Balance Taproom

Even if you’re very familiar with central Manchester, there’s a good chance what’s happening down the back end of Piccadilly Railway Station still flies under the radar. Once an area people barely knew existed, this maze of small industrial units has slowly nurtured a burgeoning local small batch and craft brewing community. So much so you can easily spend a Saturday visiting the myriad taprooms here, many of which collaborate on larger scale special events. But that’s not important right now. Instead, let’s focus on one — Balance. 

In and amongst a number of quality operations, Balance still stands out. This team pride themselves on a number of attributes many others can’t really match. First, the beers are mixed culture and barrel-fermented right here in the greatest city on Earth. Secondly, only the highest quality British ingredients go into the brewing process. So, authentic and traditional approaches through and through, but the finished products run the gamut from heritage style to contemporary and modern. 

The taproom itself opens from Thursday through to Sunday, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to visit even if you’re not booking in for a full brewery tour (which we’d highly recommend). The space for drinking is beautiful, wood-clad, homely and impossible to leave without good reason. Here, you’ll find six draught lines on rotation, reflecting the new and ever-evolving releases from the brewmasters, so you’re likely to find at least one spontaneous and experimental offering in the pack. There’s also a large bottle fridge, which goes beyond Balance to include some of the finest wild beers from across the UK. Finally, kids and dogs are welcome, although it’s over-18s only after 8PM due to the licensing restrictions currently in place. Still, there’s always the daytime for families. Overall, a total gem, hiding in plain sight. Recommended.