You'd have to be a Wetherspoons resident or a blinkered Fosters addict not to have realised that the beer scene in Manchester has become something of a phenomenon over the past few years.
When I first made the permanent move to Manchester 7 years ago, all the talk was of Port Street. Testament to the pace of the real ale juggernaut here, is that I haven't stepped foot in the aforementioned beer mecca for about 3 years. That isn't due to a downturn in the quality of Port Street and its offering but more to the meteoric rise in the number of brilliant establishments across the city.
And right up there is Cask. Having visited the original on Liverpool Road in Castlefield over the years, their sister venue arrived on New Islington Marina in Ancoats back in 2018 and has become a stalwart of the exciting Manchester real ale scene.
Some may consider it vacuous and it certainly doesn't have an intimate, 'pub' feel but it doesn't need to and such an ambience would be difficult to recreate in a newish build such as this. What makes Cask the great place it is, is the location (with waterside views), the excellent, informed and friendly staff and of course, the range of beers. They are also a champion of local breweries, invariably a Track or a Big Trip beer will adorn the bar. On my last visit, the latter's 'Sugar On My Tongue' was an incredible 4.9% of 'oomph'. As you would expect, their cask offering is always excellent with a wide variety of well kept beers, always very favourably priced compared to many other similar venues across Manchester.
Ancoats has become renowned for its food and drink culture with an abundance of excellent places to enjoy which also makes Cask so impressive. It continues to hold its own against some hefty competition both direct and also from those establishments that may appear more favourable to the demographic of the area.
With The Crown & Kettle, Smithfield Tavern and Port Street as established neighbours and with both the Cloudwater and Track taprooms now resident nearby, the competition will remain strong. But Cask has a contingent of regulars (myself included) and when the sun shines or City are at home, the throngs gather to supplement the faithful. Long may it continue!
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