The best bars in Birmingham for KBB Birmingham 2020

Whether you’ve got a taste for cocktails or a fondness for beer, put in an order at these top Birmingham bars and you won't be disappointed. Covering everything from the gin-focused 40 St Paul's to craft beer and pinball heaven Tilt, this round up of Birmingham's best cocktail bars, pubs and craft beer venues is sure to provide inspiration on where to spend your evenings during KBB Birmingham 2020.

If you're attending KBB Birmingham, which takes place at NEC Birmingham from 1st-4th March 2020, you can access the official hotel deals from HotelMap? here.

Birmingham's best cocktail bars:

The Alchemist

Set within the basement of Birmingham's historic Grand Hotel, which is set to reopen this year following a multi-million-pound refurbishment, The Alchemist on Colmore Row serves magical molecular cocktails in a theatrical setting of vaulted ceilings, quirky taxidermy and contemporary artworks. The extensive menu is split into chemistry and theatre for those who like to be bedazzled and plain delicious for anyone looking for something a little more classic. Plus, there's even a selection of augmented reality cocktails – high tea in the clouds anyone? At The Alchemist's second Birmingham location, on Brindley Place, experimental cocktails are served in a glamorous canalside venue.

40 St Paul's

With 140 different varieties to choose from, it's no wonder that 40 St Paul's has been voted the World's Best Gin Bar. Located in the city's Jewellery Quarter, close to the pretty St Paul's Square, the intimate venue has seating for just 24 guests, so the lucky few who get one can enjoy an air of exclusivity. With cocktail gurus Amanjot Singh Johal of The Church and Rob Wood of The Edgbaston behind the venue, punters can expect artful gin-based cocktails created with ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves, pink grapefruit and cinnamon sticks. Booking is strongly recommended.

Couch

A new addition to Birmingham's nightlife scene, Couch is an independent neighbourhood cocktail bar specialising in handcrafted cocktails inspired by music. Owners Katie Rouse and Jacob Clarke are joined behind the bar by Tommy Matthews – winner of Bar Manager of the Year 2019 – with Danny Pope managing the floor. Each drink is based on a different song and musician with the likes of Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac and Nirvana all referenced through the menu while a select line-up of wines and Negroni on tap are also available.

The Vanguard

Sitting above neighbourhood bar 1000 Trades, The Vanguard sees owner and cocktail maestro Samuel Boulton serve the UK's first-ever mead-based cocktail menu. Hoping to introduce the ancient honey-based beverage to the modern market, the bar stocks more than 20 different varieties of mead to create cocktails such as the Honey Pear, made with pear brandy, spiced mead and Darjeeling tea gin. Housed in an old Victorian workshop, the bar has a rustic, industrial design but the cocktails are overtly opulent. The bar also accepts bookings for parties of up to 15, making it ideal for large groups.

The Edgbaston

Home to not one but three cocktail lounges, The Edgbaston is widely considered to be Birmingham’s best cocktail bar. Through the use of fine spirits including American bourbons and Japanese whisky, expert mixologists serve a menu of classic cocktails inspired by everything from art and heritage to nature and cuisine. Opulent Art Deco interiors dressed in a black and gold colour palette complement the cocktails while a menu of bar food such as nachos, spiced nuts and sharing boards is also available.

The Jekyll & Hyde

The eye-catching purple paint that decorates the otherwise classic pub exteriors provides the first hint that The Jekyll & Hyde isn’t your average boozer. Once inside, punters will discover a quirky watering hole split into three sections: a traditional Victorian boozer where the drinks are anything but (expect a menu of eccentric contemporary cocktails), a first-floor Gin Parlour featuring over 100 types of gin and an outdoor courtyard decorated in vibrant murals and colourful bunting. 

Birmingham's best pubs and craft beer bars:

Tilt

Craft beer, speciality coffee and addictive pinball are on the menu at Tilt, a hip venue that's equally passionate about all three aspects. Punters can enjoy some of the freshest beer on offer thanks to the venue's dedication to collecting the beer themselves from breweries throughout the UK, which allows them to serve a rotating line-up of craft beer that's more often than not been in its keg for less than a week. There's also a guest range of coffee alongside the house blend with a new roastery featured every few weeks, and a collection of 20 pinball machines means Tilt houses more machines than any other public space in the UK.

Dig Brew Co.

A working brewery during the week, Dig Brew Co. is also home to a taproom that's open to the public Thursday to Saturday. The vast warehouse-style room places large communal tables and benches against whitewashed walls and huge steel tanks, creating a minimalist but welcoming environment. There's a rotating menu of freshly brewed lagers, stouts and pale ales as well as a pizzeria named Dough that serves authentic 20-inch Neapolitan pizzas. Beer and pizza, what more could you want?

The Canal House

Set on the banks of Birmingham's canal, The Canal House boasts two floors of inside space as well as a large outdoor area, making it ideal for both cosy winter nights and al fresco summer drinking. Taking inspiration from the area's history as the Old Wharf terminus filled with factories that fuelled Birmingham's industrial era, the new design pays homage to its roots by updating the historic 18th century building with eye-catching splashes of green on the outside and a characterful design that reflects the life and work of 18th-century engineer James Brindley on the inside. The venue's close proximity to Birmingham New Street train station also means it's well placed for easy access to NEC Birmingham.

1000 Trades

Housed within a 19th century building that was previously home to a jewellery workshop and then a badge factory, 1000 Trades is a neighbourhood bar and kitchen that puts craft beer, natural wine and community spirit at the forefront. With a name that references Birmingham's history as a 'City of a Thousand Trades', the venue serves a line-up of local and regionally produced drinks that are unlikely to be found elsewhere. The four cask and six keg taps pour a regularly changing menu of beer while the wine on offer also comes from small producers and is always completely natural. In the kitchen, there's a new resident chef every few weeks who are given free rein to cook what they wish.

BOOK NOW

A number of special hotel deals have been arranged for registered visitors and exhibitors for KBB Birmingham 2020. Check out the hotel deals for KBB Birmingham 2020.

CONTACT THE KBB BIRMINGHAM CONCIERGE TEAM

If you are attending KBB Birmingham 2020, you can access the official hotel deals from HotelMap?here.

Alternatively, email: [email protected]

Telephone: +44 20 7292 2320. Get your local number.