Raise A Glass: Cask Ancoats
Ask any Mancunian craft beer or ale enthusiast where they would recommend enjoying a pint of the good stuff on any given day or night out, and chances are you’ll be met with the same answer, time and time again - Cask Ancoats.
Nestled on the banks of the Cotton Field Wharf Marina, bordering two up-and-coming Manchester neighbourhoods, New Islington and Ancoats, Cask Ancoats boasts something which almost all other hospitality venues in the city are without. In addition to its superb menu, stacked with a differing mix of some of the finest internationally and locally crafted products - Manchester Union Lager included - Cask offers a vast amount of space. Tempting hopheads and beer buffs away from the bars found on the densely populated inner city streets, those who make the trip to Cask Ancoats will be pleasantly surprised by its wide-open and serene waterfront location.
Outfront of the often bustling beer hall is a spacious seating area with views looking down the canal to the New Islington Marina and up to where the Cotton Field Wharf Marina meets the Rochdale Canal. Here, when the temperamental British weather allows, guests can sit and watch the world go by with a drink in hand; as canal barges drift and bob quietly past, making every effort not to disturb the wildlife nesting in the shrubbery found in Cotton Field Park, also situated within eyeshot of the bar.
When the weather isn’t so accommodating, as is usually the case in Manchester, visitors are welcomed into the warm embrace of Cask’s characterful interior. Taking influence from the traditional beer halls you might find in towns across the Bavarian state and adding an element of contemporary design, its recesses are stylishly thought-out with eye-catching furnishings and exposed pipe networks adorning its high ceilings. Rich colours envelop the walls and the space underneath the bar, offsetting the brilliant white tiles that rise up behind the chrome beer taps, whilst ambient lighting drops down from above, illuminating the tall tables where groups can socialise and taste test the products on the aforementioned menu.
As should become evident upon your first visit to Cask Ancoats, its proprietors have clearly gone to great lengths to provide a fantastically varied menu of options when it comes to beverages, imported from right across Europe. From porters and stouts to wheat and potent Belgian beers, IPAs and lagers - there’s much to consider when it comes to making your order. With regards to food, however, only conventional pub snacks can be found on the premises. But with so many mind-blowing restaurants nearby - the likes of Vietnamese street food kitchen, NAM and Rudy’s Pizza - you’ll never be without some grub, should your belly start to rumble.
A craft drinkers' paradise - Cask Ancoats is a must-visit venue for those seeking a laid-back vibe, friendly atmosphere and a menu jam-packed with the best beers and ales around.
Twitter: @AncoatsCask | Instagram: @cask_ancoats