RedWillow, Macclesfield

The Redwillow is a modern and attractive bar opened by the RedWillow brewery on the site of a former shop. It's well laid out, feels comfortable and has many interesting, clever and unusual features which Mr. F describes below. Inevitably given the contemporary nature of the place, the clientele is mixed and it seems to be something of a hit with Macclesfield's younger imbibers although they aren't necessarily in the majority. Most people had though scrubbed up well, us aside. The bar runs across most of the left hand wall and is extensive, as it needs to be for the range of drinks offered. Cask beers: six traditional handpumps had on RedWillow Heartless 4.9%, Feckless 4.1% and Headless 3.9% as well as Arbor Ace in the Hole 3.8%, Abbeydale Deception 4.1% and Gwatkins Silly Ewe cider 4.5%. The Heartless is a stout which went down well enough but this aside, the cask selection is low strength. Keg beers: These are drawn from taps on the back wall numbered with roman numerals I to XV and on our visit were: I: Birra del Borgo - Cortigiana 5.5%, II: Arbor - Doodackie 5.5%, III: Northern Monk - New World 6.2%, IV: Anderson Valley - Boont 5.8%, V: Fourpure - Oatmeal Stout 5.1%, VI: Arbor - 2014 7%, VII: Quantum - Small Beer 3%, VIII: Burning Sky - Saison 4.2%, IX: Tiny Rebel - Hadouken 7.4%, X: Anderson Valley - Hop Ottin 7%, XI: RedWillow - Homeless 4.2%, XII: West - Red Mungo 4.9%, XIII: RedWillow - Shameless 5.9%, XIV: Ross on Wye - Rubric (cider) 4.8% and XV: Vineyard - Prosecco 11%. That's quite a choice with some well respected breweries in addition to RedWillow represented as well as some punchy beers. The Shameless IPA was very good although not as good and much more expensive than the cask version and the New World IPA was excellent but again expensive. Having only really tried Brewdog's keg products, this selection and it's quality was something of a revelation for me but I'd still have preferred the cask versions where available. Both the keg and cask selections are listed on an easy to read screen behind the bar so it's easy to choose what to go for next whilst enjoying what you have. There are also 50 gins available and a spanish ham hanging up behind the bar. There's clearly a focus on keg products here but my experience of them was very good and it would be very easy to spend a day here trying the various beers, gins and nibbles. I'd happily return to do just that.