Cask

A lot of my reviews start with words to the effect of ‘why have I never been here before?’ and this is no exception.
How did it take me so long to get to Cask? It’s exactly my kind of place: comfy, casual, great beer. As we weren’t huge fans of the drinking setup at Castlefield Food Festival (drinks only in one area that for obvious reasons got very busy) we headed to Cask for a few more drinks.
It’s very cosy and friendly inside. There were no seats free in the little beer garden out back so we found seats inside and had a flick through the Pub Dogs of Manchester book while enjoying a delicious stout.
Now I just need to find some more excuses to be at this end of town!

Super cool no frills pub with some excellent choices. Bar tenders mean business, no small chit chat yet knowledgeable about the beers they serve.

A main feature on my personal drinking routes through the city, Cask deserves its growing popularity. After a difficult time at work recently, a few of us decided to make the most of the Manchester sun and visit the Cask ‘beer garden’ (outside tables) with a pint or two.
A short walk from both work and home for me, the bright blue exterior is like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The interior is relaxed comforting; the odd mismatch of stools, bright orange booths, and randomly placed beer /​brewery branding just adds to the laid back atmosphere. There are a few games dotted around the booths, but you’re better off bringing your own cards if you want to ensure a full pack!
Still working on my beer education, I enjoyed two pints of Mary Jane session pale from The Ilkley Brewery followed by a Kona Big Wave, both excellent steps on my journey to fully fledged beer drinker.
Service has always been friendly on my visits, with staff happy to talk you through different cans /​bottles, plus give tasters from the taps. The toilets downstairs are probably the biggest downside to the place as there’s always a damp smell, though you can combat this by darting into the disabled loo upstairs.
All in all, a city staple for me, and I’m sure it’ll continue to be.

Little pub of from Dean’s Gate. Place is modern and perfect for a drink with friends or little groups. In this pub you can order 6.5% dark porter beer. Wow this pint was very strong and tasty. I can recommend this place for a drink before restaurant diner.

Cask is great because: it has a great range of games, and I’ve often ended up playing Jenga in there — 34 levels in one night, and then reinventing the game as a kinda stongehenge another night.
You can imagine there’s beer involved, and they have a great range of ale, that’s constantly changing, as well as a range of continental ales. Mate’s seem quite happy with the wine selection too.
The atmosphere is laid back, and quite far away from an old man’s pub. Very friendly, and chatty staff. The smokers will be happy too, as it has a covered smoking area at the back. Oh, and there’s a never ending stream of great tunes on the jukebox. Volume is lively, but not too loud!
To top it all, as long as you take your rubbish with you, they are very happy for you to bring you chips in from the chippy next door, and have a pint with them.
It’s just down the road from the Science Musuem, and a worthwhile diversion for 2 mins off Deansgate for a pre or post cinema pint if you’re going to the AMC as well.

Excellent ale house on Liverpool Rd. Hiding from the Manchester rain we popped in here to sink a few beers and keep warm and dry.
Neil is a big fan of this place already. Their impressive array of beers makes this place a must-​go on a lads night out. For 4pm ish on a Friday it’s really busy, although I reckon I’m the only woman in here. That doesn’t bother me though — I’d beat any one of these guys at pool!
Hurrah. I like Cask.

Cask is near to MOSI just off deansgate on Liverpool Road. I’d heard great things about it so had to pop in when I was passing… Not been in a bar which serves so many beers and ales for a while! There must’ve been 15 on tap as well as numerous bottles… They also have cherry bee on draft! Superb.
The prices are average for city if not a little higher but the quality of the pint here was one of the best I’ve had in Manchester. I’ve heard you can bring your chippy tea in from the chippy next door which is great for a late evening snack. Will definitely be back to sample more delightful beers.

I have never been here before but someone at a Unilocal even recommended it so we was near by and decided to go in.
Its just your average pub nothing special about the place but it had a nice atmosphere and the staff were really nice.
I couldn’t believe how many beers were on draft and they really looked after them do if you like beers and ales it’s definitely a place to go. I don’t really like beer but I do like a cherry beer and they have it on draft and it’s so nice so I was happy.
There is s chippy next door and I believe you can bring it in to cast and eat your chippy while having a drink as long as you take your rubbish with you. Think that’s a great idea so will be definitely going back to get chips and a cherry beer.
Overall a nice chilled out place definitely worth a try

Cask is a real gem of a bar, it has a casual vibe with really good people. The bar has a huge selection of beer, a big booth at the back & a wee back yard. If you want a properly chilled night, where you can sit & chat with mates whilst perusing the jukebox — this is the place to come. Nip next door to the chippy & share on your table. Just perfect, one of my favourites.

Definitely my new favourite bar. Not as pretentious hipster as some of the NQ joints and less dingy than Big Hands/​Temple,* drinks don’t seem extortionate (£6.70 for a G&T and a pint) and they have nice cider on tap and many beers in fancy bottles in the fridge (also: root beer).
MOREOVER: they have board games and you can bring in fish & chips from the shop next door that I have been eyeing up for more.
All I can say is I regret never having been here before.
*bearing in mind I love all of the above

Rounds out the top three best places for beer in Greater Manchester… and probably (due to the crowd and down-​home, friendly, true-​to-​the-​name pub vibe) my favourite place to drink in the city…
Remarkable selection of beer from around the country and the world, great music, nice outdoor seating in back for smokers. A dying breed in what the city (and neighbourhood) is seeing in terms of a move towards trendy bars selling blah beer with crap service and people stuck in their iphones over a pint!

Cask was first recommended to me by my boss after he heard me talking of my love of German beer. If I hadn’t been told of it, I probably would never have even noticed it despite it being quite a distinctive shade of blue!
It provides an excellent selection of European beers including Schneider Weiss on tap and a wide range of German and Belgian bottles. It also, as the name suggests, has a number of casks offering local beers.
As well as seating inside, it also has a small terrace with wide, glass doors letting in lots of light and keeping it airy in the warm weather.
It can get busy of an evening but our last visit was on a Sunday afternoon where it was fairly quiet and gave us a chance to hog the jukebox!

One of my favourite bars in central Manchester. Just enough off the beaten track to have that chilled friendly vibe, but close enough for a quick drink after shopping. There’s a great ever changing selection of beers. There’s space and a patio… what more could you want?

One of my favourite places to go after work. It has that drinking den feel to it which is no bad thing. I’ve often found myself here mid way through an intended bar crawl only to see out the night. It has a top range of beers and anywhere that has Budvar on tap gets full stars from me.

If it hadn’t have been for the Friday Food Fight events at Upper Campfield Market over the past three months I’d probably have never stopped by Cask, but I’m glad I did.
Located opposite the Museum of Science & Industry, it was bustling with drinkers when we arrived on a Friday evening which was no surprise. Thankfully, it’s a TARDIS, there’s a large back area of seating past the bar, though from the outside you’d think it was a compact boozer. The clientele is a great mix of folks too.
With plenty (and I mean plenty) of beers available you’ll be sure to find something you’ll like whilst enjoying the indie tunes from the jukebox. Their selection includes German weiss beers, Belgian imports, Dutch lagers and bottles from across the globe — i.e. the choice is immense.

I go here quite often. Its a great little pub/​bar, with a small outdoor courtyard at the back. There is a great selection of beers, a good atmosphere, and you often see the same faces in there, which I think is a good sign… why would people keep going there if it wasn’t any good!
Some people might not like the ‘rough round the edges’ décor, but I think it suits the casual and relaxed vibe that it has. If you want smart and shiny, go down the road to Spinningfields.
All in all, a great place for a catch up with friends any night of the week.

What a nice pub, modern local with a great range of uk and foriegn beers well kept. Actually its got a bit of a café beer bar type of feel to it. Attracts the younger age group who are more bohemian in thier tastes. Will be a regular here from now on :)

This is such a great pub, the beer selection is old school but quality. If you’ve been too overwhelmed with the high profile/​low output breweries IMBC-​style, just come and check out what quality Belgium and German beer making has been about for the last 100 years, throw in some fine British Cask Ales well poured, add a top juke box selection and you sort of get close to what I’m talking about.

A small corner shop conversion offering a couple of real ales and a world of other beers. I sloooowwwly supped a Brewsters Hophead as drinking on a ridiculously hot day was starting to catch up with me. As this was the pub I visited after the Kings Arms in Salford I was somewhat surprised to find Paul Heaton had followed me and was staring up at me from the beermats.
(See photo below)

I’m torn with Cask — it’s always got a funny smell, it’s very dark and if you sit outside you can smell the off fish from the chippy.
HOWEVER it’s a great place for a beer — they have a wonderful selection of some rare and wonderful craft beers/​real ales from all over the world. Their spirits selection is pretty good (no Woodford tho), they even have a good range of softies AND there’s always a friendly, convivial atmosphere here.
I’d pick Cask over a lot of the other places in Castlefield and I am still awed by their beer selection and knowledge. Plus their bright blue frontage always beings a smile to my heart, even in the dreariest of weathers.
Never mind the smell, you’re there for the beer and Cask is fast becoming an institution in this part of town.