Flok, Manchester

Flok is a single roomed bar with a black and white tiled floor to the right and bare boards to the left. High booths run along the front windows and there are a couple of high tables up the left-hand wall. This open plan interior is broken up by a central supporting column with beer shelves, and an adjacent high table with repurposed barrels for seating. The bar counter along the rear wall supports nine craft keg fonts along the back bar and five hand pumps on the counter. Three of these were in operation drawing Big Trip’s Microdose, RedWillow’s Headless and Lilley’s Mango. The service was polite and the low upbeat background music was suited to the sunny afternoon of my visit, but the bar was empty with the largely student crowd opting to sit out front in the sun. I’d pop back in for another pint, but I wouldn’t class this as a destination bar.

Interesting place this one. Technically a former bank now turned into a Sherry specialist bar serving Spanish vermouth on draught and a huge range of fortified wines is the type of place I would contemplate entering for some tapas but not on an Ale crawl. But what makes the difference here is the addition of a 7 tap keg wall and four local ales on pump alongside the Vermouth. For our visit the four ales were Burning Sky Aurora, Tiny Rebel Juicy, Seven Brothers Brewery Session and Saltaire Triple Chocaholic. I went for the Saltaire triple Choc and despite being served slightly too warm it was a gorgeous pint, being like a melted bar of Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut, without the fruit, or the nuts. The upstairs room is quite a comfortable space with bar stools, high tables and some leather booth seating by the large windows providing a great vista across Stevenson Square. Then there is an additional seating space downstairs by the toilets and then also an interesting additional room housed in the former bank vault that can be hired out. Have to say I warmed to this one and wouldn’t hesitate to return again, especially with my good lady who would appreciate this type of bar.

A modern style bar with five handpulls for ale and another seven craft taps, the beer range was covering most bases, I went for an old favourite in Saltaire Triple Chocoholic, which was lovely. A pleasant bar with a lively feel.

Friendly bar with an eclectic selection of customers on my Wednesday afternoon visit , middle aged bikers supping pints to dolled up young girlies knocking back the fancy gins , friendly staff and customers , not a bad place .