Long Way Out-and-About: Cocktails in the City

Cocktails in the City was a great event, offering 23 different cocktails from 23 popular Manchester establishments. Lovers of gin and whiskey would be at home here, as mostly top class and top quality brands were celebrated.

The event in Manchester took place at the old plot where the remnants of the old Granada Studios still stand. Inside, the setting is bare and rustic, like most street food festivals and venues encompassing a hollowed out shell of an old building, factory, or warehouse. It was the perfect setting for this event. Close to the entrance offered guests to try out their surfing skills at HULA where they had a mechanical surf board to test balance and endurance. This area had a very relaxed beach bum theme. Nearby, guests could enjoy a round (or more) of UV Golf hosted by Junk Yard Golf.

A stage was set up for presentations, and the first up was Tom from The Liquorists with the theme "Five Cocktails that Changed the World". I've had the pleasure of taking one of The Liquorists Tequila Trails around the Northern Quarter, and it was brilliant. Not to mention, Tom is a really nice guy, and remembers everybody, and is always happy for a quick chat. The Liquorists presented a variety of cocktails accompanied by stories and facts, giving the audience a well educated session on specific cocktails. We also got to sample some of the cocktails on offer.

Before one arrives at the main studio area, there was TATTU and Agave Garden occupying two rooms. TATTU looked like a spicy oriental themed establishment with mannequins dotted around for guests to graffiti, and somber red lighting. That was fun!

The main studio had the remainder of the bars occupying differently designed stalls, and it all looked fantastic, from Narnia themed to Mad Scientists to Floral to rustic wooden; Cocktails in the City had it all. Check out the photos!

I like whiskey and I like gin! Therefore after having a look around and looking at the nifty cocktail brochure/event programme, I sampled the following:

Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned from Tipplesworth. It was bloody lovely! Woodford Reserve Bourbon, orange zest, sugar syrup and Angostura Bitters. Perfect combo for a whiskey cocktail, and great first drink to kick off the evening.

A really flavourful gin cocktail by Cane & Grain called American Gangster made with Death's Door Gin mixed with "homemade" citrus & rhubarb cordial, Yuzu juice, fresh lime, Branca Menta Salt Solution, and Seline Air. Very tasty! I recommend this to all gin lovers!

My favourite cocktail of the night was Fairytale of New York, made with The Pogues Irish Whiskey by The Fitzgerald; mixed with plum bitters, cherry heering and Gomme, the cocktails offers sweetness to a whiskey cocktail, which should please both whiskey drinkers and non whiskey drinkers.

Oriental Expression from TATTU made with Opihr Gin. This cocktail was perfect to end the evening. A cocktail that offers oriental spice mixed with ginger, bell pepper, lemon juice, lychee, and ginger beer.

As well as cocktails, on each night, the event offered food from three street food vendors. On the night I attended was Bart's Dog Kart, Chaat Cart, and Poffertjes King. All great vendors, and I opted for Chaat Cart's delicious Chicken Burger, with an onion bhaji on top. Yum!