#ISBF9 - 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 (Jim) would be radically different.
Being incredibly well connected within the City of Salford, in 2018 - when I decided that I wanted to carry on - through her contacts in Salford City Council, I was put in contact with Stan Jackson, the Chair of Hemsley House, the beautiful building on The Crescent that we now call Home.
She also had more than a small hand in locating a good cause. Gerry is family. And we instinctively knew that START Inspiring Minds was the Charity for us. A place and people that, through creative arts, guide people away from MH Trauma and the darkest of thoughts. It’s a wonderful space that a few of us have been lucky enough to visit.
TBF, if it wasn’t for supporting that lovely Charity, this event might no longer exist. Supporting that cause keeps us going.
As we’ve said on many occasions, this event is “different”. Call it “niche”, call it “grassroots”, it isn’t fancy, it isn’t flash. We make no grandiose claims about it. Other than that we believe it to be the most relaxed and friendliest event that we can make it.
It also has a reputation for exceptional beer. We’re lucky like that, in that our friends - the brewers - get what we’re about. They understand and support the cause, by pulling out all the proverbial stops and supply beers that meet the ISBF MO. Beers that are new to the Manchester area. And whilst that can never be guaranteed, year after year, they pull it off.
I think we’re even tied in to helping to brew at about 15 breweries this year!
And we have - for certain - got the loveliest of people behind the bars and helping throughout - though they give of themselves freely, they’re not volunteers. They’re the #ISBFFamily.
Beer People Are Good People (now where have I heard that before?) :-)
And for all of that stuff about the Beer (and Cider, natch), it’s always been the people that matter at this event. If I had £10 for each time somebody told me about the friends they met at this event, I might not need to work. People matter. At this event, they always have.
So. As at 7th November, what are we going to have for you?
Well, there’ll be Beer. 80 Beers to be precise. To be even MORE precise, 60 on keg, 20 on cask.
There’ll also be Cider, with a small - but very pretty and select - range in both Keg & Bottle.
There’ll also be a small - and again, select - range of Gins & Wines.
Food, as always at Hemsley House, will be prepared in house and - whilst not “street food” fancy, will be tasty.
We’ll have tunes from Jo & Mike and their amazing “Rebellious Jukebox” (every year, almost from 6pm on Thursday, every tune is by request!)
We’ll also have the fabulous George Fell - with his magical guitar - playing on the Friday & Saturday evening sessions. To listen is to be enchanted.
We’ll also have a couple of Beer talky type thingies on the Friday Evening & Saturday Lunch. One of which I know and the other, well, it will be a nice surprise to me! More details as these are confirmed.
But what you want to know are the Breweries, so….
Cask
Blue Bee
Brass Castle
Brewsmith
Burton Bridge (1st Time ISBF)
Chin Chin
Durham
Five Towns
Green Duck
The Kernel
Lark Hill Brewery
Mallinsons
Marble
North Riding
Pictish
Redwillow
Roosters
Sunken Knave (1st Time ISBF)
Torrside
Riverhead (1st Time ISBF)
Wigan Brewhouse
Keg
Abbeydale Funk
Ampersand
Anthology
Ascapart (1st Time ISBF)
Balance (1st Time Draft at ISBF)
Blackjack
Brewery of St Mars of the Desert
Bullhouse Brewery (1st Time ISBF)
Campervan
Chain House
Cloudwater
Crossover Blendery
Docks
Dolphin
Double Barrelled
Duration (1st Time ISBF)
Earth
Elusive
Epochal
Fell Brewery
Field Recordings (1st Time ISBF)
First & Last
Holy Goat
Horsforth
Ideal Day Family Brewery
Infinity Brewing (1st Time ISBF)
Kernel
Kirkstall (1st Time ISBF)
Lakes
Little Earth
Lost & Grounded
Lost Cause Brewing
Manchester Union (1st Time ISBF)
Marble (C or K?)
Maverick Brewing (1st Time ISBF)
McColls
Neptune
Northern Alchemy
Northern Monk
Otherworld Brewing
Pastore
Pomona
Rigg & Furrow
Rivington
Runaway
Simple Things Fermentations
Siren
Sureshot
Temper Brewing
Thornbridge
Toms
Torrside
Track
Trig (1st Time ISBF)
Turning Point
Wild Horse (1st Time ISBF)
Wilderness
Wishbone
Before I run off and hide, I want to thank all of our lovely sponsors. The Beers and Ciders were sponsored in record time (I’ve even had a few people approach me in the last couple of weeks!). You all can’t BEGIN to understand how much this means. Programme, Posters, Adverts, it all adds up.
I think that’s YOU with something in your eye!
A little breakdown of the Sessions…..
Thursday - Low Key (Much smaller session) - All beers are on so there’s a GUARANTEE that those in on Thursday evening will have the run of ALL the Beers & Ciders (#First ChanceThursday) Oh….And 25% of the tickets have already gone to Sponsors (not to mention those bought earlier tonight at the Ticket Launch Bash!) #DontMissOut
Friday Lunch - Again, Low Key (same numbers as Thursday) - All beers should be available (as they should until Saturday Lunch really). You’ll have the run of ALL the Beers & Ciders (#ThirstyFriday). And 30% of the tickets have already gone to Sponsors (not to mention those bought earlier tonight at the Ticket Launch Bash!) #DontMissOut
Friday Evening - One of the two busiest sessions. All beers should be available (as they should until Saturday Lunch really). You’ll have the run of ALL the Beers & Ciders (#ThirstyFriday). But this session always sells out, usually in 24 hours. We’ll have live music from George Fell (and maybe a little side event/beer chat) #DontMissOut
Saturday Lunch - One of the two busiest sessions. All beers should be available. You should have the run of ALL the Beers & Ciders (small numbers of beers start to “kick” on this session). This session always sells out, Within 24 hours. We may a little side event/beer chat. Almost 40% of tickets have already gone to Sponsors (not to mention those bought earlier tonight at the Ticket Launch Bash!) #DontMissOut
Saturday Evening - The Chill Out Session. Almost all beers and Ciders are still on, but this session is priced accordingly. We’ll have live music from George Fell and likely the most relaxed feel you’ll experience in a beer event. My favourite session.
Oh yes, before I go, tickets for our humble little bash are on sale now. Here’s the link…..
See you in November!
Be kind to one another.
Back soon with updates and stuff…..
Jim x