Three months to go
It’s now just over three months until the return of the regions biggest and most spectacular beer event. The Manchester Beer & Cider Festival will return to the Velodrome at the National Cycling Centre from the 21st to the 25th January 2015 and is promising to be bigger & better than the sell out event in 2014.
The 2014 festival featured no fewer than 357 cask conditioned ales, but this number is set to increase to well over 400 for 2015. 200 of these beers will be on new bars located on the concourse around the track which will also host a second cider & perry bar and a brand new bar packed with the best craft beers from around the world. Visitors to these bars will have easy access to over 3000 seats overlooking the track from where they will again be able to watch Britain’s top cyclists training.
We have taken on board loads of feedback from the first event and made changes where needed. As well as locating half the beers on the concourse level, a new layout on the floor inside the track will allow additional seating and ‘poseur’ tables for your drinks. A new customer care team is being introduced to guide people to their beers and help those with mobility difficulties get under the track to floor level via the lift and ramp. They also expect to put a limited number of advance tickets on sale although have not yet confirmed when this will be.
Of course the festival is really all about the beer and you’ll be pleased to hear there will be more of that – around 40% more – to ensure that your thirsts are satisfied right through until Saturday evening. Once again the selection will feature some of the very best brewers from the North West – including the finalists in CAMRA’s Champion Beer Of The North West Competition alongside some of the top names from around the country. It is exciting that as well as established breweries, some of the freshest and most exciting new breweries in the area are already signed up to feature – names like Squawk, Seven Brothers & Deeply Vale. We will also be featuring the very best representatives of what is termed the craft beer movement from around the country.
The extremely popular Hawkshead Brewery will again be bringing their own bar to the festival, but they will have some new neighbours in what will be two brewery bar areas. The full line up of brewery bars will be revealed shortly but two which have been announced are very exciting – Manchester’s Blackjack Beers & Crewe’s Offbeat Brewery are two breweries who are very much at the cutting edge of British brewing and will be sure to bring some stunning beers to the festival.
The first Manchester Beer & Cider Festival was an unprecedented success with 25% more visitors attending than had been expected. Planning for MBCF 2015 is now well under-way and as well as planning for the increased numbers, we are looking to implement changes in a number of areas to improve the experience for you, our customers.
Customers of the Manchester Beer & Cider Festival were invited to vote for their Beer of The Festival – sponsored by Punch Taverns.