BIRMINGHAM COCKTAIL WEEKEND

Last month I had my first ever, shark jumping £10 pint in London's not so trendy North Greenwich. A milestone, certainly, though unlikely to make the family Christmas card update.

Back home, meanwhile, Birmingham Cocktail Weekend is doing wonderful things for both our drinking plans and our civic smugness. From Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25, every participating bar will serve a £6 signature cocktail and a £5 mocktail. Some also have a £9 cocktail and snack pairing. Less than my pint, with food included. I may forward this to Sadiq Khan.

The final bar line-up has landed, with old favourites joined by newcomers, and we’ve selected just six of this year's creations worth seeking out. Keep going BCW, you beautifully reasonable knees up, you. 

VICTORY TOAST @ F1 ARCADE

F1 Arcade is built around speed, but this cocktail is one to take slower than an M6-southbound Spaghetti Junction crawl to Whereversville.

Inspired by butterscotch cheesecake, it brings top brand voddy together with butterscotch liqueur, butterscotch syrup and lemon juice, with aquafaba giving it a silky finish. That’s a lot of butterscotch, and you might expect to need a dentist’s note to order one. Happily, the lemon cuts through the sweetness. You get caramel, vanilla and a hint of honey, followed by a creamy finish that gets remarkably close to cheesecake without requiring a fork.

Rich and indulgent, it’s a solid reward for anyone who’s just spent ten minutes gripping a steering wheel and calling it exercise. On the side is a little cheesecake bite which does not count as a snack pairing. That's all yours for £6.

DEEP PURPLE @ CHAPTER

Chapter has created a cocktail so autumnal you half expect it to arrive wearing a burnt-orange scarf and telling you it’s just put the heating on for the first time. It’s called Deep Purple, which also sounds like a reasonable description of your tongue after a second one.

Bourbon with blackberry and raspberry liqueur bring the big berry flavours: blackberry up front, then rich Black Forest Gateaux comes through like a dessert trolley with no intention of stopping. Cranberry juice stops things getting too cosy, while dark chocolate syrup adds a rich, velvety finish. There’s chocolate powder on top and a dark chocolate straw, because apparently the chocolate in the glass felt underdressed.

It’s bold, fruity and firmly on the dessert side of drinking, without tipping into a liquid box of Roses.

THE IRON SOUR @ BLACKLOCK

Meat den Blacklock has barely got its coat on the hook and it’s already putting Irn-Bru in cocktails. The Iron Sour sounds like a Victorian medical condition but is considerably more enjoyable.

Kentucky corn whiskey forms the base, joined by orange juice, Select aperitivo, orange bitters and an Irn-Bru reduction. Yes, the actual stuff. The result is soft and silky, with bright citrus up front, a little bitterness behind it and that unmistakable spiced sweetness bringing up the rear. It’s a nostalgic hit, though considerably more grown-up than drinking the original from a plastic bottle at the 50 bus stop.

The clever bit is how well the Irn-Bru fits. It gives the drink its personality without turning it into a novelty act. Sweet, tart and gently bitter, The Iron Sour makes a persuasive case for putting Scotland’s other national drink on the cocktail menu. Gaun yersel’, Blacklock.

MUMMY'S JAM @BMAG'S TEAROOM

Mummy’s Jam is a nod to Joe Lycett, currently exhibiting at BMAG, though the name does sound like something your dad’s just deleted from his search history. Still, the cocktail itself is considerably more wholesome.

Served in the museum’s iconic Round Room, it starts with Tanba Densho sake and cooked apple notes. Strawberry vermouth and home-made clarified strawberry cordial kick in, while verjus and an ankle flash of fino sherry stop things getting too jammy.

The result is light, fruity and refreshing. Just order it confidently. I promise the staff have heard the name before.

MEZZANOTTE @ FUMO

At the Fumo on Pigeon Park, Mezzanotte means “midnight” in Italian. Which is handy, because “one more cocktail and then we’ll go” sounds terrible in Italian. Actually, that's not true, is it? Everything sounds good in Italian, even "change at New Street for a rail replacement bus".

This one is a real gem thanks in no small part to the trio of canapes: Mini arancini, cestino tomato and burrata, cestino beetroot tartare. Sublime.

The drink itself starts with Bombay Saf infused in house with vanilla. Sweet red vermouth adds a darker, richer edge, while pineapple and strawberry tepache pull it somewhere tropical. A splash of soda keeps the whole thing light on its feet, like prime Amir Khan.

It’s smooth and fruity, with vanilla softening the gin, cherry coming through clearly and a refreshing finish that makes another sip feel non-negosh. Despite the name, you needn’t wait until midnight to order one. In fact, if you’re planning to make it to midnight, this seems exactly the right place to start.

THE SILHOUETTE @ SAINT PAUL'S MARKET

Saint Paul’s Market calls this one The Silhouette, although subtle outlines aren’t really its thing. It arrives wearing a layer of double cream, with grated nutmeg and dark chocolate on top.

Underneath is coffee infused tequila, joined by cold brew and Kahlúa. Chocolate liqueur and Shanky’s Whip add to the indulgence, while orange peel gives the whole thing a welcome little lift. It’s like a tequila take on a White Russian: rich coffee first, then caramel, toffee and cream. Basically, dessert has made some very persuasive arguments for becoming a drink.

The trick is getting a little of that cream with the darker coffee beneath it. Take your time. This is the sort of cocktail that deserves a seat, a conversation about The Big Lebowski and absolutely no immediate plans to stand.

Birmingham Cocktail Weekend runs from October 22 to October 25. Tickets