Manchester Union Brewery

Manchester Union Brewery was created with a deliberately narrow ambition: to brew lager in Manchester and make it a beer the city could call its own. Rather than building a broad range across different beer styles, the brewery has remained focused on lager, combining Central European brewing traditions with a distinctly Manchester identity.

Central to the brewery is its purpose-built decoction mash brewhouse. After considering manufacturers in countries including the Czech Republic, Hungary, China and Canada, the team found a manufacturer in nearby Bury willing to build the specialist system they wanted. Decoction mashing involves removing part of the mash, heating it to boiling point and returning it to the main mash, rather than relying solely on conventional temperature steps.

The brewery says this process encourages Maillard reactions and the development of melanoidins, helping produce the fuller body, subtle caramel character and silky mouthfeel it wants from its lager while retaining a dry, bitter and refreshing finish. German lager malts and Central European hops contribute to the brewery's interpretation of the style.

Manchester Union's lager is given several weeks to condition before release and is served unfiltered and unpasteurised. The brewery's identity is closely tied to Manchester: its Lion Bee logo combines imagery inspired by the lion and 'Concilio et Labore' motto of Manchester's coat of arms with the city's worker-bee symbolism.