Top 5: Manchester craft breweries & bars ft. Port Street & Cloudwater Barrel Store

So the story goes, civilisation grew up around the art of brewing, purifying water into something safe to consume. If that is true then Manchester might be one of the most civilised cities in the UK with 75 breweries in the local area. And where better to try the local craft beers than in the city’s brew taps and beer bars. Here’s our selection of the very best.

Port Street Beer House
Port Street offers the most extensive cask and keg selections in the city with over 100 bottled varieties and an ever changing roster of beers on tap. Recently named ‘Craft Ale Bar of the Year’ at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards, staff are genuinely knowledgeable and will guide you towards the perfect pint. It’s the 7 cask pumps that are the real stars here with some rarities on offer; even for the aficionado, there will be something new to try. The décor is plain but cosy, and the tables out front are a lovely spot in the summer.
39-41 Port Street, Manchester M1 2EQ. Tel: 0161 2379949. Sun-Fri noon-midnightwww.portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk

Cloudwater Barrel Store
Brew taps have been having a moment recently, and there’s a real charm to sitting amongst the barrels with a pint poured by the brewer themself. The Cloudwater Barrel store is technically a storage space beneath Piccadilly Station’s railway arches, so be warned – it’s a basic operation with trestle tables, plastic chairs and minimal heating. But with Cloudwater’s award winning brews on tap it’s absolutely worth going off the beaten track for. Their IPAs are pretty stunning, and we love their grapefruit sour beer too.
13 Sheffield Street, Manchester M1 2ND. Tel: 0161 661 5943, Fri 4-9pm, Sat noon-8pm, Sun noon-5pm cloudwaterbrew.co

Alphabet Brewing Company
For a brew tap crawl, not too far from the Cloudwater Barrel Store you’ll find Alphabet Brewing Company, open every Saturday from midday. It’s a similarly cave-like railway arch venue but with a more permanent feel, and Alphabet’s distinctive brand style on show. Alphabet have a fine selection of year-round beers and a couple of specials on the go every weekend. Big on flavour, their Flat White Stout packs a coffee punch, and if you need something to soak up the booze there’s usually a great independent street food vendor on hand to sort you out.
99 North Western Street, Manchester M12 6JL. Sat noon-10pm www.alphabetbrewing.co.uk

Cafe Beermoth (pictured)
Beermoth started started out life as a specialist bottle shop on Tib street in the NQ with a cozy basement bar. Acquiring some rather swanky new premises in 2015, the Beermoth Cafe near Spring Gardens is an open, modern space that still has character. The selection is truly international and very carefully curated with great offerings on tap, and a huge range of bottled beers from around the world (particularly US imports). When some of the smaller bars are rammed, Beermoth Cafe has enough room for the crowd to expand into.
Brown Street, Manchester M2 1DA. Tel: 0161 8352049, Sun-Thu noon-11pm, Fri & Sat noon-12.30am beermoth.co.uk

The Marble Arch
The beer and the building compete for your attention at The Marble Arch. Its a 120 year old stunner with floor to ceiling tiling and original wooden fittings. The brewery on-site provides much of what’s on the bar, with an impressive 11 taps to choose from. The Earl Grey IPA has quite a following, and there are some lovely session ales too.
73 Rochdale Road, Manchester M4 4HY. Tel: 0161 8325914. Sun-Thu noon-11pm. Sat & Sun noon-midnight www.marblebeers.com