Twisted Mule Brewery & Taphouse

Found in the beautifully restored Spotland Bridge Mill, the Twisted Mule Brewery & Taphouse offers a compelling blend of industrial heritage and modern craft beer culture. Once a cotton mill, the venue retains all those original features, the stripped-back brick walls and cast-iron roof columns, providing an authentic sense of place complimenting the lively beer scene inside.

Step inside and there’s a huge selection of hand-pumps alongside multiple keg lines, including craft ciders – though the emphasis is firmly on locally brewed beers. Very local, in fact.

The house-brewed offerings from Twisted Mule share space with guest taps from other microbreweries in the region, meaning that you can always find something new alongside some reliable favourites. For the peckish, there’s a mobile pizza van in the spacious courtyard, which is a cracking in the spring and summer months.

Community-wise, the place plays its part. It’s proudly inclusive, welcoming the football crowd of all stripes (not just the home side, Rochdale AFC), with match days bringing a buzz of energy without ever tipping into rowdiness.

The bar has also become one of the borough’s most vibrant live music venues, hosting a packed calendar of performances that cut across every genre imaginable – from acoustic blues and indie rock to funk, folk, and full-band electric nights. It’s the kind of spot where you might catch a rising local act one week and a seasoned touring band the next, all in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

Family-friendly, dog-friendly and fully accessible, it’s somewhere everyone can feel at home, fusing authentic industrial roots with the creativity of the craft-beer scene. Grab a locally brewed pint, catch a live gig, and soak in the mill-era ambience—you’ll find yourself in the kind of place you’ll want to return to time and again.