Winter brings cold temperatures and short days, but also beers specially made for the season, and to make the most of them Manchester’s Winter Warmer Wander ale trail is returning for 2023 after a four-year absence.

The trail is designed to bring Christmas cheer to the region’s drinkers who are being encouraged to seek out winter beers such as stout, porter, old ale and barley wine.

Christmas and seasonal ales, such as Robinsons Tom & Berry, Holts Sixex and JW Lees Plum Pudding are also in the mix.

The trail runs from Friday 17 November to Saturday 30 December and is organised by the Stockport & South Manchester and High Peak, Tameside & North East Cheshire branches of CAMRA, but anyone can join.

No less than 65 pubs are taking part, stretching from Manchester city centre, through Tameside and into Stockport.

To start winning prizes of bottles of beer, participants must collect stickers from a minimum of 12 pubs and drink at least half a pint of a cask winter ale in each. Increasing the number of pubs visited will also see entrants win bespoke garments embroidered with the ale trail logo, as well as entry into a draw for a case of 12 bottles of beer.

All successful entrants will receive a bottle of Robinsons’ Old Tom barley wine and a commemorative Old Tom badge.

Organiser Sue Lightfoot said: “I am really pleased that we have been able to organise our Winter Warmer Wander once again.

“It’s designed to be a bit of fun for both casual drinkers and beer aficionados in the run-up to Christmas.

“Not only that, but it also highlights some wonderful beer styles and supports all the pubs that have agreed to take part. I’m particularly grateful to our sponsor, Robinsons brewery, whose award-winning Old Tom will be found in a number of participating outlets.

“On these cold, dark nights, there’s nothing like socialising in a pub with a glass of warming winter beer.”

Full details can be found in the current CAMRA Stockport branch magazine Opening Times, available free in many Manschester pubs. Details also appear on the branch’s website at ssm.camra.org.uk