Winter Ale trail promises to be ‘best ever’ with more venues than ever before

The 2023 Winter Ale Trail is set to be even bigger and better than ever before, with a record 12 bars and pubs participating in the ever-popular event this year.

Rochdale is quickly gaining a reputation as the Northern powerhouse for food and drink, and with over 100 ales and ciders to be sampled over five days, it’s certainly easy to see why!

Our town centre certainly knows a thing or two about cask ale with a host of award-winning pubs and bars offering the best of the best.

With the majority of cask ale provided by local suppliers, you won't find a better offer anywhere else – the event is even supported by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), and their vision is to have quality real ale, cider and thriving pubs in every community.

 

 

Organised once again by the Rochdale Business Improvement District (BID), this year’s event will run from 15 to 19 November.

CAMRA’s finest beers are available from old Ale Trail favourites - The Baum, The Medicine Tap, The Flying Horse, Hoochi Koochi, Hogarths, The Pint Pot, The Regal Moon, The Cask and Feather, D’ale House, Bombay Brew – as well as two new venues on The Butts: Our Gracie’s and The Lucky Duck.

Ben Boothman, owner of several participating venues, including Bombay Brew, said: “I’m really excited about the ale trail coming back. It’s a great event in the town centre which is always very well-attended and shows what can happen when our venues work together to put on an event. Not many beer festivals have over 100 beers which have been especially pulled through cask engines.”

Caroline Norton, of The Medicine Tap, is once again looking forward to the ever-popular event. She said: “The Rochd’ale’ Ale Trail is an event that always exceeds expectations.

“It’s a brilliant opportunity for visitors to enjoy an ale or two or several and visit the many establishments that pride themselves on serving high-quality beer. Rochdale town centre is a real haven for bars and pub venues and we are so lucky to have such a great offering of chains and independents within a short walk from each other.

“The Ale Trail is always a great event and we’re really looking forward to showcasing our chosen ales as well as welcoming drinkers both locally and from afar.”

 

 

Paul Ambrose, Rochdale Town Centre BID Manager, said: “It's great that the BID is able to bring the ale trail back for its winter edition. This growing event is only possible due to the award-winning bars and pubs which continue to offer a warm welcome, and the great ale offer is backed up by knowledgeable and friendly staff.

“Previous ale trail events have shown that it draws not only locals, but those from out of town, impressed with both the fantastic real ale offer and the ongoing transformation of the town centre.”

Enjoy at least one drink – it’s hard, we know – in each of the 12 venues to collect a unique commemorative ale trail t-shirt, available in medium to XL.

Just don’t forget to collect your stamp card (available from any participating venue) and unique stamps before you head off on your merry way.

Simply collect your shirt in the last venue when you’ve finished your drink.

And you can even be in with a chance of winning a meal for two from a town centre venue: post snaps of your ale trail drinks and stamps to either RochdaleAleTrail or email paul@rochdalebid.co.uk.

Ale trail stamp cards can be collected from participating venues.

Join the Rochdale Winter Ale Trail: you won’t find a better cask ale offer anywhere else!