One of the north’s biggest celebrations of craft and real ales will return in the new year.
The Manchester Beer and Cider Festival features more than 600 beers, ciders and perries and draught and bottled beers from around the world.
The three-day festival will return for its second year at Manchester Central in January - here’s all the information you need:
When is it?
The festival will run from Thursday Janury 19 to Saturday January 21.
On Thursday and Friday the festival is open noon-10.30pm; then noon-7pm on Saturday.
If you’re a CAMRA member, you can enjoy a sneak preview on Wednesday January 18, at 5pm - you just need to produce your membership card.
Where is it?
The festival is held at Manchester Central Convention Complex, in the city centre.
What’s on?
Hundreds of real ales, craft ales and beers from around Britain and beyond to sample, as well as ciders and perries.
There will also be beer and cider speakers, with presentations on the history of brewing in monasteries, the rise, fall and re-birth of IPA, a certificate in beer appreciation course and more.
Will there be food?
Yep - there are plenty of options for you to line your stomach throughout the sessions.
This year’s street food includes Handmade Cornish Pasties, The Crusty Pie Company, Muffin Man, What’s Your Beef, Viva La Toastie, The Pickled Porker and Pipers Crisps.
How do we get there?
The closest train station is Deansgate - served by trains on the Transpennine lines between Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield.
Oxford Road Station is also a five-minute walk from the venue, and Manchester Central is around a 20-minute walk from the Piccadilly and Victoria Stations.
Alternatively you can catch the Metrolink to the Deansgate-Castlefield Station, adjacent to Manchester Central.
How much are tickets?
Thursday: £4 plus £3 glass hire (refundable);
Friday: £7 plus £3 glass hire (refundable);
Saturday: £7 plus £3 glass hire (refundable).
Senior citizens, armed forces, emergency services personnel, NHS staff and students get a £1 discount.
Accompanied children can enter free and can attend the festival until 7pm each day.
To book tickets in advance, visit mancbeerfest.uk.
The festival is organised by the Greater Manchester branches of The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and is supporting the Breast Cancer Care Charity.
