WHAT better way to celebrate Manchester’s rapidly expanding bar scene than by plonking the best-of-the-best bars in one room and drinking yourself into a dizzy stupor.

Bartenders, inebriates, cocktail aficiandos and yes, 'mixologsts', gathered for the first of two nights of boozy cocktail mayhem

Twenty of Manchester's finest bars (from the plush Spinningfields outfits to the Northern Quarter dive-bars) took residence in the Great Northern Warehouse for this year's Cocktail's In The City to demo this year’s collection of must-drink cocktails.

Bartenders, inebriates, cocktail aficiandos and yes, 'mixologsts', gathered for the first of two nights of boozy cocktail mayhem and a generous amount of flame-throwing. 

 

Newbies Hawksmoor and San Carlo Fumo made their Cocktail In The City debuts, while old-timers Alchemist and Epernay showcased their dexterous cocktail making skills. 

With a room full of bars eager to impress, there were some standouts on the night. Mr Cooper's 'Garden Etiquette', with Portobello Road Gin as the star (complete with 'wishing' tree), seemed a firm favourite with guests. Other popular choices included Keko Meko's 'Island Nectar' and Epernay's Bénéctine blended cocktail 'Friends With Béné-fits' (nice pun). Reds True BBQ, Yakumama and VIETShack provided the sustenance to keep folk on their feet. 

www.cocktailsinthecity.co.uk - Tickets are £10 including one cocktail, cocktail booklet and main stage demonstrations.

Take a look at the gallery below...

(photo credits: Carl Sukonik at The Vain photos)