Craft beer

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I'm not keen on the escalation of pretentious names and daft designs on the can, but I bloody love several nice 2/3 pints of posh cloudy beer.

Just got back from another quick trip to some unassuming industrial units around Manchester for some supplies of Cloudwater and Seven Brothers.

I'm not particularly anoraky about how they're made or what goes in them, but current favourites from extensive tasting whilst out and about in Manchester are...

Seven Brothers IPA
Salt Alpaca
Cloudwater Pale

Only problem is how quickly your brain goes as hazy as the beer when they are 6%+

What's your favourites?

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Yup, can be expensive. 6 cans of Cloudwater was about £25!

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C70R said:

I've become a bit of a craft beer nause since two excellent indie taprooms with regularly rotating stock opened up near me in SW London. Quite often find myself heading there with friends, as opposed to the traditional boozers.

I'd recommend downloading the Untappd app. It helps keep track of what you have previously had (if, like me, you're always looking for something new), and can help predict whether you're likely to enjoy something before you drop £8+ on a can.

I've logged a few hundred beers on there (mainly heavy, hoppy, cloudy, DIPAs), and my 2019 highlights so far have been:
- Fruit, Car, Sight, Exhibition, by Verdant
- Double Dry Hopped Double Mosaic Dream, by Other Half
- Tremendous Ideas, by Cloudwater
- Chinook Mosaic Double IPA, by Polly's Brew Co.
- People Do Odd Things, by Verdant
- The Strongest of the Strange, by Verdant
- Three's Company, by Cloudwater
- Hop City DDH IPA, by Northern Monk
- THAT CHIHUAHUA, by Garage Beer Co.
- Is There Music In Your Dreams?, by Wylam

If you like your beer in the same style as I do, I'd recommend seeking out beers from Verdant, Cloudwater and Northern Monk (among others). All of those should be readily available in good UK taprooms, and they seem to be releasing nothing but great beer of late.

I have a couple of similar places about 300m from where I live. Dangerous.

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C70R said:

Just spotted you're in Manchester - have you been to the Cloudwater taproom yet? It's on my list if I find myself in that neck of the woods.

The one on the Bermondsey beer mile is great (and the mile itself is recommended to any Londoner), but the variety is often limited to 5-6 drafts.

Yep. That's where I go to get my cans.There's also Alphabet Brewing and Pomona Island nearby. The Seven Brothers one sees you drinking your pint next to the tanks they are brewing it in.
There's a pretty epic Pub crawl from the taps mentioned in the Piccadilly Station area and on into the Northern Quarter.

Edited by Rollin on Monday 11th November 13:29

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Nezquick said:

I'd like details of that pub crawl too if you have it? I work in Manchester and love my craft beers (Cloudwater stuff is fantastic).

Start at Cloudwater to avoid any queues and walking through dodgy bit of town in the dark.

Alphabet Brewing

Beatnikz Republic bar

Northern Monk

Port Street Beer House

Castle Hotel

57 Thomas Street

Mackie Mayor

Smithfield Market Tavern

Seven Brothers Beer House

There's plenty more bars on that route, but they are my favourite beery ones.

You could also squeeze in Bundobust for some grub too.

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The Manchester Beer Festival at Gmex is well worth a visit in January

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Just having one of these. Such a fantastic delicious beer.

Edited by Rollin on Wednesday 13th November 20:07

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Enjoying a can of this now. I'm crap at taste descriptions! Definitely not as full on in terms of the grapefruityish flavour of Cloudwater IPA. Lower in alcohol though so can enjoy more before falling over

I'm going to visit the Salt brewery in Saltaire soon as it looks like a pretty good venue

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Will definitely be getting some Polly's. I can tell just by the colour that I'm going to love that.
I found a photo on my phone taken at the last Manc Beer Fest of a beer tap for a mosaic hopped beer from Thirst Class Ales in Stockport. I must have enjoyed it so will pop down and pick some up.

Just found 2 cans of this at the back of a cupboard. 2 years after the best before date so not exactly sticking to the Cloudwater 'drink fresh' mantra Think I'll stick with the Seven Brothers IPA tonight.

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Just got back from Bents Garden Centre in Glazebury. Well known for their Christmas decoration displays and not my favourite place at this time of year. They do, however, have an excellent choice of beers. Managed to pick up a couple of cans of Pollys!






and my Alpaca was waiting on the doorstep when I got home...

Edited by Rollin on Saturday 16th November 15:59

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My current favourite is Pomona Island Session IPA.
Not available in cans though.

Looking forward to Manchester Beer Festival this weekend....It's a great day out!

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Well the pubs and bars are shut!
But my local breweries are doing deliveries!!!

Cloudwater have 25% off their beer for keyworkers and have guest beers too.

Praise the Lord!! Pomona Island have started deliveries of crowlers of their usual keg only staples.
Local deliveries only though.
Burp

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These arrived today amongst a few others. Needs to be drunk soon so best get started. £3 a can.

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25% off for NHS and keyworkers at Cloudwater...

https://shop.cloudwaterbrew.co/pages/nhs-and-key-w...

Got my latest order down to £3.15 a can including delivery which is not too bad really.

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I got some Cloudwater Sabro IPA last week. I've had 2 cans I decided I don't like it. Too coconutty. Much prefer their DDH Pale.

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Alpaca from Salt is a big favourite of mine.

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Big delivery from Pomona and Cloudwater today!

The Equilibrium collaboration is very nice

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Pomona Factotum and some specials that Cloudwater shipped over from California. Henhouse...

Of which, this was the best

https://untappd.com/b/henhouse-brewing-company-the...

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jep said:

TCEvo said:

Blown2CV said:

just dropped an order in to Pomona Island. I've had some of their stuff in the past but heard a couple of people really singing their praises recently.

Pomana's been knocking some decent beers out recently

Yep, they've been very consistent these last 9months or so. Pentrich, Overtone, Pollys are some other crackers to look out for.

My favourite now. I get free delivery as it's quite local....and I've had many deliveries

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Looking forward to Sure Shot starting to produce their own beer.
It was started by a cofounder of Cloudwater and the first beers were Vocation collaborations.