40 St Paul's gin selection is the best - bar none.

A BIRMINGHAM bar has the best selection of gin in the country, according to industry experts.

40 St Paul's now has the title of Best Gin List in the UK, with one judge saying: "This is what a modern spirits list should look like".

The 140 gins on offer at the bar in the Jewellery Quarter have been praised by the Imbibe Drinks List of the Year Awards for drinks professionals.

The gin menu is split into categories - juniper, citrus, floral, Old Tom and so on - and each category begins with a flavour wheel around which the gins are placed, giving a clear idea of what it will taste like.

The judges said: "A lot of time and effort has clearly been put into something that will make the customer's decision a hell of a lot easier.

"The cocktail list, meanwhile, is gin heavy and we're dying to try out the Hand Pull Ramos Gin Fizz, which is pre-batched and served through an ale pump."

Cocktail expert Jared Brown said: "You can beat the competition over the head with the actual gin menu."

A spokesman for 40 St Paul's said: "We're so proud to have won Best Gin List, and it's vindication for the six months' work it took to write.

"It's fantastic that some of the most respected people in the industry were bowled over by our work."

The bar was opened in December 2015 by Smethwick's Amanjot Singh, in a building which doesn't even have the name over the door.

That adds to the feeling of exclusivity, as if you've found a hidden gem - especially as there are only 24 seats inside.

If you want specialists in other drinks, then according to Imbibe you should head to Smokin' Aces in Bournemouth for whisky and Trailer Happiness in London for rum.

The top price of Overall Drinks List of the Year went to Merchant House in London.

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40 St Paul's has been acclaimed for the Best Gin List in the UK