Manchester Union Brewery, Manchester’s first and only dedicated craft lager brewery, is eyeing up a move to larger premises as part of its plans to expand its brewing capacity and become the number one lager in Manchester.
More than 6,300 pints are currently produced each week, but this is set to increase by 50% to 9,500 by Christmas 2022, with an increased portfolio of stockists secured. The introduction of three new state-of-the-art brewing tanks installed at the current site on North Western Street, will enable Manchester Union Brewery to double its capacity to 12,672 pints per week, over 650,000 per year, by Spring 2023.
In the last few months, Manchester Union Brewery has secured 9 new stockists including new multi-kitchen food and drink venue Exhibition, which has installed a huge tank in the venue for the freshest lager possible, plus new deals with the likes of HOME, Cask (Liverpool Road), Bistro Marc in Stockport, The Mancunian and The Barking Dog in Urmston leading to a 170% growth in volume from its tap distribution.
Since launching in 2018, Manchester Union Brewery has diversified its offering from its flagship Manchester Union Lager, introducing new beers including Bock, Alt, After Dusk and Scenes, and its new limited edition festbier, Oktober.
With its sights set on securing an expanded site in the next three years, the brewery also hopes to open its very own city centre-based tap room to extend its events and consumer offering. The in-house team is also set to grow in the coming months as they recruit more assistant brewers to help with the increased capacity as well as a full-time salesperson to support their growth plans.
Manchester Union Brewery is renowned for its unique brewing methods, using a technique called decoction mashing. The result is a bold silky mouthfeel with a touch of caramel sweetness, followed swiftly with a hugely refreshing, dry and bitter finish from the central European hops.
The method for brewing is so unique that it’s attracted the interest of breweries all around the UK who are keen to visit to experience decoction mash brewing, with the potential for collaborations to create brand new craft beers.
Will Evans, co-founder of Manchester Union Brewery, commented: “Our mission is to make Manchester Union the #1 lager in Manchester. When we first started, I think everyone thought we were mad to be brewing using the technique of decoction mash, but now everyone sees it as the holy grail of lager production. It’s through this technique that gives us the quality to stand out and build up an army of fans in Manchester. We’re looking forward to embarking on our ambitious growth plans to take Manchester Union Brewery to the next level with larger premises and state-of-the-art capabilities to create new quality flavours – without ever losing our Manchester swagger.”
Jamie Scahill co-founder added “It’s really exciting to see the growth of the brewery this year and into next. Lockdown was tough for everyone and it was a relief to get through to the other side so to be doubling production is an achievement we are really proud of. 2023 is going to be a huge year for us and we’d like to thank everyone who has supported us along the way”
The brewery recently launched a limited edition Oktoberfest beer, Oktober, which is a modern twist on the classic Festbier and available in 500ml bottles. The seasonal lager is a 6% malt-forward and bready golden lager with a rich body from extended decoction mash. The aroma is light caramel with honey, backed up with lots of Saaz hops and bitterness for maximum refreshment.
