The bar opened on Canal Street during the 'Queer As Folk' heyday of the Village and, although it attracts a mixed crowd, the main drinkers are and have always been gentlemen.
It's now under the same management as Brannigans and, like it's central cousin, specialises in two-for-one cocktails, shooters and seriously cheap wine, at prices like £6.95 a bottle for dry white.
"We've always been known for our vodka and Red Bull (which somehow clocks in at under £3) and our cocktails," explains deputy manager Gavin Gould.
Peering over the bar, I found that the fridges were loaded of alco-pops too, and a couple of interesting bottled beers. Salitos, which is a light lager in a similar vein to Corona, is 'doing really well for us' Gavin says, as is a malty beer from Russia called Baltika, which tastes like a cross between Staropramen and Duval.
Key West Cooler
Best-selling cocktails include the Key West Cooler and Cosmopolitan, as well as the Best Screw Eva! (see right). The Key West comes over all retro with it's two-tone, red and orange design, and thanks to sugar-laden components like Malibu and Midori, it tastes like Sunny D rather than a drink for grown-ups.
The Cosmopolitan on the other hand is better, with refreshing grape-juice flavours, but not enough alcohol to make this resemble the New York version in any realistic way.
At under £2 a cocktail, though, it's not fair to judge these drinks alongside other bars which charge upwards of £5.
And thanks to Spirit's many tiers, smoking terrace and general good-time vibe, not to mention in-house club and smorgasbord of DJs, this is one of the stalwarts of the Village, and a fine spot to celebrate the Bank Holiday to boot.
Spirit, Canal Street, 0161 237 9725 Open: 12pm- 2am Monday - Saturday, 12pm - 12am Sunday.
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