Pilcrow

Hulloo,

        back in 2013, the happiest year of my life, and prior to heading off on my last holiday to Crete, I brewed a porter on cask from the past at Blue Bee brewery, with Jonathan Stanley Brothwell, Chris Wadsworth, Chris Bamford, Alex Corner and Robin Baker. I tried said brew in my second home and on one of my first nights out at the same with the wonderful Tash. For completely unrelated reasons, naturally, I went for the first time to the Pilcrow pub in Manchester with a trade ticket to their summer beer thing. And here is what happened.....
 
Its a few years since I went to this part of Manchester. This related lack of knowledge about where Sadlers yard actually was, is a fact I found out by asking two random blokes in a similarly obscured yard nearby,  and by following the sound of music near one of too many Co-op buildings. It was hot and very busy when I arrived. My ticket was read from my phone, and I purchased ten tokens, and sat down at a table in the sunshine with two Manchester beer scene experts, whom had names, and everything, and supped my first beer, a 6.5% sour IPA from an American brewery. Alas I did not download nor find a list of the beers, so an element of guesswork must exist. So no changes there then....  

Whilst chatting with these two Mancunian beer experts, who may, or may not, have worked for Marble, I noticed that as well as a session beers bar, there were also two bars entitled hops and more hops. I noticed that it sold a number of DIPAs, and having mis-anticipated a limited selection of oozingly bitter hop feasts I was pleased to discover that I would mostly be drinking DIPAs all day. As a tall man from Wander beyond turned up with his other half, colleague and yet another Manchestershire brewer, I moved onto a half of Boundary and Cloudwater, the taste limits went up and the talking took off once more.

About three o clock my current joiners opted to move off, not least am sure because some had been there since twelve, and I had the table to myself for a while. A young couple who may, or equally may not, have been from Bury, (the lass lived nearby I can now remember) came and joined me and I went into the actual Pilcrow pub to use their facilities, and went and grabbed some scran - curywurst sausages, onions and what may have been dill (alas I forget), served on chips covered in spicy dressing and absolutely delicious, served from one of the bars at the top end of the do.

With two beers left I tried a further DIPA and having been very kindly given some much needed sun cream I went and sat in the last of the now disappearing sunshine with a bloke who looked after my beer, and then with the wonderful Jules from Sheffield. She recommended I tried a third of the Black Iris and Track, or others, triple IPA at 10.5%. At 17.00 I bought my last drink and chatted with Jules about that and my other daily exploits and my plans for the remaining three hours. Meanwhile a DJ played some absolutely brilliant music whilst the young suppers sat in the last of the seating splashed in the last of the sunshine. Finishing my tenth third I went to hand my glass back and was told I could keep it - so three and a half hours or so after getting there I walked out happy from my first visit to the Pilcrow and headed to the Smithfield.

When we went there in 2012 myself and Scott and friends didn't particularly enjoy the pub but me and Tash did in 2013 and things appear to be much better since the year before that - I had a pint of excellent pale ale about 5.5% along with a range of, I think, thirteen keg beers, before I sat in a small chair with a table under some stairs enjoying my beer and thinking about where I should go next. This turned out to be the excellent Crown and Kettle, and I had a half of Wilde Child sour and another half on cask from the past along with an excellent pork pie to top up my lining! My final stop was in a completely packed Port Street Beer House, who may well have organised the Summer Beer Thing along with Indy Man Beer Con folks, and I got a lovely pint and a table to myself since everyone else was enjoying sitting or standing outside in the warmth!

Having thoroughly enjoyed my visit, and now being able to remember where to find it, I may revisit the Pilcrow following Indy Man Beer Con if I can go - Pilcrow is a wonderful venue, with excellent beers, and knowledgeable and friendly fellow drinkers, which I would highly recommend you visit.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy