There’s been an ‘incredible response’ to the local legend right away
The revival of Manchester beer Boddington’s has gone down well with locals(Image: JW Lees)
When the ‘Cream of Manchester’ relaunched last week, there were many who weren’t sure whether the local beer would be able to live up to its nostalgic past or not.
Not served in cask pumps in 13 years, the iconic Manchester ale Boddingtons made a big return when its inaugural comeback cask-conditioned pint was pulled at The Founder’s Hall on Friday (September 5).
Pulled by William Lees-Jones, Managing Director of JW Lees, the news of the returning local legend was met with delight from nostalgic beer lovers as it was hailed that the drink was ‘back where it belongs’ in pubs.
First brewed back in 1778, the local institution was famous for its bright-yellow tins, its creamy head and for ‘making bitter glamorous’. Marketing campaigns featuring the likes of Melanie Sykes and Anna Chancellor also gave it a big boost in popularity.
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The first cask pint of Boddington’s was poured by JW Lees boss William Lees-Jones at the Founder’s Hall on Albert Square(Image: JW Lees)
Its return was sparked by a new partnership between Budweiser Brewing Group and Manchester’s own JW Lees, the city’s oldest brewer, which sees a new 4.0% ABV recipe served fresh from the cellar, naturally conditioned, and “hand-pulled to perfection”.
And it appeared to have gone down a hit with its first few days on sale – with two Manchester pubs completely selling out not long after becoming available. Both Victoria Tap and Oxford Road Tap venues reported running out of the beer in just hours over the weekend.
Other venues including Corbiere’s, Sam’s Chop House, The Circus Tavern and Piccadilly Tap have also reported big sales of the iconic beer with further deliveries and new installs continuing throughout this week to keep supplies going strong.
Speaking about the initial reaction to the revived beer, William Lees-Jones, Managing Director of 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.
Victoria Tap, based inside Victoria Train Station, sold out of its supply of Boddingtons within hours this weekend(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and the incredible response this week shows just how much people have missed it.”
Brian Perkins, President of AB InBev Western Europe, added: “We are excited to relaunch Boddington’s Cask Ale in partnership with JW Lees. Founder’s Hall was just the first step – the demand we’ve seen already highlights the potential as we bring this iconic beer to more venues across the UK.”
This week also saw Hiroshi Suzuki, the Japanese ambassador to the UK, almost down a full pint of Boddingtons after negotiations in the city marked the signing of a new trade and cultural exchange between Manchester and Osaka.
With Mr Suzuki’s visit coinciding with the Japan Week celebrations currently taking place across the city, he said of the drink: “By eck – it’s gorgeous!”. His comments echoed the beer’s famous advertising slogan of the 1990s.
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