The Alchemist - Spring 2019

SPRING 2019

TIKI-RIFIC

COOL ICE

HOT STUFF

SUGAR AND SPICE

The taste of the tropics in falernum and flames

Shaking things up with artisanal ice

Bringing the heat to B.C. craft spirits

Our tasting panel samples aged rums

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The Dark ‘n Stormy originated in Bermuda, where it was discovered that a splash of black rum was the perfect addition to the local ginger beer drink.

Fill a highball glass with ice, Pour 6 oz ginger beer over ice, top with 1½ oz Goslings Black Seal Rum to create the authentic Dark ‘n Stormy®.

Garnish with lime.

We make it slowly, stubbornly.

Please enjoy slowly, responsibly.

For more information, visit goslingsrum.com Dark ’n Stormy® is a Registered Trademark.

Represented by PMA Canada | pmacanada.com

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PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. Represented by PMA Canada | pmacanada.com

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Contents 08 – BAR BITES News from the world of cocktails and spirits 14 – SOME LIKE IT HOT The Canadian spirits lighting a match under Fireball

by Tim Pawsey

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Joanne Sasvari photo

20 – HEY, BARTENDER Thoughts on service vs. social media from behind the bar

by Alex Black

30 – NICE ICE, BABY How the boom in artisanal ice is shaking up cocktail culture

by Charlene Rooke

24 – TROPICAL DREAMS Forget its tacky past—tiki culture is making a comeback

by Joanne Sasvari

35 – HOME BAR A step-by-step guide to making falernum

by Justin Taylor

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40 – CL ASSICS: BARBADOS RUM PUNCH The rum cocktail we’d drink all day if we could

by Joanne Sasvari 44 – STILL LIFE Buy a cask; invest in your favourite distillery

by Charlene Rooke

RECIPES in this issue Dan Toulgoet photo

48 – TASTING PANEL Yo-ho-ho and a sampling of rum 54-61 – DISTILLERY LISTINGS Our guide to B.C. distilleries 62 – THE L AST WORD The simple appeal of the classic Mojito

06– Mai Tai 10– Mi Luz 12– Bamboo 17– Spicy Moscow Mule 25– Scorpion 26– Three Dots and a Dash 27– TIKI BAR Punch Bowl 29– Pimento Dram 31– Blonde Negroni

32– Painkiller 33– Treebeard 33– Smoked Tea Syrup 36– Falernum Syrup 38– Zombie Punch 38– El Mocambo 40– Barbados Rum Punch 62– Hibiscus Mojito 62– Hibiscus Syrup

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Contributors Joanne Sasvari is the editor of The Alchemist and Vitis magazines. She is a Vancouver-based, WSET-certified writereditor who covers food, drink and travel for a variety of publications. She is also the author of the Wickaninnish and Vancouver Eats cookbooks.

Alex Black is bar manager at Wildebeest. He has spent over 15 years either standing behind or managing a bar in concert venues, casual restaurants, pool halls, nightclubs, fine-dining restaurants and karaoke bars.

Charlene Rooke is a Certified Specialist of Spirits, a Moonshine University-trained craft distiller and an editor at Food & Drink. She is also a WSET Spirits Educator at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.

Tim Pawsey (a.k.a. The Hired Belly) writes and shoots at hiredbelly.com as well as for Where Vancouver, Quench, TASTE and Montecristo. He’s an original judge for the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence.

Justin Taylor has been mixing it up behind the bars of Toronto and Vancouver for almost two decades. He is currently general manager of The Cascade Room in Vancouver.

ON THE COVER MAI TAI

A classic from the tiki-culture pantheon.

1.5 oz aged rum such as Mount Gay Eclipse 0.5 oz Cointreau 1.5 oz orgeat 1 oz lime juice

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Jennifer Gauthier photo

Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 12 to 15 seconds. Strain into rocks glass or tiki mug. Add crushed ice and garnish with fresh mint, and if you like, a brandied cherry and edible flower. Serves 1.

— Photographed at TIKI BAR at The Waldorf

Cole Hofstra photo

The A-Star cocktail is made with Monashee Spirits peaflower-infused Ethos Gin. Find the recipe at thealchemistmagazine.ca

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here was rain, and more rain. Dark skies. Heavy clouds. Cold, miserable days. And then, just when spring was in sight, snow, and lots of it. Is it any wonder we’re craving a taste of the tropics?

In this issue of The Alchemist, we indulge our taste for all things tiki and tropical. We celebrate the rebirth of Vancouver’s favourite tiki bar. Our Tasting Panel offers their expert opinion on rums. In Home Bar, Justin Taylor demonstrates how to make falernum, the essential tiki syrup. And we have a Last Word on the Mojito.

Meanwhile, Charlene Rooke looks into the artisan ice trend and discovers the frosty blocks and cubes, spheres and pebbles that make cocktails so cool. Tim Pawsey samples the spicy craft spirits and liqueurs that are turning the heat up on Fireball. And in our new feature, Hey, Bartender, Wildebeest’s Alex Black shares his thoughts on the meaning of service from his side of the wood.

Plus we have a complete guide to BC’s distilleries, the latest spirited news and plenty of tiki-rific recipes to quench your thirst until summer. For even more, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca.

—Joanne Sasvari, Editor

PUBLISHER: Gail Nugent gnugent@glaciermedia.ca EDITOR: Joanne Sasvari jsasvari@glaciermedia.ca DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER: Tara Rafiq SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR: Kelsey Klassen CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Jennifer Gauthier, Dan Toulgoet TheAlchemistMagazine.ca @TheAlchemistBC @TheAlchemistMag Published by: Glacier Media Group 303 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1J6 604-742-8678 © The Alchemist 2019 This issue is complimentary.

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BAR BITES NEWS AND NOTES FROM BEHIND THE BAR AND AROUND THE WORLD OF COCKTAILS AND SPIRITS

MONASHEE’S ETHOS GIN NAMED CASC SPIRIT OF THE YEAR help them spread the word about the great sprits they’re producing,” says Alex Hamer, the founder of the Artisan Distillers Canada, which operates CASC. In addition to Monashee Ethos Gin’s win, B.C.’s whisky nerds have a lot to brag about, too. Sheringham Distillery took best-in-class honours for its Red Fife Whisky, while the best young whisky was de Vine Spirits’ Glen Saanich single malt and the best-in-class white spirit was Vancouver’s Resurrection Spirits White Rye. Eliisa Meaghan photo

For the second year in a row, a small-batch spirit from British Columbia is the Canadian Artisan Spirit of the Year. Last year, it was Sheringham Distillery’s Akvavit. This year Monashee Spirits Ethos Gin from Revelstoke was not only the best-in-class Canadian gin, but scored highest of any entry in the entire competition.

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This was the second year for the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition, the country’s only spirits awards for small distilleries.

Independent judges from across the country sampled more than 200 spirits hailing from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia.

Submissions were up 50 per cent over last year, growth that shows “a competition like this is welcome among artisan distillers to

Find complete results at artisandistillers.ca/2019-results.

BC DISTILLED

If you love local spirits, mark your calendar for the most important event of the year: the sixth annual BC Distilled festival, which will be held April 6 at Vancouver’s Croatian Cultural Centre.

Meet the makers and sample products from B.C.’s 60-plus artisan distilleries at the main tasting—it’s an incredible opportunity to taste all that’s new and exciting in the world of B.C. artisan spirits. The festival also features a distillers’ dinner at Forage on April 5 and whisky master classes on March 31 and April 1.

Tickets for the main tasting are $69.99; to purchase them or for more information about Canada’s largest spirits event reserved exclusively for local distillers, visit bcdistilled.ca.

SHERINGHAM TAKES ON THE WORLD While Sheringham Distillery’s new Red Fife Whisky is winning prizes in Canada, its original Seaside Gin is picking them up across the pond. The seaweed-infused spirit just took home the prize for Best Contemporary Gin at the World Gin Awards in London, UK. Of the gin the judges said: “Spicy, floral, citrus aroma with a hint of white pepper and anise on the palate. Olive, candied fennel seed, light bodied, mild herbal. Slightly longer finish.”

The World Drinks Awards are presented by TheDrinksReport.com, the world’s top online resource for drinks professionals. They recognize the best in all internationally recognized styles of drinks.

For more info, visit worldginawards.com.

Among the other winners in the gin awards were Ireland’s Dingle Distillery, whose Original Gin was named best London Dry, and Australia’s Never Never Distilling Co., whose Southern Strength gin was named best classic gin.

BEARFACE TRIPLE OAK NAMED CANADA’S BEST The wood wowed them. It seems the judges at the ninth annual Canadian Whisky Awards were impressed by what a little extra barrel-aging can accomplish, naming Bearface Triple Oak Best New Whisky, and awarding it a gold medal for excellence as well.

“We created Bearface to challenge perceptions and elevate the craft of Canadian whisky,” says Anthony von Mandl, founder and chairman of Mark Anthony. Mission accomplished: Bearface is a cornbased whisky that is aged at least seven years in ex-bourbon American oak barrels in Ontario, then travels to B.C. to spend time in former wine

barrels from Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, and is finished in Hungarian oak, which adds spicy rye-like notes.

And speaking of rye…at the January event, Ontario’s Forty Creek took home the title of Whisky of the Year for its 22-year-old Rye. The Canadian Whisky Awards are held each year in conjunction with the Victoria Whisky Festival; this year 10 independent judges blindtasted more than 100 Canadian whiskies to select the country’s best.

The full list of winners can be found at canadianwhisky.org.

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A COCKTAIL GLASS FULL OF LIGHT When Devin McKeigan created her cocktail for the Bacardi Legacy cocktail competition, inspiration shone around her like a bright beam of light.

“Within the industry I’ve met so many people…everybody fuels my light, not just in the hospitality industry, but everyone I’ve met. It’s all of us working together,” says the bartender for the Toptable Group’s newly opened Elisa Steakhouse.

And so she created Mi Luz, which means “My Light” in Spanish and pays homage to the light within that burns strong when everyone stands tall and together. It also pays homage to a landmark she loves: “I spent a lot of summers growing up in Nova Scotia on the East Coast and I took my inspiration form Peggy’s Cove, from the lighthouse.”

Nova Scotia is justly famous for its apples and, she says, “I started thinking of flavour profiles of what would go with the apples and I thought of the sea crashing on every side of the lighthouse.” She created an apple-and-demerara syrup as sweetener, and then added earthy, salty notes from a caraway seed saline solution.

“You get these flavours hitting together and playing together as they do around the lighthouse,” she says. “The biggest thing is simplicity. Making sure this cocktail can be made by anyone.”

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Talia Kleinplatz photo

MI LUZ

2 oz Bacardi Añejo Cuatro rum 0.75 oz Martini Bianco vermouth 0.25 oz rich apple demerara syrup (see note) 2 dashes Scrappy’s Seville Orange Bitters 2 to 3 spritzes of salted caraway solution (see note) Add rum, vermouth, syrup and bitters into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir to dilution. Strain into tulip, snifter or desired glassware. Using an atomizer, spritz with salted caraway solution. Serves 1.

Note: To make the rich apple demerara syrup, bring 1 cup apple juice and 1 cup demerara sugar to a simmer, stirring, until sugar is fully dissolved. Will keep, chilled, for about a week.

To make the salted caraway solution, bring 4 cups water to a boil, then stir in 1 cup salt and remove from heat. Stir in 1 Tbsp caraway seeds. Cool, then transfer into a mason jar and keep chilled until ready to use. Will keep for at least a month.

—Recipe by Devin McKeigan of Elisa Steakhouse

MAKING SCIENCE BOTH DELICIOUS AND ACCESSIBLE

Photo by Isabella Sarmiento for Science of Cocktails

There was ice and fire, CO2 and NO2, test tubes and copper tubing and all sorts of mysterious gadgets. Most of all, there was great food and drink in support of an even greater cause.

The city’s top bartenders gathered in February at Telus World of Science for the fourth annual Science of Cocktails event, where they demonstrated the myriad ways science contributes to cocktail culture.

The centrepiece of the evening was the cocktail competition, which was won by the Keefer Bar’s senior bartender, Amber Bruce, for her riff on a Manhattan: Bruichladdich the Classic Laddie, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, bitters and aromatized sesame oil were nitro frozen then thawed in a glove, garnished with nitro-frozen brandied cherries and finished with Bruichladdich Port Charlotte vapour.

The sold-out event raised a total of $280,000 for the Class Field Trip Bursary program, which will allow over 9,000 kids from underserved schools to visit the iconic geodesic dome in 2019/2020. For more information, visit scienceworld.ca/cocktails.

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THE OLD FASHIONED MAY BE TOPS, BUT BRING ON THE BAMBOO! In January, Drinks International, a trade publication for the alcohol industry, released its annual list of the 50 best cocktails—or at least the best-selling ones—around the world. It’s perhaps no big surprise that the top drink, for the fifth year running, was that classic whisky-based bittered sling, the Old Fashioned.

More intriguing were the new entries to the list: the Irish Coffee at No. 47, its deliciousness winning out over its lack of perceived coolness; and the sherry-based Bamboo at 46, which finally acknowledges our growing love of the fortified wine from Spain.

To create the list, DI surveyed 127 of the best bars around the globe and asked them to rank the 10 best-selling classic cocktails at their establishments. Rounding out the top 10 overall were: 2. Negroni; 3.

Whisky Sour; 4. Daiquiri; 5. Manhattan; 6. Dry Martini; 7. Espresso Martini; 8. Margarita; 9. Aperol Spritz; 10. Moscow Mule.

For the full list, go to drinksint.com.

BAMBOO

Nobody really knows the back story of this sherry-based cocktail from the 19th century, but we do know that it quenches our thirst for all things low-proof and lightly bittered.

1.5 oz dry sherry 1.5 oz dry vermouth 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash orange bitters 12

Place all the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, and stir until chilled.

Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a lemon twist. Serves 1.

Negroni Blanco 1oz Victoria Oaken Gin 1oz Martini Bianco Vermouth 1oz Luxardo Bianco Bitters Ms. Better’s Quina Bitters Lemon Zest

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir. Strain over a large ice cube. Garnish with lemon zest.

—Junior Alexander, bar manager

1014 Main Street • bodegaonmain.ca • Open Daily 11am-midnight Happy Hour Daily 3pm-6pm • Brunch Saturday & Sunday 11am-3pm Gran Reserva Lower Lounge • DJ • Private Bookings Open Thursday 7pm-1am • Friday & Saturday 6pm-2am @bodegaonmain @bodegaonmainVan #bodeganights

Come for the craft spirits, stay for the craft cocktails.

The Drinkery at Roots and Wings now open for cocktails.

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7897 240th St., Langley www.rootsandwingsdistillery.ca

craft spirits

Some like

it hot Canada’s artisan distillers are bringing their own spiced heat to the part y

by Tim Pawsey

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on’t look now, but Canada’s distillers have been gently plotting to spice things up for all you unsuspecting folks out there.

For instance, did you know that Fireball Cinnamon Whisky—which has taken off in a big way in the U.S.—has replaced Jägermeister as the masochistic shot of choice? It just doesn’t seem to be what you’d expect from a laid-back kind of land like Canada. But it turns out we Canucks were dabbling in pyrotechnic tippling well before its propulsion into pop-shot culture.

The cinnamon-flavoured whisky first appeared under the Seagram’s banner as Dr. McGillicuddy’s schnapps, most likely conceived in a lab down a dark corridor in Waterloo, Ontario, sometime in the mid-1980s. It is now made by New Orleans’ Sazerac company, whose precursor purchased the brand in 1989.

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Also worth noting, the inspiration for McGillicuddy’s “original” persona may have been a victim of revisionist history. Seagram’s doctor was one Aloysius McGillicuddy, a fictitious saloon owner whose dispensing skills earned him his quasi-medical shingle. The true-life Valentine McGillicuddy, born in 1849, was indeed a doctor, or, more accurately, a field surgeon with the United States Army. He comforted and treated the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse in his dying moments, and became an early advocate for Indigenous peoples.

Sazerac extinguished Fireball’s Canadian origins and ignited a craze for the spicy spirit in places like Nashville, where it became popular with shot-slinging C&W fans and immortalized in song. “Dance in the dust, turn the radio up / And that fireball whiskey [sic] whispers / Temptation in my ear,” crooned Florida Georgia Line. Critics weren’t so kind, though: Bloomberg has called it “a syrupy incarnation of Wrigley’s Big Red gum.”

All of which might explain why, up here in the Trump-free zone where it originated, we’re so over Fireball shots.

And have been for a while.

But we still have a taste for spice. The good news? A slew of craft distilleries have created some truly tasty alternatives to Fireball, most of which actually leave your sinuses intact and play nicely with a wide range of cocktail options.

Put it down to ingenuity with a healthy dose of social responsibility (sorry, it’s a Canadian trait). Distillers have found ways to make spiced liquors more subtle

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE

In 2015, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky was the fastest growing big brand of liquor in the U.S., with retail sales more than doubling in a year, according to CNN. In 2018, it was number four, according to the Beverage Information and Insights Group, with a growth of 6.5 per cent between 2017 and 2016. How did it get so popular so fast? Its social media presence helped: Fireball Whisky has more than 93,000 followers on Instagram and 99,000 on Twitter.

WHEN WE WROTE THE BUSINESS PL AN, OUR IDEAL CUSTOMER CARRIED A BOT TLE OF HOT SAUCE ON THEIR BELT LOOP and less fiery, even appealingly nuanced.

Here in cool-climate Canuckistan, we enjoy a long history of doing things differently. Remember, we’re the ones who actually discovered a palatable use for clam juice.

Speaking of all things Caesar-ish, some intrepid distillers have been busy tweaking their vodka to the wild side. Sons of Vancouver Chili Vodka may indeed be among “the hottest out there” with a healthy kick of “Scovilles upon Scovilles” of heat. Yet it’s still smooth—and decidedly local, infused with aquaponic chilies. Sons of Vancouver’s James Lester says while they’ve been making Chili Vodka for a while, it wasn’t until they sampled it in a Bloody Caesar that people latched on.

Now Chili Vodka far outsells their regular vodka. In fact, says Lester, “People drive in from Chilliwack to pick up bottles. When we wrote the business plan, our ideal customer carried a bottle of hot sauce on their belt loop.”

One reason for its success is that people drink Caesars year-round.

But because Chili Vodka isn’t exactly a common category, it seemed a good idea to invent some other cocktails, too. Once people taste it in a Caesar, they often move on to a Moscow Mule or a Forbidden Spicy Pineapple (made with pineapple juice and mint).

“It’s about getting people to adjust their habits. Get them to do one thing differently,”

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Lester says. “If they already drink Caesars, get them to try a new vodka, then when they come back, give them a new recipe.”

Up in the hills a few hundred kilometres east of Vancouver, Revelstoke’s Monashee Spirits is all about focusing on the mountain lifestyle, where skiers and snowboarders appreciate a drop of something to take the chill off. That’s one reason distiller Josh McLafferty decided to spice things up with Vulcan’s Fire, a spicy liqueur named for the ancient Roman god of fire.

IT’S PERFECT FOR THE FL ASK UP ON THE HILL SKIING OR BIKING An infusion of certified organic apples, cinnamon, honey (from their rooftop apiary), maple syrup and red Thai chili peppers, at only 30 per cent ABV the blend is well-balanced and far more complex than purely heat driven.

The process starts with macerating the apples for four weeks, then adding cinnamon to infuse for another week. The chilis follow and the maple syrup and honey go in at the end.

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It’s been a hit since day one.

“It’s perfect for the flask up on the hill skiing or biking,” says McLafferty. “Or paired with a chai tea or in one of our cocktails in

HOW HOT?

Want to know just how fiery that chili is?

Look to the Scoville scale, which measures spiciness based on the concentration of capsaicinoids in peppers and other foods.

Peppers can range from 0 Scoville Heat Units for a bell pepper to a toasty 5,000 SHU for a jalapeño to a scorching 1.5 million SHU for the Carolina Reaper, which is, according to Guinness, the hottest chili in the world, described as like “eating molten lava.” the bar.”

An appreciation for the spicier things in life can also be found on the Prairies, where folks know a thing or two about keeping warm. Saskatoon’s Lucky Bastard Distillers pays tribute to the region’s early Ukrainian influx with Horilka. It’s a riff on Ukrainian spiced vodka, which has traditionally been popular as a toasting drink.

Lucky Bastard infuses its regular vodka with Saskatchewan honey and Mexican chili peppers. They call it “the kiss and the slap” because it starts off with a sweet kiss from the honey, before a playful slap of heat from the chili peppers. Considering the scarcity of ski hills, you’ll be more likely to find it neat in the bleachers at a football game, in a Caesar or in a souped-up “Ukrainian Screwdriver.”

And who knows? Maybe it’s already made its way across the line to instill Canadian good taste, nuance—and a whole new take on heat—in our neighbours to the south.

Monashee Distilling’s Vulcan’s Fire gets its heat from red Thai chili peppers.

SPICY MOSCOW MULE 1 oz Vodka Vodka Vodka 0.5 oz Spicy Chili Vodka 5 oz Dickie’s Ginger Beer Put the vodkas in a shaker with ice and shake until condensation forms on the shaker. Strain into a rocks glass or copper mule mug filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger beer. If you like, garnish with a mint sprig.

Serves 1. —Recipe from Sons of Vancouver Distillery

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Photo courtesy of Sons of Vancouver

Sponsored content

Chris Enns, bartender at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, is the World Class Canada Bartender of the Year 2018.

Front of the class

FROM EAST AND WEST, BARTENDERS MOVE ON TO THE REGIONAL FINALS OF THE DIAGEO WORLD CL ASS COMPETITION

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S

ince the beginning of January, Canada’s bartenders have been perfecting their recipes, practising their techniques and preparing for their moment in the spotlight at the Diageo World Class Canada cocktail competition.

from East and West will go on to the National Final in June. The winner of that event will compete in the global final of the world’s biggest, most prestigious bartending competition, which will be held in Glasgow at the end of September.

On March 1, 13 bartenders from Eastern Canada and 13 from the West made it through to the Regional Finals, which will be held in Toronto and Calgary in late March. From there, five winners

“The idea of each step of the competition is to set the competitors up for the next level,” says Michael Armistead, who oversees the Diageo World Class Canada Bartending Competition as the

National On-Premise, Reserve and Sponsorship Manager for Diageo.

“The submissions to this year’s competition were a really high standard and it’s amazing to see places like Halifax, Edmonton, Calgary and Saskatoon be represented in the Regional Finals,” he adds. “The level of creativity is high and there are some really interesting ideas coming through. The focus seems to be on Bulleit Bourbon, Tanqueray No. Ten Gin, Don Julio Tequila and Ron Zacapa Rum.” Diageo Reserve World Class Canada winners since 2013, from left: Lauren Mote, Jenner Cormier, Grant Sceney, Kaitlyn Stewart (Global

When Diageo World Class was Bartender of the Year 2017), Chris Enns and Shane Mulvany. first held in 2009, it was a UK bartending competition featuring the spirits company’s Reserve winners are still working with World Brands: Ketel One Vodka, Cîroc Ultra Class. Vancouver’s Lauren Mote, who Premium Vodka, Tanqueray No. Ten won World Class Canada in 2016, is now Gin, Don Julio Tequila, Johnnie Walker Diageo’s Global Cocktailian, but Halifax’s Scotch Whisky, Bulleit Bourbon and Ron Jenner Cormier, Toronto’s Shane Mulvany Zacapa Rum. In the 11 years since, the and Vancouver’s Grant Sceney, Chris Reserve Portfolio spirits have remained Enns and Kaitlyn Stewart (2017’s global the backbone of World Class, but the winner), are also actively involved in competition has grown dramatically. Last coaching, mentoring as well as judging year, thousands of bartenders from 58 during the competition. countries competed, making the winner truly the global Bartender of the Year.

“I spend all year trying to figure out how we can do it bigger and better next year “World Class tests every aspect of and somehow we seem to manage that,” bartending skill,” Armistead says. And, he Armistead says. “This year we are taking notes, “At the Global Final, Canada has the competition to a new level. The consistently placed in the top 10 or 12 in National Final, in particular, is going to the world. People have noticed and are be a lot of fun.” You can find out more now saying, ‘What’s going on in Canada?’ about how the 2019 Competition goes, And they’re making a point of coming to including the National Final, in the next see the Canadian compete.” issue of The Alchemist!

Part of the reason for Canada’s strength on the world stage is that all the previous

See the full list of Diageo World Class Canada regional finalists at thealchemistmagazine.ca.

Diageo World Class Canada @WorldClassCanada diageoworldclasscanada.com

@WorldClassCa

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HEY, BARTENDER! THOUGHTS FROM BEHIND THE WOOD: WHY BARTENDING SHOULD BE SOCIAL, NOT SOCIAL MEDIA

by Alex Black

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B

artenders are not in the business of making drinks. We are in the business of servicing the needs of human beings. Full stop.

and working their way up. They’re not part of the co-operative bartending community that supports, trains and holds one another accountable.

It’s been said that we trained bartenders in the art of mixology and along the way we lost the art of bartending. But in the debate of bartender vs. mixologist, the end goal of both was essentially the same: Be better, be more knowledgeable, provide better experiences, work in better places. I believe both sides would agree that it is unbecoming of a barkeep to seek prestige by any other means than hard work and education.

Instead, they hire a photographer and spend innumerable hours curating their social media feeds. For the sake of social media prestige they have found a way to digitally fabricate the idea that they’re capable of more than they truly are.

They are not service providers. They are charlatans.

Now, unfortunately, there is a new subculture that is neither pure bartender nor mixologist, and it’s one that doesn’t care about service at all. I’m talking about the bartending influencer, the “Insta-tender,” the social media bar star who chases “likes” the way others chase regulars. They’ve forgone the time-honoured route of cutting their teeth in low-standard venues, finding a mentor, earning credible certification

This isn’t a case of “Stop following bartender X online and start following bartender Y.” Bartenders who invest their time and efforts into building their skill sets, programs and communities don’t get the same sense of satisfaction knowing they’ve reached 1,000-plus likes as the Insta-tender does. Their ROI exists in watching guests leave happy, content and feeling their hard-earned dollar was well spent.

As a community, we should realize that a good picture may be pretty, but it’s

OUR INDUSTRY RELIES ON HUMAN INTERACTION AND GENUINE EXPERIENCES MORE THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER IN THE WORLD.

Jonathan Norton/Wildebeest photo

fabricated and fleeting. We must stop idolizing those with a tiny blue checkmark next to their online handle (it amounts to nothing) and, instead, support those who have progressed the community.

Our industry relies on human interaction and genuine experiences more than almost any other in the world.

Unfortunately, we can’t convince the public to pay less attention to their phones and more attention to individuals better worth their time and money. Or can we?

Next time you’re at your local, ask the bartender where they drink on their days

off. Then go check that place out. Or find out who your favourite bartender’s mentor was. Then go sit at their bar.

Visit bartenders who genuinely care about their job and community, those who spend their time offering sincere quality service. And then encourage those around you to do the same.

Now that’s how to build an audience for the true influencers of the bartender world.

Alex Black is bar manager at Wildebeest as well as communications director for Mind the Bar and the B.C. chapter of the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association.

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Speed Rack WORDS BY TREVOR KALLIES

Their goal was to show the badassery of the woman bartender.

My first experience with Speed Rack was the July of 2012, it was day three or four my second CAP year at Tales of the Cocktail. I didn’t get to see the actual competition, but was given an opportunity to hear the co-founders of the program (Ivy Mix & Lynette Marero) talk about its inception, its importance and its impression on the cocktail community in the United States. That 45 minutes after a ten-hour day of cocktail batching and seminar service at Tales was beyond inspirational.

As a Cocktail Apprentice at Tales of the Cocktail you rub shoulders with some very important people in the cocktail and beverage world.

These people range from Master Distillers to Global Brand Ambassadors, Cocktail Competition World champions to owners of the world’s

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best bars. 2012 was just the second year into the Speed Rack legacy, it was four years before Ivy Mix opened Leyenda, five years before she was named American Bartender of the Year at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. They were young, passionate bartenders with a vision.

The idea of Speed Rack was born from struggle.

Ivy had just returned from travels through Central America returning to New York looking for bar work. Most interviews ended in the offer of a waitress job. New York was very much a Boy’s Club behind the bar. A struggle still found everywhere to this day. The original idea of Speed Rack was to elevate the woman bartender, to dispel the myth that boys bartend and girls serve tables. Their goal was to show the world the badassery of the female bartender. It was a Speed Competition where the drinks aren’t shit. Through friends and industry connections they gathered competitors and industry famous judges to take part. They put the structure of the competition together with one main rule – no boys allowed.

The competition itself is built on speed, but each cocktail made (four at a time, ordered by the

...one main rule – no boys allowed.

judges from a list of fifty potential drinks) must be made as if it could be sold in a high-end cocktail bar. The judging is ruthless with no critique left on the table. Too sour, poor garnish, low wash line, all are noted to crowds of hundreds.

The competitors put all of themselves in their performance and wear their hearts on their sleeves. Each mistake adds valuable seconds to their times, sometimes taking them from just over a minute to over a minute and a half.

Just a few short years later Vancouver bartenders were invited to compete in Speed Rack NW in Seattle. A handful of girls entered and did very well. They put on a show and were welcomed with open arms. I wasn’t able to attend that year in Seattle but I can assure you, the Vancouver girls put on a great show.

I spent the years between 2012 and 2016 pestering Ivy and Lynette each and every time we crossed paths about bringing the program to Canada. I can only imagine their thoughts: me, being a straight, white cis-gender male (AKA: Privilege) looking to host and execute an allgirl, pro-women, anti-breast cancer competition where most of the branded shirts are either I Heart Boobs or Bourbon, Sugar, Bitters, Water, Boobs. Thankfully, our community was strong enough to be able to connect some serious bar-

I’ve been honoured these past few years to be able to watch, host, judge, barback, facilitate and more than anything else ENJOY Speed Rack Canada. It is a program that more people need to know about, not just so they can wear pink and black and “back the rack,” but so they can appreciate what two women in New York have done for now hundreds of females in our industry. They’ve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Breast Cancer research and awareness, they’ve put small market bartenders on a stage to showcase their talents, and they’ve created a community that is supportive, passionate and driven. Why wouldn’t you support a program like this? Why wouldn’t you put time in and #BackTheRack.

@DONNELLYGROUP

This competition is not just about winning Speed Rack. It is about community, it is about sexism, about favouritism, about mansplaining, about prejudice. It is something that once you see it for the first time, you can’t help but want to be involved. I cornered Ivy and Lynette after their talk to the CAPs that day. I explained my role in the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association, about the cocktail scene in Canada that we had some kick ass female bartenders and room for many more. They weren’t quite ready to expand across borders, but definitely were aware of the prowess of the Canadian cocktail community.

tending ladies in Vancouver and Toronto to the Speed Rack Crew. At the end of the day, Speed Rack has nothing to do with me as a person, I value it for what it does for our industry. I value it for what it does for women, and I value it for how it takes the horrific industry habit of splitting roles by gender and putting talent, heart and passion first.

Speed Rack Canadian Finals are May 13 in Montreal. Tickets are moving fast, you should find a reason to be there.

Trevor Kallies is the Bar & Beverage Director for Donnelly Group. He helped to host Speed Rack at The Blackbird Public House in February of 2019.

23

Tropical dreams

TIKI IS BACK IN VANCOUVER. WHY DID IT EVER GO AWAY?

by Joanne Sasvari

T

iki culture is a liquid ticket to an imaginary tropical island where the breeze is always warm, the music sways like the branches of a palm tree, and the rum flows as easily as the waves that wash up on a sandy beach.

Tiki originated in California in 1933, but exploded in popularity after the Second World War. It was inspired by the romance of the South Pacific, the culture of Polynesia, the flavours of Asia and the rum punches of the Caribbean, making it the ultimate

fusion cocktail experience, served in a kitschy-cool Hollywood-ready vessel to a market that was weary of war and ready to party.

It found a happy home in mid-century Vancouver, where throughout the 1960s, ’70s and even the ’80s, swish sophisticates sipped Mai Tais and Scorpions at The Waldorf Hotel and Trader Vic’s at the Bayshore.

By the late 1980s, though, the winds of liquid fashion had shifted to boldly HISTORY IN A TIKI MUG

In 1933, a former rum-runner named Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gant (who later changed his name to Donn Beach) opened a Polynesian-themed bar in Hollywood called Don the Beachcomber. It featured Cantonese cuisine, fruity rum drinks and tiki torches, and it kicked off an all-American kitsch phenomenon.

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In 1936, Victor Bergeron (aka Trader Vic) opened his own South Seas-inspired restaurant in Oakland, which was followed by others in California and across North America, including, in 1961, Vancouver.

The tiki craze was fueled in part by post-Second World War service men returning with souvenirs and stories from the South Pacific, as well as cultural events such as the 1947 Kon-Tiki Expedition and James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories that became the basis of the 1949 musical South Pacific.

Joanne Sasvari photo

SCORPION Originally a blender drink from Beachbum Berry, and traditionally served as a bowl for six with a gardenia gar nish at Trader Vic’s, the Scorpion makes a terrific single-serving shaken drink, too. Just beware of its lethal sting.

2 oz light rum 1 oz brandy 1.5 oz orange juice 0.5 oz lemon juice 0.75 oz orgeat

Put all ingredients, along with a cup of crushed ice, in a blender and blend for 10 seconds. Pour unstrained into the glassware of your choice and garnish as desired.

Alternatively, place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a wide, shallow coupe or goblet, add a handful of crushed ice and garnish with a gardenia or orchid. Serves 1.

—Adapted from Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log

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oaked wines and spirit-forward martinis.

By the 1990s, tiki’s flickering flame had largely died out. Trader Vic’s closed in 1996, its Polynesian-longhouse-inspired building hauled away to Vancouver Island, and The Waldorf became for the most part a special-event space.

But as cocktail culture emerged in the 2000s, bartenders would wistfully speak of relighting that bamboo torch. Even as they stirred their bittered bourbon drinks and reverse-spherified gelatinous pearls, they’d dream of making boozy bowls of punch and setting things on fire.

And now they can, because tiki is back in town.

Not in a big way, to be sure. But still, it’s following in the sandaled footsteps of popular American joints like Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco, Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago and Latitude 29 in New Orleans.

In 2013, the Shameful Tiki Room opened on Vancouver’s Main Street to serve up “mystery bowls” and classic, well-made tiki cocktails in a sultry beach hut ambience. The room is filled with

THREE DOTS AND A DASH T he gar nish says it all. T he three cher ries are the dots, the pineapple wedge the dash, representing the letter “V” in Morse code, which was the symbol for “victor y” during the Second World War. 1.5 oz rhum agricole or demerara rum 0.5 oz aged blended rum 0.5 oz orange juice 0.5 oz lime juice 0.5 oz honey syrup (see note)

0.25 oz falernum (recipe p. 36) 0.25 oz pimento dram (see recipe below) 1 dash angostura bitters Garnish: 3 cherries and 1 wedge of fresh pineapple

Place all ingredients (except the garnish) along with a handful of crushed ice into a blender and blend on high for 5 seconds. Pour, unstrained, into a tall glass.

Alternatively, place all the ingredients (except the garnish) in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a tall glass and fill with crushed ice.

Garnish with three cocktail cherries speared together on a wooden pick and a pineapple spear, balanced on top of the glass. Serves 1.

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Note: To make honey syrup, stir together equal amounts of honey and water until the honey is fully dissolved.

Joanne Sasvari photo

—Adapted from Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log

BARTENDERS WOULD DREAM OF MAKING BOOZY BOWLS OF PUNCH AND SET TING THINGS ON FIRE

TIKI BAR PUNCH BOWL 5 oz aged rum 2 oz cognac 6 oz falernum 6 oz oleo saccharum (see note) 3 oz pineapple juice 8 oz sparkling wine Build all ingredients in punch bowl and add king cubes. Garnish with fresh mint and slices of orange or lemon. To ignite: Pour overproof rum on a dehydrated orange slice or into a hollowed-out half lime shell and place on top of the punch. Light with a match and sprinkle cinnamon over flame. When flame goes out, serve in punch cups. Serves 6.

Note: Oleo saccharum means “sweet oil” and is a powerful flavour enhancer for cocktails. To make it, zest 6 lemons and 6 oranges with a vegetable peeler, making sure to avoid the pith, and place the strips of zest in a bowl. Toss with 0.75 cup sugar and let sit for up to 1 day then strain. You should have about 0.75 cup (6 oz) of oil.

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—Recipe from TIKI BAR at The Waldorf Jennifer Gauthier photo

JUST ONE SIP OF A FRUIT Y RUM PUNCH UNDER THE SPREADING BRANCHES OF A FAKE PALM TREE, AND YOU’RE WHISKED AWAY TO A ROMANTIC DREAM OF ISL AND LIFE

Photo courtesy of the TIKI BAR at The Waldorf

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Time has moved on, but the TIKI BAR at The Waldorf has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s, with its cane furniture, velvet paintings of tropical beauties and the ghosts of good times past.

tiki touches ranging from oceanic light fixtures to grimacing mugs to midcentury memorabilia to the paintings that were reportedly smuggled decades ago out of The Waldorf. It is a trip to a faraway place, borne on rum-fueled wings.

shareable punch bowls as well as the traditional Mai Tais, Zombies, Navy Grogs and other favourites. The punch bowls, which serve groups of six, are a crowd favourite, especially when they’re set ablaze to bursts of applause.

Late last summer, Sneeki Tiki opened in the Best Western Plus on Granville Street to serve up big, boozy cocktails such as Hurricanes, Piña Coladas and the epic Skull Punch in a tropical nightclub atmosphere with a live DJ.

Just walking past the scowling tiki statue and into the room is like stepping

Meanwhile, those who love Vancouver history as much as they appreciate a well-made Mai Tai will be thrilled to know that TIKI BAR at The Waldorf is back in business with an injection of life from owners Viaggio Hospitality Group. At first glance, not much has changed: Stars still twinkle in the room’s midnight-blue sky; the fake palm trees still tower over the bar; the exotic Tahitian paintings still adorn the walls; and yes, that is indeed the original cane furniture.

The bar serves a selection of contemporary tiki cocktails and

NAKED POLYNESIAN BEAUTIES

The American Gaugin, they called him. Edgar William Leeteg is considered the father of American velvet painting. Born in St Louis in 1904, he moved to French Polynesia in 1933, and spent the rest of his short life there capturing the local scenery (mainly the scantily clad women).

In 1953, the same year Leeteg died, Vancouver hotelier Bob Mills travelled to Tahiti, where he bought eight somewhat erotic Leeteg paintings for $275 apiece. His wife wouldn’t have them in the house, so he created a Tahitian lounge in his hotel to give them a home.

TIKI BAR at The Waldorf opened in 1955 and the paintings have hung on its walls ever since, although today they are facsimiles as the originals are too valuable to risk being damaged or stolen.

back into a slice of Vancouver history.

Rumour has it that the place is haunted; certainly, the ghosts of good times past linger here in the memories of romances, parties and celebrations.

Now word is that H Tasting Lounge is bringing tiki back to The Westin Bayshore, where Trader Vic once plied his Polynesian cocktails. When the new patio opens later this spring, tropical cocktails will be on the menu.

To be sure, tiki is kitsch. It’s culturally dubious. It’s not, perhaps, for every day.

But just one sip of a fruity rum punch under the spreading branches of a fake palm tree, and you’re whisked away to a romantic dream of island life. And some days, isn’t that just what we all need?

APPROPRIATION OR APPROVAL?

Despite its Hollywood-Caribbean-Hawaiian-Chinese pop-cultural mashup, the history of tiki does actually date back to ancient Polynesia. The original stone or wooden tiki carvings were religious in nature and appear throughout the southern Pacific islands; more specifically, in Maori mythology, “Tiki” refers to the first man.

So what’s it doing on a mug of boozy rum punch? Some argue that it’s simply a 20th century American social construct, and because tiki bars don’t feign authenticity, they don’t count as cultural appropriation. Others say tiki is cultural appropriation at its most blatant and suggest replacing the word “tiki” with “tropical.” What do you think? Is it cultural appropriation or homage?

Joanne Sasvari photo

PIMENTO DRAM T his is a simple spice-flavoured liqueur that makes a great addition to tiki and other cocktails. Note that it will take about a week to infuse, so plan accordingly.

2 Tbsp whole allspice berries 0.5 cup light or dark rum (whichever you prefer)

1 cinnamon stick 0.5 cup water 0.5 cup brown sugar

Using a mortar and pestle, crush the allspice berries into large, coarse pieces. Alternatively, use a spice grinder or smash them with a mallet, but take care not to grind them to a powder.

Place in a sealable 500 mL glass jar and pour the rum on top.

Seal the jar and shake well. Steep for 24 to 48 hours, shaking every once in a while.

Break up the cinnamon stick and add it to the mixture. Infuse for at least another 48 hours and up to a week.

Strain, using a fine-mesh strainer, then strain again through a coffee filter. Pour into an immaculately clean sealable jar or bottle.

Place water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Cool, then add it to the allspice infusion. Shake, then let it rest for a few hours or up to two days before using. The dram will keep for two months in a cool, dark place. Makes about 1.5 cups.

—Adapted from Serious Eats

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The New Ice Age OVERSIZE CUBES, SPHERES, STICKS, FL AKES AND PEBBLES: IT’S NOT JUST FROZEN WATER ANYMORE—ARTISANAL ICE IS A FULL-FLEDGED COCKTAIL INGREDIENT

by Charlene Rooke

T

he artisanal iceman cometh, and he’s not at all cold. With a short reddish beard, bright blue eyes and a friendly face, Dex James is downright warm, as he performs what looks like a magic trick. In the Dang Good Ice storefront in the Fraserhood, he pours water on a mammoth, crystal-clear, square-sided stick of ice in a highball glass and…it disappears.

Artisan ice can be the nearly invisible ingredient that helps deliver cocktail perfection—including king cubes so beautifully clear, one of the tenders behind the Fairmont Pacific Rim lobby bar tells me that imbibers of its white Lucky Negroni frequently ask, “Where’s the ice?” Juleps with flakes or pebbles

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from a Scotsman ice machine, rocks drinks over chunky Kold Draft cubes or cocktails crowned with a flawless diamond or sphere are just a few of the signs of the new ice age in B.C. bars.

James explains that immaculate technique and timing produce ice that stays very cold and melts very slowly, keeping your $18 cocktail correctly chilled “for the entire duration.” Lesser ice can quash a drink’s more delicate floral, herbal and citrus notes, he adds.

BLONDE NEGRONI T here are numerous recipes for a white or blonde Negroni, but this is the variation preferred by Andrew Kong, bartender at H Tasting Lounge. What makes it stand out is the perfectly clear king ice cube.

1.25 oz Long Table Distillery Dry Gin 1 oz Luxardo Bianco Bitters 1 oz Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano Place ingredients in a mixing glass with standard ice cubes and stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a rocks glass over a king ice cube (see Ice Advice below). Garnish with a lemon swath. Serves 1.

H Tasting Lounge photo

Though making ice sounds as simple as freezing water, it isn’t—not if you want to avoid bubbles, cloudiness or cracks.

James’s commercial ice shop in Langley is full of equipment, including a Clinebell machine that produces 300-pound slabs of ice, as well as chainsaws and band saws for cutting. Even though it costs bartenders a couple bucks a cube to buy ice from him, they “can’t afford not to,” he says. Not only is cool ice a sustainable “garnish,” it can make a drink a social-media star, and “in these days of tagging everything, guests expect it, and it’s becoming a standard.”

ICE ADVICE

To make a clear king cube at home, start by buying a small cooler that fits inside your freezer. Fill cooler to top with water and place in the freezer for 24 to 30 hours (depending on freezer temperature), until the water is frozen. Remove ice block from cooler; the top 1 to 1.5 inches will be a clear ice sheet. Carve sheet into desired shapes and sizes.

Or visit alcademics.com for more information on the directional-freezing method for getting clear ice at home.

Labour-intensive ice creations can become signature drinks, like the Inception Negroni at Prohibition at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia (a classic Negroni inside an ice sphere floating in a white Negroni) or H Tasting Lounge’s House of Fabergé (a cocktail that changes colour when its frozen sphere cracks).

At The Westin Bayshore’s H Tasting Lounge, manager David Vo’s team also hand-shapes the iceberg that floats in an Alaska #2. “The actual art and spectacle of carving the ice elevates the experience (for guests),” says Vo. Arty flourishes, such as copper-stamping the lounge’s logo into cubes, are in keeping with the Art Deco era of aviator Howard Hughes, onetime Bayshore resident and inspiration behind the lounge’s exploration-themed cocktails.

Vo is also inspired by Frederic Tudor, known as New England’s “Ice King” in the early 19th century, who harvested natural ice blocks in winter for year-round use, creating a cocktail staple.

But modern ice machines break down, massive blocks and saws can be dangerous, and if a bar runs out? Well, a Clinebell block takes three days to freeze.

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WE LIVE IN A PL ACE THAT’S ICONIC FOR CLEAN, FRESH WATER. IT ONLY MAKES SENSE WE SHOULD HAVE THE BEST ICE. Enter Cameron Bogue, the corporate beverage director for Earls and an artisanal ice pioneer.

“I’ve been a bartender for 20 years,” says the onetime bar star at Daniel Boulud’s Lumiere in Vancouver. “I’ve always been geeked out about ice.” He’s developed a small, wheeled stainless-steel dream machine that in just 24 hours can make food-safe bar ice in four blocks that are 13 inches square, five inches high, and a heftable 25 pounds.

“We improved both the usability and the speed,” says Bogue, as he uses a toothy arm-length knife, a sword-like carver, a mallet and a chisel to cleave and slice one of his crystalline blocks into

Earls Restaurants photo

PAINKILLER T his tiki-style cocktail is Earls restaurants’ version of the classic originally created by Pusser’s Rum. It uses two different styles of ice—regular cubes and crushed.

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0.75 oz coconut milk 0.75 oz passion fruit syrup 1 oz Bacardi Superior white rum 1 oz Mount Gay Eclipse Rum 1 oz pineapple juice 1 oz orange juice 0.25 oz lime juice Dash Bittered Sling Kensington bitters

Get torture-worthy ice tools like Anvil and Pitchfork ice picks, ice tappers or the Schmallet from Cocktail Kingdom (cocktailkingdomcanada.com).

Place all ingredients into a shaker with standard ice cubes. Shake 20 times and strain over crushed ice in a tiki mug. Garnish with a mint sprig and freshly grated nutmeg. Serves 1.

Find silicone ice moulds in shapes such as spheres, king cubes and sticks at Chapters Indigo (chapters. indigo.ca), Amazon (amazon.ca), various kitchen supply stores and Vancouver’s The Modern Bartender (themodernbartender.com).

Cocktail Kingdon photos

ICE SCULPTURE

TREEBEARD “The drink is intended to be a Canadian highball, that is, a drink that is spirit forward, but is also balanced and refreshing,” says Jeff Savage, Botanist’s head bartender, who created the cocktail. The large, crystalclear ice cubes are precisely measured to fit the glassware and are cut with a band saw. They are also adorned with the Botanist logo: The custom metal stamp is placed on top of the cube and gravity does the rest.

1.5 oz Canadian Club Rye Whisky 0.5 oz gin, preferably St. George Terroir Gin

1.5 oz birch water 1 oz Smoked Tea Syrup (recipe follows)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice; stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a Collins glass with a clear ice spear. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Serves 1.

Smoked Tea Syrup 8 cups (2 L) water 3 oz (100 g) food-safe cedar (broken into pieces) 1.5 oz (40 g) BC Forestea from Vancouver’s Tealeaves

Botanist photo

2.2 lb (1 kg) superfine sugar (or as needed) 3 oz (90 g) citric acid

Heat water to a boil. Pour boiling water over cedar and tea leaves and cover. Steep 20 minutes. Strain out cedar and tea leaves. Weigh the steeped tea and combine with an equal amount (in weight) of sugar. Stir until fully dissolved; heat a little if needed. Add citric acid and stir. Makes 8 cups (2L).

glittering cubes. The key, he says, is letting the block temper for at least 40 minutes: “Like chocolate, it makes it easier to work with. Then it carves like butter.” Earls’ Ambleside location in West Vancouver has one of the bespoke ice-making machines, and an ice-prep station behind the bar for cutting specialty ice.

Exactly why is having the perfect type of ice such an enhancement to enjoying a cocktail? Devon Dooling, the proprietor of ice company On the Rocks, ascribes it to “mindful drinking,” a trend she describes as knowing exactly what’s in your drink and taking the time to savour it. She’s provided her clients with everything from

cubes custom-frozen with fruit or flowers inside to ice shot glasses for the wow factor at special events or parties.

Or maybe, as iceman Dex James says, artistic ice is a trend made for B.C. “We live in a place that’s iconic for clean, fresh water. It only makes sense we should have the best ice.”

ICE SUPPLY

Order cubes, blocks, slabs and other ice products from vendors such as Polar Bear (pbice.ca), Dang Good Ice (danggoodice.com) or On the Rocks (ontherocksice.com).

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Passionate People | Imaginative Cocktails | Global Inspiration

Maccha Sour Sheringham Kazuki Gin Zuiyo Junami Sake Strega Maccha Syrup Lemon Juice Egg White

only available at

www.clivesclassiclounge.com 250.361.5684 | 740 burdett ave.

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CASC 2018 Canadian Artisan Spirit of the Year

World Gin Awards 2019 Best Contemporary Gin in the World

CASC 2019 Best in Class Aged Spirit

Three "Best in Canada� spirits under one roof. From the hands of distiller Jason MacIsaac, crafted in Sooke, BC. sheringhamdistillery.com

HOME BAR

Falling for falernum STEP BY STEP: HOW TO MAKE THE SECRET INGREDIENT THAT PUTS THE TERRIFIC INTO TIKI DRINKS Story by Justin Taylor · Photos by Dan Toulgoet

I

n bartending, there’s a simple rule called the Golden Ratio: two parts spirit, one part sweet, one part sour. If you apply this rule to your drink making, you can quickly learn dozens of cocktails.

this “sweet” that can drastically change your cocktail to something unforgettable.

If you dissect a Daquiri for example, it is simply two parts rum, one part lime juice, one part simple syrup. Sometimes you can use a sweet liqueur to replace the simple syrup, like Curaçao in the case of a Margarita.

Depending on your palate, you can increase or decrease the sour and sweet elements or adjust the amount of spirits to create the right balance. In fact, herein lies one of the secrets of fine cocktail making: Bartenders often create one-of-a-kind cocktails by transforming classics simply by using different spirits, sours and sweets.

This famous syrup, used extensively in tiki drinks, has experienced a resurgence in the last decade. Falernum combines almonds, cloves, lime peels, high-proof rum and sugar for a syrup that adds a depth of flavour and viscosity to boozy, punchy, tropical drinks.

Bartenders are experimenting with the classic, making their own falernum based on the original recipe, and some are boldly creating their own styles, too.

It is within the “sweet” part of the ratio where I believe the most creative freedom exists.

Any good cocktail program goes beyond just simple syrup. It’s what you put inside

And that brings us to a century-old syrup called falernum.

Here is a quick and simple recipe for falernum, and two amazing cocktails to make with it. As always, I urge you to use my recipes as a starting point and once you master them, try changing things up. A pistachio and grapefruit peel falernum can be amazing, too.

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ABOVE: Before you start, assemble your ingredients.

HOW TO MAKE FALERNUM 36

Gather the ingredients: 1 cup sliced almonds 12 whole cloves Zest of 5 limes, julienned (no white pith) 5 slices ginger (about the size of a toonie) 7 oz high-proof rum (such as Lamb’s Navy 151) 2 cups filtered water 2 cups light brown sugar

1

In a saucepan over low to medium heat, add almonds and cloves. Stirring constantly, lightly toast until the almonds are golden brown. Remove from heat and cool.

2

Place almonds, cloves, lime zest, ginger and rum in a sealable container such as a large mason jar. Refrigerate for 24 hours to infuse.

4

Make the simple syrup: In a container add 2 cups of boiling water and 2 cups of light brown sugar. Stir to dissolve.

3

Strain liquid and discard solids

5

Once cooled, add infused rum to simple sugar. Bottle, seal and refrigerate until needed—it will last up to six months. Makes about 2.5 cups.

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Cocktails created by Justin Taylor

ZOMBIE PUNCH

EL MOCAMBO

T his tiki punch recipe ser ves a crowd—so find some friends to help you out!

Named after the le gendar y live-music venue in Toronto, this tiki-style cocktail takes on a Canadian twist.

6 oz añejo rum 6 oz dark Jamaican rum 4 oz high-proof rum (such as Lamb’s Navy 151) 3 oz freshly squeezed lime juice 1.5 oz freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice

3 oz falernum 1 oz pomegranate juice 2 tsp Pernod 10 oz filtered water Garnish: 5 sprigs mint 3 cinnamon sticks, snapped in half 6 wheels grapefruit

Combine all the cocktail ingredients except those for the 38 garnish in a large container such as a mason jar and mix well. Keep chilled until ready to serve. (You can make the punch base a day ahead to this point.)

Pour the punch into a large bowl, add ample amounts of ice, then garnish with the mint, cinnamon sticks and grapefruit. Ladle into cocktail glasses, tiki mugs or punch cups and enjoy. Serves 6 to 8.

1.5 oz Canadian 100 percent rye whisky 0.75 oz falernum 2 oz coconut water 1 oz freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice 0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

3 dashes Bittered Sling Kensington bitters Garnish: 5 mint leaves 1 mint sprig 2 whole almonds

Combine cocktail ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain over fresh ice in a highball or Collins glass.

Gently slap the mint leaves in the palm of your hands to express oils. Using a bar spoon, push the leaves through the ice cubes.

Gently slap the mint sprig and place on top of the cocktail.

Place almonds around the mint leaves to mimic a coconut tree.

Serves 1.

lavender rosemary gin and tonic

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CLASSICS

Rum island Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. photo

IN BARBADOS, RUM DEFINES A WELL-BAL ANCED THIRST QUENCHER

by Joanne Sasvari

I

t won’t take long, once you’ve landed in Barbados, before someone presses a glass, sparkling with condensation and filled with an amber elixir, into your hand.

Welcome to the famous Barbados rum punch and the taste of island life.

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Mount Gay Distillery possesses the first legal document referring to rum, dated 1703, although plantation records suggest that it was being made there at least as far back as 1667. An even earlier letter from Barbados, dated 1651, reports: “The chief fuddling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish, and terrible liquor.”

In Barbados, rum punch is enjoyed by everyone from farm workers to property tycoons to pallid newcomers from wintry climes. And it’s enjoyed everywhere from the verandas of grand plantation houses to It’s believed that slaves who worked on the tailgate of a jeep in the jungle. plantations discovered that fermenting molasses, the byproduct of sugar production, made for a tasty and How rum punch came to be the national intoxicating beverage. European ex-pats drink is unknown, but not exactly distilled that mash according to the whiskysurprising. or brandy-making skills they brought from home. Barrel aging smoothed out the For one thing, Barbados is widely rough edges and rum became more and considered the birthplace of rum. The

A POETIC PUNCH

No need to remember the recipe.

Just remember this rhyme, and you can always whip up an easy, refreshing Barbados rum punch.

One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong and four of weak, a dash of bitters and a sprinkle of spice, serve well chilled with plenty of ice.

more popular, spreading from Barbados throughout the Caribbean and beyond. By the mid-18th century, rum was the biggest manufacturing industry in the colonies.

Meanwhile, across the globe, the 17th century also saw the popularization of another boozy beverage. It was inevitable that the two would come together.

In the Far East, the British sailors of the East India Company had been drinking the local sugar cane spirit known as arak in a thirst-quenching mixture they called punch. (The word “punch” evolved from the Sanskrit word “panch,” meaning “five” and referring to the five essential ingredients of punch: liquor, citrus, sweetener, spices and water, tea or juice.)

“The best guess we can muster is that it was a 17th-century English sailor on his way to India who first mixed medicinal brandy from the ship’s store with water and a few simple ingredients obtained along the way,” writes drinks historian David Wondrich. “By the 1660s, English sailors had spread punch from its origins in the Indian Ocean to the Caribbean, where it’s been the characteristic drink of the region ever since.”

BTMI photo

Rum—especially in rum punch—is always on the menu at the annual Barbados Food and Rum Festival.

Indeed, wherever you travel in the Caribbean, you are sure to encounter some form of punch, usually a sweet, fruity concoction like Planters Punch (dark rum, pineapple or passionfruit juice, grenadine, soda).

But the most classic of the Caribbean punches is the Barbados version. It is simplicity personified: aged rum, sugar, lime juice, water, a dash of bitters, a sprinkle of nutmeg. Clean, refreshing, well-balanced, sweet and tart in equal measure, it’s boozy enough to have a kick, but light enough to be sessionable.

Little wonder then, that it’s become the favourite sipper of this island nation, capturing in a glass the essence of its sunny skies, sandy beaches, swaying palm trees and ocean breezes.

PASSION FOR PUNCH

An alternative version of Barbados rum punch sees the water being replaced with passionfruit juice—if you do this, be sure to reduce the amount of simple syrup so it’s not overly sweet.

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BTMI photo

BARBADOS RUM PUNCH T he classic the way it is made on the island.

0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice 1 oz simple syrup (see note) 1.5 oz dark rum (such as Barbados’ own Mount Gay Eclipse, or older)

2 oz water 1 dash Angostura bitters Freshly grated nutmeg

Mix lime juice, simple syrup, rum, water and bitters in a mixing glass with ice; strain into a rocks glass filled with a few cubes of fresh ice. Grate nutmeg on top. Serves 1.

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If you want to serve a crowd, increase measures to: 0.5 cup lime juice, 1 cup simple syrup, 1.5 cups rum, 2 cups water and about 8 dashes of bitters. Mix in a pitcher with ice and grate fresh nutmeg on top. Serves 6 to 8.

Note: To make simple syrup, mix 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Keep, covered and chilled, for up to two weeks.

Makes about 1 cup.

Visit our beautiful distillery and tasting room to learn about the distilling process and sample our products. Or find us at select farmers and craft markets, local restaurants and private liquor stores.

2040 PORTER RD, ROBERTS CREEK BRUINWOOD.COM • @BRUINWOODDISTILLERY

CURATE YOUR HOME BAR COLLECTION WITH OUR SELECTION OF LOCAL WINE, BEER & SPIRITS. 43

open daily 10am-11pm • delivery available 1218 west pender, vancouver • 604.685.1212 coalharbourliquorstore.com

STILL LIFE

A barrel of fun PRIVATE-CASK WHISKY SALES ARE A “FUTURES” INVESTMENT IN B.C.’S SMALL-BATCH DISTILLERS. HERE’S HOW AND WHY THEY DO IT.

by Charlene Rooke

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T

hey’re lined up like Papa, Mama and Baby Rye: 20-, 10- and five-litre mini-barrels, their ends embossed with the names of proud owners who, in eight weeks or so, get a crash course in craft spirits aging—and their own one-of-a-kind bottles of Custom Rye. “We were kind of inspired by beer growlers,” says Brian Grant. He and Resurrection Spirits partner David Wolowidnyk charge customers once for the barrel ($150 to $350 depending on size), which they can pay the distillery to fill with white rye (or even gin) multiple times, at the bargain price of $37.50 a bottle. Vancouver’s Homer Street Grill and Unwind are among bar clients already serving their own private batches.

When B.C. distilleries sell private casks, they’re generating investment in their futures and developing a brigade of civilian brand ambassadors. Customers get a glimpse of distillery life, while the pesky details (like insurance, bonding, excise, tax and bottling) are handled by the distillery during the minimum threeyear period that a Canadian whisky must age there.

The owners’ perks include the bragging rights of a labelled cask on display and tasting visits at the distillery. Kelowna’s Urban Spirits even throws in a bottle of whisky and a drinking jacket.

Some distilleries use private casks to grow their whisky libraries. Preferring the aging properties of full-size casks (10

options, from standard-size American oak to massive Madeira or Port vessels), Victoria Caledonian sells 30-litre portions to customers who consult with whisky ambassador Andrew Campbell Walls to customize their batch. The distillery is “so confident in the quality of your final product,” they pledge to use the balance of each barrel in their tasting room or special releases. Owners can even arrange to swap bottles at annual parties.

The Okanagan’s Dubh Glas Distillery offers two “cask futures” options: casks can be partially sold to private owners, with the balance of liquid assets used by the distillery. Investment-minded customers can put their custom bottles up for sale and enjoy a share of profits. “It’s a win-win scenario,” says distiller Grant Stevely, whose annual insider offering has grown into a year-round program. Like Stillhead Distillery in Duncan (which will age 30 litres of your own corn, rye or malt whisky for three years), Dubh Glas also sells miniature barrels and bottles of new-make spirit for a micro experiment in home aging.

Since 2014, Vancouver’s Odd Society Spirits has found that an annual privatecask sale helps “weather the lean, dry months of January and February,” says

WHEN B.C. DISTILLERIES SELL PRIVATE CASKS, THEY’RE GENERATING INVESTMENT IN THEIR FUTURES AND DEVELOPING A BRIGADE OF CIVILIAN BRAND AMBASSADORS.

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FROM MY EXPERIENCE, SMALL BARRELS CAN BE REMARKABLE, BUT YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO WORK WITH THEM.

A few of the custom casks of craft spirits on display at Vancouver’s Resurrection Spirits. Once the casks are empty, customers can pay to have them refilled with rye or gin.

Resurrection Spirits photos

distiller Gordon Glanz, whose 2019 offering featured four-year aging in 113-litre barrels, of which clients can buy a quarter-share. “We learned a lot about barrels,” Glanz adds. As in: They sometimes leak and allow more “angel’s share” evaporation than originally thought. “From my experience, small barrels can be remarkable, but you have to learn to work with them.”

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The program has fostered bonds between Odd Society and its community, says general manager Miriam Karp. Owners “feel a connection to the distillery and are very supportive.” Among the 100 or so casks they’ve sold, at least nine of them involved Bill Macaulay, a Vancouver accountant who calls his single-cask

experiments “kind of a combination personal interest and business networking play,” since he organizes regular group dinners and tastings for his crew of coinvestor colleagues and friends. Already the proud owner of three- and fouryear-old single-cask bottlings, he’s even thinking about making a personal blend.

“The goal was not just to buy cheap whisky, at least from my point of view,” says Macaulay.

Yet at prices that work out to around $50 per 750-millilitre bottle (depending on yield, bottling strength and fees), investing in a single cask is a relative bargain for unique whisky that throws some serious market confidence behind B.C.’s artisan distilling industry.

Locally inspired shareplates showcasing seasonal ingredients, prepared in house from chef to you, family style. Drink from our signature crafted martinis and classic cocktails.

Local live entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings.

9185 Glover Rd, Fort Langley 604-455-0211 www.1827.ca

OUR LOUNGE IS OPEN! Visit us Tuesday-Saturday for cocktails, craft beer & more!

Kid-friendly • Available for private functions Home of the “Moon Shaft”—our twist on Victoria’s original cocktail. A blend of Moon Espresso Vodka, vanilla, almond and sugars topped off with espresso shots.

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350 Bay Street, Victoria • moondistillery.ca

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TASTING PANEL

Sugar and spice

Dan Toulgoet photo

As the tasters were poured, the sweet, spicy, nutty and fruity aromas of rum filled the tasting room.

THE ALCHEMIST TASTING PANEL GATHERS FOR A ROUND OF CARIBBEAN AGED RUMS

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othing says “tropical getaway” like the sweetly spiced flavour of rum.

Although it is made all over the world, the sugar-cane spirit originated in the Caribbean islands, where we’re seeing a surge of richly complex aged rums. So when The Alchemist decided to dive into tiki culture, it made sense for our tasting panel to sample as many aged rums as possible.

Just how sweet can rum be? To find out, we gathered at Tableau Bar Bistro with some of the city’s top barkeeps: Alex Black, bar manager of Wildebeest; Max

Borrowman, bar manager at Juniper Kitchen; Amber Bruce of The Keefer Bar; Sabrine Dhaliwal, cocktail consultant and Pourhouse bartender; Adam Doment, bar manager of Pourhouse; J-S Dupuis, beverage director of Wentworth Hospitality; Robyn Gray of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia; Ryan Johnson, bar manager of Tuc Craft Kitchen; and Olivia Povarchook, bar manager of Juke Fried Chicken.

The panel tasted 10 different rums; here’s what they had to say about them.

Dan Toulgoet photo

The lineup featured aged and some spiced rums from Jamaica, Nicaragua, Cuba, Guyana, Bermuda and the United States.

APPLETON ESTATE SIGNATURE BLEND RUM, $23.99, 40% ABV Like all the rums from this Jamaican distillery, Appleton Estate’s original blend is a blend of pot- and columndistilled rums, aged for a variety of years; in this case, it comprises 15 select rums that have been aged for an average of four years.

“She does a great job,” Dupuis said, referring to Appleton’s legendary master blender Joy Spence. “And you can trust their laws,” Black added, referring to the fact that Jamaica is

one of the few rum-producing nations to clearly define its rules around age statements. That said, this is the entry level of the brand’s lineup, with a bit of heat, a touch of fruit and a dash of spice. “It’s a bit rustic,” said Borrowman.

Cocktail: The panel felt that this would work well in a Mai Tai or rum and Coke. But Doment also felt it would be good in a Hotel Nacional, while Johnson suggested: “What about a Three Dots and Dash, with the fruitiness of it?”

APPLETON ESTATE RESERVE BLEND RUM, $30.49, 40% ABV The Appleton Reserve is a blend of 20 select pot- and column-distilled rums, aged for an average of six years. “It’s so good,” said Borrowman. “It’s like molasses. I know that’s a weird thing to say,” added Black. “Candied orange

Dan Toulgoet photo

Sabrine Dhaliwal inhales the toffee and spice aromas of aged rum.

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Dan Toulgoet photo

The tasting panel gathered at Tableau Bar Bistro: standing, from left, Robyn Gray, J-S Dupuis, Amber Bruce, Max Borrowman, Sabrine Dhaliwal and Ryan Johnson; seated, from left, Adam Doment, Olivia Povarchook and Alex Black.

peel,” Dhaliwal chimed in. “That fruitiness is very Appleton,” agreed Johnson.

Cocktail: Most felt that this would be a perfect rum for classic tiki drinks such as the Mai Tai. Povarchook suggested a rum Manhattan, while Bruce said: “If I were to put this in a cocktail, it would be a rum punch.”

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APPLETON ESTATE RARE BLEND 12 YEAR OLD, $41.49, 43% ABV The Rare Blend is a “minimum age” rum: the number 12 on the bottle means every rum in the blend has been matured at least 12 years.

“It’s got way more aromas coming off it right away,” said Bruce. Added Dupuis: “It goes from the immature world to the more aged.” The panel detected

a huge range of flavours in this rum.

Black sensed “dried fruit, pineapple and that smell when you open a Ziploc bag of brown sugar.” For Johnson, it was fresh figs and “a nice long pepper finish.” Dhaliwal detected “toasted coconut, nice and dry on the finish.”

Doment noted: “The fruit is quite stewed and rich like a cognac, but it finishes quite dry like an American rye.”

THE FRUIT IS QUITE STEWED AND RICH LIKE A COGNAC, BUT IT FINISHES QUITE DRY LIKE AN AMERICAN RYE. Cocktail: “I think a Sazerac with this,” said Doment. Gray agreed: “Mmm, yes, a Sazerac.”

I SMELL THE ALCOHOL, BUT ON THE PAL ATE, IT’S REALLY SMOOTH. APPLETON ESTATE 15 YEAR OLD RUM, $64.99, 43% ABV This is a limited-release rum that is exclusive to Canada, which is Appleton’s largest export market. That is too bad for the rest of the world as this was the overall favourite of the tasting. Like the rest of the Appleton lineup, it is a blend of column and potdistilled rums, with a slightly heavier emphasis on the column distillate for a lighter rum despite the additional age.

Dan Toulgoet photo

There were murmurs of “Different.”

“Totally different.” “I smell the alcohol, but on the palate, it’s really smooth,” said Gray. “The 15 is pretty. It’s really pretty,” said Dhaliwal. “It’s pretty delicious,” Dupuis agreed.

Cocktails: “This would be a great Daiquiri, though it would be an expensive Daiquiri,” said Borrowman, adding, “If you want to be mixological with this, you could mix it with a fino sherry. Or you could just drink it by itself.” Black agreed: “I wouldn’t mess around with it.”

FLOR DE CANA 5 AÑEJO CLASSICO, $26.49, 40% ABV This is a classic, medium-bodied mixing rum from the 125-year-old Nicaraguan rum distillery.

“That’s a nice, light rum. It’s perfect for what it’s supposed to be,” said Black. “It’s very linear. It’s a well rum,”

Dan Toulgoet photo

TOP: Wentworth Hospitality’s J-S Dupuis demonstrates the proper way to nose a spirit without being overwhelmed by its alcohol burn.

ABOVE: Max Borrowman offers his take on “mixological” suggestions for rum cocktails.

added Dhaliwal. “Super versatile,” Gray agreed. However, Doment pointed out, “It’s not a spirit lovers rum.”

Cocktail: The bartenders agreed that this was an ideal rum for classic Cuban cocktails such as the Cuba Libre, Hotel

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this and thinking it’s really sweet, but the consumer might just think its’s really smooth.” Gray concurred: “It’s very Bacardi.”

Cocktail: “If you put some bitters with this on ice, it’s like a sugar-free Old Fashioned,” Dupuis said, adding, “It would work in any rum cocktail, but just dial back the sugar and balance it out.” Bruce agreed: “Anything that would dry it out: bitters, dry sherry dry vermouth, tonic.”

Dan Toulgoet photo

Olivia Povarchook enjoys the baking spice notes of the rums.

Nacional, Mojito and, as Black said, “This is going to make the truest-tasting Daiquiri of anything we’re going to taste today.”

BACARDI GRAN RESERVA DIEZ, $39.99, 40% ABV Cuba’s Bacardi, the largest privately held, family-owned spirits company in the world, is a behemoth when it comes to rum. It’s best known for its ubiquitous white rum. But here the panel tasted its premium blend of rums that have been barrel-aged for a minimum of 10 years.

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Despite its age, the panel found this rum to be sweet rather than complex.

“It tastes like honey,” Dhaliwal said.

“There’s fresh apple and pineapple in the nose. It’s a lighter, sweeter style,” said Dupuis, adding, “We’re drinking

LEMON HART 1804 ORIGINAL, $26.99, 40% ABV A British-style, single-estate rum distilled, blended and aged in Guyana, Lemon Hart doesn’t have an age statement, but its rich complexity suggests substantial time spent in the barrel.

The panel detected loads of caramel, butterscotch and toffee in this rum.

“This is like Werther’s Original on the nose,” said Johnson. “You can smell the texture,” said Doment. Dhaliwal agreed: “It kind of has that Werther’s texture, mouth-coating and rich.”

Cocktail: The bartenders could think of myriad uses for this rum, from a rum and Coke to a heavily bittered Old fashioned. “Bananas Foster,” suggested Bruce. “A banana Daiquiri or a milk punch,” said Doment. “Or a rum sour,” Borrowman said. “It would be a great dessert cocktail,” added Dupuis.

GOSLINGS BLACK SEAL, $31.99, 40% ABV This dark rum from Bermuda is a blend of distillates from both pot

and column stills. It is best known as the foundation of the classic cocktail created for it, the Dark ‘n’ Stormy.

“It tastes gingery. It has a lot of ginger in it,” said Dupuis. Povarchook agreed: “Clove and ginger. It’s like when you’re baking and you’re using cloves and the lid falls off and your kitchen smells like cloves.” Despite its dark colour, the rum was surprisingly light. “It’s a super light finish. It drops right off,” Doment said. “It’s never as good as I think it’s going to be.” “But,” Dhaliwal noted, “with ginger beer…”

Cocktail: The Dark ‘n’ Stormy, of course.

SAILOR JERRY’S SPICED RUM, $29.99, 46% ABV Paying homage to a storied history is this sweetly spiced, high-proof, madein-America blend of Caribbean rums named for a legendary tattoo artist.

For the bartenders, this rum tasted of vanilla and nostalgia, its sweet baking-spice notes whisking them back to childhood treats. (And perhaps even further back: Gray pointed out that vanilla is said to remind us of mother’s milk.) They also noted that it is targeted at a younger market.

As Doment said, “It does what it’s supposed to.”

“I know everyone here does Jameson shots, but this is a great shot. Boom.”

LEMON HART BLACKPOOL SPICED, $29.99, 43% ABV This spiced rum is a new release from Lemon Hart. Like the original, it is made from single-estate rums aged in Guyana, then infused with natural spices. It was perhaps the biggest surprise of the tasting.

“It’s spicy. It’s nutty. It’s vanilla-y. It’s delicious,” said Dupuis. It reminded several of the bartenders of creamy, rich pudding. “This is rum-and-raisin ice cream,” said Dhaliwal. “I’m not mad at it,” added Bruce. “I think it would be delicious in lots of applications. It’s not a cool bartender’s rum, but fuck it, it’s good, I like it.”

Cocktail: Suggestions ranged from “tiki all the way” to sours to a classic Old Fashioned to simply drinking it on its own with just a bit of ice. As Dupuis said, “It’s the first spiced rum I’ve tried that didn’t taste like stripper’s sweat.”

Cocktail: They agreed that this would be ideal in hot drinks like apple cider, hot chocolate or a toddy. “Eggnog hands on,” Povarchook suggested.

“It’s a great shot,” Borrowman added.

Tasters of rum provide inspiration for myriad cocktails.

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Dan Toulgoet photo

B.C. DISTILLERY LISTINGS YOUR GUIDE TO THE SPIRIT MAKERS This province’s 64 artisan distilleries are producing everything from vodka to vermouth. Discover B.C.’s best spirits with our updated guide to the producers, tasting rooms and so much more.

VANCOUVER ISLAND & GULF ISLANDS Ampersand Distilling Products: Ampersand Gin, Per Se Vodka, Imperative Dry Vermouth, Nocino 4077 Lanchaster Rd., Duncan 250-737-1880 AmpersandDistilling.com

Arbutus Distillery

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Products: Coven Vodka, Empiric Gin, Baba Yaga Absinthe, Grand Visco Brandy, Blue Gin, Forest Dweller Gin, Vanilla Liqueur, Owl’s Screech Vodka, Birch Liqueur, Amaro, Lavender Liqueur, Elderflower Liqueur, Canadian Single Malt Whisky 1890 Boxwood Rd., Nanaimo 250-714-0027 Arbutus-Distillery.com

DISTILLERY LEGEND

(on-site services offered) Tasting room

Cocktail lounge

On-site sales

Food

Tours Many distilleries are small operations. We always recommend calling before your visit to confirm opening hours and product availability.

De Vine Spirits Products: Glen Saanich Single Malt Whisky, Ancient Grains Alternative Whisky, Genever Gin, Vin Gin, New Tom Barrel-Aged Gin, Honey Shine Silver, Honey Shine Amber, Black Bear Spiced Honey Rum, Bianca Vermouth, Moderna Vermouth, De Vine Kiss Strawberry Vodka, Sloe Gin 6181B Old West Saanich Rd., Saanichton 250-665-6983 DeVineVineyards.ca

Fermentorium Distilling Co. Products: Stump Coastal Forest Gin, Hop Drop Elixir, Handcrafted Tonics 2010 Government St., Victoria 250-380-1912 Fermentorium.ca

Island Spirits Distillery Products: Phrog Gin, Phrog Vodka, Aquavit, Vanilla Vodka, Wicked Orange, Raspberry Eau de Vie, fruit brandies (seasonal), Holunderbluten (Elderflower Liqueur) 4605 Roburn Rd., Hornby Island 250-335-0630 IslandSpirits.ca

Merridale Craft Spirits Products: Cowichan Gin, Cowichan Copper Gin, Cowichan Vodka, Cowichan XXO Brandy, Cowichan Rhumb, Cowichan Spiced Rhumb, Whisky Jack’s, Cowichan Pear Brandy, Cowichan Cider Brandy, Oaked Harvest Cider, Apple Dessert Cider PO Box 358, 1230 Merridale Rd., Cobble Hill 250-743-4293 MerridaleCider.ca

Moon Distillery Ltd. Products: Espresso Vodka, Shaft Liqueur, Blackberry Liqueur, Loganberry Liqueur, Strawberry Liqueur, Orange Vodka, Lime Vodka, Island Grown Pure Grain Vodka, Citrus Gin

One Artisanal Vodka, Sunshine Liqueur 4650 Regent Rd., Campbell River 778-420-2200 ShelterPoint.ca

Sheringham Distillery

350 A Bay St., Victoria 250-380-0706 MoonDistillery.ca

Products: Kazuki Gin, Akvavit, Seaside Gin, Vodka, Red Fife Whisky

Pacific Rim Distillery

252-6731 West Coast Rd., Sooke 778-528-1313 SheringhamDistillery.com

Products: Humpback Vodka, Lighthouse Gin 2-317 Forbes Rd., Ucluelet @PacificRimDistilling

Salt Spring Shine Craft Distillery Products: Hive Vodka, Sting Gin, Honeycomb Moonshine, Apple Pie Moonshine 194 Kitchen Rd., Salt Spring Island 250-221-0728 @SaltSpringShine

Shelter Point Distillery Products: Shelter Point Single Malt Artisanal Whisky, Shelter Point Cask Strength Whisky, Montfort District Lot 141 Single Grain Whisky, French Oak Double Barreled Whisky, Canada

Stillhead Distillery Products: Vodka, London Dry Gin, Wild Blackberry Infused Vodka, Kirsch, Aged Apple Brandy 105-5301 Chaster Rd., Duncan 250-748-6874 Stillhead.ca

Victoria Caledonian Brewery and Distillery Products: Mac Na Braiche Single Malt Spirit, whisky casks 761 Enterprise Cres., Victoria 778-401-0410 VictoriaCaledonian.com

Victoria Distillers Products: Victoria Gin, Oaken Gin, Empress 1908 Gin, Left Coast Hemp Vodka, Sidney Spiced, Chocolate Liqueur, Craigdarroch Whisky, Twisted & Bitter bitters 9891 Seaport Pl., Sidney 250-544-8217 VictoriaDistillers.com

Wayward Distillation House

Tofino Distillery Products: Vodka, Jalapeño Vodka, Espresso Vodka, West Coast Gin, Old Growth Cedar Gin, Rose Hibiscus Gin & Psychedelic Jellyfish Absinthe Unit G & H, 681 Indutrial Way, Tofino 250-725-2182 TofinoCraftDistillery.com

Products: Unruly Vodka, Unruly Gin, Wayward Order – Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur, Wayward Order – Depth Charge Espresso & Cacao Bean Liqueur, Wayward Order – Drunken Hive Rum, Wayward Order – Elixir 151, Raspberry & Ginger Vodka Infusion, Wayward Order – Char #3 Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin, 2931 Moray Ave, Courtenay 250-871-0424 WaywardDistillationHouse.com

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LOWER MAINLAND, FRASER VALLEY & B.C. WEST COAST Anderson Distilleries Products: Mare Serenitatis Creme d’ Cafe, Serenitatis Golden Gin, Serenitatis Silver Liquorice, Sweet Serenitatis Limoncello, Sweet Serenitatis Lime’cello, Sweet Serenitatis Orangello, Montague Sunset, Serenitatis Smoked Rosemary Gin

11411 Bridgeview Dr., Surrey 604-588-2337 CentralCityBrewing.com

Crow’s Nest Distillery Products: Crow’s Nest Vodka, Crow’s Nest White Rum, Crow’s Nest Spiced Rum 117-667 Sumas Way, Abbotsford 778-251-6002 CrowsNestDistillery.com

Deep Cove Brewers & Distillers

106-3011 Underhill Ave., Burnaby 604-961-0326 AndersonDistilleries.ca

Products: Rosemary and Olive Gin, Deep Cove Vodka, Barrel Aged Mediterranean Gin (limited), Barrel Aged Akvavit (limited)

Bruinwood Estate Distillery

2270 Dollarton Hwy., North Vancouver 604-770-1136 DeepCoveCraft.com

Gillespie’s Fine Spirits Products: Sin Gin, Raspberry Gin, VTwin Rye Vodka, Gastown Shine Wheat Vodka, Lemoncello, Aphro, Café Crema 8-38918 Progress Way, Squamish 604-390-1122 GillespiesFineSpirits.com

Goodridge & Williams Craft Distillers Products: Nütrl Vodka, Northern Grains Whisky, Tempo Renovo Gin, Sid The Handcrafted Vodka, Western Grains Whisky, Bitterhouse Aperitifs, Nütrl Vodka Soda, Highball Whisky Soda, Tempo Gin Smash, Sid Made Something Else, Nütrl Vodka 7, Tempo Gin Soda Lime 8-7167 Vantage Way, Delta 604-376-0630 gwdistilling.com

Products: Vodka, Gin 2040 Porter Rd., Roberts Creek 604-886-1371 Bruinwood.com

Central City Brewers & Distillers 56 Products: Lohin McKinnon Single Malt Whisky, Queensborough Gin, Sparrow Rum, Peeled Orange Liqueur, Queensborough Gin Twist, Queensborough Gin Fizz, Bitters

by Christos

Dragon Mist Distillery

The Liberty Distillery

Products: Dragon Mist Vodka, Dragon Mist Baijiu, Dragon Mist Gin, Cranberry Liqueur, Coffee Liqueur, Blueberry Liqueur, Limoncello

Products: Truth Vodka, Truth Oat Vodka (Distiller’s Reserve), Endeavour Gin, Endeavour Old Tom Gin, Endeavour Gin Origins, Endeavour Pink, Railspur No. 1 – White, Railspur No. 2 – Wildflower Honey, Railspur No. 3 – Switch, Trust Whiskey – Single Grain, Trust Whiskey – Single Cask – Madeira, Trust Whiskey – Single Cask – Burgundy

213-19138 26th Ave., Surrey 604-803-2226 DragonMistDistillery.com

1494 Old Bridge St., Vancouver 604-558-1998 TheLibertyDistillery.com

Long Table Distillery Products: London Dry Gin, Cucumber Gin, Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin, Texada Vodka, Långbord Akvavit, Barrel Aged Akvavit, VSOP Reserve ‘Pairs Of Pears’ Brandy, Amaro No. 1 – Linnaeus, Tradizionale Limoncello, Marc Du Soleil 1451 Hornby St., Vancouver 604-266-0177 LongTableDistillery.com

Lucid Spirits Products: Northern Vodka, Northern Gin, Apple Spirit, B.C. Rye Whisky 105B-8257 92nd St, Delta 604-349-3316 LucidSpirits.ca

Mad Laboratory Distillery Products: Mad Lab Vodka, Mad Lab Gin, Mad Dog Single Malt White Spirit, Blueberry Kombucha Cordial 119-618 East Kent Ave., Vancouver MadLabDistilling.com

North West Distilling Co.

Liqueur, Barrel Aged Apple Brandy, Elderflower Liqueur (seasonal)

Products: North West Vodka

1954 Venture Pl., Pemberton 604-894-0222 PembertonDistillery.ca

104-20120 Stewart Cres., Maple Ridge 604-818-6972 NorthWestDistillingCo.ca

Odd Society Spirits Products: East Van Vodka, Wallflower Gin, Mongrel Unaged Spirit, Oaken Wallflower Gin, Crème de Cassis, Bittersweet Vermouth, Mia Amata Amaro, Commodore Canadian Single Malt Whisky, Prospector Canadian Rye Whisky, Canadian Single Malt Casks

Resurrection Spirits Products: White Rye, Gin, Rosé Gin 1672 Franklin St., Vancouver 604-253-0059 ResurrectionSpirits.ca

Roots and Wings Distillery

1725 Powell St., Vancouver 604-559-6745 OddSocietySpirits.com

Products: Vital Vodka, Double Vice Coffee Infused Vodka, Renegade, Jackknife Gin, Rebel, Sidekick

One Foot Crow

7897 240th St., Langley 778-246-5247 RootsAndWingsDistillery.ca

Products: Vodka, Gunpowder Gin

Sons of Vancouver

1050 Venture Way, Gibsons OneFootCrow.com

Pemberton Distillery Products: Schramm Organic Gin, Schramm Organic Potato Vodka, Pemberton Valley Organic Single Malt Whisky, The Devil’s Club – Organic Absinthe, Organic Hemp Vodka, Organic Kartoffelschnaps, Organic Coffee

Products: No. 82 Amaretto, Barrel Aged Amaretto, Vodka Vodka Vodka, Chili Vodka 1431 Crown St., North Vancouver 778-340-5388 SonsOfVancouver.ca

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Mango Peach Moonshine, Monashee Mountain Maple Moonshine, Monashee Mountain Peach Moonshine, Monashee Mountain Mountain Dew Moonshine, Monashee Mountain Ginger & Honey Moonshine, Monashee Mountain Lemonade Moonshine, Monashee Mountain Iced Tea Moonshine, Monashee Mountain Apple Pie Moonshine

Stealth Distilleries

The Woods Spirit Co.

Products: Stealth Corn Vodka, Stealth Wheat Vodka

Products: Amaro, Cascadian Dry Gin

#3-20 Orwell St. North Vancouver 604-916-4103 StealthVodka.com

1450 Rupert St., North Vancouver 778-996-7637 TheWoodsSpiritCo.com

Tailored Spirits

Yaletown Distilling Company

1201 Shuswap Ave., Sicamous 250-836-5187 AfterDarkDistillery.com

Products: Yaletown Small Batch Craft Vodka, Cranberry Vodka, Mandarin Vodka, Tequila Barrel Aged Vodka, Espresso Vodka, Artisan Honey Spirit, Yaletown Small Batch BC Gin, Cucumber Gin, Hopped Gin, Tequila Barrel Aged Hopped Gin, Yaletown Single Malt Canadian Whisky

Alchemist Distiller

Products: Gin, Vodka Vancouver 604-619-9615 TailoredSpirits.com

The 101 Brewhouse & Distillery Products: 101 Gin, 101 Vodka 1009 Gibsons Way, Gibsons 778-462-2011 The101.ca

Von Albrecht & Associates Products: XFour Vodka, XFour Chocolate Cocktail, XFour Blueberry, XFour Lemonade, XFour Xoxolat, Percy’s Old Fashioned Lemonade Vodka 58 Cooler, Percy’s Punch Vodka Cooler 2220 Vauxhall Pl., Richmond 604-249-0003 VonAlbrecht.com

1132 Hamilton St., Vancouver 604-669-2266 YTDistilling.com

OKANAGAN, KOOTENAYS & INTERIOR After Dark Distillery Products: Copper Island Gin, Monashee Mountain Vodka, After Dark Burner Vodka, Monashee Mountain Whiskey, Monashee Mountain Cherry Moonshine, Loud Mouth Soup, Monashee Mountain Espresso Moonshine, Monashee Mountain

Products: Libellule Gin, Nectar Apple Liqueur, Green Frog Absinthe 101-18006 Bentley Rd, Summerland 250-317-6454 AlchemistDistiller.ca

Bohemian Spirits Products: Vagabond Vodka, Limited Gin, Colossal Gin, Eclipse Coffee Liqueur, Forester Single Malt Oak Aged Gin 417A 304 St., Kimberley BohemianSpirits.com

Dubh Glas Distillery Products: Noteworthy Gin – New Western Dry, Noteworth Gin – Barrel Rested, Noteworthy Gin – Navy Strength, Virgin Spirits – Barley

8486 Gallagher Lake Frontage Rd., Oliver 778-439-3580 TheDubhGlasDistillery.com

Elder Bros Farm Distillery

531 1st Ave., Fernie FernieDistillers.com

Forbidden Spirits Distilling

Slowpoke Sour Cherry Vodka 3005 Naramata Rd., Naramata 778-514-1010 LegendDistilling.com

Maple Leaf Spirits

Products: Rebel Vodka Products: Elderflower & Honey Schnapps, Elderflower & Cherry Schnapps, Cherry & Honey Schnapps

4400 Wallace Hill Rd., Kelowna 250-764-6011 ForbiddenSpirits.ca

3121 Mission Wycliffe Rd., Cranbrook 250-581-2300 ElderBrosFarms.com

Jones Distilling

Endless Summer Distillery

616 Third St. West, Revelstoke JonesDistilling.com

Products: Skaha Vodka, Okanagan Apple Pie Moonshine, Okanagan Peach Pie Moonshine

Products: Mr. Jones Vodka, Revelstoke Gin

Products: Valhalla Vodka, Kootenay Country Gin, Kootenay Country Honey Vodka

Estate Thurn Distillery

7263 Gustafson Rd., Slocan 250-355-2702 kootenaycountry.ca

5214 Monro Ave., Summerland 250-809-2077 Bodega1117.com

Fernie Distillers Products: No. 9 Mine Vodka, Fernie Fog (Earl Grey Liqueur), Prospector Gin

948 Naramata Rd., Penticton 250-493-0180 MapleLeafSpirits.ca @MapleLeafSpirits @Maple_Leaf_Spirits_Inc @MapleLeafSpirit

Monashee Spirits Kootenay Country Craft Distillery

Kelowna EndlessSummerDistillery.com

Products: Gin, fruit eaux de vie

Products: Lady of the Cask Wine Brandy, Kirsch, Pear Williams, Skinny Pinot Noir, Skinny Gewürztraminer, Maple Liqueur, Cherry Liqueur

Legend Distilling Products: Doctor’s Orders Gin, Shadow in the Lake Vodka, Blasted Brew Spiked Coffee Liqueur, Manitou Orange and Sumac Liqueur, Naramaro, Wyatt Whisky, Black Moon Gin, Silver Moon Gin, Harvest Moon Gin, Slowpoke Farmberry Vodka,

Products: Vodka, Ethos Gin, Vulcan’s Fire Cinnamon Liqueur, Big Mountain Creamer 307 Mackenzie Ave., Revelstoke 250-463-5678 MonasheeSpirits.com

Okanagan Crush Pad Products: Narrative 12 Botanical Gin, Narrative Spirit of the Vineyard, Narrative Fortified 16576 Fosbery Rd., Summerland 250-494-4445 okanagancrushpad.com

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Okanagan Spirits

Taynton Bay Distillers

Products: Essential Vodka, Family Reserve Vodka, Essential Gin, Family Reserve Gin, BC Rye Whisky, BRBN Bourbon-Style Corn Whisky, Laird of Fintry Single Malk Whisky, Okanagan Shine Unaged BRBN Whisky, Taboo Genuine Absinthe, Taboo “Gold” Genuine Absinthe, Aquavitus, Blackcurrant Liqueur, Blueberry Liqueur, Cherry Liqueur, Cranberry Liqueur, Haskap Liqueur, Huckleberry Liqueur, Maraschino Liqueur, Raspberry Liqueur, Rhubarb Liqueur, Sea Buckthorn Liqueur, Bartlett Pear (Poire Williams), Bradshaw Plum (Old Italian Prune), Canados, Kirsch Danube, Kirsch Virginiana, Raspberry Framboise

Products: Vodka, Gin, Pickled Vodka, Gringo’s Revenge, Sinferno Cinnamon Honey Liqueur

Blackberry Liqueur, Blackcurrant Liqueur, Blueberry Liqueur, Calvados, Cherry Liqueur, Kirsch, Sweet Mead Honey Wine, Oaked Mead Honey Wine, Okanagan Muscat Grappa, Peach Liqueur, Raspberry Liqueur, Urban Burban – Bourbon Style Whiskey

1701B 6th Ave., Invermere 250-342-5271 TayntonBaySpirits.com

6-325 Bay Ave., Kelowna 778-478-0939 UrbanDistilleries.ca

True North Distilleries

Vernon Craft Distillery

Products: Plum Brandy, Hulda Rum, Cherry Muscat

Products: Vodka

5204 24th St., Vernon 267 Bernard Ave., Kelowna 250-549-3120 | 778-484-5174 OkanaganSpirits.com

Old Order Distilling Company Products: Heritage Vodka, Legacy Gin, Black Goat Vodka, Blessed Bean Coffee Vanilla Liqueur, Wicked Brew Chocolate Coffee Liqueur, Harvest Raspberry Liqueur, Limited 60 Release Canadian Whisky 270 Martin St., Penticton 778-476-2210 OldOrderDistilling.ca

1460 Central Ave., Grand Forks 778-879-4420 TrueNorthDistilleries.com

Tumbleweed Spirits Products: Cherry Moonshine, Gin, Rock Creek Rye, Buckie’s Apple Pie Moonshine, Fireweed Whiskey, Nine Mile Creek “Shine,” Apricot Moonshine, Maple Moonshine, Vodka #7-6001 Lakeshore Dr., Osoyoos 778-437-2221 TumbleweedSpirits.com

Urban Distilleries Products: Paul’s Tomb Gin, Spirit Bear Espresso Vodka, Spirit Bear Gin, Spirit Bear Naturally Infused Vodkas, Spirit Bear Vodka, Urban Single Malt Whisky, White Bear Spirit, Apricot Schnapps,

Vernon 250-306-4455 VernonCraftDistilleries.com

Wynndel Craft Distilleries Products: Aged Peach Brandy, Apple Brandy, Peach Liqueur, Honey Berry Liqueur, Mixed Berry Liqueur, Saskatoon Brandy, Apricot Schnapps, Apricot Brandy, Cherry Brandy, Apple Liqueur, Cape Brandy, Saskatoon Schnapps, Cherry Liqueur, Cherry Schnapps, Apricot Liqueur, Saskatoon Liqueur 1331 Channel Rd., Wynndel WynndelCraftDistilleries.com

DISTILLERIES COMING SOON

Along with our sister publications, we are proud to support our local distilleries, wineries and breweries.

VANCOUVER ISLAND & GULF ISLANDS Copper Kettle Spirits (Ladysmith) James Bay Distillers (Victoria) Western Red Distilling Company (Victoria) Wild Coast Distilling (Cobble Hill)

FREE FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 8

C U L T U R E

LOWER MAINLAND, FRASER VALLEY & B.C. WEST COAST

W I N E

Copper Spirit Distillery (Snug Cove) New Wave Distilling (Abbotsford) Tallant Distillery (Vancouver)

Issue 02

B . C .

LIFE AS A WINE JUDGE W I N E RY A R C H I T E C T U R E F O R T I F I E D F O R FA L L S H I G H- A LT I T U D E V I N E YA R D W I N E C LU B P E R KS WO M E N O F W I N E S AVO U R I N G K E LOW N A ISLAND WINERIES

OKANAGAN, KOOTENAYS & INTERIOR

B I G I TA L I A N R E D S B.C. W I N E RY L I S T I N G S

Distillery 95 (Radium Hot Springs) Lost Boys Distillery (Fernie) Mount 7 Spirits Craft Distillery (Golden) Trench Brewing & Distilling (Prince George) Wiseacre Farm Distillery (Kelowna)

vitis.ca @vitismag

AMARETTO

thegrowler.ca @thegrowlerbc

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bcdistilled.ca CR M WHITE DOG Liqueur Schnapps P 9 . 6, 6 A, W

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Absinthe T A S VERMOUTH

BRANDY

BC DISTILLED SUPPORTS PACIFIC ASSISTANCE DOGS SOCIETY

61

THE LAST WORD OUR LOVE FOR THE MOJITO WILL NEVER DIE

Mint, rum, soda, lime, ahhh: Cuba’s classic highball makes us think of Caribbean breezes and sandy beaches. Forget the naysayers; the Mojito will always be the quintessential drink for sunny days.

HIBISCUS MOJITO Head to Commercial Drive for Havana Vancouver’s floral twist on the classic five-ingredient cocktail.

2 oz white rum 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice 1 oz hibiscus syrup (recipe below)

8 to 10 mint leaves Soda water to taste

Measure white rum, lime juice, hibiscus syrup and mint leaves into a tall glass. Muddle, fill glass with ice, then top with soda. Using a bar spoon, stir the drink, pulling the mint leaves throughout the ice cubes. Serves 1. + + +

HIBISCUS SYRUP 4 cups sugar 4 cups water 62

1 cup dried hibiscus flowers

Place sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the dried hibiscus. Steep overnight.

Strain. Cover and keep chilled for up to a month.

Makes about 4 cups.

Jennifer Gauthier photo

212 Abbott St | Gastown

957 granville street

MAKE YOUR

DRINKS WORLD DRINKS CLASS WORLD MAKE YOUR

CLASS

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.