CityLife

Belgian beer bonanza

Duvel, Belgian beer

THE end of the month Greater marks the arrival of the Manchester Belgian Beer Festival, to be held at Salford’s enterprising New Oxford Arms. Organisers claim it will be the largest Belgian fest ever held in this country, surpassing some in Belgium! Expect to be faced with 200 unusual Belgian bottled beers and 50 on draught at the Bexley Square pub (off the A6) not far from from Salford Central Station. It will run over the weekend of September 26-28 and admission is free (belgianbeerfest.co.uk).

Got the taste, visit Belgium!

IF you wish to pursue your interest in Belgian beers in situ, an essential buy is Camra’s new 100 Belgian Beers To Try Before You Die!, out now. It costs £12.99 (£10.99 for Camra members). Available at bookshops or from camra.org.uk/shop. The book is brimming with beautiful images of the Belgian brewing landscape – darkly-lit underground bars, vast rural cellars and historic monasteries. Authors Tim Webb and Justyn Pattyn intersperse these images with informative, user-friendly descriptions of each beer, as well as explaining how the geographic location and cultural background of different beers has allowed so many varieties to flourish domestically and abroad. It also tells you where you can buy the stuff over here.

Or go Dutch (in Altrincham)

MORTE Subite is the name of a brain-numbingly strong Belgian beer. It is also a bar devoted to world beers in a former morgue in Greenwood Street, Altrincham – nowadays the basement of the Fat Loaf bar/restaurant. They are expanding their range of Dutch beers, unsung cousins of their Belgian neighbours. The rarely-found De Schans and Mommeriete brews will lead the way (mortsubite.eu).