Left Hand Brewing folks visiting UK, need suggestions!

Discussion in 'United Kingdom & Ireland' started by mwalters, Dec 30, 2013.

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  1. mwalters

    mwalters Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2005 Illinois

    Hey UK beer loving brethren!
    I work for Left Hand Brewing Company in the US. For employees that have been with the brewery 5 years or more, they take us on a a trip abroad as a thank you and a way to broaden our beer knowledge, sweet huh?
    Anyway, we have chosen the UK as our trip for 2014. It looks like we are going to focus on the area between Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Birmingham. It’s the center of England and includes the Peak District.
    Can anybody post some recommended places to visit? Some breweries would be super along with any great authentic pubs. Some historic sights would be cool too. Anyway, you guys live there and I'd love to hear suggestions from you. Once I have my itinerary, I think it would be cool to be able to meet some UK Beer Advocate folks for a beer while we are there. Looks like were looking at visiting between April 22nd & the 29th.
    If you guys can post suggestions I would greatly appreciate it!
    Cheers!
    Mike
     
    #1 mwalters, Dec 30, 2013
  2. EmperorBevis

    EmperorBevis Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,338) Sep 25, 2011 England
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hi there
    I'm from and still in Manchester
    no doubt you've been told about the Marble Arch
    there is also the Port Street Bar when it comes to craft beer houses
    there is also the Manchester branch of Brew Dog if you really must .

    An idea of your itinerary would be helpful to give a better good to good old fashioned pubs in the area
    or even if a trip to nearby Stockport where there are a better class of spit & sawdust drinking dens
    or Altrincham where a surprising little group of Belgian beer Cafes have sprung up.

    Either way I should be on hand for the Manchester leg to help/socialise/trade/drink :slight_smile:
     
    #2 EmperorBevis, Dec 30, 2013
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  3. dalon1

    dalon1 Aspirant (212) Mar 19, 2007 England

    Hi Mike,

    I'll start the ball rolling with The Marble Arch in Manchester. If you plan on eating there (which I wholeheartedly recommend) then be sure to bring a hearty appetite with you.

    Regards

    Dave (Milton Keynes).
     
    #3 dalon1, Dec 30, 2013
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  4. reprob8

    reprob8 Initiate (0) May 22, 2008 England

    you should add York to your itinerary, not only does it have some excellent pubs it has a pretty good brewery and is steeped in history.
    Leeds has many excellent bars, as for Breweries there must be over 50 in a 25 mile radius and if you fancy doing a brew I'm sure I can put you in touch with a couple of likely brewers.
    Sheffield is well known for it's pubs and is a popular destination for a pub crawl.
    The Peak District for beer lovers means Thornbridge, well worth visiting and sampling their increasing selection of fine ales.
    You've managed to select the week that includes the Annual CAMRA Members weekend in Scarborough so I doubt I'll get to meet you, but if you want any assistance on the Yorkshire part of the trip I'll do what I can.
    And I'll just put a request in for some more cask ale for GBBF 2014
     
    #4 reprob8, Dec 30, 2013
  5. EmperorBevis

    EmperorBevis Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,338) Sep 25, 2011 England
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yes the Marble food is rather good
    but more gasto than trad on a big appetite is desirable but a bigger wallet is a necessity lol
     
    #5 EmperorBevis, Dec 30, 2013
  6. CwrwAmByth

    CwrwAmByth Grand Pooh-Bah (3,113) Jan 24, 2011 England
    Pooh-Bah

    Take a train to Wales! We have some great historic sites. Also beer.
    [​IMG]
     
    #6 CwrwAmByth, Dec 31, 2013
  7. reprob8

    reprob8 Initiate (0) May 22, 2008 England

    trying hard to think of something positive to say about Birmingham....


    Barton Arms is all I can think of.
     
    #7 reprob8, Dec 31, 2013
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  8. Zimbo

    Zimbo Pooh-Bah (2,305) Aug 7, 2010 Scotland
    Pooh-Bah

    Only two things come to mind when I think of Birmingham. Concrete... and the Waggon and Horses in Halesowen.
     
    #8 Zimbo, Dec 31, 2013
  9. WhatANicePub

    WhatANicePub Zealot (712) Jul 1, 2009 Scotland

    You could venture just a bit further than Birmingham and visit the pubs in the Black Country to drink Bathams and Sarah Hughes Mild, some of the most unchanged old-school beers in the UK.
     
    #9 WhatANicePub, Dec 31, 2013
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  10. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,363) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    I visited Birmingham earlier in 2013 and got a lot of great recommendations here. My highlights would be The Wellington and The Victoria. I also had about the best fish and chips ever from the next town over, but forget exactly where it was. Wish I had more time there.

    And don't let anyone talk down to you about Birmingham - the Cadbury factory is there!:stuck_out_tongue:
     
    #10 Gutes_Bier, Dec 31, 2013
  11. CwrwAmByth

    CwrwAmByth Grand Pooh-Bah (3,113) Jan 24, 2011 England
    Pooh-Bah

    Cotteridge Wines for bottles to take home.
     
    #11 CwrwAmByth, Dec 31, 2013
  12. patto1ro

    patto1ro Pooh-Bah (2,084) Apr 26, 2004 Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah

    The back to back museum on Hurst street is quite good. And you get to see the brewhouses they had in the yard.
     
    #12 patto1ro, Jan 1, 2014
  13. Kirk

    Kirk Initiate (0) May 16, 2005 England

    Birmingham has a lot to offer actually.

    First off probably the best and most progressive bottle shop in the UK Cotteridge Wines

    For city centre drinking
    Post Office Vaults
    Cherry Reds
    Brewdog
    Craven Arms

    Little further a field
    Barton Arms
    Waggon and Horses

    There's a good days drinking here
     
    #13 Kirk, Jan 1, 2014
  14. jazzyjeff13

    jazzyjeff13 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,865) Nov 6, 2010 England
    Pooh-Bah

    I second the recommendation to add York to your itinerary. Lots of mediaeval history for you to soak up and more good pubs than you can shake a stick at. If you do decide to come this way then I'd be more than happy to meet up for a drink or two.....

    And who can resist the allure of 32 taps in one place?

    [​IMG]
     
    #14 jazzyjeff13, Jan 2, 2014
  15. mwalters

    mwalters Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2005 Illinois

    You folks are great! Can't wait to hopefully raise a pint or eight with you. I'll share these suggestions with the other brewery folks, we have a confrence call this coming Tuesday to discuss. The picture above looks like heaven!
     
    #15 mwalters, Jan 3, 2014
  16. Gold89

    Gold89 Aspirant (276) Sep 26, 2010 New York

    Have you contacted Thornbridge directly?
     
    #16 Gold89, Jan 3, 2014
  17. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,313) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah

    Nottingham is one of the top beer drinking destinations in the country. In late April there will be lots of Mild becoming available. Not for the beer but for the place itself the Trip to Jerusalem is unique.
     
    #17 marquis, Jan 3, 2014
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  18. mwalters

    mwalters Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2005 Illinois

    Each person going on the trip has been assigned a different region of the Peak Districk..I've been assigned Nottingham. So, and Nottingham suggestions would be fantastic!!! Can't wait to get over there and have some of your kick butt cask ale!!
     
    #18 mwalters, Jan 8, 2014
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  19. EmperorBevis

    EmperorBevis Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,338) Sep 25, 2011 England
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader


    To directly quote Marquis

    Make sure you get some cask mild
    a lot of the subtle flavours and elements are destroyed by bottling or kegging processes
    even Bottle Conditioned Milds come across more off end run of stout.
    Hope you still plan some drinking in Manchester though :slight_smile:
     
    #19 EmperorBevis, Jan 8, 2014
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  20. EmperorBevis

    EmperorBevis Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,338) Sep 25, 2011 England
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Any Progress reports for this?
    Is this still on?
     
    #20 EmperorBevis, Mar 6, 2014
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