Top 4: Manchester Beer Week 2017 ft. CAMRA Beer Festival

Manchester Beer Week returns for a second year of frothy fun in a celebration of craft ale and independent breweries. Last year’s event spilled over to nearly 100 venues, so where do you start with an event this big? We’ve picked four early highlights to help you weave through the week. Cheers!

1. Manchester Brewery Expo on opening weekend ft. Cloudwater, Alphabet & more
Every brewery in the city centre will open to the public on the Saturday of opening weekend. That means an open-door policy from Alphabet, Chorlton, Cloudwater, Manchester Brewing Co and more. Expect a range of events on the Saturday and beyond, including special tastings, beer-fuelled debates, and talks from experts.
Sat 24 Jun, various venues, FREE, www.mcrbeerweek.co.uk

2. Central Manchester CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival at 53Two
CAMRA’s beer festival moves from the People’s History Museum to 53Two, opposite the Briton’s Protection. They will feature beer from across the UK, a bar dedicated to locally-produced cider and, on cask and keg, smaller breweries offering their wares. Tickets on the door.
Thu 29 Jun – Sat 1 Jul, 53two, 8 Albion Street, Manchester M1 5LN. Tel: 07821 452473, Thu 4pm to 9pm, Fri 12pm to 9pm, Sat 12pm to 9pm, £2 – £4, www.centralmanchestercamra.org.uk

3. Five exclusive beers as local brewers team up with Hawkshead, Verdant & more
Manchester breweries will team up with partners across the country to launch five collaborative beers. Blackjack deal their hand with the Lake District’s Hawkshead, Marble teams up with Northern Monk in Leeds, Track will bring a taste of London to the city with Brew By Numbers, Runaway spread their wings with Bristol’s Left Handed Giant, and perhaps most interestingly, Cloudwater join forces with Lost And Grounded and Falmouth’s much-vaunted Verdant. Expect a launch on the first Monday of the festival, June 26.
Fri 23 Jun– Sun 2 Jul, various venues, all week, www.mcrbeerweek.co.uk

4. Scottish Tap at BrewDog Manchester
BrewDog escape their Aberdeenshire home and travel south of the border for the duration of the Beer Festival. They’ll set up shop in BrewDog Manchester on Peter Street to offer a range of Scottish beer, with tasty creations from Fierce Beer, Tempest Brew Co, Fallen, Cromarty and Six Degrees North. No special tastings, no tickets, just a taste of haggis country all week long.
Fri 23 Jun – Sun 2 Jul, BrewDog, 35 Peter Street, Manchester M2 5BG. Tel: 0161 832 1922, all week, FREE, www.mcrbeerweek.co.uk