Three day micro-festival offers fusion of homegrown talent with Belgium’s best arts, music and beer

Premium Belgian lager Heverlee arrives in Manchester next month, launching a three-day micro-festival in Mayfield Depot’s abandoned arches.

The festival will showcase a mixture of Mancunian and Belgian street art and cutting-edge dance music alongside Heverlee’s creamy Belgian pilsner and Belgian-inspired street food offerings.

Expect live graffiti painting on the walls of the depot from famed Brussels native and friend of Heverlee DZIA, alongside local Manchester street artists Tasha Whittle, Tankpetrol and Matt Sewell.

On the ones and twos, Belgium will be represented by selectors Lefto (affiliated with labels Brownswood, Blue Note, !K7 Records, Stones Throw and Jazzy Sport), Berlin-based crate digger San Soda, AliA and Bjeor, all of whom will be flying in for the occasion.

On the Manchester side, Boiler Room favourite XXXY and Ninja Tune legend Illum Sphere will be repping the Manchester flavours alongside fellow locals Moonboots, Annabel Fraser and Angus Jefford.

The festival will transform the derelict depot’s arches into a bustling European party hub and has been planned to coincide with Heverlee’s roll-out in stores and bars across the city, which begins in early October.

Head down for beer a-plenty, intriguing street food, leftfield dance music and live street art, all packed into the unique Mayfield depot space.

The Abbey of the Order of Premontre – the original home of Heverlee – was established in 1129, just outside Leuven. Crafted using traditional ingredients and techniques and only ever brewed in Belgium. Heverlee was redeveloped following research by Leuven-born brewer Joris Brams.

Joris developed the beer after discovering that the monks had been pioneers, developing a light, fresh-tasting lager at a time when other abbeys focused on heavier, darker ales. When forced to close production as brewing became commercial, the beer was forgotten.

Working with the monks and with a local brewer, Joris used descriptions of this ancient beer to create Heverlee, a smooth pint that blends the subtle sweetness wrought by a malt and maize mash with the distinctly bitter aroma of saaz – the world’s most expensive hop – to create a deliciously refreshing Belgian pils- style beer.

Living by the abbey motto, Ne Quid Nimis (life in balance), Heverlee delivers a perfectly balanced taste. The brand has its roots firmly placed in the urban street culture of Belgium, and Heverlee brand manager Angus Lawrie, who tells us they see a reflection of this in the culture of Manchester.

“We’re so excited to be bringing together a host of unique talent from Belgium and Manchester alike to create this immersive contemporary party space in Mayfield Depot,” he told us.

“We can’t wait to see the fusion of homegrown Mancunian talent with some of Belgium’s best offerings in arts, music and beer.

“This will be many people in Manchester’s first taste of Heverlee and we can’t think of a better way for people to experience the beer and what it’s really about.”

11th -13th October, Mayfield depot. Free.