Electrik, Manchester

Electrik has a bar along the right wall that supports four handpumps, three of which were unused leaving Squawk Brewing’s Crex as the lone cask ale option. A premium and craft keg range is also available. Pizza is the only thing on the food menu, it is sold by the slice and during my recent midweek visit it was happy hour were the local students could buy two slices for the price of one. There is a mix of seating throughout, including long high tables with stools and small booths along the left wall that reminded my of Wimpy for some reason. There is seating adjacent to the passing path out the front and I didn’t visit the advertised beer garden out the back. There are advertised events throughout the week, most of which involve a DJ doing a set. The service was polite, but this isn’t somewhere I’ll be rushing back to anytime soon.

A rather uninviting looking exterior I thought though inside wasn't too bad. A one roomed affair with the bar to your right on entering. The 5 handpumps today consisted of Brighton Bier Smoked Porter, Five Points Hook Island Red, Dark Star Pale Fyne Ales Jarl and Marston's New World. Its all a bit cafe for me and the drink I had was on the turn. However if your young and trendy then happy days for you.

Yet another shop conversion bar, this one seems a bit well worn compared to the others, in fact some of the stools in here seemed downright shabby. The bar has five hand pumps which had a House beer by Happy Valley called Electrik Bright Spark, Thwaite's Wainwright, Blackjack Stout, Rooster's Blind Jack and Ilkley Summer. I went for the Blackjack Stout which was superb and at £3.60 not cheap but more reasonable than the other places round here. I would consider returning to this one.

Fairly small one roomed bar, with an additional patio at the front. There are some basic tables and chairs in the middle of the bar with some booth type seating to the left and a few barstools at the bar. Some clever lighting gives an evening effect even during the brightness of the day. 5 handpumps on the bar serving Thwaites Wainwright, 3 changing guests and a real cider. They have a collaboration going with Happy Valley brewery where the staff here brew beers for the bar with the brewers. I had a pint of their own Livewire which was pretty good and served in very good condition. I visited late on a Friday afternoon when it was quiet, but I believe they have a DJ on later at weekends and are open until 1:30. This pub is quite rightly in the CAMRA GBG2013.

Official site of Elecrik Bar, contains menu and drinks list - www.electrikbar.co.uk

Official site of Elecrik Bar, contains menu and drinks list - www.electrikbar.co.uk