Two things about the people of Manchester, we love a pub, and we love a walk. Here to answer our prayers for the festive season is the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), as the Winter Warmer Wander returns to Stockport and South Manchester.
Throughout much of November and December and across several branch areas, CAMRA is once again running the Winter Warmer Wander, its annual celebration of festive beers, to bring you a little winter cheer across the Christmas period. Don’t miss the chance to visit some new pubs and try new beers, with lots of great prizes – and different ways to win them.
The reasoning behind the Winter Warmer Wander is to promote particular beer styles – stout, porter, old ale and barley wine (all of any alcoholic strength), and ‘Christmas’ or ‘seasonal’ ales, brought out especially for the Christmas period, such as Tom & Berry, Plum Pudding or Sixex, of strength 4.4% ABV or above.
The launch trail starts at the Northumberland Arms, Marple Bridge at 6.30pm on November 18, taking in several pubs using local buses and ends up in central Stockport around 9.30pm – the Winter Warmer Wander trails will continue until December 30.
Stockport’s own Robinsons Brewery, and Old Tom in particular, are sponsoring this year’s Winter Warmer Wander, and all successful participants will receive a bottle of Old Tom and an Old Tom commemorative badge.
The rules are as follows:
Download a sticker sheet in PDF format or pick up a copy of November/December Opening Times, where there will be a printed version – download can be found here. Buy a half or a pint of CASK-CONDITIONED stout, porter, old ale or barley wine of any ABV, or Christmas Special of 4.4% ABV, or above. Ask the pub for a sticker to put on your WWW entry sheet. If for any reason a sticker can’t be found, the staff don’t know about WWW or the stickers have been mislaid then simply get a signature instead.
Collect 12 stickers from different pubs as follows: six from the outer white ring, five from the next ring (blue background) and one from the bull’s eye (gold background), and you will win three bottles of premium beer.
Collect 24 stickers, from different pubs as follows: 12 from the outer white ring, nine from the next ring (blue background) and three from the bull’s eye (gold background), and you win a WWW T-shirt, two bottles of beer and entry into a prize draw for a case of 12 beers.
Collect 36 stickers, from different pubs as follows: 18 from the outer white ring, 14 from the next ring (blue background) and four from the bull’s eye (gold background), and you win a WWW polo shirt, two bottles of beer and entry into a prize draw for a case of 12 beers.
Visit all 65 pubs, and your prizes are a WWW sweatshirt, four bottles of beer and entry into a prize draw for a case of 12 beers.
Winter Warmer Wander 2023 List of Pubs by postcode:
- M1 – Britons Protection, Molly House, Old Monkey, Paramount, Piccadilly Tap, Rain Bar
- M2 – Ape & Apple, City Arms, Waterhouse
- M4 – Gullivers, Lower Turk’s Head, Marble Arch, Millstone
- M14 – Ford Madox Brown, Great Central, Ladybarn
- M20 – Gateway, Head of Steam, Railway, Red Lion
- M33 – J P Joule
- M43 – Silly Country
- OL6 – Ash Tree, Halfway House, Sheldon Arms, Tapsters
- SK1 – Angel Inn, Arden Arms, Bakers Vaults, Calverts Court, Petersgate Tap, Swan with Two Necks
- SK2 – Blossoms, Duke of York
- SK3 – Ye Olde Vic
- SK4 – Beer Shop, Crown/Heaton Mersey, Elizabethan, Heaton Hops, Magnet, Navigation
- SK5 – Reddish Ale
- SK6 – Arden Arms, Hatters Arms, Norfolk Arms, Northumberland Arms, Samuel Oldknow
- SK7 – George & Dragon, Mounting Stone, Three Tunnes, Wilfred Wood
- SK8 – Archive, Chiverton Tap, Church Inn, Pointing Dog, Red Lion
- SK14 – 3 Drinks Behind, Jack’s Bar
- SK15 – Bridge Beers, Society Rooms, Station Buffet
- SK16 – Angel Dukinfield
- WA14 – Costello’s, Unicorn
Keep track of dates and times on the Stockport and South Manchester CAMRA website – happy drinking!
The Winter Warmer Wander launch takes place at Northumberland Arms, 64 Compstall Rd, Marple Bridge, Stockport SK6 5HD.