Nov 4 2012
An Impromptu Northern Quarter Stroll – 02/11/2012 (or…”The best-laid schemes o’mice an men gang aft agley”)
This week, chez Heels, the dust has been flying. For a change, it was the stairway walls that were getting plastered, by my good friend Mr Wood. Now I had made a rather rash statement last Sunday (after two days committed blog research!), that I was pulling up the drawbridge and retreating from strolling for a couple of weeks.
However, Rabbie Burns knows far more about plans going wrong than I do, so, with my bank balance diminishing with the plaster dust, and the said dust drying my throat….sod plans! A quick call to my mentor and arch-nemesis Mr Jaz (at that time, at The Bury Beer Festival – excellent reports!) and I find myself on the (late) 18:44 from Farnworth to The Rainy City, which certainly lived up to its name!
So, at 19:15 I found myself shaking the raindrops off the new coat at the bar of……
Now I’ve known this pub in a number of incarnations. When I first drank there was my first Xmas works stroll back in 1984. Back then it was a Tetley house called The Weavers, a 2 room pub with an upstairs function room (with the legendary Victor Brox performing that particular night!). A fine pint of Tetley it was too.
Then it subsequently became a freehouse under The Beerhouse moniker. A fine pub it was too, with a variety of well kept beers. Now it is known as The Angel and styles itself as a Dining Pub. The main restaurant room being in the upstairs area (formerly frequented by Mr Brox et al) the downstairs area occupied by the “pub” bit is an open plan in an L shape with the bar on the left as you enter. There are a number of hand pumps on display, with a good selection from the likes of Liverpool Organic, Pictish, Norfolk Brewery and Hawkshead. Dining Pub or not, this is one excellent drinking venue!
Seeking the comfort that familiarity brings, I opted for one of my favourite pale ales, Hawkshead Windermere Pale a 3.5% abv brew. As clear as you would want it, lovely and golden with a nice tight head. Like myself, it seemed a bit subdued, not its usual assertive self, perhaps the Jalfrezi I had recently eaten had dulled my tastebuds? Who knows! It was a nice pint in any case served by a very friendly and helpful young barman who tried to tempt me with a Pictish Beata!
Some minutes after the arrival of Jaz, he felt compelled to furnish me with a pint of Norfolk Brewery Moon Gazer Ruby Ale. A dark Ruby Mild at 4% abv, this had a lovely nutty aroma. Flavours were a biscuity roasted malt, a really nice pint. There was another Norfolk Brewery beer on the bar which came with the Jaz seal of approval, but, you don’t have a stroll while sitting on your bum! So, 5 minutes later and a 300 yard walk and we were back at one of my favourite venues….
(pic – http://www.beerintheevening.com/)
(Common Artwork 1)
(Common Artwork 2)
As busy as a chippy! We beat a path to the bar. Both pumps were occupied, one with a beer from Brightside Brewery from Bury. Ordinarily, I would have had one and ‘gone local’, but the other pump sported an Ilkley Brewery pump clip! The beer was The Green Goddess, another collaboration with the beer writer Melissa Cole. Two weeks ago, I eulogised about their other collaboration Siberia. Well, this is right up there also!
(pic – Courtesy of Joshua Brooks – ‘sorry’ – ed)
Green Goddess is desrcibed as a green hop IPA. I must confess, by the flavour, I’d have had as a wheat beer! Slightly hazy, and golden with cream soda in the aroma, the flavour, fresh cut grass, resinous hops. The best recommendation I can give is…I stayed for another! (£3.15 – using my Common Card.- Bargain!) We move on…..to……
Terrace Bar (opposite Common) on Edge Street.
Again, busy as a chippy! Recently opened bar on Edge Street with 2 entrances – the other being on Thomas Street. The Edge Street side has a large open area with a DJ booth (I think!), the room then narrows into a corridor through which you access the bar. Lots of exposed brickwork, excellent powerful sound system, lots of cocktails being served to a predominantly young crowd.
The usual suspect lagers in evidence alongside 6 handpumps. 3 of these seemed to be occupied by Marston beers, but I opted for a beer by Happy Valley. The beer was hazy, not very well kept and VERY disappointing at £3.80 a pint. No issue with Happy Valley, as I know they brew excellent beer. This fault falls on the venue. Needless to say, we beat a hasty (and somewhat disappointed) retreat. (I won’t be back in a hurry!) to……
(pic – www.portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk)
So much has been written about this pub. What I will say for my part, is that it’s the best pub in Manchester. Period.
Last night, I walked in to be greeted by JP behind the bar who recognised me from my stint behind the cask bar at IndyManBeerCon. The man has a formidable memory! Top bloke!
The beer.
First up was Resistance by the mighty Summer Wine Brewery from Holmfirth. A dark mild at 3.9% abv. Lovely dark brown beer with a nice roasted aroma. Nutty dark roasted malt flavour. Went down a treat after the previous pint!
Next – Fireside Porter by Ilkley Brewery. Having not had much on draught by Ilkley, I’m now on a bit of a run! Dark beer, roasted malt and smoky aroma. For the strength (4.2%) this was a surprisingly flavourful beer. Some vine fruit, smoky roasted flavour. Yum! Another excellent brew from Ilkley.
A touch of stupidity next! Generous George from Kirkstall. 6.6% abv was a stretch too far. Loads of flavour but by ‘eck it tasted it’s strength! One to try slightly earlier in the evening I think!
Finally, again on Kirkstall. This time their Framboise on keg. Lovely tart raspberries! Really refreshing.
Again, the bar staff speak for a pub. The staff last night at Port Street were friendly and ever so knowledgeable about the products they serve. Stood at the bar, I watched them help a number of customers with their choice of beer with an unfailing polite manner. This stuff works and makes for return visits. It works for me!
With that, It was off for the last 37 bus back to Farnworth! See you soon.
Slainte!
Jul 23 2014
Manchester Northern Quarter Bar Crawl – 19/07/2014
“I’ve been up to Villiers Terrace to see what’s a-happening.
There’s people rolling ’round on the carpet, mixing up the medicine
Been up to Villiers Terrace, I saw what’s a-happening
People rolling ’round on the carpet, biting wool and pulling string
You said people rolled on carpet, but I never thought they’d do those things”
(“Villiers Terrace” – Echo & The Bunnymen)
(Video clip courtesy of ShoutFactoryMusic on YouTube)
In 1979 /1980, when I was 14, my favourite bands were Joy Division and Echo & The Bunnymen. Joy Division were a slight hand-me-down from my elder brother, but “The Bunnymen” (as we all called them at the time) were all mine. “The Puppet”, “Pictures On My Wall” & “Rescue” (12″ – naturally) were three of the earliest records that I bought for myself. Where Joy Division seemed to embody the somewhat dour, industrial chic of Manchester, “The Bunnymen” & Ian McCullough in particular, were effortlessly cool, a certain cockiness too, maybe. But just so cool.
I even remember buying my first combat jacket (but not “Camo”) to wear to go and see them, from Afflecks Palace (Yes Manchester hipsters, it really HAS been open THAT long!) There were rumours of a “Mystery Gig” swirling around in late 1980 and I desperately tried to get a ticket. To no avail. I think that I missed the last ticket held by Discount Records (Manchester old ‘Indoor Market’ with its entrance off Pall Mall) by a couple of hours. I was gutted. That concert ended up being recorded and saw release as an EP called “Shine So Hard” (An Atlas Adventure)
Rather controversially (some may think), I disowned the band upon the release of the single that was their commercial breakthrough “The Back of Love”, I remember hearing the track on a John Peel Session and thinking it was a sack of shite (Salford colloquialism!), so when I heard a shinier version as a single…..
I drifted back after that album “Porcupine” when they released the classic “Ocean Rain”, but the album (and period) from which “Villiers Terrace” is taken “Crocodiles”, is still their highlight for me.
The Bunnymen kindled a love of the City of Liverpool – though it was at least another 7 years before I was to visit. Strange to find – a couple of years ago – when I was desperately researching my family tree (prior to Dad passing away), that an entire branch of my family could be traced back to the area of Toxteth St Mary! Never leaves you I suppose!
===========================
I really didn’t MEAN to end up in Manchester, honest! It was just meant to be a little nip in to Great Ale Year Round, to sample the bear I helped to shovel out (that most glam of jobs!). That beer is Station to Station IPA. Brewed by Allgates in collaboration with Five Towns of Wakefield, it was a 5.6% mango fuelled delight. Lightly hazed, it was fruitier than a Carmen Miranda headdress! Utterly lush. Glad that I drank it in a great bar, which is undoubtedly what Dan & Gina Buck have. It was nice to see them back in harness after a well-earned holiday!
I’m off to the mighty County / Republic of Kernow soon (Perranporth, to be exact), so, given that a) I hadn’t been in The Lowers Turks Head for nigh on 30 years and b) there was a Cornish Beer Festival ongoing, we (well, the Arch-Nemesis is ALWAYS nearby!) opted to start here.
The Lower Turks Head (Shudehill – Opp the Bus Station)
Behind that beautiful historic tiled facade (the pub itself, perhaps dates back to as early as 1745), a lot of money has been spent to make this pub shine!
Busy as hell in here and almost as warm on this humid July afternoon! 2 floors, classy decor shading, fairly dark with lots of wood. We grabbed pints from Padstow Brewery and headed off for some air!
(Never smile at…..)
Unfortunately, this pleasant outdoor 1st floor terrace also doubled up as a smoking space, but I NEEDED to feel a breeze! The beer was fine, Padstow Brewery “Pilot” 4% abv. A deep ruby red beer, with a chocolate aroma, a bit like a Snickers, a touch nutty. Light bodied, bit like a mild, quite refreshing, lightly hopped.
Given that I love a local beer or two, I’ll have to pop back in on a more “normal evening to judge the offering, but to be fair, the pub looks great and was BLOODY BUSY!
The Blue Pig (High Street/Back Turner St)
First time for me in this bar. Opening in 2012, this passed me by a bit – being a bit of a “pub” bloke. I’ve obviously denied myself some rare pleasures, because I love this place! Big open room with a bit of a bohemian feel. Nice flourishes all over the place and it was as busy as a chippy with great tunes (The Walkmen, The Smiths) all but drowned out by the sound of conversation – just the way it should be!
Quite a bit of cocktail action going down as we entered, but my eyes were immediately drawn to the small (2), yet perfectly locally formed cask offering! Shindigger Pale and Black Jack’s Oddingtons. I hit the Shindigger which was in good nick. A fine fruity refreshing pint. This bar probably has the beer selection spot on. 3 pumps, but 2 on, both local. I like it and I like this bar. Not too cool, just a good feel to it. My note uses the word “decadent”. Probably sums it up! I’ll be back.
(Photo “nicked” from Odd Bar itself!)
Odd Bar (30/32 Thomas Street)
A Lively bar, dark tones, red and browns lots of photos adorning the walls with some seriously decadent wallpaper. Loved the purple fabric hanging from the ceiling, made me think of a bedouin tent! Beautiful.
Nice airy room upstairs too. Like Arnie… I’ll be back! A jukebox too? Maybe another juke crawl soon! Just the one in here as the table we occupied was reserved! On to….
By • Uncategorized • 1 • Tags: 57 Thomas St, Allgates Brewery, Arbor Brewing, Breakfast Stout, Common Bar, Confidence, Five Towns Brewery, Great Ale Year Round, IPA, Kernel Brewery IPA, Lagonda IPA, Lower Turks Head, Marble Beers, Mild, Moor Beer, Odd Bar, Pacific Pale Ale, Padstow Brewery, Pale Ale, Pilot, Red Ale, Shindigger Brewing Co, Soup Kitchen, Stout, Terrace Bar, The Blue Pig, Tickety Brew