Beer is a big thing in Manchester, we don’t have to tell you that, and although we have a penchant for a craft or pale ale, there’s nothing like a traditional cask ale. Now, the return Manchester has been waiting for has materialised, as Boddingtons Cask, the legendary ‘Cream of Manchester‘, is back and brewed closer to home than ever before.
The first cask-conditioned pint of Boddingtons being commercially available for 13 years was officially pulled by William Lees-Jones, Managing Director of JW Lees, at Founder’s Hall in Manchester today (Friday 5 September) marking the start of a much-anticipated revival. This followed a secret preview for beer writers and CAMRA officials at JW Lees Brewery in Middleton Junction on Wednesday afternoon.
Loyal fans and new drinkers alike will now be able to raise a proper pint of Boddingtons, not only right in the city where its story began but in its rightful place on cask.
Thanks to a new partnership between Budweiser Brewing Group and Manchester’s own JW Lees, the city’s oldest brewer, Boddington’s Cask Ale will once again be hand-pulled in pubs across the region. Brewed and distributed under licence by JW Lees, this revival puts the focus on cask beer; served fresh from the cellar, naturally conditioned, and hand-pulled to perfection.
The brewery’s aim is to put Boddingtons back where it belongs: in the hands of beer lovers, especially across its heartland of the North West, but also nationally across the UK. Founder’s Hall in Albert Square Manchester is very much the flagship pub to lead the relaunch and JW Lees has already secured further listings at Stables Tavern and Corbiere’s in Manchester city centre, along with a number of premium freehold pubs across the North West.
First brewed in 1778, Boddingtons became more than just a beer – it became part of Manchester’s soul and a symbol of Northern pride. From iconic adverts to its famous creamy head, the pint left its mark far beyond the bar. Though it disappeared from cask pumps in 2012, its legacy endured.
Now, this homecoming brings Boddingtons back to cask, brewed in the North West using traditional methods and a new 4.0% ABV recipe, designed to capture everything drinkers loved about the original whilst giving it a fresh twist for today.
William Lees-Jones, Managing Director JW Lees, said: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution. We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddingtons as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.”