Manchester’s first ever city-wide beer festival will be launched next summer, transforming the region into a ten-day celebration of the nation’s favourite drink.
Manchester Beer Week will run from June 10 to June 19 but, unlike most beer festivals, it will not be tied to a single venue.
Instead, it will feature a series of events at pubs, bars, breweries, restaurants and street locations across the city, all designed to celebrate Manchester as one of the UK’s best destinations for good beer.
Already, more than 40 venues and almost 30 breweries have signed up for the festival, pledging to host a variety of different events across Greater Manchester.
“The early support has been overwhelming and we’re already developing big plans for a number of unique events that will appeal to a wide spectrum of people, not just beer enthusiasts,” said festival organiser Connor Murphy.
“As a proud Mancunian, I am keen to showcase everything our city has to offer – from its rich brewing heritage and varied pub scene to the host of new breweries that have emerged in the past five years. I really do believe Manchester is the best city in the UK for beer.”
One of the main initiatives being planned for the festival will see modern breweries revive beers from Manchester’s past, digging through the record books to find forgotten recipes to be recreated commercially.
But a wide range of further events are being planned, including a brewers’ street market, a week-long pub quiz, pub treasure hunts, brewery tours, history walks and a host of special tasting events. Meanwhile, it is hoped fundraising initiatives will raise money for good causes in the Manchester area.
Manchester Beer Week will also focus on beer’s relationship with food, collaborating with restaurants and food traders on initiatives such as brewery supper clubs, beer-matched meals and pub snacks created especially for the festival.
“When talking about the right drink to accompany good food, too often the focus is drawn towards wine and there are very few restaurants that promote good beer,” added Murphy.
“In fact, beer is the perfect partner for food as it is so incredibly versatile, offering an even greater range of styles and flavours than wine. Manchester Beer Week will attempt to highlight the possibilities for beer to be enjoyed in a wide range of situations.”
Manchester Beer Week is seeking sponsors to help fund a number of its larger initiatives and is calling on interested parties to contact [email protected].
