The new CAMRA guide on best of Manchester’s beer and pub scene from classic boozers to trendy bottle shops

A new book is coming out that showcases the best of Manchester beer, pub and brewing scene – from traditional pubs to trendy bottle shops.

The book, titled Manchester’s Best Beer, Pubs & Bars, is being published by the Campaign for Real Ale and will be coming out on October 18. It is available to preorder now on the CAMRA website.

It is written by Manchester-based writer Matthew Curtis, author of other CAMRA titles such as Modern British Beer. For the book, he has reviewed over 200 pubs and bars in Manchester.

Describing his experience, he said: “Most beer drinkers already know that Manchester is home to a great many breweries and pubs, but few know how deep it runs; with great venues pouring exceptional beer to be found in nearly every suburb, neighbourhood, and outlying town.

“Towns like Rochdale, Wigan and Stockport have incredible beer scenes of their own, each of them eminently accessible from the city centre. In producing this book, I realised that it’s only when you view Greater Manchester as a whole that you can truly understand why it’s perhaps its home to the most well-developed beer community in the country. One that includes everything from 200-year-old breweries, traditional boozers, world class modern breweries, exceptional bars and restaurants, all within – or close to – what is one of the most eclectic and creative cities within the UK."

The book’s forward has been written by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. He said: “What makes Greater Manchester’s relationship with the pub so special is that there is always one at the centre of our communities. Every place across Greater Manchester, rural and urban, has a pub at its heart.”

To celebrate the book’s release, Stockport’s Runaway Brewery have created an exclusive new beer called Manchester’s Best. It is a 4% pale bitter beer inspired by an early 1970s Boddingtons recipe in a nod to one of the city’s most well known breweries.