Tilt Bar & Cafe

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A new bar in Birmingham is creating a niche market for itself by offering not just craft beers but also pinball.



Tilt is slightly hidden in City Arcade, Union Street, but is just steps away from WH Smiths and busy Corporation Street. Outside a billboard encourages people to try out their craft beers and loose tea.

Pinball machines greet you at the front door with a row of sparkling, well-oiled examples glimmering with flashing lights. There's pinball themes for Game Of Thrones, Ghostbusters and the Addams Family to name a few.



There's a welcoming laidback atmosphere to Tilt and over at the bar, the barman helpfully gives an overview of the many craft beers on offer as well as the vast range of loose teas and artisan coffees. When I'm there, choices include raspberry and blueberry beers - Rose Are Brett raspberry saison and Violets Are a Blue blueberry saison from toolbeer in Copenhagen.

They both have a distinctive tart flavour. They cost £5 for a half pint but there are cheaper craft offerings, like a Lukas Helles Lager from Delrbyshire, which is priced at £4.80 a pint.

Along with the beers, Tilt has set up groups like a pinball league and talks with opportunities to meet the brewer or specialist tasting sessions.



As a venue, Tilt is light and airy as it's encased by huge windows with stylish wooden tables and chairs dotted around the main room. It helps Tilt double up as a cafe by day and a bar by night as it's open til around 11pm. There's also an overflow cellar area with tables, stools and more pinball machines. Plenty of room for a busy Saturday night.

The bar has been set up by Kirk Sadler and Richard Kimberley, extensive travellers as well as beer and coffee fans, from which Tilt emerged.



On the tea front, the menu caters for all tastes with the usual tea and decaffeinated versions along with more distinctive flavours such as Chinese black tea, blended with bergamot oil and studded with pretty blue cornflowers or Canton Chocolate Tea that was specially created for the Chesterfield Hotel in Mayfair and is made from a blend of Indian Assam, Chinese Yunnan black, Madagascan vanilla pod and Peruvian cocoa nibs.

Other tea options are Jade Tips green tea grown in the cool, misty Chinese mountain air of Zhejiang or Jasmine Pearls, recognised as one of the finest jasmine teas in the UK. More fruity flavours are Red Berry and Hibiscus tea, Jekka's Peppermint and Lemongrass and Ginger.



Tilt
Opening hours - 09:00 - 23:00 MONDAY TO THURSDAY
09:00 - 00:00 FRIDAY & SATURDAY
11:00 - 23:00 SUNDAY

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