Make the most of lockdown with a local brew.
The spring season is beginning to rear its head after a pretty crappy year, and it’s a tiny win for us all as we continue to hibernate indoors due to the lockdown. What usually would be deemed the perfect time for a post-Dry January pint is now just a sad tinny in front of the tele – but there’s nothing stopping us from bringing our favourite brews to our living rooms. Here are the best local breweries and distilleries operating a delivery service during the pandemic.
1. Seven Bro7hers
A local gem for those who frequent Ancoats, Seven Bro7thers is continuing to offer up their innovative brews during the pandemic, with a whole host of new beers available to try – as well as a fancy new look which was introduced recently. Some brews have limited stock, however, such as their special Brogooder Pale Ale which was just added to the site. The brewery is well known for recycling cereals to create their tasty beers, with a variety of flavours available to try (including Rice Crispies!). Check them out here.
2. Sis4ers Distillery
The sisters of the brothers behind Seven Bro7thers, Four Sis4ers specialises in a range of gins, all concocted at their Salford distillery (which is on the same site as Seven Bro7thers). The gins are distilled in small batches in copper pot stills – and everything is hand-made ‘with love’, from the labels to the gin itself. There’s a tasty range of botanical blends to try out, from their signature blend which features a hint of blueberry, to their flavoured gins including strawberry, lime and thyme, caramel espresso and passionfruit and cardamom. Not only that, but the sis4ers have also created life-saving G&T packs to help customers create the perfect glass during lockdown, with packs ranging from one week’s supply to an entire month. Shop here.
3. ShinDigger
Launching a 3-hour delivery service for Mancunians in the midst of the outbreak, ShinDigger is continuing to provide the goods to locals in need of their favourite brews. Fans can pick up popular flavours such as Mango Unchained and their West Coast pale, as well as a number of others, dependant on stock. But the best part? Each delivery within the M60 is made within 3 hours of ordering with contact-free, door-step delivery. Shop here.
4. The Drinks Drop
Partnering with bars across the city, The Drinks Drop is offering an array of our favourite cocktails, with establishments such as Crazy Pedros, The Liars Club, The Jane Eyre, Cottonopolis and more providing the good stuff. The service was designed to support local businesses and keep us in ‘high spirits’ throughout the lockdown period, helping to bring a taste of our former lives straight to our door. Perfect for your next Zoom quiz night with your mates or for boujee back garden bevs. Check it out here.
5. Cloudwater Brew Co
Cloudwater Brew Co has made its beautifully packaged beers available for home delivery, straight out of their 3-degree coldstore. There are plenty of brews to choose from, from their ‘everyday beer’, to guest beers and special brews – as well as a number of fruity sodas to try which are tasty and refreshing for the summer months. Deliveries can be made across a wide range of Manchester postcodes, and NHS workers can take advantage of 25% off their orders, too. Find out more here.
6. Manchester Gin
One of Manchester’s finest gin distillers, Manchester Gin are making sure fans can get their top-notch G&T from the comfort of their own homes. The internationally recognised gin has an army of fans, with all their flavours available to purchase online, including their signature gin, raspberry, blackberry and more. Not only that, but the distillers have also created a lockdown package perfect for gin lovers, which includes three full-sized bottles of gin and six bottles of tonic to accompany. Shop here.
7. Runaway Brewery
Independent brewery The Runaway Brewery is known for it’s hand-brewed, small-batch beers, ranging from IPAs and brown ales to porters. While their taproom remains closed due to the pandemic, their range of beers is still available to order via Cloudwater – with The Runaway Brewery listed under ‘guest beers’. There are 11 different brews to try, with proceeds helping to keep the brewery going during the COVID-19 crisis. Check them out here.
8. Didsbury Gin
Offering up their hand-crafted gins via home delivery, Didsbury Gin has a number of tasty flavours to choose from, differing from the usual culprits like raspberry and blackberry. Tantalise your tastebuds this summer with new flavours such as blood orange and ginger, ‘Manchester Tart’, and strawberry with Sicilian lemon – as well as their original botanical blend. Each flavour is accompanied well with tonic (of course), with the flavoured gins making for great cocktail ingredients. Shop here.