Just Another Chilled Out Sunday....

Which is not what I generally have! I am normally working on a Sunday afternoon pulling pints and pouring wines, served with a smile and a dash of conversation. But on a rare day off, I took myself over to a few places in Manchester to see how Sunday pans out elsewhere....

I had been deliberating over where to go on a rare Sunday off.

OK, there were certain factors to take into consideration. First, a splendid Saturday evening watching my friends in their excellent blues rock band Blood, Sweat, and Beers on top form in Brighouse when purely incidentally several pints had been consumed, which meant I was a little slow off the mark. Second, a wish to avoid going through Halifax not because I would normally be working there at the Meandering Bear but because it would be busy with hordes of fans going to the Piece Hall to see Blondie. And thirdly, the current spate of weekend closures as upgrades are being done at Huddersfield railway station meant the number of trains going through Brighouse had been increased. And so, factoring all those 3 factors in, I decided I would catch the train over to Manchester, where I'd seen Blondie back in 1977 supporting Television at the Free Trade Hall. OK, there was a two pound premium over the cost of going from Halifax, but for a 40 minute direct run with no stops it was a price worth paying.

As it happened, I'd been in Manchester only a day or two before, when I'd gone with my mate John to see a fine gig from singer-songwriter Bess Atwell at the Band on the Wall. We'd had a pleasant mini crawl taking in some decent pubs en route, had dined on Thai food at Mackie Mayor, and had a final half across the road from the venue at Bar Fringe, situated on the edge of the Northern Quarter as it eases into Ancoats, and which continues to be a popular without compromising its quirky Belgian bar-style atmosphere. The beer choice here tends to be different to what you'd find elsewhere in the city - I was drinking Tawny, a 3.8% bitter, from Cotleigh brewery in Somerset whose beers are now brewed by Nuttycombe. Always worth popping in here, where you can also enjoy the sun trap beer garden out back or admire the old motorbike on display as you come in....

Bar Fringe, Swan Street, Manchester

But today I was heading to a different part of the city. Albert Square to be precise where the bulk of the city's magnificent town hall is currently covered in a huge white shroud whilst restoration work continues. Across the other side of the Square is a newly-renovated pub which aims to be something of a flagship for the beers of owners, J W Lees. This is Founder's Hall, which is the replacement for the former and rather forgettable Duttons which had been based on the ground floor of this modern-ish office block for some years. And whilst the exterior is rather unassuming, not helped though by the boards only yards away from the front due to the activity across Square, it is pleasant with attractive hanging baskets and planters adding a dash of colour. Inside the pub with its large glass frontage it is though most impressive, with a long bar facing you with a plethora of handpumps and fonts featuring a large selection of the Lees beers plus a number from their Boilerhouse stable which produces small batch, modern-style beers and craft ales. The bar looks out over a single room which is broken up into a number of separate areas. Dark wood, bare brick, and stylish fixtures and fittings have created a very pleasant place for a drink, although food is also a big part of the operation. The guy behind the bar was friendly and eager to offer any advice, but I had already decided to go for a pint of the 3.7% MPA golden ale. Packed with Liberty and Mount Hood hops, it was a decent enough pint (NBSS 3), but there is some strong competition in Manchester as I was to be reminded as I wandered around the city. But credit to Lees for creating a very attractive bar in this part of the city which can only benefit once the restoration of the town hall is complete.

It was only a few minutes walk in the Manchester drizzle towards St Peter's Square, but before I got there I turned left when I got to the Waterhouse I turned left and then left again on to Kennedy Street, where sandwiched between the Waterhouse (Spoons) and the Vine is one of the very best in town, the City Arms (opening image). It is a small pub which is nearly 200 years old and comprises a small bar, a small lounge-like room a step down at the back of the pub, plus a drinking corridor as you enter to the rear of the bar. It is usually busy when I go in, but today it was decidedly chilled out, which made for a pleasant half an hour or so sat in the back room. I'd ordered a pint of Odin, the popular 3.8% Blonde from Radcliffe brewers Brightside, which was a bit lively and so the girl behind the bar offered to bring it over to me when she'd sorted it. It is usually on here when I call in, and as usual it was in great form (NBSS 3.5). The room was quiet when I walked in with only a couple of tables occupied. Walls painted in a warm yellow feature several famous drinking-related quotations and I'd sat opposite one from Ernest Hemingway that I'd not noticed before.

Very true....

There was a pleasant relaxed Sunday afternoon vibe which was maintained as the numbers increased, some bearing bags of items bought, their damp-shoulders and the closing of umbrellas suggesting that the rain outside had got heavier. I finished my pint and returned my glass to the bar. I'd noticed a beer called Hidden Lakes from Chapter Brewing on the bar. I've always enjoyed their beers when I've come across them in places like Liverpool, and so whilst this was a mild, not a style I drink very often, I decided to try a half. It had an ABV of 3.2% and was a deep ruby-black with a nice creamy head. Delicious it was too, with a sweet, full bodied malty base, a delicate hop lift and a smooth roasted malt flavour (NBSS 3.5).  This time I stayed in the room with the bar stood at one of the tall tables to enjoy my drink with its wooden floorboards and very little furniture. I duly finished my beer, returned my glass to the bar, and bade farewell to the girl serving, who had done a sterling job looking after everyone on her own. Another most enjoyable visit to this fine pub, and for once it was a place to chill.

Incidentally, I only discovered whilst I was writing this piece that Chapter, based in Frodsham, recently announced that they are closing their operation at the end of June. The brewery, who had drawn inspiration for the names of many of their beers from literature (hence their name), had started out in 2016 and over the subsequent 8 years won many awards, including a Gold Medal for their 5.5% speciality beer Dead Man's Fist at the CAMRA Winter Beer Festival earlier this year. It is a real shame they have decided to call it a day, but as other award-winning breweries like Elland have found, winning medals doesn't guarantee your future.

The jam in the sandwich: The City Arms

I set off, the drizzle persistent, back through the financial hub of the city to a place about 10 minutes walk away that I had visited a mere two days after it had first opened to see how it was getting on 8 months later. This was the flagship bar of Pomona Island brewery, situated on Chapel Walks. North Westward Ho! had opened up in October 2023 amid a buzz of anticipation, and I'd found an smart and shiny new bar where the smell of new wood and upholstery was very much in evidence. I'd enjoyed my visit back then, and so had friends who had visited subsequently, so I'd decided it was in need of a return call. I walked in, it was all very much the same, fairly quiet, but I was quite happy with that. I ordered a pint of Pomona's 5.3% American Pale, Phaedra, an old and hazy favourite of mine, from the wide range of keg beers on offer, and it was excellent. I got chatting to the guy on the bar about how it was all going and then we were joined by a couple from Bolton who were off to the Bridgwater Hall to see a number of classic Britpop bands and artists with the support of a full orchestra. And the conversation flowed from this to that; another pleasant half an hour in a relatively recent and welcome addition to the Manchester beer scene.

North Westward Ho!, Manchester

I wandered around the corner on to Spring Gardens, where it was less than a minute's walk to another city centre favourite, Cafe Beermoth. This modern bar has always been one of Manchester's coolest with its eclectic selection of beers from the local scene and further beyond. With 7 beers on cask, 10 on keg, and an extensive selection of bottled beers there is something for everyone here. At one time I used to come here and moan about not being able to read the signs with the beers on above each tap on the back of the bar, but then one of the bar staff pointed out the QR codes that are situated at different points along the bar, in which you can find out about the day's selection, which is also featured on Untappd. So that told me there were cask beers on from the likes of Blackjack, Runaway, Pentrich, and The Kernel on cask, whilst on keg they were pouring the likes of Cloudwater, St Mars Of The Desert, Rivington, Donzoko, and Glasshouse, as well as a sour Flanders Ale from Rodenbach, and a genuine Czech pilsener. 

I went for a pint of Stone's Throw, a 4.2% modern pale ale which is a collab between Runaway and Beermoth themselves, which was very pleasant and refreshing (NBSS 3.5). I sat at one of the tables near the side window and enjoyed my beer as I looked around. There was a very relaxed atmosphere, with a retro soundtrack playing the likes of Hollywood Nights by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (remember them?). The place wasn't too busy, but there were a few people sat in the elevated booth-like spaces opposite the bar, with others dotted around the rest of the room. I went back to the bar and got myself a half of the Jack D'or off the keg list from the wonderfully-named Sheffield magicians St Mars Of The Desert. This was the beer highlight of the day; a 5.8% Belgian-style Farmhouse Ale, brewed with European hops and saison yeast, with a more neutral strain then added to give a second fermentation. The result? A beautifully balanced, aromatic, dry and slightly spicy golden beer, with a tingling natural fizz. A true beer with which to sip and relax.

Beer of the day

I then worked my way back to Victoria via a plate of rice and three at This and That, and with 20 minutes before my train, I popped in to the Victoria Tap for a quick half. I spotted a beer from Green Arches, a 4.1% Irish Dry Stout called After Dark, on the bar and decided to give that a try as I'd not tried their beers before. The brewery was set up in 2023 by two former employees of the closed Beatnikz Republic brewery, and is based in a railway arch in the Green Quarter between Rochdale Road and Cheetham Hill Road. It was another nicely-balanced beer, with plenty of roasted malt leading to a dry finish (NBSS 3.5), and was a good way to finish my visit to Manchester. It had been a nice chilled-out afternoon, which concluded with a return journey that only took 38 minutes.

And finally, after mentioning breweries that were closing, news broke a few days ago that one that had closed earlier this year is making a comeback. Squawk are back, or at least the name and the beers are. It seems that head man Oli had wanted to step away from the brewery, and it has been announced that they will be now brewed in Burnley rather than Manchester, at the well-established Moorhouses brewery. Now this is something of a surprise, as Moorhouses have generally up until now only bothered with cask beers such as Pendle Witches Brew, Blond Witch, and Black Cat Mild. Squawk by contrast were known for their modern cask and keg beers, and so it will be very interesting to see how things develop over the coming months....

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