A Top Tea Treasure: Co-op’s Indian Prince

Feast of the M60 unravels a tea time treasure

It has been a while since yours truly had ventured into a Co-op for anything besides a pint or two of milk. Yet my latest visit to Manchester’s Corporation Street branch did involve two pints of milk and a box of tea bags.

Top Ten Tea: A Feast of the M60 Not So Perfect Ten

Our Top Ten black tea brands

I probably drink as much tea as the late Tony Benn ever did. After he retired from politics, he went on a speaking tour taking two props with him: a chair and a Thermos® flask. A flask full of tea.

The Lost Hypermarket: An A to Z of Long Lost Brands

Lost items from our supermarket shelves

If you have spent more than four decades on this planet, you will have seen many shops go the way of dinosaurs. Not a single day goes by without there being a “Do You Remember the Woolworths Pick and Mix” counter or “School Puddings” meme. I have yet to see a single Book of Face post with cosy memories of swallowing Liqufruta if you have an irksome cough. Or a meme that says “Do you remember gargling with TCP?”

Over the last four decades, there has been a fair few foodstuffs that have gone the way of the dinosaurs, Transatlantic flights from Prestwick Airport, and the 400 Trans-Lancs Express bus route. Some of which have been discontinued due to abject unpopularity, corporate decisions or adverse publicity.

Delectable Dark Beers: A Top Beer Not So Perfect Ten

Ten of the finest dark beers – mainly milds, stouts, and porters

At this time of writing we are in the midst of Black Friday, an American import which marks the first shopping day after Thanksgiving Day. Thanks inevitably to the internet it has become an international phenomenon. In these parts, it is associated with people fighting over 62″ screen television sets at knockdown prices.

This year, the media seems to have focused on plush toy carrots instead of flatscreen televisions. I suppose it makes a nice change from Brexit, where our attempts at trying to leave the EU could drive us to drink.

This reminded me of Guinness’ Black Friday ad, stating that every Friday is a Black Friday. Pure genius. As dark beers go, Guinness isn’t the only one on the market; our latest Not So Perfect Ten looks at another ten great dark beers. Which have been sampled by yours truly over the last two decades. Let’s tap and vent our ten barrels.

Top Beer: 3. Stockport Brewing Company’s Stock Porter

Top Beer on Stockport Brewing Company’s porter

For lovers of cask conditioned and bottle conditioned ales, Greater Manchester is some sort of a metropolis for its microbreweries. Stockport town centre also has three microbreweries alongside Frederic Robinson’s Unicorn Brewery. Two of them are yards apart, with the third one closer to Heaviley.

The East of the M60 Interview: Tweed Brewing Co., Newton

A quick half with Sam and Dave Ward, and Anthony Lewis, founders of Tameside’s newest microbrewery

Image Is Everything: the slick graphics of the Tweed Brewing Company, fast becoming a familiar sight throughout the North West.

Just off the 346 route, in part of what used to be Weston Hyde’s base is a microbrewery that is making waves. Its upmarket approach has wowed drinkers young and old. Ultimately, they wish to experiment with new flavours and court younger drinkers aged 18 – 35 – the biggest growth area for cask conditioned ale. Before and after the interview, we had a look around the brewery itself, and I sampled half a pint of Black Shire Stout (4.5%), their latest addition.

On Friday [09 January 2015], yours truly spoke to Sam Ward, the founder of Tweed Brewing Co. Also his father and cofounder Dave Ward (a former firefighter who has made the transition from one pump to another), head brewer Anthony Lewis.

It’s Time to Brew! Hyde’s First Brewery Since 1929 Ready for Christmas

Tweed Brewing Company sets up home in Newton

Just off the 346 bus route (along the part hitherto SHMD’s 15 service), Hydonians can drink to the town’s first brewery since 1929. The Tweed Brewing Company have set up a microbrewery on Newton Business Park. Owned by father and son Dave and Sam Ward, this began life as a conversation over a few beers.

Lost from the Supermarket: A Trolley Load of Anachronisms

Several things which 21st century children will never see or hear in their local superstores

Take a trip to a 21st century superstore, anywhere in the United Kingdom. Today’s stores are sprawling; some of which architecturally nondescript. Commonly, a great number have petrol stations and generous amounts of free parking.

Ringway Brewery Cleared For Westminster

Reddish brewery’s bitter set for House of Commons bar

Another one of our local breweries is set to grace the Commons’ bar. This week, it will be the turn of Reddish’s Ringway Brewery.

Lancs Lagers Lost: A Top Beer Not So Perfect Ten

Lamented or not so lamented lost lagers of the last fifty years

If you are able to cast your mind back to the early 1960s, a certain Eddie Taylor was causing quite a stir in the pub scene. In 1961, he bought twelve English and Scottish breweries within a year. He formed a conglomerate known as Northern United Breweries, which later became Charrington United Breweries.