Each year Birmingham hosts its very own cocktail weekend to celebrate the city’s talent – and you can even vote for your favourite tipple at the end of your visit. Your wristband will give you access to an array of cocktails exclusive to festival goers, but which bars should you make sure to visit? We’ve rounded up our favourites below.
Fox and Chance
New to the Top 50 Cocktail Bars list for 2023, this bar promises world class cocktails and a great atmosphere. Located in the heart of Birmingham, this definitely needs to be on your list of venues to visit this BCW.
It’s worth sticking around and trying some of the drinks on their main cocktail menu which is split into 3 sections. Light spritzes and longer drinks, aperitifs and finally, disco drinks. Each section takes you from day to night of drinking around the city this bar loves so much.
Passing Fancies
Just a stone’s throw from the city centre lies the developing, bohemian district that is Digbeth. An array of restaurants and bars have built a home out of the old iconic Bird’s Custard Factory, Passing Fancies being one of them.
As well as serving a BCW special cocktail, drinkers can also work their way through the well-crafted menu of 12 perfect serves. A classic Espresso Martini might take your fancy, or perhaps an Apple Highball made with apple, rum and balsamic.
Enjoy a small plate or two whilst you’re sipping away and panning your next Cocktail Weekend visit.
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Kilo Ziro
A mere few metres from Passing Fancies you’ll find the zero-waste cocktail bar Kilo Ziro. Often discarded fruits and vegetables are given new life by having their flavours extracted and infused in spirits as well as being used for edible garnishes.
The bar has created a bespoke cocktail "Conscious Coffee" a rich and decadent dessert-style cocktail with a creamy essence served alongside a little sustainable snack. A finalist for this year’s Sustainable Bar of the Year, Kilo Ziro is decorated with plush interiors and decked out with refillable wine, beer and fizz stations.
Grain & Glass
Whisky lovers unite as Grain & Glass in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter In the bar, lounge and tasting room you'll find a library of over 300 whiskies, whisky flights, a classic cocktail list and more.
The current cocktail menu includes delights such as Spirited Away which mixes gin, apricot, peach, citrus and soda to create a short, fruity and sweet drink. Or why not try Penicillin with seaweed, vodka, honey & ginger syrup, lemon and a ginger garnish.
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Bar Ikigai
Finally, you must make a stop at 2022’s Newcomer of the Year as they takeover Birmingham’s The Coffin Works to bring you a very cool pop-up experience. The Japanese inspired bar relocated to Stirchley earlier last year but is back in the city centre for this very special event on Saturday from 2pm-10pm.
If their current menu is any indication of what to expect, you will be seeing bold Japanese flavours in exciting drinks like their Bonsai which mixes Woodford Reserve, maple syrup, acorn, soda and Cassia Bark bitters.
