National Winter Ales Festival

 

I'm off to Manchester tomorrow after work. It's the last one before it moves to Derby in 2014 - I'm not sure why. I've enjoyed the festival since it moved to the Sheridan Suite even if I find the beer list a bit strange. There seems to be a lot of lesser known beers aimed at tickers and not enough cast iron classics which I like to mix with new beers. For instance, there are four Acorn beers but no Barnsley Bitter. Five from Hawkshead but no Bitter. Where is Thornbridge? I admite bias but where is Brimstage, the must have brewery for real ale pubs in Wirral, just 40 miles away? I'm just being perverse, I'll find plenty to drink. Of course, there's the odd reasonable pub in Manchester city centre. So I've booked two nights in Travelodge do do the festival justice. I might even visit Brewdog Manchester.