We’re really excited that our cider offerings this year are going to be very exclusive indeed. Our good friends from Thistly Cross in Scotland and The Real Cider Co. in Yorkshire are teaming up to bring you the most varied and exciting ciders the UK and beyond have to offer, including the debut of some very special US cider! Some of us were lucky enough to get a preview of this special treat, and it’s truly unique.

What else can you expect? A changing selection each day, including some exclusive tastings, all the cider knowledge you could ask for, and who knows, the cider presses may not stop at that… Suffice it to say, if you love cider or if you just want to discover some of the best offerings around, it’ll be worth stopping at the cider bar!

We are delighted these two are joining us — there will definitely be a cider for everyone’s taste.

@ThistlyCross
@Realciderco

We are proud to announce a special 4 course meal* with matched beers hosted by Jackie Kearney (Hungry Gecko)

Places are limited to 30 per sitting, the meal will take place in the Victoria Baths cafe :

Thursday 9th October / 7pm

Friday 10th October / 7pm and 8.30pm

Saturday 11th October / 7pm (SOLD OUT) and 8.30pm (SOLD OUT)

Tickets are £37.50 they include four courses with matched beers + entrance to the festival – purchase HERE

* Meal will last one hour

Jackie Kearney was a top 4 finalist in BBC One’s MasterChef 2011. She has been developing her experience and reputation through pop-up dining events, a vegetarian fine dining club and pursing her Asian street food venture in her iconic trailer, Barbarella. Her food passion lies with Asian street food and vegetarian dining, inspired by her extensive travels across Asia with her husband and twin children. You can read more about Jackie’s adventures with her family on her blog.

Jackie’s ambition is to raise the bar in vegetarian and street food dining. She aims to create food that is exciting, delicious and thought provoking

thehungrygecko.com/

Hello!

Dates for this year will be 9th – 12th October, tickets are now on sale HERE

IMBC 2014 Session times:

Thursday 9th October / 5.30pm – 11.30pm

Friday 10th October / 5.30pm – 11.30pm

Saturday 11th October / 11.00am – 4:30pm and 5.30pm – 11.30pm

Sunday 12th October / 1pm – 7pm

Ticket includes entry to the festival, commemorative glass, programme, all booking and credit card fees.

2013 was pretty good for us, but don’t take our word for it, here are some kind reviews from those in attendance, thanks for your support.

Tickets for the 2014 festival will on sale on Tuesday 1st April, see you all in the baths.

“Independent Manchester Beer Convention seems to have rewritten the rules on what a British beer festival looks like” – Will Hawkes, Financial Times (Read more here)

“One of the most forward thinking beer festival seen in the UK. More akin to Copenhagen Beer Celebrations than your normal CAMRA get-together, the festival combined the most exciting beers from the UK, served by the brewers themselves, in an amazing venue.” – Josh Smith, Evening Brews (Read more here)

“A shout out to beer lovers over the peaks and a nudge to Sheffield beery folksters – the Independent Manchester Beer (& Stuff) Convention is well worth a visit.” Jules Gray, Exposed Magazine (Read more here)

“If you love beer and/or historic architecture be sure to go at least once – if not every year.” Sophie Atherton, Beer Sommelier (Read more here)

“Held in the striking setting of the grade II listed Victoria Baths, the IMBC team managed to bring an element of alternative class, turning the Edwardian-era converted swimming pool into a bustling maze of interest” Leah Jade Connolly, Quays News (Read more here)

“The festival that has stepped forward from all the others, and drawn a line behind it.” The Beer Cast (Read more here)

“There was more beer, better beer than last year. More seating, erm, better seating than last year. Disabled access was better. I think you’re getting the picture. In summary, if you weren’t there, you missed a treat” Tysons Beer Blog (Read more here)

“Another terrifically organised event… Celebrations of beer are rarely this good, but, as far as I’m concerned, always should be.” Beer Compurgation (Read more here)

“It seemed unthinkable that Indy Man Beer Con would surpass the success of its inaugural outing but, somehow, it did exactly that. There can no longer be any ambiguity. It is simply the most significant event in the British beer calendar” Beer Battered (Read more here)

“IndyMan is the dream of craft beer made flesh… IndyMan has a special place in my heart. It is everything that is great about Britain rolled into one.” The Beer Boy (Read more here)

“The annual Indy Man Beer Con is a must for any beer enthusiasts.” Amy Brewster, Viva Lifestyle Magazine (Read more here)

“The Independent Manchester Beer Convention returned in 2013, taking what was already an outstanding festival to new heights when they really had very little room for improvement.” Graphed Beer (Read more here)

IMBC 2013 is now well and truly over, we have just about recovered and are already looking forward to next year. We would like to thank each one of you personally for purchasing a ticket to this year’s festival and supporting our super cool beer festival, we hope your enjoyed it as much as we did.

Four out of five sessions completely sold out and well over 3,000 people came through the doors of the wondrous Victoria Baths, we hope you all had a pleasant experience.

As always we are looking to develop our ideas and are interested in people’s thoughts about IMBC, especially yours! There may have been a couple of tiny hiccups, no one is perfect. We would like to look into how we can make things even better for your IMBC experience. So please email [email protected] with your comments.

We are also offering a donation scheme to help Victoria Baths with their ongoing regeneration project, you can send any unwanted tokens to : Victoria Baths Donation Scheme, Port Street Beer House, Manchester M1 2EQ OR drop them in person to Port Street Beer House.

Special thanks one again to everyone involved with IMBC 2013, especially all the Victoria Baths staff, brewers, volunteers, supervisors, musicians, food traders and most importantly you for supporting our festival.

See you all soon – TEAM IMBC

Photos from across the weekend by Sebastian Matthes, Gary Brown, Jamie Alun Price and Sam Huddleston.

Plenty more photos can be viewed on our facebook page

We have some amazing merchandise designed by the ever so talented Steve Hockett.

You can purchase these during the festival* they are available in small, medium, large and extra large – all priced at £15.

* If we have any t-shirts left we may sell them online or at Port Street Beer House.

Here are the beer lists for each day, in all their full glory*

Please click on the links below.

THURSDAY BEER LIST

FRIDAY BEER LIST

SATURDAY BEER LIST

SUNDAY BEER LIST

* please note all beers are subject to availability and they could change at the last minute, so please don’t be upset.