National Winter Ales Festival ~ Manchester

The CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival takes place next week from Wednesday 20th to Saturday 23rd January.  It will be at "The Venue", Sheridan Suite, Oldham Road, Manchester, M40 8EA.  Full details and a map are on the festival website.  You do not need advance tickets to get in, although I suggest arriving early to avoid the worst of the queue. 

The Champion Winter Beer of Britain will be announced on Wednesday 20th in the morning.  The festival opens to the trade at 2.30pm, then to the general public at 5pm when all beers will be available. CAMRA members get in free on the Thursday afternoon session (with a valid membership card) up to 4pm, with £1 off entry for every other session.

My friends Graham and Peter are Festival Organiser and Deputy respectively.  Highlights of the festival, listing of some of the great beers they'll be selling, can be found on Peter's blog, Tandleman's Beer Blog ~ do have a look at it.  If, like me, you don't fancy travelling down to London for the national Great British Beer Festival, here is an alternative within easy travelling distance.  Happy drinking!