ISBF - Let's Do This.

The first thing that I need to say is - The Independent Salford Beer Festival exists (and always has) to support a good cause. This event is decidedly “Not For Profit”.

It was founded in early 2014 to provide much needed funds to support St Sebastian's Community Centre on Douglas Green in Salford. The Centre run by Gerry Stone, an inspirational lady without whom my life would be radically different.

Over four years - and through some tough times - we kept the Community Centre solvent. That place - and Gerry in particular - did fabulous work both with and within the local community.

Then, with Gerry no longer there, we looked for another cause.

That cause is START Inspiring Minds. A small Mental Health Charity dedicated to steering people away from the darkest of places. By access to Creative Arts. The work they do is amazing, Gerry, Christine, James & I have witnessed this first hand.

They are a small, local charity. They can't afford to employ fund raisers. They rely on grants and donations. And times - as we all know - are hard.

Over the last four years (2 in person, 2 Virtual events), this event has raised over £40k for START. This is entirely down to people, either at Hemsley House, or at home in front of their laptops, joining in. Buying in to what we do.

And I salute all of you. You've done more good than you could ever know.

Yes, the beers have been fabulous and all that. But there is now a sense of community. A coming together of lovely people. That has built over 8 years. And that makes me - Jim - feel ever so slightly warm inside.

Who'd ever have thought that a small - at that time cask focused - beer event, tucked away on the back streets of Salford, would bring people together - repeatedly - from as far apart as Aberdeen and Brighton.

Not me. That's for certain.

The last two years have been hard.

Since November 2020, to keep going, raising cash, we have held 20 online events. It humbles me when people tell me how much those events meant to them. How much they helped when everyone was isolated. Just seeing other faces, talking, even over a screen connection. How much that made a difference.

It certainly kept me and my wonderful friends going. Talking of which….. Some props

Andy Heggs & Drumbeat - Website & Design

James (aka @beerfindergeneral)- Chatty Man : For keeping the virtual events “interesting” and flowing….

The Mighty Dewsnips - The magnificent playlists for each & every of the 20 virtual events.

Dick Withecombe & Cath Potter - For everything they have done for Cider & Perry. For all of the help and advice. For all of the encouragement. x

ALL of them have put up with me for the last 3 years. ALL of them have been magnificent. Well, apart from recently, when Mike has frequently deployed the “Musical Expletive”

Thank you to our many sponsors! In particular, Sean & Jacqui Ayling of Tom’s Tap & Brewhouse (Glassware), Drumbeat (Web hosting & the lovely design!) Denis Teece of Old School Taphouse in Clowne, Derbyshire (Programme) & John Tweedie & Playhouse 2 in Shaw, Oldham (Posters),

Take a bow. All of you.

There are far more than I've got space to mention. You know who you are.

This year, eventually, (and it really took months) the decision was taken. To get back to the beautiful Hemsley House. To be in person.

Such a decision brings challenges, to put it mildly.

ISBF is the antithesis of slick, professional. It is Niche. It is - in the words of Katie Mather - (very much) DIY. It comes with rough edges. That, to some, may be part of the “charm”.

Not everything will be perfect. Not everything is in place. What I say below will almost certainly be subject to some change. That is in the DNA of this event. Always has been. You can't please all. But we'll try to have some fun. With magnificent beer. From some of the UKs finest breweries.

So. What. Do. We. Have. For. You.

Up to 70 keg lines. 25 cask lines. Of beers that will never have been previously served on draught in the Manchester area.

Currently due to supply are : On Keg

8 Arch; Abbeydale Funk; Ampersand, Attic; Bexar County; Brew York; Brewery of St Mars of the Desert; Burning Soul; Campervan; Carnival; Chain House; Cloudwater; Dog Falls; Dolphin; Double Barrelled; Elusive; Epochal; Jawbone; Kernel; Lakes; Little Earth; Lost & Grounded; Low Key Barrel Project; Marble; McColls; North Brewing; Northern Alchemy; Otherworld Brewing; Pastore; Pentrich; Pig & Porter; Pomona; Radio City Beer Works; Rigg & Furrow; Rivington; Runaway; Simple Things Fermentations; Siren; Solvay Society; Squawk; Stardust; Sureshot; Temper Brewing; Three Blind Mice; Toms Tap; Torrside x Otters Tears; Track; Turning Point; Two Towns Down; Two x Two; Villages; Wander Beyond; Weird Beard; Werewolf; Wilderness; Yonder (+ 6 - as yet tbc - breweries from Catalonia) and others yet “tbc”

On Cask

Alter Ego; Blackjack; Blue Bee; Brass Castle; Brewsmith; Chin Chin; Five Towns; Grizzly Grains; Libatory; Mallinsons; Marble; Neepsend; Neptune; North Riding; North Riding Brewpub; Pictish; Redwillow; Revolutions; Roosters; Steelfish; Thirst Class; Thornbridge; Torrside; Wishbone

There’ll also be a variety of excellent Ciders & Perries courtesy of the magnificent Ross Cider.

Well. To the individual sessions…..

From Thursday 17th November - Saturday 19th November ..

Thursday. The Opening Session : (Thirst Chance Thursday). The first crack at the beers. With multiple breweries that will never have been in the area. Ever.

Plus fabulous tunes from Mike & Jo's Rebellious Jukebox - every tune from half an hour after the start of #ISBF6 was a request!)

Friday Lunch Session : I am humbled to say that we wiil be host to the lovely Joan Villar-i-Marti (aka @Birraire), former organiser of the mighty Barcelona Beer Festival.

Joan has been lovely and gracious enough to not only source exceptional and unique beers from his beloved Catalonia to fill 6 keg lines, but will also host a guided tasting & talk featuring small batch breweries from across the flavour spectrum of Catalonia. These tasting beers will be completely different from those on keg and will - in all likelihood - feature breweries that may never have been tasted on these shores.

Unmissable - and very limited availability. (There will be a small additional charge for this event)

Friday Evening Session - we will have live music with the simply mesmerising guitar of George Fell. George has agreed to play both nights and I couldn't be more thrilled. And all the lovely beer you can shake a stick at.

Saturday Lunch Session : We are thrilled to welcome one of the loveliest folk in the drinks industry, Albert Johnson of Ross Cider, who will host a guided tasting of Single Variatal Ciders, many of which will feature Ciders from heritage varieties that may have been lost, if not for the love and care shown by Albert and his Dad Mike. (Again, there will be a small additional charge for this event)

Saturday Evening Session : Again, we will have live music with the simply mesmerising guitar of George Fell. And all the lovely beer you can shake a stick at. Tickets are priced cheaper for this session as some of the beers will start to empty. There will still be plenty of magnificent beers to go at. Trust me. I've been here before!

What comes with your ticket? Well, Entry, Your lovely glass, programme & £10 of tokens to buy delicious liquids.

Throughout the event, we will have soft drinks available.

And a rather magnificent Gin bar, courtesy of the Lovely Charlie Hooson-Sykes (aka @_pickledginger)

Things will change. They always do. But, let's have some fun eh? It's about time.

If you're interested in joining us, tickets here. We’d love to see you!