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In a modern world with the metric system, beer seems to be stuck in the dark ages. As well as being served as a pint (20 fluid ounces, if you’re asking), it’s also possible to drink a yard – although that’s only really acceptable if you’re on a stag do or channelling Mark Corrigan from ‘Peep Show’. You can add to that list the Bermondsey Beer Mile (where you’ll find many of those pints and stag dos). The eclectic run of railway-arch-occupying breweries and tap rooms continues to grow, and Manchester’s Cloudwater is its latest – a brewery that’s fully enlightened.
It’s at the Bermondsey station end of the strip, nestled between Moor Beer Co and Brew by Numbers. There’s no sign above the door, but peer through windows past jazzy tables and pastel-pink stools to see an illuminated logo at the back of the unit beckoning you to the bar. There you’ll find 20 different Cloudwater and collaborative brews on tap, from sessionable pales to wine-strength porters, plus a regularly updated list of cans and bottles in its cold store.
I settled on the barman’s selection, a Cloudwater DIPA that went down far too easily for something so strong (8.5%), while my partner picked an IPA that was fruity-yet-subtle in flavour. Both came in at £4, as do all the draught beers, which sounds cheap until you notice the measures (a third-pint and a half-pint, respecitvely). A schooner or smaller is great for trying a lot in one session, but that could effectively cost £12 for a pint – even if they are some of the nicer craft beers around, it may leave you scratching your head. Although, if I’d had a full 20 fluid ounces of mine, I can assure you the water wouldn’t have been the only thing that was cloudy.