August 2024. Manchester.
My creaky back, which I don’t like to talk about*, prevented the exciting walk round Didsbury I’d planned with Matt on Tuesday, so I settled on a guided tour of lesser known Ancoats.
I don’t like to talk about the fact Matt knows places in the Eternal City that I don’t, though he does have the advantage of having lived in Piccadilly for 3 years, while I still feel like a visitor.
So, while I’m aware of these streets behind bar-filled Stevenson Square,
I don’t know them. Great art, and not all of dead pop stars.
Matt wanted to show me the Peer Hat, one of the city’s many music bars that won’t be hosting 100 nights of Oasis reunion gigs next year,
but does host stuff I would like. The Tuppenny Bunters are there on 9th October,
and I think we can agree that’s how you write an artist bio.
The Peer Hat wasn’t open, and the Police Museum has a disappointing craft selection,
so I settled on the Port Street Beer House, perennial last stop on the Piccadilly to Etihad route.
“Ticking” the CAMRA Beer Book (slowly) takes you some places you’ve never been, but with a strict “only visits since the book’s launch rule count” it does mean quite a few trips to familiar pubs.
I’d only been in Port Street recently, though in this case “recently” is 18 months ago, when I scored the Track Sonoma a 4.
“Never been in here when you could get a seat before !” says Matt. 3pm on Tuesday is the time to come,
Perversely, we then opt to head out the back to enjoy the sun anyway, and I make an impulse decision at the bar.
Yes, Mallinson, almost old hat these days. In fact, that beer board seems very 2014 compared to the Two by Two and Vocation offerings in Sheffield.
Blimey. I’m in danger of sounding like someone who cares about what beers are on. In truth, I always found PSBH a little uncomfortable, and sort of prefer the outside terrace where a group of blokes are all on German lager.
I reckon German lager in the Manchester sun is the right call; the Mallinson’s is chewy but lacks a bit of crispness (NBSS 3+).
But never mind, those lacings are epic….
*It’s been cured by the miraculous powers of Chung Hwa, so all is well.
retiredmartin 
Only ever been in here once, when I foolishly diverted a crawl of traditional boozers to call in. Given what I’d heard about its prices, it was surprisingly cramped and scruffy. But I suppose it serves a particular market.
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I’ve never been in. I’m obviously not “a particular market”.
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I once tried to go in, on a weekday lunchtime when it was closed. The young man inside gave me such a patronising eye-roll I’ve never been back.
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