A flimsy premise for a post, but on my return to Manchester from (historic) Cheshire I succumbed to that rarity, a return visit to a pub.
Last year GBG Northern Quarter newbie Pie & Ale House got relatively short shrift from me, mainly as I’d spectacularly failed to find the Ale side of the equation. Despite decent beer (albeit Wells & Young), and decent music (Judas Priest), I didn’t expect it to last into the 2018 Guide, such is the pace of change in Central Manc.
But what do I know ? Not a lot. It’s still there.
Simon hated it, by the way. Always a good sign.
I do like to revisit places I was probably wrong about. But I also fancied a pie. I must have been ill, as generally Manchester = This & That.
A year ago, I turned left at the entrance to Pie & Ale and got Charlie Wells in a jug. This time, I turned right and entered what could have been Port Street .
The one on the left is Bedford’s finest, the other five cask distinctly Northern class.
There’s only one problem with Squawk beers in my experience. I always choose the strong one. It drank a little too smoothly; I couldn’t fault the cellarmanship here (NBSS 4). Six pumps is still five too many, mind (etc etc)
Pub wise, it’s not very pubby (more so on the outside tables to be fair). Most folk come for the pies. But Manchester does this type of relaxed craft diner better than anywhere, and unlike Simon I don’t always smuggle a Greggs sausage roll into a pub. I even went for the high table; BRAPA would have had a field day with me.
The minted lamb pie with mash was as good as the beer. Hard crust pie, too, none of your flaky nonsense. You’ll know I’m a pie connoisseur.
But what’s with the little sheep biscuit on top of the mash ? *
No Judas Priest this time. Or Saxon.
Good job Mrs RM had stayed home for this one. Her feet wouldn’t have reached the floor, and she’d have tried to drink the Cloudwater from the bottle.
*Dramatic update – Mr Coldwell the biscuit tells you what’s in the pie.
retiredmartin 
The little sheep biscuit is, obviously, to remind you of all those Welsh ticks you have to get round to visiting.
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Oh dear. That poor bottle of fine Hacker Pschorr Munchner Gold lumped in with all that craft stuff.
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Not just me who loves the Hacker Pschorr then !
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I’ve been a big fan ever since I was their guest at the 1991 Oktoberfest. The bribery aside, they’ve got some wonderful beers.
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Re the five hand pulls too many? Were there customers to match? Or might there have been/will be at some point during the day? The beer quality (and range) suggests yes? By my rules – if the number of beers is directly proportionate to the beer quality then it’s okay.
I’ll point out the obvious as well – the sheep is to tell the waiter which sort of pie it is, quite hard when you get to table with three beef & one lamb pie which all look the same.
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Not exactly Sam Smith’s prices there, I see 😦
I thought for a moment this was a reincarnation of Mr Chester’s Pie and Ale House, which is what is now Holt’s Crown & Anchor.
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We can’t judge the WHOLE world by Sam Smihs stsndards. Mores the pity.
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Why not? They probably represent everything that’s good (and bad) about the British Pub and the last remaining vertical business model without a retail margin made in their pubs. Other representatives are available but not on such a scale.
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You’re right.
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“and she’d have tried to drink the Cloudwater from the bottle.”
Hang on; the DIPA v2 further to the right looks to be 9.5% 🙂
“*Dramatic update – Mr Coldwell the biscuit tells you what’s in the pie.”
That’s a great idea.
And finally, not sure how this will sound but that pic of This and That to me looks like it could be a street view of Lille in France. (which just means you have a bunch of old cities on that side of the pond).
Cheers
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Interesting, I see what you mean about Lille. There’s a load of old alleyways like that in Manchester’s Northern Qtr !
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