There is no room for dry January in Manchester this week, as real ale fans head to the National Cycling Centre’s Velodrome for the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival.
Organised by the Greater Manchester branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the festival will have more than 500 beers, ciders and perries for drinkers to enjoy.
There will be a huge variety of bars, both on the concourse surrounding the arena and on the floor level inside the track itself. The event kicks off today and runs until Saturday evening.
A spokesperson for the festival said: “As well as bringing you some of the finest British cask conditioned ales, the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival will feature some of the finest traditional beers from around the world and has expanded its global offering this year.
“Once again, it is expected that the full range of German Oktoberfest beers will be on the bar, in itself a rare occurrence in the UK.
“However, the festival will also be featuring a range of beers from the growing craft beer movement around the world.
“These will include beers from Australia’s Stone and Wood, Denmark’s Amager and Spain’s Naparbier. The USA will be represented by Evil Twin, Two Roads and Greenflash amongst others.”
The concourse bar areas will focus on local brewers from Manchester and the North West.
After a hugely successful showing at last year’s festival, Altrincham-based Dunham Massey went on to win CAMRA’s Champion Winter Beer of Britain award for their Dunham Porter.
John Costello, who owns and runs the brewery, explained the Beer and Cider Festival is a way to showcase his beer to both local people and those who travel from all over the country.
He told MM: “Manchester is a very good festival. It’s in a huge place and they have a massive choice of beers.
“If you’re going to Manchester from Rochdale, you have probably never tasted my beers, so it gives people the opportunity to try beers both local and from far away. That is the best thing about it.
“The fact that the judging is there for all the regional finals gives an expert the chance to rate my beers, which is a stepping stone to international finals. We won the award last year because of this beer festival.”
The festival will take place in the National Cycling Centre’s Velodrome from 21st – 24th January and tickets cost between £3 and £6. Entry is free for CAMRA members.
Image courtesy of Manchester Beer Fest, with thanks.
