newmarket Old Carrock Strong Ale
Merlin Dragonslayer
Bollington Winter Reserve