IMBC 2013 – press and blog reviews

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)

Posted on 30th January 2014

IMBC 2013 – A short film

2013 our best year yet?!? Hopefully we have wrapped up all the best bits in this digital documentary made lovingly by Asta Films.

We hope it captures Indy Man Beer Con in all it’s glory, featuring brewers, punters, beer, live music and more.

Special thanks to all the people involved in making this short film and extra special thanks for those who attended, maybe you have a staring role in our film?

Until next year, CHEERS! See you in the baths.

Indy Man Beer Con Manchester 2013 from Asta Films on Vimeo.

Posted on 25th October 2013

IMBC 2013 – A short round up

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

Posted on 18th October 2013

IMBC merchandise

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.

Posted on 11th October 2013

IMBC Collaborations — A preview

IMBC is all about a most cherished beverage: beer. We here at IMBC like to get involved in making beer whenever we get the opportunity, so this year, we managed to do five collaborations with our friends @QuantumBC, @BuxtonBrewery, @MarbleBrewers, @RoostersBrewCo, and @Thornbridge. We selected, sniffed, and weighed out hops, dug mash tuns and coppers, and tasted beers that are still tucked away in the breweries — really hard work, but someone’s got to do it! We think the resultant beers are going to blow your minds — well, at least we hope they will, even just a little. Here is a little preview of what you can expect:

Cast your minds back to June. It was warm(ish) probably, the sun may have been out for extended periods of time, in other words, the perfect weather to brew beer… which we did in our first IMBC collaboration with Mr. Jay Krause, of Quantum Brewing Co. What did we brew? Only an Imperial Treacle Stout, and yes, treacle was added at transfer to the kettle. This dark, rich, 8.6% ABV potion will be on cask.

Our next brewing destination was Buxton. We brewed a saison with plenty of late hops, Galaxy, Cascade, and Sorachi Ace. Oh yes, Sorachi Ace. There will be two versions of this at IMBC: a cask version that was dry hopped with Citra, Galaxy, and then ‘dry tead’ with Bouquet Royal, one of North Tea Power’s super fruity teas. The barrel aged saison, with reported vinous notes, will be on keg. We are spoiling you lucky, lucky people!

Fast forward to August and a brew day at Marble, where a Farmhouse IPA was on the brew sheet. Plenty of late hops Centennial, Columbus, Citra, and Galaxy went into the kettle and more Galaxy for dry hopping. You’ll find the Farmhouse IPA in both keg and cask on the bar.

We then crossed the Pennines to go brew a Huckleberry IPA with our friends at Rooster’s. The special ingredient was 2 kilos of huckleberries — some very late in the boil and some post-fermentation. For bittering, we used Bramling Cross, and late Crystal and flameout Pacific Gem. For good measure, there more Pacific Gem as dry hops. Latest reports tell us that the 6.9% IPA has taken on some colour from the huckleberries. There’s only one cask of this in existence.

Our final stop took us to Derbyshire’s Thornbridge and its 10 barrel Thornbridge Hall brewery. Otter’s Tears consists of Maris Otter and a bit of Carapils — and 8 kilos of Columbus, Centennial, Galaxy, and Nelson Sauvin. After a bit more dry hopping, this will be on the bar in cask. Pale and hoppy, just like Simon Johnson would have liked it — and we hope you’ll like it too.

Thanks to all the breweries for indulging us, we’re looking forward to tasting these beery treats!

Posted on 23rd September 2013

IMBC Collaboration No. 5: Thornbridge

On Friday, September 13th, we traveled to Bakewell, to brew with Thornbridge at the Hall brewery — our final collaboration for IMBC!

After the untimely death of beer blogger Simon Johnson in May this year, we at IMBC felt something ought to be done. Simon volunteered at last year’s IMBC, tweeted during the event, and wrote up a really nice post. He was also a great friend and supporter of Thornbridge, so it only seemed right to join forces and brew a beer in Simon’s honour. Plans were hatched accordingly, and Rebecca Johnson (@BecEmerald), Simon’s wife, and her friend Lucy kindly joined us for the brew day.

@ThornbridgeWill guided us through the smooth brew day, everyone got to weigh out hops, and @ThornbridgeDom provided us with a cracking lunch and some delicious beery samples. We cannot wait to try ‘Otter’s Tears‘ on the Thornbridge bar at IMBC!

Thanks to everyone at @ThornbridgeHall for their hospitality and especially for Rebecca Johnson for taking the time, Simon is proud, I’m sure. See you next month!

Posted on 16th September 2013

IMBC Collaboration No. 4: Rooster’s Brewing Co.

Hot on the heels of our brew day at Marble, we traveled across the Pennines to brew our fourth IMBC collaboration with Rooster’s in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

Head brewer Ol had a very special ingredient for the beer, which was brewed on Rooster’s pilot kit: huckleberries, found only in Idaho and Washington State in the US. One of Rooster’s former interns kindly had her parents bring two kilos of the fruit across the Atlantic, and now, it has made its way into Huckleberry IPA!

While the wort tasted sweet, of course, there was also definitely a hint of berry there, which will hopefully come through even more after dry hopping and more of the berries and juice are added after a few days of fermentation.

Thanks to Ol, both Toms, Dave, Jamie, and Caroline for a great day at the brewery and a lovely lunch. Roll on IMBC!

Rooster’s
@RoostersBrewCo
@RoostersOl
@RoostersTom

Posted on 30th August 2013