Three hoppy celebrations that are definitely worth raising a glass to…
Summer and beer go together pretty well, especially in Manchester. When the warmer weather starts to kick in, there are few finer places to find yourself than in a city-centre beer garden with a freshly-poured cold one in-hand.
If you’re the type that likes their lager to linger on the tastebuds or really get to know their tipple before it’s tapped out, then you’ll no doubt be pleased to learn that the city has a host of craft beer festivals where crisp brews are king.
Need pointing in the right direction? Here are four of the best Manchester craft beer festivals to enjoy throughout 2023…
Manchester Craft Brew Festival | Victoria Warehouse | Fri 19 – Sat 20 May 2023
Craft beer, ciders, wines, the alluring mystery of ‘fun and games’ – one look on the Manchester Craft Brew Festival website reveals a whole host of things to look forward to during this boozy two-dayer. One of the newer offerings on the Manchester beer festival scene, this Victoria Warehouse-hosted event promises to bring together both micro-breweries and more recognised names to allow punters to broaden their pallet when it comes to quality drinks.
Lancashire’s own Farm Yard Brew Co, Bath’s Electric Bear, Salford’s Strange Times and London’s Hackney Church Brew Co. are all among the names already confirmed to appear, with tickets also bagging guests a souvenir glass and a goodie bag. Snap yours up while you can from just £13.50 (early bird) or £15.
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Summer Beer Thing | Kampus | Fri 30 June – Sun 2 Jul
It used to be held at the spacious Sadler’s Yard across town but these days, you’ll find Summer Beer Thing over in Manchester’s newest neighbourhood, Kampus. While its location may have changed, its reputation for dishing out three days of quality beer and lovely good times thankfully hasn’t gone anywhere. Summer Beer Thing has long been a favourite date in the diaries of many a Northern beer drinker – and 2023 promises yet another weekend of great brews, delicious food, DJs and generally nice vibes.
Day tickets start at just £6.59 for Friday’s slightly shorter session before bumping up only slightly to £10.85 for Saturday and £8.72 for Sunday’s stints. Once inside, you’ll be issued a cool Summer Beer Thing glass and beer tokens can be purchased and exchanged for 1/3 pint measures. A full list of brewers hasn’t been unveiled just yet but you can all but guarantee a mouth-watering array of guests. Grab your tickets here.
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Manchester Craft Beer Festival | Mayfield Depot | Fri 21 – Sat 22 July 2023 |
The entry price to Manchester Craft Beer Festival might be a little pricier than some other similar events but once you’re inside their doors, all your drinks are included, making it kind of like an all-inclusive holiday – only in an industrial Manchester warehouse instead of a lush beach resort. One of the larger beer festivals on offer in the city, this one takes over the airy space inside Mayfield Depot and fills it with around 65 different brewers boasting more than 500 different types of beer.
Some familiar Manchester names are already on the bill, including Track, Marble Brewery, and Salford’s Pomona Island Brewing, with other guests including Welsh lot Tiny Rebel, Saltaire’s Salt, North Brewing Co and loads more. Cocktails, whiskies and ciders are also available during your trip, with a range of street food vendors on site to fill your belly with grub to help keep the spins at bay. Tickets for this one are available here.
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Indy Man Beer Con | Victoria Warehouse | Thu 5 – Sun 8 October
Just when summer’s disappeared and you think all the fun is over, Indy Man Beer Con comes along and saves one of the city’s best beer festivals to last. Indy Man is perhaps the most beloved Northern beer festival. Housed in the picturesque Victoria Baths, this four day event is split into various sessions, with punters invited to wander around the baths’ historic, tile-covered rooms and sample as many independently-made beers and ciders as they can guzzle before their session comes to a close.
With pop-up tastings, in-house DJs, a dedicated street-food hub and an exclusive array of different tipples to try, Indy Man Beer Con has earned its reputation as one of Manchester’s best beer festivals for good reason and as such, regularly sells out. Tickets for each of its sessions go on sale on Thursday 18 May, with a limited batch of pre-sale passes available a day earlier. Learn more about Indy Man Beer Con here.
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