25th October 2017
For immediate release:
BREWERS’ CRAFT CHALLENGED
Unique contest to crown the best beer in Greater Manchester
Choosing your favourite ale from one brewery is sometimes difficult, but what if you had to choose from the incredible selection across Greater Manchester? Brewers now have the opportunity to stake their claim to the region’s ultimate ale accolade. And organisers of the North’s biggest beer festival are urging them not to miss out.
Fresh from an audit which showed Manchester to be the cask capital of Britain, the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival is calling for entries for the inaugural Manchester Brewers’ Challenge. But in an unusual twist for the CAMRA event, brewers are free to submit whichever beer and style they feel best represents their craft.
Beer orderer John O’Donnell explains:
“We have previously hosted rounds of CAMRA’s flagship competition, the Champion Beer of Britain. But as CAMRA moves the contest to our friends at Liverpool Beer Festival, we saw we could use this January to do something innovative and different.”
“So we have challenged all Greater Manchester breweries in this year’s Good Beer Guide to take part. Some brewers wish to decide which of their beers are judged; and which style category their beer is placed. We think this contest gives them that opportunity – brewers can submit a beer in any style and in any format they choose.”
With over 70 breweries in Greater Manchester, the only constraint is that brewers can put just one beer in front of the judges next January as the festival opens. And although they won’t be able to judge their own offering, brewers are invited to join an experienced judging team drawn from publicans, writers and other industry figures. They will be marking entries for aroma, taste, aftertaste and saleability.
Regional CAMRA director Graham Donning also heads the festival organising team. He said:
“To plan the judging, we need to hear from brewers by early next month. We don’t expect every brewer to enter, and the contest will have no bearing on the beers we will showcase. But the Manchester Brewers Challenge will reflect the amazing choice of ales across our region and will surely be a prestigious trophy to win. It will be a bit of fun at the launch of the festival, but not for the judges – theirs is going to be tough job.”
Organised by the Greater Manchester branches of the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA), the festival returns to Manchester Central from Thursday 25th to Saturday 27th January 2018. The Manchester Brewers’ Challenge will be judged and results announced at a special preview evening on Wednesday 24th January open to the trade and media, and free to CAMRA members.
Advance tickets are on sale through the festival’s website, www.mancbeerfest.uk
For further information, contact:
David Rigby press (at) mancbeerfest.uk
Notes to editors:
- The Manchester Beer & Cider Festival is organised by the nine Greater Manchester branches of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
- The festival will be open to the public on Thursday 25th, Friday 26th and Saturday 27th January 2018. Detailed opening times; Thursday 12pm – 10.30pm; Friday 12pm – 10.30pm; Saturday 12pm – 7pm.
- Advance tickets for the 2018 festival can be bought via mancbeerfest.uk/about/tickets/, Eventbrite.co.uk and facebook.com/manchesterbeerfestival.
- Entry prices now include £3 refundable glass hire and are from £7.
- The 2017 festival attracted 13,588 customers to Manchester Central from 19th – 21st January 2017.
- There will be a trade/CAMRA members only preview evening between 5pm and 9pm on Wednesday 24th January. Media organisations can be added to the invitation list by contacting press@mancbeerfest.uk
- Follow us for all the latest news: facebook.com/manchesterbeerfestival and @MancBeerFest.