On Friday, Salford-based independent brewery Seven Bro7hers hosted a launch night for their new Beerhouse at Middlewood Locks.
Following on from their successful Ancoats Beerhouse, the Salford venue was opened in October, last Friday’s event was held to launch it among the residents of neighbouring New Maker Yards.
A modern and stylish take on the pub, the new bar is right at home in Middlewood Locks, a recent billion pound development comprising apartments, restaurants and bars; and appealing to young professionals and recent graduates.
With plenty of exposed brick, bar stool and sofa seating options, as well as a canal-side outdoor space, the bar would be a great spot for a relaxed pint. It is a very pleasant environment in which to drink.
However, with a full room and the DJ spinning soul and funk classics, the launch night showed the bar as an excellent option as a night out stop. Whether you want to enjoy the atmosphere from the sofas or cut some shapes to Sister Sledge, the venue had you covered.
The main attraction, though, was the beer.
Class to be at the launch night of @SevenBroMLocks for @MM_newsonline.
Brilliant little place, excellent soul playlist, cracking chocolate stout. Had worse evenings of work pic.twitter.com/02Xb0S5Ixc
— Dan Haygarth (@DanHaygarth1) January 23, 2020
As is the case with many craft beer establishments, the quality of beer comes at a price. Not least are the pints pushing London prices, with most sitting around the £5-6 mark, but in visiting such bars, you find yourself around a certain type of ‘beer man’.
Standing at the bar patiently, as many people were enjoying cashing in on free beers, I found myself waiting behind a man who is best avoided: asked for numerous tasters, forgot his Ps and Qs, before denouncing a number of beers as bland and informing the server that the IPA was not nearly ‘hoppy enough’.
Nonetheless, the odd pretentious patron is worth putting up for once you get to the bar. With almost twenty of the brewery’s beers on offer, ranging from Marshmallow Stout to the Watermelon Wheat Beer, you are spoiled for choice.
Given tokens for free beer, I was able to try a number of beers, all of which were very impressive. The pilsner was crisp and refreshing, ‘Cast Off’ was an excellent American Pale Ale (and certainly not lacking in hopps like our aforementioned friend had whinged) and the Watermelon Wheat was a distinctive and nicely tangy take on a classic.
The pièce de résistance, however, was the ‘Sling It Out’ chocolate stout. Made with discarded grains created in the cereal cooking process, the beer is one of the brewery’s three beers as part of a sustainability collaboration with Kellogg’s.
Sling It Out is brewed with upcycled Coco Pops to provide the chocolate taste. It feels like it shouldn’t work, but the end result is truly sensational – sweet and beautifully rich. A top-tier stout.
The free beers were complimented by trays of home-cooked bar snacks, which ranged in quality. A cooked breakfast skewer was difficult to eat and rather odd, a halloumi burger hit the spot, while the vegan chicken wings were best avoided.
We’re open! Come and say hello
Pouring pints with a view and serving our incredible, fresh, home cooked food
Whether we are your office for the day or you’re taking a break from the 9-5 and grabbing lunch and a brew we’re ready for you! pic.twitter.com/ikEPaIXe3G
— SEVEN BRO7HERS BEERHOUSE MIDDLEWOOD LOCKS (@SevenBroMLocks) January 8, 2020
All in all, the launch night was highly enjoyable and announced the bar as a serious addition to Greater Manchester’s nightlife.
Though it spells increased gentrification for Salford and continues the move away from the humble, traditional pub, the Middlewood Locks Beerhouse offers a great drinking experience. It’s not affordable enough for frequent visits, but if you fancy a good-quality craft pint in a stylish location, you’ll struggle to do much better.
