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.
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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.
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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.
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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
First look inside Zadie’s, the glamorous new restaurant with views into the Etihad Stadium
Daisy Jackson
You don’t get an opening like this very often – Manchester’s newest opening, Zadie’s, has windows that look straight onto the pitch at the Etihad Stadium.
The glamorous new restaurant is promising Japanese-Italian dishes, theatrical cocktails, and late-night entertainment, right at the heart of the Etihad Campus.
Zadie’s will officially open at Medlock Square on Wednesday 23 September, bringing a new 258-cover restaurant and bar to the rapidly developing destination next to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.
The restaurant was first revealed earlier this year as the flagship venue at Medlock Square, with a team of heavyweight names from the hospitality world behind it.
Now, ahead of opening night, we’ve been given a first look at what diners can expect from Zadie’s – from the food and cocktails to the art-filled interiors.
Sat high above Medlock Square, Zadie’s has been designed as a glamorous, high-energy destination with panoramic views stretching towards the South Pennines as well as across the pitch far below.
Inside, deep and luxurious banquette seating surrounds a striking central bar, while the walls feature a collection of work from some of the UK’s emerging and breakthrough artists, curated with Manchester artist and curator Meg Saoirse Williams.
The beautiful central bar at Zadie’s in ManchesterThe view from Zadie’s into the Etihad StadiumSeats in the restaurant look right onto the pitch
At launch, the collection will feature work by Fern O’Carolan, Danny Davidson, Pat Flynn, Jamie Holman, Sondra Meszaros, Trackie McLeod, Magdalena Wysocka, Claudio Pogo, Shaun Peckham, James Tailor, Alistair Woods, Matthew Wood and Williams herself.
At the heart of Zadie’s is a menu inspired by the Japanese tradition of Itameshi – a style of cooking that brings Japanese ingredients and flavours together with Italian techniques and presentation.
Head chef Paulo Bianchi has worked with some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry, including Zuma, Alain Ducasse, and Lucky Cat, as well as at Les Grandes Alpes in Courchevel 1850.
His menu is designed to balance familiar luxury with more unexpected combinations, with dishes ranging from caviar, lobster, veal tonnato and Bluefin tuna to nashi pear, yuzu koshu and calamansi.
Among the highlights on the opening menu is burrata with nashi pear compote, basil oil and bubu arare, while the tortelloni cacio e pepe comes with white soy burro bianco, furikake and chives.
Inside Zadie’s in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
There’s also a Japanese-leaning take on the Italian classic veal tonnato, served with bonito dressing, garlic chives and toasted panko.
For something more substantial, diners can order roast lobster, available as either a half or whole lobster, with a choice of tomato ponzu or yuzu kosho.
And then there is Zadie’s signature beef sharer – a hefty 1.3kg British Wagyu tomahawk served with roast potatoes, sesame glaze, chives, mushroom ponzu and chimichurri sauces.
The drinks menu has been developed by award-winning Head of Bars Cressida Lawlor, with the same playful approach applied to the cocktails.
Expect a Purple Old Fashioned, made with Maker’s Mark bourbon washed with taro butter before being sweetened with ube and vanilla syrup and finished with bitters; a Pandan Grasshopper with pandan, coconut milk, and more; and the Champagne Problem, with plum wine, champagne, yuzu and jasmine cordial.
Zadie’s officially opens on Wednesday 23 September at 5pm.
New two-storey Latin BBQ restaurant, bar, and music venue Dahlia opens in the Northern Quarter
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The Northern Quarter has welcomed a huge two-storey Latin BBQ restaurant, bar and music venue, brought to you by the same team behind Manchester’s beloved Firehouse and Ramona – you just know it’s going to be good with names like that.
Taking over the site formerly home to Pie & Ale, Dahlia has a few different concepts under one roof, but don’t let that confuse you too much.
Up first is Barbacoa Cósmica, an open-fire grill kitchen, with cooking inspired by Latin America and the southern states of America. As the Northern Quarter’s first open fire grill kitchen, guests will have the unique experience of being able to watch the chefs in action, from their kitchen counter seats.
The concept is the product of years of travelling across Latin America, exploring regional recipes and techniques, then condensed down to allow us to take a road trip from San Diego to Jalisco, Mexico City to Oaxaca, all from the comfort of our seats.
Dahlia is also be home to Bar Más Bonita, translating to ‘most beautiful bar’, a lively Liquorita serving up all sorts of Latin American specialties – think vibrant, handcrafted cocktails and salted rims with tequila, mezcal, rum and Latin spirits.
In the evenings, the space will transform into Dahlia Stereo, an intimate two-storey music space powered by a bespoke Hatchett Sound system.
Every element of the venue has been carefully considered by sound engineers and acoustic specialists, including Jonny ‘Oppo’ of Neuron Audio, to ensure the best listening experience possible.
Dahlia in the Northern Quarter. Credit: The Manc Group
Jonny “Oppo” said: “We have been building and working with sound systems for years, but Manchester’s bars and restaurants have never had an installation at this level. Every detail of the room has been designed around how music should sound and feel. It is genuinely exciting for the city.”
In addition to this, the iconic Jonjo Williams of Maribou State and Rich Reason of Hit & Run, have carefully curated a music programme for September to give us a flavour of what’s to come, including sets from Gilles Peterson, Quantic, Gia Fu, DJ Die and Joey T.
With craft being central to the space, almost every element has been made by hand by the Dahlia team and its team of trusted independent artisans and specialist suppliers. From the artwork and upholstery, to the world class sound system and the team’s own bottled Latin spirits, it truly has all been carefully thought through.
To celebrate its launch, Dahlia is offering 50% off the food bill while the new team trains and gets up to speed on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays in September, before 9pm, when you book a table and follow @dahliastereo on instagram.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd November 2020 
