A local brewery has today announced the launch of two new brews in support of Manchester’s struggling independent music venues.
Manchester Union Brewery‘s two new brews – a black lager named After Dusk, and Pivot pale ale – have been created in its brewery in Manchester Piccadilly and feature some of the characteristics that make the original Manchester Union Lager so popular.
Both brews are available for delivery right across the UK.
After Dusk – originally brewed as a special for the UK’s biggest lager festival, We Are Lager – is a class Bohemian lager, and favourite of the brewery. As described by Manchester Union Brewery as an “often misunderstood style”, black lager is easily drinkable and massively refreshing, with a complex malt bill that delivers bready and dark fruit flavours with “a classic saaz hop bitterness” recognisable from the brewery’s original lager.
Created in collaboration with some of the city’s top independent music venues, thanks to the breweries connections to the music scene, After Dusk plans to shine a light on, and continue to drive awareness of Manchester’s favourite venues during these testing times.
Each can of After Dusk will show iconic images of venues including the Albert Hall, Hidden, Band on the Wall, Matt & Phred’s and Mint Lounge, with a QR code that can be scanned on a smartphone to take drinkers to the venue’s website.
There they will be able to access live streamed events, gig tickets and radio stations whilst the venues are unable to open.
While the brewery originally planned to focus solely on brewing good lager, due to tank space and the length needed to brew (three times longer than ale), the ongoing Manchester and national lockdown has meant that the business has now needed to pivot and expand its offering.
The second new brew – Pivot – is a take on the classic Manchester Pale Ale, but using central European malt and hops, which a style that became the staple of the region thanks, in part, to the soft water the city enjoys from the Lake District.
A pale ale meets lager, the brewers add pilsner malt to the bill to help keep it crisp whilst blending aromatic, tangerine-like German hallertau mandarina hops with a citrusy British Chinook, to deliver a full flavoured ale.
All the refreshment expected from a lager, jam-packed with the flavour synonymous of a pale ale.
Manchester Union Brewery
Speaking on the launch of the two new brews, Will Evans – Co-Founder of Manchester Union Brewery – said “We’ve previously made a range of kegged lagers from pilsners to red lagers, black lagers and Oktoberfest lagers, just never in cans, but the addition of the pale ale is an unorthodox step for a lager brewery.
“We always planned to eventually do a wider range of beers, and with Manchester being in lockdown virtually continuously since March, we thought it would be a prudent move to pivot into ale earlier than planned – hence the name.
“We wanted to be able to develop a wider selection of beers for people to enjoy at home over the Christmas period and beyond, now people can buy a box of twelve beers which contains four of each different beer, each with its own unique style.”
Other Co-Founder Jamie Scahill added: “As a brewery we have close connections with the music scene as many of our friends are DJs, play in bands, run club nights and I personally know how hard it’s been as I run my own club night, Funkademia, and music festival, Highest Point.
After Dusk offered a perfect opportunity to support Manchester’s independent music venues during these testing times, and If just one more person clicks a link and buys a ticket then we feel we’ve helped.”
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Each new brew will be available in cases of 12 cans for £26.58, or 24 cans for £48.67 from 6pm on 23rd November, and there will also be mixed cases containing original lager, pale ale, and black lager for the same cost.
Prices include delivery to mainland UK, and is expected within 48 hours.
You can find more information and get your hands on the two new brews via the Manchester Union Brewery website here.
Eats
Manchester Arndale is slashing prices on food and drink across the shopping centre
Daisy Jackson
Manchester Arndale’s Summer Scran Fest is back – and that means there are some absolute bargains to be had on food and drink right across the shopping centre.
Throughout the month of August, restaurants, cafes and kiosks within Manchester Arndale will be offering some serious offers and deals.
This ranges from 25% off to buy-one-get-one-free deals, plus free meals for kids and plenty more.
Venues taking part in the Summer Scran Fest include Archie’s, Subway, Barburrito, Pizza Hut, HOP Vietnamese, Michaels Coffee House and plenty more.
And the leisure destinations within Manchester Arndale are getting stuck in too – think free drinks, combos and more at venues including King Pins and Urban Playground.
There are plenty of Manchester-born businesses getting involved and offering bargains to us all, like Archie’s giving out free soft serve when you spend £10, Barburrito offering a £10 meal deal (burrito, tortilla chips and a soft drink), and Lazy Sundae giving a free scoop of ice cream with any large drink purchase.
Big brand deals include a £5 meal deal at McDonald’s (4 Chicken McNuggets, Cheese burger or Mayo chicken; fries; and medium cold drink), and 25% off at Pizza Hut.
There’s 20% off at Sides in the Manchester Arndale Summer Scran FestLazy Sundae will do a free ice cream with a large drink purchase
Then there are newcomers to Manchester Arndale taking part in the Summer Scran Fest.
HOP, a new Vietnamese street food venue on Market Street, is doing 25% off, while Michaels Coffee House will knock 15% off their seasonal favourites like an Iced Maple Oat Matcha or an Iced Rose Coconut Matcha.
There’s also a 20% discount at Sides, the chicken shop backed by YouTube sensations Sidemen.
And as for leisure destinations – Urban Playground is doing 18 Holes of putters tech-infused mini golf, plus any three small plates from The Butcher menu for £28.20.
Kind Pins has 20% off food and drink, and Immersive Gamebox will do 20% off plus a free drink when you book a 60 or 30 minute gaming session.
Pick up a voucher booklet in the centre or download your offers from the Manchester Arndale website from 1 August.
Manchester dessert and sandwich stars Gooey are set to open another city centre site
Danny Jones
0161’s world-famous dessert stars, Gooey, are set to open another city centre site – their third in Greater Manchester and soon-to-be fifth overall.
Known for their incredible cookies, doughnuts, brunch, legendary French toast and plenty more, Gooey made their first foray out of their hometown with a Liverpool location last year, and are now set to consolidate their Manc base even further.
Set to open in a prime piece of real estate, the latest Manchester Gooey store will be opening in a sizeable empty unit over on Circle Square, right next to the Asda Express and in the heart of the student living and leisure complex.
Benefitting from being easily seen from along the bustling Oxford Road Corridor, you can expect this place to be packed to the rafters from the off on day one.
The signs are already in the window.That unreal French toast dripping in syrup.Credit: The Manc Eats
There are few details on what the new arrival might have in-store beyond all the brand favourites at this early stage, but each Gooey store shop does have its own charm.
From their original bakery and cafe over in the Northern Quarter, to the three kiosks in Ducie Street Warehouse, The Trafford Centre Selfridges and over on Merseyside’s iconic Bold Street, they all offer something a little different.
As for any hints at the launch plans, fans are yet to be given an official opening date, but you best believe you’ll be the first to know the second we do.
In case you’ve never tried or even come across the indulgent and fast-growing independent business before, another popular part of their menu is the bits between bread.
Touching on the upcoming addition, Charlotte Wild, Head of Retail & Leisure at Bruntwood SciTech – the team behind Circle Square’s ever-expanding offerings – said: “Gooey is an incredible local brand who are continuing to grow, evolve and innovate, with ever more exciting desserts.
“They will make a fantastic addition to the Circle Square community, and we look forward to seeing the impact they make in the coming months.”
In case you wonder how much we love this place and just how excited you should be about another one landing here in the city centre, sometimes we just put together random appreciation posts for that one, aforementioned butty alone.
Local foodies will also be buzzing to hear that they’re not the only calorific cult favourites that are bringing more to our mouths in 2025.
First, it was Brewski, followed by American Pies; then it was Foldies, and now the beloved culinary brand is launching yet another new concept here in Manchester.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd November 2020 
