Salford businesses are celebrating the centenary of its city status with limited edition products.
Across the city, local businesses are announcing and releasing products to celebrate Salford’s one hundredth year as a city, such as Seven Brothers, Salford Distillery, and Salford Roasters, in collaboration with Salford 100.
Local beerhouse Seven Brothers has released a limited-edition beer in honour of the anniversary, named 1926, the year Salford became a city. One of the seven brothers and head of export, Kit McAvoy, explained how the company got involved, and what the anniversary means to their local family business. He said:
“We’re all born and raised in Salford. When the idea of the business came along, my dad was brewing beer in the basement of the family home where my mum still lives.”
Upon learning of the anniversary preparations last year, the company immediately reached out to the council and got involved with the centenary, deciding to develop a limited-edition beer to celebrate Salford’s history and heritage.
In one of the centenary steering meetings, a University of Salford representative reached out to Seven Bro7hers and suggested the idea of collaborating on the can’s design together.
Second-year Graphic Design student Anhelina Serhiienko’s design was ultimately chosen for the 4.2% pale ale.
“That’s really what we’re all about. Celebrating the emerging talent, working with youth.” Kit said about the partnership, before shifting his focus to the beer itself.
A blend of American and British hops, the beer is a nod to Salford’s diverse trade history, which Kit is immensely proud of:
“That’s always something that I’ve been proud of, and being an old city. We’ve always been seen as like Manchester’s little brother. But it’s been going a lot longer.” Beyond the ingredients, the sentiment regarding the beer remains similar, celebrating Salford, its heritage, and bringing people together to celebrate their city. Kit said:
“It’s not so much the ingredients but it’s the love and the attention and the effort and the collaboration that’s going into it.”
Another local business, Salford Distillery, is preparing the release of its limited-edition centenary rum with similar inspirations. A blend of aspects from Guianan, Trinidadian and Jamaican rum, the rum is designed to reflect the industrial imports and exports of the city through its docks.
Jackson, Salford Distillery’s distiller, said:
“I mean, it’s got a bit of everything. Starting with funk and in your face, through to the fire and then sweet harmony. So I think it kind of encompasses Salford.”
Salford Distillery’s centenary product is set to hit shelves within the year and seems to excite everyone involved at the distillery, who are passionate about celebrating the history of the city.
All of Salford Distillery’s rum and gin is developed and bottled in-house, with their machinery named Willow, after the trees that line the River Irwell.
Jackson then spoke about the link between the distillery and its surroundings further:
“We are Salford, in terms of our conception from the docks. Everything from the spices to the rum,” before expanding on the centenary rum’s inspirations:
“When our founders Tommy and James were coming up with it, they looked at the history around here with Salford docks. It made sense to do something that was coming through the docks at the time, that was aged rum.”
Local coffee company Salford Roasters is also set to release its centenary coffee as part of the celebrations.
