Hale's The Moose bar has expanded their operations with a new bar in Chorlton. Imaginatively called The Moose, Chorlton, the bar opened on Beech Road in just in time for Easter and when T&H CAMRA called on Good Friday, was already proving popular. The bar is yet another addition to Chorlton's incredibly vibrant real ale scene with two handpumps on the bar.
The Moose, Hale was recently named runner up in Trafford & Hulme CAMRA's Best Newcomer Award in recognition of their commitment to bringing cask ale from independent breweries to an area where despite a vast number of bars and restaurants, real ale has only appeared at the Robinson's & Sam Smith's pubs in the town. Chorlton with it's multitude of local ales will bring a new challenge to the team.
At the Chorlton outlet's opening the cask ales were Brightside Brewery's Amarillo and a second 3.7% beer with a paper pumpclip named "Moose Ale". Although the pump clip didn't give any clues to the origin of it, the bars' beer menu indicates it as Moose Ale, Blackburn - which would make it from Daniel Thwaites. The menu also listed a third beer from Porthmadog's Purple Moose Brewery - given that there were only two pumps, hopefully this indicates that a third is not far away.
Given that the company has its roots in Hale's The Little Deli Company, is no surprise that food comes in the form of a variety of cold platters, sandwiches and similar charcuterie based fare.
Morley Cheeks heads to Hale
In a coincidental reverse move, Dominic Clancy, owner of Chorlton's Morley Cheeks has opened a new bar-restaurant in Hale. The Stockyard opened on 27th February, replacing the former Amba bar on Ashley Road. Sadly, unlike it's Chorlton sibling there is no cask ale. Given that Morley Cheeks has given prominence to local beers with a house beer from Privateer and regularly featuring the likes of Seven Brothers and Beartown, it was disappointing to see Stockyard's menu advertising keg Boddingtons as "brewed at the famous Strangeways brewery in Manchester", when in reality that brewery closed 10 years ago and the current product is believed to come out of the Anheuser InBev factory in Samlesbury, Lancashire.
Trevor staying as he is
Across the road from The Moose, Chorlton - we understand that the proposed refurbishment of The Famous Trevor Arms has been put on hold for the foreseeable future.