About
WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS
We started trial brewing on a home brew kit back in early 2009 when the country was in the depths of the recession, which is partly how the name Brightside arose. That and the fact that we also like The Killers!
These days we’re an established name in Manchester, with a reputation for quality consistency and service. Our beers can be found in many of the free of tie pubs and bars in the city, out towards Crewe and Chester in the South, through the Wirral, and up to Preston in the North (in fact, across much of the UK by way of swapped casks with partner breweries and wholesalers).
We started trial brewing on a home brew kit back in early 2009 when the country was in the depths of the recession, which is partly how the name Brightside arose. That and the fact that we also like The Killers!
These days we’re an established name in Manchester, with a reputation for quality consistency and service. Our beers can be found in many of the free of tie pubs and bars in the city, out towards Crewe and Chester in the South, through the Wirral, and up to Preston in the North (in fact, across much of the UK by way of swapped casks with partner breweries and wholesalers).
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
On cask up the White Lady.
Appearance - golden and clear with a nicely proportioned white head.
Nose - lemon, cereal and candied orange.
Taste - more citrus, some red apple and a cakey conclusion.
Palate - light to medium bodied, creamy middle and fresh finish.
Overall - good pint of cask.
Appearance - golden and clear with a nicely proportioned white head.
Nose - lemon, cereal and candied orange.
Taste - more citrus, some red apple and a cakey conclusion.
Palate - light to medium bodied, creamy middle and fresh finish.
Overall - good pint of cask.
Tried
from Cask
at
White Lady (JDW)
on 14 Sep 2026
at 10:10
6.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Tried
at
Cricketers (JDW)
on 22 Aug 2026
at 12:56
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 7
Overall 6
Sample at the red lion jdw.
Medium white head. Slightly hazy golden pour. Light bitterness
Medium white head. Slightly hazy golden pour. Light bitterness
Tried
from Cask
at
The Red Lion (JDW)
on 05 Aug 2026
at 16:43
6.6/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 5.5
Cask handpull at County Hotel JDW Ashford. Clear gold colour lasting white head. Some citrus hops and flavour. Some dryness on the finish
OK blond ale with some interesting hops on the finish. Mostly citrus. Decent condition and temperature. OK.
OK blond ale with some interesting hops on the finish. Mostly citrus. Decent condition and temperature. OK.
Tried
from Cask
on 23 Jul 2026
at 16:31
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Handpull cask at City Arms, Manchester. Straw, clear with a thin white head and fair bit of lacing. Citrus and herbal aroma; I'm getting lots of lemon balm here. Bittersweet taste, more herbal character, light fruity hop, a little bit soapy. Brief sharp bitterness in the finish. Light body, a little oily, soft carbonation. Decent lighter beer.
Tried
from Cask
at
City Arms
on 20 Jun 2026
at 12:53
6.1/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 5.5
Texture 7
Overall 6
This brew isn't quite as 'Queer As...' a Kveik beer might seem, it's a steady clear golden coloured ale. Hoppy but the yeast strain here is impactful in both aroma and taste being a prominent part of the ale's flavour. Nevertheless despite it being an interesting brew I find it all a little bland.
Tried
from Cask
at
Waterhouse
on 28 Feb 2026
at 02:11
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 7
Overall 6
'Legacy' was the most successful chart single for the band 'Mansun'. Clear golden coloured with a favourable head. A hoppy first bitter, it does have a fair bitterness to it. Quite dry in its prominent hoppiness. Not much legacy for the brewer here though.
Tried
from Cask
at
Waterhouse
on 21 Feb 2026
at 05:07
6.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 7
Overall 6
Despite the fact Greene King IPA was 99p a pint when I walked into this Spoon, I paid £1.75 for this half. A steady regular blonde, mildly hoppy, very easy. Probably got my money's worth. A perfect example of a side quest.
Tried
from Cask
at
Waterhouse
on 03 Jan 2026
at 16:08
5/10
Decent cloudy pale ale. Pint in Wallop, West Didsbury.
Tried
from Cask
at
Wallop
on 23 Dec 2025
at 14:00
7/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Clear and golden with a frothy white head and a biscuit malt aroma. Soft and smooth, mellow biscuit malt, mellow citrus bitterness and a dry bittersweet finish.
Tried
from Cask
at
Peveril Of The Peak
on 19 Dec 2025
at 18:40