The printed bill (from 1898) on which I saw the codes C and CBB was from the Cornbrook Brewery. According to the text, their beers included City Bitter and CPA. The latter I would guess really stands for Cornbrook Pale Ale. City, well that could be a possibility.Here's a quote from page 12 of "Manchester Breweries of Times Gone By, Vol 2":
"The brewery's [Openshaw] included best mild and bitter, Grade A pale ale, Openshaw Stout and also a "C" Ale. "C" Ale seems to have been a local brew, the origin of which is uncertain. Groves and Whitnall of Salford became well known for their version of "C" Ale in the 1890s; it was discontinued during the last war but reintroduced in 1950. John Henry Lees of Moss Side also brewed a "C" Ale, as did Wilsons Brewery."
I've tried searching the interweb, but something like C Ale is a bastard to find. Any help would be much appreciated. Someone must still remember C Ale. It was still being brewed in the 1950's. That's easily within living memory.
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Being in the Manchester area, I'll do some digging on this. My grandad was a toolmaker in an engineering factory in Trafford Park from the 20's to the 60's, I'm sure he would have known what 'C' Ale was. The John Lees of Moss Side is intriguing, would that be the same guy who set up what is now J.W. Lees Brewery in Middleton? If so, I might try them to see if they know.
Wilsons Brewery, Newton Heath. My favourite mild when I started drinking twenty years ago, I feel privileged to have sampled it for a couple of years before the brewery shut.
Ron, I've emailed J.W. Lees in Middleton on the off chance they know but I was thinking, does your book mention the surviving Manchester breweries - Holts and Hydes - brewing 'C' Ale? If so, I'll try asking them as well.
I don't know about Holts (although I doubt it) but I have retail price lists for Hydes in 1914 and 1924 and there is no mention of a "C" ale.
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