CityLife

Cask

Cask

Cask
Castlefield
July 2010

Overall: 3/5

While small city centre boozer Cask won’t be winning awards for design or décor, the aesthetics become irrelevant in the face of its large selection of beers.

Competing with the likes of Marble Beer House and 57 Thomas Street, Cask offers a rare variety of Belgian, German and worldwide beers.

Friendly staff pour a professional pint from its on draught choices, which include the German Krombacher Pils, Schneider Weiss and Kaiserdom Hellespont, Spanish Cruzcampo, Budweiser Budvar from the Czech Republic and Belgium De Koninck Antoon.

Bottled beers range from £3-£4.70 – I’d highly recommend Lindemans Pecheresse, a Belgium Lambic beer with peaches.

After the barmaid laughed that they’re probably the only bar in Manchester to just take cash, I spotted a sign on the TV saying, ‘Using your mobile will interfere with the TV signal’. Maintenance, repair and forward-thinking are not high on Cask’s agenda, but somehow this adds to the venue’s charm.

The combination of peeling paintwork, a jukebox, board games and an eclectic mix of people means that hanging out in Cask is like being in the communal room of a travellers’ hostel. A wide demographic of people can be found daily lounging on the worn-out leather sofas, smoking in the courtyard or watching the football from the banquettes.

Cask is situated at the Deansgate Locks end of Liverpool Road – it’s a much-needed independent in an area populated by corporate bars and is one of the city’s best beer havens.

Cask, 29 Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4NQ, (0161 819 2527).