retiredmartin

October 2023. Manchester.

A trip to Manchester with Mrs RM for a pint, a curry and a book about pubs ? Count me in, Blackpool Jane. Really all you need is Jane’s blog. Read that first.

But I’m contractually obliged to give you my own diary extracts, “Taylor’s version” if you like. Hey, where did I nick that idea from ?

The idea was to visit the two new big openings in Manchester that last week before the book launch at Cafe Beermoth. Best never to stick too rigidly to plans.

After a quick catch-up with our own Matt between cuts in Chinatown,

we joined Jane for early tea in the newer Bundobust, the one with one of those brewery things. I’ve never been fussed about eating before drinking, often with disastrous consequences.

I was a bit surprised to see it in the new GBG, partly because I couldn’t believe it was more than a year old, and partly because it’s not really a cask stronghold. Just Squawk Porter on (NBSS 3), and obviously one beer is plenty etc etc.

They’ve got some really interesting crafty keg on, perhaps a bit too chilled for some, though Mrs RM was happy enough. If in doubt, pour the keg into the cask glass and watch the bubbles rise.

As always Jane had the better idea, going for the flight,

and I can’t believe I’ve just written that.

I doubt the Southworths would come here for the veggie curry,

but I rate those little pots of dhal and okra fries very highly. I kindly helped Jane finish hers off.

Give us one in Sheffield please, Bundobusters.

Next up should have been trips to the new Victoria Tap and the new Pomona tap, but either because it was raining or because we don’t follow fashion, instead we succumbed to Jane’s desire to drink in a toilet.

I’d been to the Temple of Convenience after the first lockdown, loved it, and was ready to have the least sensible beer on offer (Mrs RM had a coke).

“it’s also the kind of place that reminds me why it’s important to step outside of the Good Beer Guide because pubs aren’t all about cask ale” writes Jane.

The Smashing Pumpkins rumbled gloriously round the basement.

Manchester may have been wet, but it also looked gorgeous.

We stayed in the Midland Hotel once, the week before the Arndale bomb. £60, could have bought 60 pints of Holt.

We also gave North Westward Ho a miss, so read Chris Dyson for that, and one of the most impressive things about Matthew Curtis’s book is that it does include the new Pomona bar. And the Koffee Pot. As well as a few dozen suburban places I’ve never been to.

A quality book, with excellent maps and barely a wasted word, the sort of book Manchester deserves.

Lovely night, too, catching up with the Tand and E, Mr John Clarke, Matthew Thompson and (finally) the mysterious Fried Coleslaw. Pub royalty in fact.

Matt turned up late and a bottle of Spezial.

I was going to comment on his cap, but having seen what folk were wearing on the train home I’ll let it lie.

At least he’s the only Mancunian under 50 without a beard.

Thanks as always to Jane for the company.