The Alchemist • Spring/Summer 2022 by The Alchemist

SPRING/SUMMER 2022

NEW/NEXT

COCKTAIL WEEK

B.C. BAIJIU

CORDIALLY YOURS

Where to drink in Vancouver now

Looking back at the inaugural fest

China’s popular spirit goes local

Home Bar’s recipe for a better Gimlet

Contents 08 – BAR BITES News from the world of cocktails and spirits 16 – COMPASSION IN A COUPE For these barkeeps, charity begins behind the bar by YVR Barfly 20 – STILL LIFE Getting funky with B.C.-made craft baijiu by Charlene Rooke

Mark Yammine photo

24 – PERFECT PAIRINGS Why you should try a cocktail instead of wine with your meal by YVR Barfly 32 – SHAKING UP THE CIT Y Take a seat at these three new Vancouver cocktail bars by Allie Turner

Jana Bizzarri photo

44 – CL ASSICS: ESPRESSO MARTINI The return of the 1980s’ buzziest drink by Joanne Sasvari 47 – HOME BAR We’re feeling cordial about these syrups by Matthew Benevoli 50 – TASTING PANEL Summertime and the sipping is easy 55-61 – DISTILLERY LISTINGS Our guide to B.C. distilleries 62 – L AST CALL Rooms we love: Dante West Village by Doris Sun

38 – VANCOUVER COCKTAIL WEEK We look back at the inaugural fest, and what you can expect in 2023 by Joanne Sasvari

RECIPES in this issue 07– Citadelle Gibson 10– Orange Liqueur 13– Rose Grapefruit Spritz 17– May Flowers 19– Line Item 25– Mint Cucumber French 75 26– Smuggler’s Sour 27– Behind Blue Eyes 33– Negroni Secco 35– Gin Paloma 41– Aki’s Tea 46– Espresso Martini

46– Nitro Espresso Martini 48– Lime Cordial 49– Strawberry Elderflower Cordial 49– Mediterranean Cordial 49– Behind the Palms 49– Mediterranean Spritz 51– Caipirinha 52– El Diablo 53– Check In 54– Pisco Punch

Contributors Joanne Sasvari is the editor of The Alchemist and Vitis magazines. She is a WSET-certified writer-editor who covers food, drink and travel for a variety of publications, and is the author of several cookbooks, including the recently released Island Eats.

Matthew Benevoli is an awardwinning mixologist, industry veteran and mentor. He has a passion for creating custom and unique cocktails and loves storytelling through them.

Allie Turner is a lifestyle journalist specializing in beauty and fashion, but a serious love for the people in Vancouver's hospitality industry keeps her coming back to food and cocktail writing.

Charlene Rooke is a certified Specialist of Spirits, WSET instructor and a Moonshine University-trained craft distiller who writes for enRoute, Taste and Food & Drink.

YVR Barﬂy is a Vancouver-based writer and longtime waiter and bartender who prefers to go incognito. They might be under cover at a bar near you.

Doris Sun is a social media contributor for the World’s 50 Best Bars and World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Follow her on Instagram @cocktailfiles.

ON THE COVER: Aki's Tea, a cocktail created by Reece Sims, won the audience choice award at Vancouver Cocktail Week's closing gala. It offers a nod to the city's Japanese heritage with Japanese gin, sake and an oolong peach tea. Find the recipe and more about VCW on page 41. Reece Sims photo.

CITADELLE GIBSON Partnered with lightly cured seafood during VCW, Tableau Bar Bistro's briny Gibson proved that cocktails are as perfect for pairing as wine. For more, see our story on page 24.

Joanne Sasvari photo

2 oz Citadelle Gin 1 oz Dolin dry vermouth 0.5 tsp salty cocktail onion brine Garnish: 3 cocktail onions

Add gin, vermouth and brine to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with cocktail onions. Serves 1.

he weeks and days leading up to the first Vancouver Cocktail Week, presented by The Alchemist, were a little bit fraught. It wasn’t just the usual stressors of putting on a big event. It was also the pandemic. Would there be another outbreak? Another lockdown? More restrictions? Would people even want to go out and mingle with strangers? As it turned out, VCW 2022, held March 6 to 10, was a huge success, not just because we had so many great events (65 of them!), but because everyone was so darn happy to be out and about and socializing, many for the first time in two years. See our look back at the festival in this issue—with a hint of what’s to come in 2023. VCW was the first big event on the 2022 calendar, but it has ushered in a busy spring and summer, with plenty of exciting new openings on the calendar. In this issue, Allie Turner visits three of Vancouver’s coolest new cocktail-forward establishments. And there are still more to come! Also in this issue: In Still Life, Charlene Rooke samples madein-B.C. baijiu, YVR Barfly learns how to pair food with cocktails and Doris Sun visits Dante West Village. Home Bar columnist Matthew Benevoli shows us how to make a cordial that will step up your Gimlet game (and other cocktails, too). Our tasting panel samples summer’s best spirits. And we offer our biggest selection yet of cocktail recipes for you to try at home. Plus we cover all the latest spirited news from here and around the world, and offer a complete guide to B.C.’s distilleries. For 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: Valeria Remizova TheAlchemistMagazine.ca @TheAlchemistBC @TheAlchemistMag Published by: Glacier Media Group 303 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1J6 778-240-4010 © The Alchemist 2022 This issue is complimentary.

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

TWO NEW BARS SET TO SHAKE THINGS UP IN VANCOUVER

othing makes us want to raise a glass in celebration more than seeing new bars open with our favourite barkeeps at the helm. And, after a flurry of recent openings (see our story on page 32), we will have even more to toast this summer.

Cameron Bogue, who was for nearly a decade the director of beverage operations for Earls Restaurants and previously worked for Daniel Boulud, is opening Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions in the heritage Coulter House (built circa 1901) at 67 East 6th Avenue. Bogue promises a casual and playful cocktail program to accompany dishes cooked over live fire, and says, “We're new school operators set out to change the game in Vancouver.”

Brendan Kergin/Vancouver Is Awesome photo

Meanwhile, Keenan Hood, co-proprietor of The Keefer Bar, is tackling one of the city’s biggest, most ambitious rooms: the bar at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia previously known as Prohibition. Hood and his partner Cam Watt are calling it The Herrick Cocktail Club, named for

The 3,000-square-foot space is still under renovation, but will be transformed with glamorous wraparound booths, a separate bar for Japanese whiskies and highballs, as well as room for live music and ticketed events. Opening date is planned for July. We can hardly wait.

Fred Herrick, the genial gent who shined shoes at the hotel for 54 years. Joining them will be general manager Leticia Castro, most recently of The Diamond, as well as a bar team still to be named.

EDNA’S COCKTAILS: ALL THE COOL, NONE OF THE BOOZE If one of Vancouver’s most legendary bartenders is going to release a canned cocktail, we are so going to be there for it, even if it has no booze. Maybe even especially if it has no booze. The bartender in this case is Nick Devine (see photo), who was among the first to kickstart Vancouver’s cocktail scene back in 2007, when a place called George Ultra Lounge was the height of cool. He went on to open The Cascade Room, which became The Cascade Group, and to co-found Main Street Brewing. But in all those years of mixing and shaking, he realized that a growing number of people were reducing their alcohol consumption, and felt that they deserved something delicious to drink, too. So he launched Edna’s, an alcohol-free canned cocktail remarkable for its careful craftsmanship and the high quality of its all-natural ingredients. (The name comes from Cockney rhyming slang—Dame Edna Everage, sounds like beverage, get it?) So far there are four classic

jonny_nono photo

flavours: the Mojito, Paloma, Collins and Mule. Each is bright, refreshing and flavourful straight from the can—but of course, you could easily use it as a mixer for an easy, boozy cocktail, too. Edna’s comes in sleek 355 mL cans, and is sold either as singles or in four-packs at all the cool shops around town. Find a list of retailers at ednascocktails.com.

SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS Since 2015, star bartenders Dave Simpson and Gerry Jobe have quietly been building a growing line of syrups, Caesar mixes, kegged cocktails and other bar supplies from their home base in Kelowna. Now Simps Modern Beverage is getting national—even international—attention for their products. Gordon Food Services, North America’s largest family-owned food-service supplies distributor, has picked up their coffee and cocktail syrups, making them available to bars, restaurants and event centres across Canada and into the United States. Among those restaurants is the growing JOEY chain, which is using Simps’ fresh mint syrup in its ultra-popular summer

09 Photo courtesy of JOEY

cocktail, The Watermelon Drink (see photo). Big news for a small company. simpsmb.com

SHORT OF TRIPLE SEC? MAKE YOUR OWN ORANGE LIQUEUR Note that this will take three weeks to infuse, so plan accordingly. 2.5 cups good quality vodka 0.5 cup (30 g) fresh orange peel, from 2 to 3 medium navel oranges (see note) 2 Tbsp (10 g) dried bitter orange peel (available at herbalists, homebrew shops or online) 2 cups granulated sugar 1.5 cups water Getty Images photo

t seems there will be no end to the supply chain issues that have drained back bars of essential spirits these past two years. This summer, for instance, it looks like we’re facing a shortage of Aperol, just in time for spritz season, so drink up while you can. The worst so far might just have been the monthslong shortage of Cointreau and, in fact, every other brand of the orange liqueur known as “triple sec.” Fresh and zesty, with a hint of heat and a delicate touch of spice, it’s an essential ingredient in everything from the ubiquitous Margarita to the retro-cool Cosmo to the classic Mai Tai.

Blame the global shortage of glass and printer’s ink, or just the generally snarled system of distribution and transportation, but the situation was pretty dire for a while. At least two local distilleries, Sons of Vancouver and Copperpenny, have made their own version of triple sec to fill the gap, but you can also make your own. Here’s how.

Place the vodka, fresh orange peel and dried bitter orange peel into a clean, sealable, litre-sized jar. Seal, shake well and place in a cool, dark place to infuse for three weeks. Shake the jar every couple of days. Once the infusion is complete, make a sugar syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil; reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Strain the vodka mixture through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Rinse out the jar and return the strained infusion to it. Stir in about half of the sugar syrup and shake well. Taste, and if needed, add more syrup until you reach your desired level of sweetness. If you like, transfer to a pretty bottle. The liqueur will keep for up to six months, but is best enjoyed within three. Makes about 2.5 cups. Note: To remove the zest, use a vegetable peeler, and be careful to avoid the white pith, which will just add bitterness.

MAKE IT MATSUTAKE Because there are so few rules governing Canadian whisky, those who make it can give their creativity free rein. And that is just what Andres Faustinelli, master blender at Bearface Whisky, is doing with his new “Wilderness Series” of whiskies made with ingredients foraged in B.C.’s Monashee Mountains.

Photo courtesy of Topo Chico

SUMMERY SELTZER Another hard seltzer isn’t exactly something to get excited about. Unless, of course, it’s Topo Chico hard seltzer, which has just landed here after wowing the rest of the planet last year. You may recognize the name as the particularly refreshing, thirst-quenching and bubbly mineral water you enjoyed on your trips to Mexico. The brand dates back to 1895, but its lineage is much older—it’s said that an Aztec emperor discovered the water’s mountain source in the 1400s. Coca-Cola acquired it in 2017, and has partnered with Molson Coors to manufacture, market and distribute Topo Chico Hard Seltzer in Canada. Each can is about 100 calories, with only two grams of sugar and 4.7% ABV. Available in four clean, crisp flavours—Strawberry Guava, Tropical Mango, Tangy Lemon Lime, and Exotic Pineapple—it retails at BC Liquor Stores for $25.49 for a 12-pack. topochicohardseltzer.ca

The series launches with the Matsutake Release 01, featuring the rare and precious matsutake mushroom that grows wild here and is so very prized abroad, especially in Asia. Adding mushrooms to whisky may seem odd, but it is in fact part pf a much larger trend, notes sommelier-forager Bram Bolwin. “In recent years, many of the world’s most acclaimed mixologists have been embracing the potential of umami-rich fungi as an inventive cocktail ingredient,” he says. The limited edition Bearface Wilderness Series: Matsutake Release has a complex, nutty and earthy character with notes of baking spices and a savoury finish. It retails for $49.95. bearfacewhisky.com

Photo courtesy of Bearface Whisky

ACROSS THE SALISH SEA One of our favourite places for a refreshing sipper is the swish Q Bar at the Fairmont Empress, especially in summer when the scene spills out onto the hotel’s sweeping veranda. Now the bar team has released a new menu that celebrates all the flowers that bloom around town, with drinks like the Rose Petal Punch (Campari, brandy, rose petal tea, strawberries, honey, lemon, cloves, sparkling water), which you can order by the glass or the pitcher.

Photo courtesy of Q Bar at the Fairmont Empress

e love hopping over to Victoria for the great food, beautiful gardens and charming vibe. But most of all we love visiting B.C.’s capital city for its great cocktail scene.

But we’re even more excited about The Last Train to Paris, a luxuriously modern take on the classic Sidecar. It’s made with precious Hennessy Paradis Cognac, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Grand Marnier and an Armagnac mist, accompanied by gold-plated cocktail gear, gold-dusted macarons and strawberries served with honey pearls atop an Eiffel Tower spoon. Enjoy it for a mere $399. fairmont.com/empress-victoria/dining/q-bar/

While you’re in Victoria, also check out these other great cocktail destinations:

CL I VE’S C L ASSIC LO UN G E ClivesClassicLounge.com

CL A R KE & CO. ClarkeAndCoVictoria.com

Bar star Shawn Soole is back at Clive’s and promises to make this stylish lounge better than ever. Expect high-quality spirits, premium products, top-notch hospitality and, of course, well-crafted classics and inspired new cocktails.

Don’t let the low-key, friendly vibe fool you—Clarke & Co. is serious about its sophisticated craft cocktails, all made with premium brands and fresh ingredients. It also boasts one of Victoria’s most extensive whisky lists, for those who crave a wee dram.

CI TRUS & C ANE CitrusAndCane.com

L I T TL E J U M B O LittleJumbo.ca

Blink and you might think you were in Palm Springs. This funky little spot is all about colourful mid-century modern furniture, tropical motifs and the elevated, tiki-inspired cocktails that go with them. Piña Colada? Yes, please.

This has been one of Victoria’s favourite cocktail bars since it opened eight years ago as an homage to two of the great barmen of the 1800s, Jerry Thomas and Harry Johnson. Expect well-made cocktails and gracious hospitality.

THE CUP IS BACK Don your fascinators and fedoras and get ready for a day at the races. The summer cocktail event formerly known as the Deighton Cup, now rebranded simply as The Cup, is back after a pandemic-forced hiatus. (The original named was quietly retired; its namesake, Gassy Jack Deighton, has become something of a problematic character these past few years.) Come out and place your bets on the ponies July 23 at Hastings Racecourse. There will be cocktails, bubbles, equestrian-themed

Photo courtesy of The Cup

costumes, live entertainment and plenty of fun, rain or shine. Tickets for The Cup are $95, or $55 pre-sale, at comegetfancy.com.

GARDEN PARTY IN A GLASS This is the season of celebrations, of graduations, weddings, reunions, garden parties and festive brunches. It’s also the season of light, fresh drinks best enjoyed outdoors. Bringing all that together is a new roseflavoured gin from Ireland’s Glendalough

Distillery. Head distiller Rowdy Rooney created it to honour his late mother, Rose—and used rose petals she planted herself, along with wild roses, mountain herbs and other botanicals. It’s beautifully floral and complex, perfect with tonic or citrus in a spritz. Find Glendalough Rose Gin at private retailers for a suggested price of $58.

ROSE GRAPEFRUIT SPRITZ Recipe courtesy of Glendalough Distiller y. 2 oz Glendalough Rose Gin 1 oz fresh lime juice Grapefruit-flavoured sparkling water, enough to top (such as Perrier or La Croix) Garnish: fresh grapefruit slice and fresh mint leaves

Photo courtesy of Glendalough Gin

Fill a large wine glass with ice. Add rose gin and lime juice, top with soda and stir gently to combine. Garnish with grapefruit slice and fresh mint. Serves 1.

Sponsored content

Previous winners of World Class Canada celebrate the country's newest Bartender of the Year, Toronto's Massimo Zitti. Photos courtesy of World Class Canada

World Class Canada invites the planet THE COMPETITION PUTS ON THE GLITZ TO AT TRACT THE GLOBAL FINAL “ 14

orld Class Canada is back,” says Michael Armistead. Is it ever.

world to make Canada the destination for next year’s global final.

After two years of cancelled, postponed and virtual events, competitors and judges gathered in early May at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal for what was more than a festival that crowned Toronto’s Massimo Zitti World Class Canada Bartender of the Year 2022. It was an invitation to the

“Our goal this year was to put on a global final standard op≠eration, to show the world that Canada can host a global final. And that is our ambition,” says Armistead, who oversees the Diageo World Class Canada Bartending Competition as National On-Premise, Reserve and

Sponsorship Manager. “After a tough two years, we wanted this year’s event to showcase what being back to normal looks like—and to show that Canada really, really deserves to host the global final in 2023, Canada’s 10th anniversary in the competition.” And why not? Since joining the competition in 2013, Canada has placed in the top 12 almost every year it has competed and has twice taken home the top prize. (Vancouver’s Kaitlyn Stewart was named World’s Best Bartender in 2017 and Edmonton’s James Grant in 2021.) But Armistead knows that alone isn’t enough to entice the organizers to Canada, so he pulled out the big guns: two surprise judges, Agostino Perrone, director of mixology at London’s Connaught Bar, World’s Best Bar in 2020 and 2021; and the actor, cocktail aficionado and Tanqueray No. Ten Global Partner Stanley Tucci. They joined the other judges: craft cocktail pioneer and Speed Rack founder Lynnette Marrero along with Stewart, Grant and the other previous World Class Canada winners Grant Sceney, Shane Mulvany, Chris Enns and 2019 global runner-up Jeff Savage. The World Class Cocktail Festival in Montreal, which ran April 27 to May 5, included pop-up events, brand seminars and, of course, the competition, which involved six unique challenges, including a garden party featuring low- and no-alcohol

diageoworldclasscanada.com

At the national competition in Montreal, regional finalists used Diageo's reserve products in a series of demanding challenges, including the final speed round.

cocktails as well as the final challenge, “Break the Bank,” a speed round held at the opulent Crew Collective & Café. From the original 10 regional winners— Dylan Brentwood and Keegan McGregor from Nova Scotia; Jason McNeely, Jessica Mili and Massimo Zitti from Ontario; David Draper, Sam Clark and Teneille Whyte from Alberta; and B.C.’s Kate Chernoff and Matthew Hassen—Clark, Zitti, Chernoff and Mili made it through to the final, with Zitti, co-owner of Mother Cocktail Bar, taking home the national title. He will compete globally in Sydney, Australia, September 10 to 15. And who knows? Perhaps next year’s winner will be able to compete right here at home.

Diageo World Class Canada @WorldClassCanada @WorldClassCa #WorldClass

Spirits of compassion BARTENDERS AND DISTILLERS STEP UP TO HELP THOSE IN NEED by YVR Barfly

hat’s better than sipping a finely crafted cocktail? Saying cheers to charity. Several bars and distilleries throughout B.C. are adding a dash of dogood to their drinks; here are just a few.

and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems. When The Keefer Yard put in its mini golf course, it began accepting donations to play a round (a minimum of $10 for

Chickadee's Cocktails for a Cause program is in full swing after launching earlier this year. Each month, bar manager Sabrine Dhaliwal and her team create three feature cocktails, with $1 from each sold going to the selected charity. In February, the team donated to Hogan’s Alley in support of Black History Month. In March, to celebrate International Women’s Day, Chickadee donated to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre; this past April, funds went to Red Cross Canada for its Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal. May’s menu supports Cystic Fibrosis Canada, with Grand Marnier as the starring spirit. 16

Wayward Distillery—the country’s first distillery to use primarily honey as its spirits' base—is helping honeybees. The Courtenay-based maker donates one per cent of all spirit sales to Pollinator Partnership Canada, a registered charity dedicated to the protection

Putt for philanthropy at The Keefer Yard mini golf course. Facebook.com/TheKeeferYard photo

two people), with the money going to rotating charity partners. The current beneficiary is the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden; previous charities have included DTES Neighbourhood House, Aboriginal Mothers Centre Society and Backpack Buddies. At Odd Society Spirits, 100 per cent of proceeds of its Nastoyka: Mountain Ash Berry Vodka, which is sold exclusively by the glass in the distillery’s tasting room, are going to World Central Kitchen, the organization of chef-volunteers who go into crisis zones to cook for people in need. Pourhouse has been slinging The Village Helper in support of the Atira Women’s Resource Society, with $1 from each cocktail sold going directly to support residents affected by the recent devastating fire in Gastown’s Winters Hotel. For the entire month of March, Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery donated full proceeds from all bottle sales of vodka to its Unite for Ukraine fundraising initiative. The proceeds of $25,466 went to the Ukraine Emergency fund through Canada's branch of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR. That’s not all. EVOLVE Legacy Gin Project is another one of Okanagan Spirits’ efforts: Proceeds from each bottle of the farm-to-flask colour-shifting gin will go to groups that champion educational and empowerment initiatives for women and those affected by gender discrimination.

Tolu Olaku photo

MAY FLOWERS For the month of May, the Chickadee Room decided to bring attention to Cystic Fibrosis Canada with its “Cocktail for a Cause,” May Flowers, created by bartender Sierra Knight. 1 oz Grand Marnier 0.75 oz pisco 0.5 oz Amaro Montenegro 0.33 oz fino sherry 0.75 oz lemon juice 1 dash Bittered Sling Orange & Juniper Bitters Garnish: grapefruit peel, rosebuds, dehydrated grapefruit Add all ingredients (except garnish) into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake for 7 to 10 seconds. Pour into a chilled coupe and express oils from a slice of grapefruit peel over the cocktail. Garnish with two rosebuds and dehydrated grapefruit. Serves 1.

Sponsored content

Tucked behind Hundy Burger n Yaletown is a swish new speakeasy called The Stock Room. Photos courtesy of Freehouse Collective

The Stock Room FREEHOUSE COLLECTIVE UNVEILS A COSY HIDDEN COCKTAIL BAR IN YALETOWN by Trevor Kallies

ometimes the best things you find are the ones you have to search a little harder for.

With a recent rebrand behind us, Donnelly Group’s hospitality business— now Freehouse Collective—opened our doors to our newest creation. The Stock Room is tucked behind Hundy Burger in Yaletown, with no visible street signage. Built on the exemplary heritage bones of brick walls and exposed wood,

The Stock Room’s intimate bar offers a drinks program robust with fruit-forward original creations showcased alongside classic cocktails and a thoughtful selection of natural wines and local beers. The name “The Stock Room” is reflected in the box- and crate-filled entranceway and overhead storage, which sets the mood for enjoying surreptitious cocktails prepared by the discreet, excellent team. Whether perched on a barstool or sunk

into one of the cosy booths, our guests will be inspired to trade stories and secrets in the welcoming speakeasy surroundings. The full menu from chef Mike Robbins’ cult favourite Hundy Burger will be available to order à la carte beside a rotating selection of international snacks from all around the world, via Lucky’s Exotic Bodega. Our guests can choose the Stock Room adventure that best suits their mood, whether it’s stiff drinks and salty snacks at the bar, or burgers and beer in an airy, semi-private parlour. Now, on to the fun part. One of the cocktails created for The Stock Room that has fast become both a guest and staff favourite is Line Item. The name was inspired by the bar’s name itself—a line item being a term used for taking stock and inventory as well as an asset.

LINE ITEM T his vodka-based cocktail from T he Stock Room incorporates two different floral notes (lavender and hibiscus) for an exceptionally refreshing flavour profile. 2 oz Absolut vodka 0.5oz lavender syrup (note below) 1 oz lemon juice 3 to 4 oz Oddity Hibiscus Mint Kombucha Garnish: lavender or hibiscus flower or mint sprig Place vodka, lavender syrup and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a tall (highball) glass. Fill with ice and top with Oddity Hibiscus Mint Kombucha. Garnish can be anything from fresh to dried lavender, a hibiscus flower or a mint sprig. Serves 1.

The Stock Room offers drinks adventures that suit every different mood.

Note: To make lavender syrup, bring 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water just to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and immediately add 25 g lavender buds. Steep for 20 minutes. Strain, then transfer syrup to a clean jar. Syrup will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes 2 cups.

The Stock Room, 1144 Homer St., Vancouver @stockroom.fc Freehouse.co/Stock-Room

STILL LIFE

Earth, wind and fire B.C. CRAFT BAIJIU BRANDS BRING THE ANCIENT CHINESE SPIRIT TO MODERN IMBIBERS by Charlene Rooke

The fresh, crisp, slightly floral Deep Earth baijiu is ideal for newcomers to the grain spirit. Photo courtesy of Deep Earth Distillery

t can taste of soy sauce and mushrooms, damp earth or overripe fruit. It’s fermented in earthen or stone pits, and even aged in baskets coated with pigs’ blood. Its styles are categorized by words like “strong,” “sauce” and “medicine” aromas. But despite the challenges it might pose for western palates, baijiu (pronounced “by-joo” or “by-joe”) is the new bartender candy. Now two B.C.-made versions of the Chinese spirit—Canada’s only craft baijiu—are helping to bring an ancient spirit to the modern bar. Baijiu is made from grains such as wheat, rice, corn and especially sorghum, but they're not fermented in a familiar, yeasty liquid like beer and other spirits are. Instead, fungi and other microorganisms are cultured on grains and pressed into balls or bricks called qu (pronounced “chew”). Mixed with grains in covered pits or containers for weeks or months, qu slowly ferments the grains into alcohol. The mixture is then steam-distilled (picture something like a giant steamer basket) to concentrate the alcohol into high-proof spirits.

Owner Samuel Sun chose Deep Earth's Fraser Valley location in part for the quality of the water under ground. Photo courtesy of Deep Earth Distillery

cocktails and in tasting portions—very unlike its consumption in China, he says, where straight, room-temperature shots go with food, often to loud toasts of “Ganbei!”

“Baijiu is kind of the newest and oldest trend,” says bartender Alex Black, who stocks around 30 types of baijiu at Vancouver’s Laowai. He serves it in

On Laowai's menu is Deep Magic baijiu from Deep Earth, a craft distillery in Lindell Beach, B.C. “It is the perfect baby step to start,” Black says. “It doesn't have all the crazy funk. It’s a great complement to everything else on our menu. And it starts a conversation around a local family, and supporting them.”

BAIJIU IS KIND OF THE NEWEST AND OLDEST TREND.

Owner Samuel Sun landed on Deep Earth’s Fraser Valley location because of the high-quality underground water and

wheat (some of it grown on the property) there. A biologist with a background in food science, Sun (through his son and translator, Alex Sun) says, “We combine traditional techniques with modern technology.” That means using qu from China's Shanxi province, but fermenting his wheat in a tank for up to a month to create nuanced flavour. He runs it through a modern steam-jacketed pot still, then bottles it at 48 per cent alcohol by volume (on the lower side for the ordinarily high-proof spirit). The result, as Black describes it, is “a little creamy, and silky on the tongue. It has a floral aroma, with a little bit of citrus. There’s good heat on the palate, and a nice cereal finish.” Compared to

IT'S A LIT TLE CREAMY, AND SILKY ON THE TONGUE. IT HAS A FLORAL AROMA, WITH A LIT TLE BIT OF CITRUS. THERE’S GOOD HEAT ON THE PAL ATE, AND A NICE CEREAL FINISH.

Chinese baijiu, Deep Magic is fresh and crisp, somewhat reminiscent of a craft white whisky or grain vodka, but more aromatic. Dragon Mist, the pioneering distillery that opened in Surrey in 2013, made the first B.C. baijiu. Distiller Sherry Jiang, a medical doctor by training, also uses modern methods to create clean flavours. Dragon Mist baijiu is also made from B.C. wheat and fermented in stainless-steel-lined cement tanks for six weeks, then steam-distilled and bottled at 56 per cent alcohol by volume. It tastes of fresh, toasty grain with a whiff of clean minerality and earth, leaving a slight anise note on the warm finish. Even with modern adaptations, venerable production traditions create unique, flavourful spirits. Bartenders, Black says, “really need to rethink the rules” to use baijiu in cocktails. For example, his Snakes on a Crane cocktail balances strong-aroma baijiu with texture from sesame orgeat and brightness from rice vinegar.

Black believes B.C. craft baijiu can be a success, “if bartenders can get on board and champion the product, and put some time and effort into rethinking our classic ratios and our flavour profiles.” Ganbei! Surrey's Dragon Mist was the first distillery in Canada to make baijiu. The B.C.-wheat-based spirit tastes of toasty grain, with a hint of minerality. Laura Starr photo

Alex Crowston is the On Premise and Key accounts manager for Renaissance Wines and Spirits. With over 20 years experience in hospitality and sales leadership, Alex brings a wealth of industry knowledge and skillset to his clients and team. A trained chef and WSET-certified, Alex works alongside our on-premise partners and key accounts to create the best wine and spirits programs possible. Please reach out to Alex to book your private tasting of our amazing portfolio. acrowston@renwine.com | 604 358 4189

—Just some of our amazing brand partners—

www.GiffardCanada.com | email us: sales@giffardcanada.com

Perfect Pairings WHY COCKTAILS MIGHT JUST MAKE A BET TER PARTNER FOR FOOD THAN WINE by YVR Barfly

ove over Pinot, Tempranillo and Albariño. Wine pairings are fine, but cocktails are increasingly gaining recognition for the role they can play in taking a dining experience to the next level. The growing trend was on full, tantalizing display during Vancouver Cocktail Week 2022, with cocktail-paired brunches and dinners at spots like Botanist, Tableau Bar Bistro and Carlino proving to be particularly popular. Straight and Marrow was among the establishments that showed just how well cocktail pairings can work; one of the matchups on its VCW menu consisted of ham croquettes paired with a Nouveau Melon Fizz, evoking the classic combination of prosciutto and melon. Owner Chris Lam says what makes this movement particularly exciting is that the possibilities are limitless.

“You can make almost endless combinations of drinks to pair with food that you couldn’t necessarily get from wines,” Lam says. “Our core belief is in the balance of flavours. I believe that conventional ideas on pairings are antiquated and outdated. There should be no limits to how food and drinks are paired, and we can explore that greater

Vancouver Cocktail Week opened with a perfectly paired brunch at Botanist Restaurant. Here an egg yolk raviolo and crisp serrano ham partner with a cocktail of gin, citrus and a green tea ginger cordial. Jana Bizzarri photo

with cocktails than we can with wine. This is especially true as there are no preconceived notions of things that don’t work, such as red wine with fish.” Over at Botanist, head bartender Jeff Savage has created a VIP Cocktail Tasting

Photo courtesu of The Gull

THERE SHOULD BE NO LIMITS TO HOW FOOD AND DRINKS ARE PAIRED, AND WE CAN EXPLORE THAT GREATER WITH COCKTAILS THAN WE CAN WITH WINE. experience, an ever-changing six-course cocktail-paired meal. Savage takes the lead here, crafting story-inspired cocktails that he then presents to executive chef Hector Laguna, who, along with his team, comes up with dishes to augment the drink’s flavours. For instance, to pair with a Piña Colada-like cocktail—made with pineapple-husk-infused Jamaican rum, coconut-infused vodka, dry Curaçao, ginger, lime, sencha tea, oleo saccharum and clarified milk—Laguna concocted a texturally playful dessert of calamansi sorbet and passionfruit cream with coconut meringue, pineapple and mango. Making thoughtful, deliberate choices when it comes to pairing the right cocktail with the right dish is the very backbone of how things work at Laowai, the Prohibitioninspired, Shanghai-influenced hidden bar at the back of Chinatown’s Blnd Tger dumpling bar. (Want in? Order the Number 7.) “[Bartender] Alex [Black] and I have the same viewpoint that you can’t have a good cocktail program unless you have something to pair with it,” says Laowai founder Lewis Hart. Consider the Absence of Confusion cocktail, made with tonka-bean-infused Angel’s Envy bourbon, housemade bitters and a “Thyme is Money” oleo saccharum. The team suggests pairing that little number with red braised

MINT CUCUMBER FRENCH 75 Recipe courtesy of Phil Tapping, general manager, T he Gull. Pair with: Fresh spring greens. 1 oz mint-infused gin (see note) 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice 0.25 oz simple syrup (see note) 2 dashes cucumber bitters (such as Bitter Truth) Sparkling wine to top Garnish: Cucumber slice Combine gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and cucumber bitters in a shaker tin; shake and fine strained into a coupe, wine glass or Champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a slice of cucumber. Serves 1. Note: To infuse the gin with mint, place about 1.5 cups of London Dry-style gin in a 500 mL glass jar, then add a generous handful of mint leaves, about 20 in total. Seal the jar and put it in a cool dark place for about 24 hours, shaking it every few hours. Taste the gin; if it’s not minty enough, leave it a little longer. Otherwise, strain out the mint and serve.

THE KEY IS TO MATCH THE FL AVOUR PROFILES AND HAVE THEM SING TOGETHER AND WORK IN HARMONY. pork, which is made with the tonka-beaninfused bourbon. “That whisky-and-pork pairing has always worked well, and the pork will enhance the flavour of that cocktail,” Hart says. Cocktail pairings are also cropping up at the new Sunday dinner series at The Gull in North Vancouver. Each dish on the monthly multi-course menu curated by executive chef Colin Vyner is paired with a beverage, and, just like wine, the cocktails have a way of lifting the tastes of what’s on the plate. Take the May menu, which started with English Pea and Ricotta Toast (fresh focaccia with crushed peas, mint, ricotta and garlic

oil). The Gull’s general manager, Phil Tapping, created a Cucumber Mint French 75 to complement it. “I find the citrus, cucumber and mint pair up beautifully with the components of the dish, and the bubbles in the sparkling [wine] mingle with the airiness of the dish perfectly,” Tapping says. “You wouldn’t put a dark spirit with that as it would completely overpower everything on the plate.” He adds: “I usually work with flavours that would accompany and enhance the food and never overpower the food. If the dish is light, I would usually pair it up with a clear spirit like gin or vodka, and if the dish is heavier, I would lean to darker aged spirits.

SMUGGLER'S SOUR

1.5 oz Don Papa Rum 0.5 oz 1800 Coconut Tequila 1 oz lime juice 0.5 oz guava syrup 0.5 oz guava juice 0.5 oz egg white 3 drops lime leaf bitters (such as Ms. Better’s) Garnish: Angostura bitters Place all ingredients (except garnish) in a cocktail shaker without ice and dry shake, then add ice and shake again, but not too hard as the guava foams naturally. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with three drops of angostura pulled into hearts. Serves 1.

Photo courtesu of Monarco Cocina Mexicana

Recipe courtesy of Tim Cole, beverage director, Ophelia Kitchen and Monarca Cocina Mexicana. Pair with: Prawn or fish tacos.

“You assess the dish and try to pair it with similar flavour profiles and what would match or balance out some of the flavours. The key is to match the flavour profiles and have them sing together and work in harmony. I try to not overthink it all and just play with the flavours and match them up without using too many ingredients that would overpower any dish.” At Ophelia Kitchen and its recently opened sister restaurant, Monarca Cocina Mexicana, beverage director Tim Cole loves adding

layers of complexity and vibrancy to the bold and distinct flavours of chef Francisco Higareda's Mexican-influenced cuisine. At Monarca, for instance, Cole pairs Let Me Down Easy, a mango, rose and coconut Margarita, with cheesy prawn tacos. The mango and coconut elevate and complement the shrimp; the acid of fresh lime cuts through fatty Oaxacan cheese; and reposado tequila provides the backbone of the drink and ties all the flavours together.

BEHIND BLUE EYES Recipe courtesy of Alex Black, managing partner, Laowai. Pair with: Asian-flavoured pork dishes.

Add Lapsang Bourbon, syrup and bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a pourable container (Laowai uses a cast-iron tea pot). Mist a rocks glass with absinthe, then add a king ice cube and slice of dehydrated pear. Fill with lapsang tea smoke. Pour cocktail into glass tableside. Serves 1.

LAPSANG BOURBON 1 bottle (750 mL) Evan Williams Bib Bourbon 15 g Lapsang Souchong tea leaves Mix tea and bourbon together in a clean, glass 1 L container. Let sit sealed at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain out tea and return liquid to bottle.

Photo courtesu of Laowai

2 oz Lapsang Bourbon (see recipe below) 1 oz Salted Asian Pear Syrup (see recipe below) 4 drops Apothecary Mystic Caravan Bitters Absinthe mist Garnish: dehydrated pear slice, lapsang tea smoke

SALTED ASIAN PEAR SYRUP 1.5 cups fresh Asian pear juice 1.5 cups organic cane sugar 1.75 oz gomme syrup 2.5 tsp Maldon sea salt Add all ingredients to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a light boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Place in glass container and store in fridge. Makes about 1.5 cups.

COCKTAIL PAIRING RULES BARTENDERS ARE STARTING TO BE TAKEN AS SERIOUSLY AS CHEFS AND KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH FL AVOURS. “For something a little wilder,” he pairs a mule-like cocktail called El Burro, made with rhubarb and sotol, a sprit distilled from an agave-like plant, with beef tenderloin, corn esquites and raspberry mole. “The herbaceous, corn-husk notes of the sotol complement the beef and esquites, and the rhubarb ties in with the more subtle raspberry notes,” Cole says. “The key, however, is the ginger beer, which serves as a sparkling wine would in cleaning the palate of the rich, chocolatey mole and allowing you to experience all the flavours fully. It’s out there but it’s delicious.” He generally advises against pairing high alcohol and spicy food. That said, at Ophelia, he partners a chocolate-and-añejo tequila Old Fashioned with spicy mushroom tacos. “We get away with heat on heat because of the tempering sweetness of piloncillo in what is definitely a sweeter style Old Fashioned,” he says. “The spicy almond sauce works beautifully with the tertiary, nutty characteristics of añejo tequila, and the chocolate is delicious with the earthiness of guajillo peppers and mushroom.” Those are not flavours you are likely to find in wine, which is why cocktails can be an even better pairing choice, and one more and more people are discovering.

As Laowai’s Hart says: “I think we’re going to see more of this, that it’s not just salted nuts, but a recommendation of food to go with the cocktails, so it’s a little bit above and beyond.” After all, he adds, “Bartenders are starting to be taken as seriously as chefs and know how to work with flavours.”

Getty Images photo

Here’s what you need to know before shaking up a list of cocktails to go with your next dinner party menu. • Keep an eye on the alcohol content. It’s socially responsible and besides, too high an ABV will dull the palate and overwhelm delicate flavours. Include low- and no-proof drinks in your lineup. • Bittered drinks, like the Negroni or Boulevardier, are designed to whet the appetite, and should be served with savoury appetizers. • Just as high-acid wines are the food-friendliest, the tart flavour of citrus-forward drinks can complement a wide range of foods. • White spirits and fresh herbs go best with lighter dishes like seafood and fresh summer greens. • Darker spirits like whisky, brandy or aged rum go best with red meat. A rye Manhattan is classic with grilled steak while a bourbon Old Fashioned is ideal with BBQ pork. • One easy shortcut is to match a region’s spirit to its cuisine, for instance: sake-based cocktails with Japanese cuisine; tequila ones with Mexican; rum with Caribbean. • Dessert cocktails should complement rather than match—a raspberry-flavoured French Martini goes better with chocolate mousse than, say, an Espresso Martini.

Sponsored content

Boom time

VINCENT VANDERHEIDE LEADS A TALENTED BAR AT VICTORIA’S BOOM + BAT TEN

Photos courtesy of Boom + Batten

oom + Batten is a dazzling contemporary hot spot with a prime location on Victoria’s Inner Harbour. It’s also one of the city’s best places to get a well-made cocktail, thanks to the skills of beverage director Vincent Vanderheide and his team. “I always like to say it’s not a bad office,” he says with a laugh. Vanderheide is a veteran of the Victoria cocktail community who has worked at the Fairmont Empress, Canoe Brewpub and Pagliacci’s, where he learned his love of cocktails from general manger Solomon Siegel. “I have my International Sommelier Guild diploma as well, but cocktails are what got me excited about bartending back in the day,” he says. He joined Boom + Batten shortly after it opened in June 2019, a bright, modern 6,900-square-foot restaurant built over the water. Big as it is, these days it’s so busy that

even on a rainy Monday night there’s a wait list for the 25 bar seats. “The energy is really good, which is exciting to see,” he says. “I feel like busy begets busy and people want to be where other people are.” Boom + Batten has also become such a glamorous see-and-be-seen location that Vanderheide jokingly advises his team to make drinks pretty for the ’gram and includes “cheeky” categories on his menu like “There’s Nothing More Important than Being Popular” for best sellers such as the Earl Grey Martini. Above all, he believes in the power of a good bar to bring strangers together and to understand each other a bit better. “If that happened enough times,” he muses, “we could have world peace. Maybe we won't get there in my lifetime, but hopefully we could get a little closer.”

Boom + Batten, 2 Paul Kane Place, Victoria @BoomAndBatten @BoomBatten BoomAndBatten.com

Sponsored content

Lyre’s has arrived DRINK YOUR WAY WITH THE WORLD’S MOST AWARDED NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS

he world’s best bartenders shake and stir with them. Michelin-starred restaurants create inventive drinks with them. And now Lyre’s, the world’s most awarded non-alcoholic spirits, have arrived in Canada.

choices they perhaps didn’t even know they had. Or, if you don’t feel like making your own drinks, visit famed imbibing establishments L’Abattoir in Vancouver, The Raven Room in Whistler or Citrus & Cane in Victoria.

Today, no- or low-alcohol riffs on the Negroni, Martini, Daiquiri and other cocktail classics are as on-trend as their spirit-forward counterparts—and every bit as delicious. They can be the star of your next cocktail party or your next Wednesday night in. With sophisticated, complex flavour profiles that pay homage to the spicy, bitter and sharp notes of classic cocktails, Lyre’s gives you the freedom to drink your way.

Lyre’s invites those new to cocktails, and mixology enthusiasts alike to book private, virtual mixology lessons when they purchase at lyres.ca.

Lyre’s has a premium range of 13 spirits that are capable of recreating 90 per cent of the world’s most popular cocktails, all sans alcohol. Make your next cocktail a Lyre’s, with a full back bar of nonalcoholic options ranging from rum and bourbon to gin and tequila, as well as niche spirits like absinthe and amaretto.

A great staple for entertaining, Lyre’s keeps inclusive hosting top of mind. Opting for Lyre’s when seeking the ritual of enjoying a cocktail without the effects of alcohol, hosts can provide guests with

Lyres.ca

LYRE'S DAIQUIRI T his classic Daiquiri offers a perfect balance of sweet and sour. In fact, when one achieves the cor rect combination of white cane spirit to lime, the result is one of the freshest beverages in the known universe. 1.5 oz Lyre’s White Cane Spirit 0.75 oz simple syrup (1:1) 1 oz lime juice Pinch salt (optional) Garnish: lime zest Place all ingredients (except garnish) in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Fine strain into a chilled coupette, and garnish with a piece of lime zest. Serves 1.

Lyre's @lyresspiritco #lyresspiritco #makeitalyres

Photo courtesy of Lyre’s

Cocktails that tell a story

THREE NEW BARS DEFINE COCKTAILS, EACH IN THEIR UNIQUE WAY by Allie Turner

here’s a special camaraderie between keen patron and impassioned bartender. The room design, flavour and atmosphere combine and create fertile ground for storytelling. Luckily, these three new cocktail-forward bars and restaurants that have just opened in Vancouver are more than happy to indulge us. We stopped by these hot spots to get a taste of what they’re serving.

CARLINO RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

carlinorestaurant.com

Gianluigi Bosco is more than happy to walk me through the bar menu at Carlino Restaurant & Lounge, a Kitchen Table restaurant located in the Shangri-La Hotel. It pays homage to co-owner Nick Rossi’s paternal grandfather, Carlo, and the Friuli region of Italy he hails from. Friuli borders Slovenia, so the menu has both Italian and Eastern European influences and the cocktail menu in particular reads like a love letter to the culinary heritage of Italy. Bosco, Carlino’s bar manager, says he feels a certain nostalgic affection for what they are making. It “reminds me of my childhood,” he says of the ingredients they pull together. Bosco’s parents think it’s strange that he’s serving the things they grew up with back in Italy and perhaps took for granted at home, but for me it’s a journey to a new place that has a rich culture expressed through spirits.

At Carlino. bar manager Gianluigi Bosco revisits the ingredients he grew up with in Italy. Christopher Giannakos photo

Mark Yammine photo

NEGRONI SECCO Recipe courtesy of Carlino Restaurant & Lounge. 1 oz Esquimalt Wine Company dry vermouth 0.75 oz Tanqueray gin 0.25 oz Dubh Glass Noteworthy Navy Strength gin 0.5 oz Suze 2 dashes Sichuan peppercorn tincture (see recipe) Garnish: lemon zest Pour all ingredients (except garnish) into a mixing glass, stir for approximately 15 seconds, and strain into an Old Fashioned glass over a big ice cube. Garnish with lemon zest. Serves 1.

SICHUAN PEPPERCORN TINCTURE 3.5 oz Tanqueray gin 10 g cracked Sichuan peppercorns Place ingredients in a sealable jar and macerate for three days. Fine strain and bottle. Makes about 3 oz.

The owners of Copperpenny Distilling Co. used their skills as film set decorators to create their stylish tasting lounge. Sierra Webb photo

The Carlino’s Way cocktail is an elevated concept drink that imagines what Carlo may have been drinking in the countryside. The answer is grappa, and lots of it. But to temper the overpowering liquor for a Vancouver audience, Bosco turned to the jar of maraschino cherries every family had on their shelf. Sour cherry liqueur and house-made maraschino cold brew drops are added to completely change the flavour profile of this stiff drink, topped off with one of Bosco’s own maraschino cherries. And, in another nod to Italian tradition, every day from 2:30 to 6 p.m., Carlino’s hosts an aperitivo hour. The aperitifs pull from the extensive Negroni menu and include cocktails and the sparkling Lambrusco as well as elevated bar snacks

like the frico, a crisp, melty mix of Montasio cheese, onion and potato.

COPPERPENNY DISTILLING CO.

copperpennydistilling.ca Husband-and-wife gin disruptors Jan Stenc and Jennifer Kom-Tong are also evoking a taste of place with their newly opened Copperpenny distillery and tasting lounge in North Vancouver. The former film set decorators have created a space that could easily be in London or New York. Kom-Tong designed the statement-making space while on tour with Magic Mike Live and the small details of her meticulous vision slowly reveal themselves the longer you look around.

Floor-to-ceiling windows connect the lounge to the distillery with its silver stills, which work according to the same science as copper pot stills, but produce a far more consistent product, Stenc says. Fluctuations in flavour may seem romantic and bespoke to some, but bartenders making high-level cocktails night after night would disagree. For now, the duo is focused on gin. They have tasted gin all over the world, and their goal is to create their own interpretation of those global inspirations. Besides, it’s such a broad category that they can explore almost infinite combinations of botanicals.

WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT SPIRITS TO US IS THAT THEY’RE SO REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CULTURES THAT MAKE THEM. “What’s unique about spirits to us is that they’re so representative of the cultures that make them,” says Stenc. “With gin you’re trying to create a snapshot of something.” The pair are scrupulous in their process from sourcing to distilling, and that is reflected in their drinks. “It’s a science, let’s treat it as such,” says Kom-Tong of their grain-to-glass approach.

GIN PALOMA T his easy, patio-ready cocktail comes from the tasting lounge at North Vancouver’s Copperpenny Distilling. T he fresh citrus and rosemary accentuate the notes of Eg yptian coriander and Moroccan grains of paradise in their Social Project Gin 005. 2 oz Copperpenny Social Project Gin 005 2 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (strained) 0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice 0.5 oz rosemary-infused simple syrup (see note) Garnish: Himalayan pink salt rim, dehydrated grapefruit and/or sprig of rosemary Run a grapefruit wedge around the rim of a rocks glass, then dip it into a saucer of Himalayan pink salt. Fill the glass with ice. Mix in gin, juices and syrup and stir well. Garnish with a slice of dehydrated grapefruit and/or sprig of rosemary. Serves 1.

Photo courtesy of Copperpenny Distilling Co.

Note: To make the rosemary simple syrup, mix 1 cup each sugar and water in a small pot and bring to a low boil. Stir until sugar dissolves completely and turn off heat. While cooling, add in 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Once cooled, bottle the syrup (including the rosemary) in a mason jar or glass flip-top bottle. Store in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.

thing extremely well. “When you’re called a bar, people expect everything, but you wouldn’t go to a bowling alley and order a Boulevardier,” he says. Bar Susu comes from the same culinary creatives that are behind Published on Main. The hanging-plants-and-vintagecoupes joint is casual enough for familystyle dining, but elevated enough to put the concept of bar snacks to shame. The idea is to order a variety of dishes for the table to share and, at any given time, Casson says, they might have three or four bottles of wine open for an impromptu off-menu pairing experience.

At Bar Susu, Joe Casson creates profoundly complex cocktails like the Hive & Soul, a "briny Martini" that features a honey-and-carrot ferment, herbal oil and a sarsarparilla-citrus aromatic mist. For the recipe, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca. Sarah Annand photo

To communicate this ethos, guests are greeted with a straight-up taster of gin when they arrive so they can settle in and understand where they are. “Coming here is an educational experience because we’re a distillery, not just a cocktail lounge,” she says. “It just so happens we have fabulous cocktails to go along with it.” 36

BAR SUSU

thisisbarsusu.com Joe Casson, the one-man bar team behind new natural wine pop-up Bar Susu, believes in an emphasis on doing one specific

Bar Susu’s drinks menu is broken up into “wine” and “not wine,” but the cocktail selection, while small, is spectacular. There are no brown spirits, but that goes back to Casson’s original point: You can cater to everything, but inevitably you may not execute it to the level that this type of room demands. The profoundly complex Hive & Soul cocktail balances sweet and savoury flavours. As Casson makes, it he philosophises that bartenders either celebrate one ingredient or “layer a drink into a really beautiful complex expression of creativity,” which is exactly what this is. For those who don’t like fruity cocktails, or those who love super briny Martinis, the Hive & Soul pairs perfectly with food by nature of the sweet and savoury interplay between an apricot liqueur, vernouth, aquavit, sour carrot-and-honey ferment, chive-dill oil and an aromatic mist. It’s just another taste of Vancouver’s inventive cocktail scene, something that is very much on the menu at these three new bars—and with any luck, more to come.

Marroqui Tea 1oz Jameson Irish Whiskey 1oz Mint Syrup 1/8oz Menthe Pastille

4oz English Breakfast Tea (chilled) 1oz Lemon Juice

Origami Social photo

Combine all ingredients in tall Collins glass and stir. Fill to top with ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and a lemon wedge.

1014 Main Street • bodegaonmain.ca Open Monday-Wednesday 3:30pm-11pm • Thursday-Sunday 11am-midnight Happy Hour Monday-Wednesday 3:30pm-6pm • Thursday-Sunday 3pm-6pm Brunch Saturday & Sunday 11am-3pm @bodegaonmain @bodegaonmainVan #bodeganights

VANCOUVER COCKTAIL WEEK presented by The Alchemist

At the kickoff brunch, a line of Botanist bartenders shakes and pours a modern take on the Grasshopper. Jana Bizzarri photos

A final toast to VCW 2022 . . . AND CHEERS TO AN EVEN MORE EXCITING 2023! by Joanne Sasvari

e learned, we tasted, we socialized and we drank deeply of cocktail culture during the first ever Vancouver Cocktail Week presented by The Alchemist. Heck, we even danced a little.

better. So mark your calendars now for VCW 2023, March 5 to 11!

We’re already working on next year’s festivities, which will be even bigger and

VCW 2022 began on Sunday, March 6, with a boozy brunch at Botanist and ended five

But first, a quick look back at the cocktail week that was.

TOP LEFT: Tastes from the "Bitter is Better" master class and dinner at Giovane. TOP RIGHT: At the Fun City Gala, cocktails at the Lyre's booth proved that not all cocktails need to be boozy. BOTTOM LEFT: The honeyand-raspberry-scented Tune Up cocktail at the closing gala's Southern Comfort booth. BOTTOM RIGHT: Kaitlyn Stewart serves up a Don Julio tequila cocktail at the Fun City Gala.

days later with the Fun City Gala, where exhilarated partygoers hit the dance floor at The Roof at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, high above the city’s bright lights.

In all, there were some 65 events in a festival that was all about celebrating community— the bartending community, of course, but also the greater community of Vancouver.

In between, VCW 2022 featured seminars, dinners, special events and the cinq à sept series of elevated happy hours. Working with our friends at the BC Hospitality Foundation and the Vancouver Food and Beverage Community Relief Fund, we were also thrilled to offer two spirits education scholarships.

You see, Vancouver is unique in the world of drink in that we are home to some of the planet’s most talented, creative, awardwinning bartenders, and yet we don’t really have cocktail bars. Most of our bars are part of restaurants and/or hotels, which means food and drink and hospitality are inextricably entwined in VanCity.

That’s why we chose to hold as many events as possible in the venues that already serve great cocktails, rather than designing a trade show or cocktail village. Sociable individuality is what we’re all about here—especially when we have a glass of something delicious in our hand. A cocktail is designed to mark the transition from your work life to your fun life, and to be enjoyed with friends old and new. Cocktails are inherently social, and isn’t that just what we’ve missed most these last two years? So raise a glass to the party we all needed right now, and here’s to next year’s Vancouver Cocktail Week, too. For information or news alerts about VCW, visit TheAlchemistMagazine.ca. To enquire about being a sponsor or to apply to hold an event, contact event producer Gail Nugent at gnugent@glaciermedia.ca.

Diageo World Class global Bartender of the Year James Grant pours his signature Pathfinder cocktail at the closing party.

THANK YOU FROM VCW 2022 With an event of this size, there are many, many people we need to thank, including our volunteers, everyone who hosted an event, everyone who worked on VCW and everyone who attended the festival. We’d especially like to thank the sponsors who supported VCW so generously, starting with our platinum sponsors, Don Julio and Johnnie Walker.

Yanghe, Lynx, Lyre’s, Giffard, Bittered Sling. Event sponsors: Dewar’s, Aberfeldy, Craigellachie, Teeling Whisky, Bombay Sapphire, The Botanist, Maison Ferrand, Select, Bowmore, Courvoisier, Belvedere, Glenmorangie. City sponsors: Destination Vancouver, Gastown BIS, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Gotham Steakhouse & Bar, Statera Academy and the BC Hospitality Foundation.

Thank you, too, to the following: Print sponsor: East Van Graphics. 40

Brand sponsors: Ketel One Vodka, Tanqueray No. Ten, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Tequila Patrón, Campari, Aperol, Grand Marnier, Plantation Rum, Cointreau, Mount Gay, Stolichnaya, Jura, Villa One, Bearface, Fever-Tree, Okinawa Gin, Kanomori Craft Gin, Fords Gin, Southern Comfort, Elephant Gin, Hennessy Cognac,

Thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you. And we hope to see you all back again next year! —Cheers from your VCW co-founders, Gail Nugent and Joanne Sasvari

AKI'S TEA Created by Reece Sims, this cocktail won the audience choice award at the VCW Fun City Gala. It was inspired by Aki Restaurant, the first Japanese-Canadian-owned Japanese restaurant in Vancouver. Opened in 1963 by Aki Takeuchi, it was the city’s first to serve authentic Japanese food, including the then-exotic sushi. Because the restaurant couldn’t obtain a liquor licence, servers would hide sake in teapots. T his cocktail celebrates that moment in the city’s culture with a Japanese gin, sake and tea-focused drink. 1.5 oz Masahiro Okinawa Gin 1 oz Kuramoto Secret Yuzu Saké 0.75 oz lemon juice 2 oz brewed oolong peach tea 0.5 oz simple syrup 1 straw Bittered Sling Clingstone Peach Bitters Optional garnish: sliced hawthorne berry, dried rosebud, dried jasmine tea leaves

Put all ingredients (except garnish) into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 10 to 15 seconds until chilled. Serve over 1 ice cube in a traditional Japanese tea cup. If you like, float a sliced hawthorne berry, dried rosebud and/or dried jasmine tea leaves on the surface of the cocktail. Serves 1.

Sponsored content

Focused on hospitality MEET THE TALENTED BAR LEADERS AT WENTWORTH HOSPITALIT Y GROUP

he restaurants in the Wentworth Hospitality Group are known for their welcoming atmosphere, friendly neighbourhood vibe and excellent food and drink. As the group’s beverage director J-S Dupuis says, “We’re elevated without the elevated price tag.” He credits much of that to his talented team of bar managers. “When you come into the bar, you are coming into their house and they will treat you as such,” Dupuis says. “We really focus on hospitality with the leaders we have. They really understand that.” Meet the team leading the bars at Homer Street Cafe, Maxine’s Café & Bar and Tableau Bar Bistro.

HOMER STREET CAFE: ANDREW MacDONALD Tucked in a cosy, vintage building in Yaletown, Homer Street Cafe has been a beloved local institution for years, famous for its rotisserie chicken and the best Espresso Martini in town. 42

“We describe our food as elevated comfort food and I would describe our cocktail program as the same. We try to do elevated classics,” says Andrew MacDonald. Originally from Alberta, he moved to Vancouver last April and took over the bar program in fall.

Serving fine drinks and a warm welcome, from left: Andrew MacDonald of Homer Street Cafe; Nicola Roland at Maxine's Café & Bar; and Nich Box at Tableau Bar Bistro. Leila Kwok photos

“We don’t want to do anything too out there. We want our cocktail program to be approachable. We’ve had some quite esteemed bartenders come through Homer Street and I’m just building on what they did before.”

MAXINE’S CAFÉ & BAR: NICOLA ROLAND Maxine’s, located near the Burrard Street Bridge, opened just last April, a bright, cheerful, rustic-chic spot famous for its daily brunches.

“It is until 3 p.m. only brunch, so we have a lot of cocktails involving espresso,” says bar manager Nicola Roland, a 20-year veteran of the Vancouver restaurant scene. “Then we flip into dinner and the cocktail program switches into an evening program. It’s almost like running two separate bars.” Her cocktails are all “house” drinks— even the classics have a little twist to them—with a new menu set to launch just in time for patio season. “We’re going to be doing a spritz program and changing our classics and staples,” she says.

At Maxine's, every day is a good day for brunch, and brunch means refreshing and energizing cocktails.

TABLEAU BAR BISTRO: NICH BOX Nich Box has worked some of Vancouver’s most adventurous bar programs, including The Acorn, L’Abattoir, Black Tail and The Parker. Now he’s shaking things up at Tableau, a chic French bistro where he works with mainly French products, crafting cocktails both classic and modern. “It is awesome. It’s my team, it’s my bar, it’s a lot of fun,” he says. “It was easy to sign up because there was a lot of Cognac and Champagne. There is a finesse and some elegance.” At the same time, he adds, “It is a very French bistro in that it’s pretty approachable. What we do is really about the neighbourhood.”

Cocktails classic and new take on a French accent at Tableau Bar Bistro. Expect plenty of Cognac and Champagne.

And that makes it a perfect fit in the Wentworth Hospitality family.

Wentworth Hospitality Group Homer Street Cafe • homerstreetcafebar.com Maxine's Café & Bar • maxinescafebar.com Tableau Bar Bistro • tableaubarbistro.com

CLASSICS

Wake up to the Espresso Martini THE BIT TERSWEET CONTEMPORARY CL ASSIC MAKES A COMEBACK by Joanne Sasvari

Get your caffeine buzz on with the return of the retro Espresso Martini. Getty Images photo

igh-waisted jeans, shoulder pads, neon colours—if you had any doubts that the 1980s are back, the return of the Espresso Martini should lay them to rest.

This buzzy, bittersweet cocktail was perhaps the quintessential cocktail of an era in drinks culture that was otherwise, frankly, pretty grim. In the ’80s, “spirits” meant vodka and “cocktails” were loaded with fruity juices,

Getty Images photo

sweet liqueurs and coconut, oh, so much coconut. Forget fresh citrus—the sour mix for your Amaretto Sour was likely a powder. Sexual innuendo was the name of the game, with popular cocktails (which were generally shooters) called Slippery Nipple, Between the Sheets, Screaming Orgasm and Sex on the Beach. The neon-bright, chemical-laden, ode-toexcess cherry on top of the decade was the 1988 Tom Cruise movie Cocktail, which

WITH A SPL ASH OF VODKA, A SLUG OF COFFEE LIQUEUR, A SHOT OF HOT COFFEE AND A WHOLE LOT OF ICE, HE HAD INVENTED A NEW CL ASSIC.

defined cocktail culture for a generation as something that involved bouncing bottles off your elbows. But saving the decade from sweet, slutty oblivion was the Espresso Martini. It was invented in 1983 by Dick Bradsell, the dapper London barkeep who also created the Bramble, the Treacle, Russian Spring Punch and other renowned drinks. Known as the King of Cocktails, and often credited with ushering in the rebirth of the cocktail, he worked at a number of venues and—almost unheard of at the time—insisted on using fresh juices, chilled glassware and quality ingredients. According to lore, Bradsell was working at Fred’s Club in Soho when a soon-tobe-famous model walked into his bar and asked for something “to wake me up and fuck me up.” Rumour has it that the model was Kate Moss or maybe Naomi Campbell, but Bradsell never told, and besides, Moss would have been nine and Campbell only 13, so neither is exactly likely. At any rate, he happened to be standing next to the espresso machine, and with a splash of vodka, a slug of coffee liqueur, a shot of hot coffee and a whole lot of ice, he had invented a new classic. It was called the Vodka Espresso. As ’80s glitter faded into 1990s grunge, a new cocktail style emerged: the Neo Martini, which was not a Martini at all, but any cocktail made with vodka and served in a V-shaped glass. There were dozens, maybe hundreds of them. (It’s

The garnish of three floating coffee beans is the signature of the Espresso Martini. Getty Images photo

even been suggested that the trend started in Vancouver, at Delilah’s in the Buchan Hotel, which boasted 60 “Martinis” on its list in the late 1980s.) In any case, the Vodka Espresso was rebranded the Espresso Martini, and suddenly, it was everywhere. And then just as suddenly, it wasn’t, as a new generation of drinkers embraced painstakingly handcrafted cocktails and more subtle drinking trends. But here we are now in 2022, emerging from a pandemic that upended every aspect of our lives and worrying about things we haven’t really considered since the last time the Espresso Martini was in style, including skyrocketing inflation, Russian aggression and fears of nuclear war. I suspect a lot of us could use something these days to wake us up and fuck us up. The Espresso Martini is just the drink we need right now.

Getty Images photo

ESPRESSO MARTINI

NITRO ESPRESSO MARTINI

T he key to this cocktail is using hot espresso—if the coffee is cold, it won’t for m the “crema,” the creamy foam on top that is the drink’s signature. T he three coffee beans represent health, wealth and happiness.

If you work in a bar with a draft system, it’s relatively easy to put an Espresso Martini on tap and let the nitrogen do its magic. For home bartenders, here’s how to get a similar effect using an iSi nitrogen dispenser. (Recipe adapted from iSi.com.)

2 oz vodka 0.5 oz coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa) 1 oz espresso, freshly brewed and hot 0.5 oz simple syrup (or to taste) Garnish: coffee beans

10 oz cold brew coffee 2 oz coffee liqueur 4 oz vodka 1 oz simple or vanilla syrup Garnish: coffee beans

Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Arrange 3 coffee beans on top like petals of a flower. Serves 1.

Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher, then, using a funnel, pour into the iSi nitro dispenser. Charge with an iSi nitro charger and shake 8 times. Pour into chilled cocktail glasses and garnish each with 3 coffee beans in a petal pattern. Makes 4 to 6 cocktails.

HOME BAR

Cordials

TIME TO BE CORDIAL (WITH OUR COCKTAILS) Story and photos by Matthew Benevoli

Use high-quality natural ingredients to make your own cordials.

ordials are often referred to as liqueurs or flavoured liquors; however, today we will be making the UK style of cordial, which is more akin to a concentrated syrup. I’m sure we’ve all noticed and maybe even reached for that bottle of neon green lime cordial at the grocery store. Sure, it works “fine” in drinks like a classic Gimlet (which is simply gin and lime cordial, shaken and served in a chilled cocktail glass), but the artificial lime flavour can take away from the beautiful spirits we love. It’s time to leave the neon green in the rear view and make our own cordial from

fresh, high-quality ingredients. Fresh lime juice and sugar can be used as a makeshift substitute, but the combination lacks the bitterness and sharp sour notes that a true lime cordial can offer. Cordials are pretty easy to make, with varying methods that can be done in an hour or left to steep overnight. We’ll be using citric acid to balance the sugars and highlight flavours, while adding depth and complexity. Let’s start with classic lime cordial and then try a few new recipes that are great in both traditional and zero-proof cocktails.

HOW TO MAKE LIME CORDIAL YOU WILL NEED A medium-sized pot

0.75 cup granulated sugar

Cheesecloth or coffee filter

0.75 tsp citric acid (see note)

Fine mesh strainer

1 cup lime juice (from roughly 3 large limes)

Resealable 750 mL bottle and/or large jar

Peels of 3 large limes (no white piths; piths add bitterness)

1.5 cups water

METHOD

1. P lace the water in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Once water is warm (but not boiling), slowly add sugar and citric acid and stir until dissolved. 2. M eanwhile, to create a clearer, more transparent cordial, clarify the lime juice by straining it through cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter. 3. Add lime juice and peels to the hot water mixture, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. 48

4. R emove from heat, cover with lid and let cool for 1 hour. 5. A t this point you can strain off all the solids, transfer the cordial to a sealable bottle and place it in the refrigerator. This method isn’t as deeply flavoured, but it will be ready in just over an hour.

6. Alternatively, if you have time, transfer the cordial mixture to a large sealable jar and place it in the refrigerator to steep overnight—this will produce a richer lime flavour. The next day, strain off all solids and pour the cordial into a sealable bottle. 7. Store the cordial in the refrigerator for up to 4 months. Note: Citric acid can be found at specialty retailers like Gourmet Warehouse, as well as at some grocery stores and mass retailers, or ordered online. If you want to enhance the limes’ complexity, add 0.25 tsp malic acid (which naturally occurs in limes) and decrease citric acid to 0.5 tsp for acidic balance. Recipes by Matthew Benevoli

BEHIND THE PALMS

MEDITERRANEAN SPRITZ (ALCOHOL-FREE)

1.5 oz reposado tequila 0.5 oz bianco vermouth 0.5 oz Strawberry Elderflower Cordial (see below) 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters Garnish: candied pineapple

1 oz Mediterranean Cordial (see below) 6 oz San Pellegrino or other sparkling mineral water 2 dashes aromatic bitters Garnish: fresh basil sprig

Place all ingredients (except garnish) in a mixing glass, add ice and stir well. Strain into a chilled coupe or other stemmed glass. Garnish with a wedge of candied pineapple perched on the rim of the glass. Serves 1.

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add cordial and mineral water; stir gently. Sprinkle 2 dashes of bitters on top. Garnish with a fresh basil sprig. Serves 1.

VARIATIONS

Strawberry Elderflower Cordial Follow the steps in the basic cordial recipe, but replace the water, sugar, citric acid, lime juice and lime peels with: 0.75 cup water, 0.5 tsp citric acid (or more if you prefer a tarter cordial), 0.75 cup elderflower syrup and 0.5 cup hulled whole strawberries (fresh or frozen). Mediterranean Cordial Follow the steps in the basic cordial recipe, but replace

the water, sugar, citric acid, lime juice and lime peels with: 1.5 cups water, 0.75 tsp citric acid, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, 0.33 cup clarified lemon juice, peels of 2 lemons (no white piths), 15 g fresh basil leaves, 10 g fresh thyme sprigs and 0.25 tsp sea salt. For this recipe, remove lemon peels after initial simmering, then add fresh herbs and salt to the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. This recipe benefits from overnight steeping in refrigerator; strain and bottle the following day.

TASTING PANEL

Summer spirits

Hot weather demands lighter spirits and less complicated cocktails. Getty Images photo

THE ALCHEMIST TASTING PANEL REVIEWS SIPS FOR THE SUNNY SEASON

nce summer’s warmer, sunnier weather finally arrives, we crave drinks that are lighter and easier, more refreshing and less complicated. No one knows that better than the bartenders who craft all your Margaritas, G&Ts, spritzes and other summertime thirst quenchers. So we asked them to share their favourite warm weather spirits,

and the cocktails they would make with them. This issue, our tasting panel team comprises bartenders J-S Dupuis, Robyn Gray, Jeff Savage, Grant Sceney and David Wolowidnyk. Here’s what they had to say. Note: Some of these products may not be available due to shipping delays.

J-S DUPUIS CINZANO ROSSO 15% ABV, $12.99, 1L “Definitely not the most commonly used summer ingredient, Cinzano Rosso for me is the perfect summer spirit as it makes a very refreshing spritz and always keeps the ABV nice and low for those full afternoon sessions,” says J-S Dupuis, the beverage director of Wentworth Hospitality Group.

IT MAKES A VERY REFRESHING SPRITZ AND ALWAYS KEEPS THE ABV NICE AND LOW FOR THOSE FULL AFTERNOON SESSIONS. one. Or just add some Dr. Pepper to your Cinzano—the sugar and caffeine will keep you going for the rest of the night, without adding too much alcohol to your system.”

Suggested cocktails: The Americano or Negroni. “With its beautifully rich and herbal notes and lovely dark cherry and dark fruit flavours and aromas, Cinzano Rosso is the perfect vermouth for one of my all-time favourite refreshing summer sippers, the Americano cocktail,” says Dupuis. “With its rich dark fruit and herbal notes, paired in equal parts with Campari, which brings bitterness and sharpness, then mixed with sparkling water in a 2:1 ratio, you get a low-ABV, refreshing and crushable cocktail that is still full flavoured and just light enough to carry you through a sunny afternoon.” He notes that you can also use the Cinzano in a frozen drink. Just add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice and lots of ice, then throw it in the blender. "It goes to make a great slushy to be enjoyed by the pool or at the beach (in a plastic container only, of course)." Once the sun goes down, he suggests starting the evening with a Negroni, adding, “Cinzano Rosso makes a great

Getty Images photo

CAIPIRINHA Recipe courtesy of Robyn Gray, Queens Cross Pub. 1 whole lime 1 Tbsp granulated sugar 2 oz cachaça Garnish: lime zest. Quarter the lime, place in a cocktail shaker, add sugar and muddle together. Add cachaça and ice cubes and shake well. Dump everything straight into a rocks glass. Garnish with lime zest. Serves 1.

TO ME, IT JUST TASTES LIKE CAPTURED SUNLIGHT, AND WHETHER IT’S SERVED NEAT, WITH A TOUCH OF SODA AND LIME, OR IN A MIXED DRINK, IT JUST SCREAMS SUMMER TO ME. ROBYN GRAY AVUÁ BÁLSAMO CACHAÇA 40% ABV, $86, 750 ML Robyn Gray, the general manager at Queens Cross Pub in North Vancouver, chose cachaça, a Brazilian rum made from fermented sugar cane juice. “This differs from industrial rums made from molasses,” he says. “Production methods include aging in interesting wood barrels such as Bálsamo wood, in this case used in Avuá Cachaça, the only cachaça available in market at the moment.” Suggested cocktail: The Caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail. “It’s a delicious, refreshing summer drink simply made with sugar and lime,” he says.

JEFF SAVAGE SANTANERA BLANCO 40% ABV, $112, 750 ML “When the summer starts, for me nothing compares to tequila,” says Jeff Savage, the head bartender at Botanist Bar at the Fairmont Pacific Rim and 2019 Diageo World Class global runner up. “Few things beat the combination of sun-soaked skin and agave, particularly blanco. To me, it just tastes like captured sunlight, and whether it’s served neat, with a touch of soda and lime, or in a mixed drink, it just screams summer to me.” He adds: “When it comes to brand names, I prefer highland-style tequilas, with

EL DIABLO Recipe courtesy of Jeff Savage, Botanist Bar. 1.5 oz blanco tequila 0.5 oz crème de cassis 0.75 oz lime juice 52

Getty Images photo

Ginger beer Garnish: lime wheel

Shake the first three ingredients together in a shaker tin with ice. Add a few ounces of a spicy ginger beer of your choice to the shaker tin, and strain into a Collins glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel. Serves 1.

their robust floral and saline notes, but valley tequilas definitely have their place. Standouts to me include Santanera, Don Julio and Tequila Ocho.” Suggested cocktail: “For mixed drinks, of course the Margarita stands out, as well as the Paloma, one of my personal favourites and the name of my Mexican rescue pup,” says Savage. “For a switch up, I really like the modern classic, an El Diablo.” GRANT SCENEY TANQUERAY GIN 40% ABV, $27.49, 750 ML “Gin, it’s a great spirit all year round, but summer is really its time to shine,” says Grant Sceney, creative beverage director of the Fairmont Pacific Rim and 2014 World Class Canada Bartender of the Year. “It works well in stirred cocktails such as Martinis and Negronis, but come summer you really get to play off its light citrus, floral and botanical nature. Think fun, long and refreshing yet complex cocktails!” He suggests trying twists on your favorite summer classics such as a Gin & Tonic, Tom Collins, Southside or a Gin Gin Mule. Suggested cocktail: “A drink we have just put on the menu in the Lobby Lounge is the Check In,” he says. “It’s a delicious blueberry-and-lavender take on the French 75, perfect for when you ‘check in’ to the hotel.”

IT’S A GREAT SPIRIT ALL YEAR ROUND, BUT SUMMER IS REALLY ITS TIME TO SHINE.

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Pacific Rim

CHECK IN Recipe by Grant Sceney, Fair mont Pacific Rim. 1 oz Tanqueray gin 0.67 oz Blueberry Lavender Oleo (see note) 0.67 oz lemon juice 0.25 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco 3 oz Blue Mountain Brut (or other sparkling wine) Garnish: Thyme flower Place all the ingredients except the sparkling wine and garnish into a cocktail shaker with ice; shake and strain into a champagne flute. Top with bubble and garnish with a thyme flower. Serves 1. Note: To make the Blueberry Lavender Oleo Saccharum, bring 1.75 cups (400 mL) water to a boil and add 20 g dried food-safe lavender. Steep 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Place lavender tea, 5 cups sugar, 500 g blueberries, 150 g lemon zest and 30 g thyme leaves in a vacuum seal bag, muddling gently to break up blueberries and lemon oils. Seal and leave for 24 to 48 hours. Strain. Will keep, chilled, up to 2 weeks. Makes 2 cups.

IF YOU’RE NOT YET FAMILIAR WITH PERUVIAN PISCO, PICK UP A BOT TLE AND HAVE SOME FUN MIXING IT INTO BOTH CL ASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY COCKTAILS. DAVID WOLOWIDNYK BARSOL PISCO – QUEBRANTA 41.3% ABV, $44.99, 750 ML “I'm glad I was able to highlight pisco this year—it's been a favourite of mine for a long time,” says David Wolowidnyk, bartender at Acquafarina and distiller at Resurrection Spirits. “I’ve always been a fan of Peruvian pisco, wishing more people to experience this South American brandy.” Pisco is a grape-based spirit made in Peru and Chile, with significant differences between the two countries’ styles. “All varieties of Peruvian pisco are wonderfully aromatic due to regulated production methods that help to highlight unique profiles,” Wolowidnyk notes. There are eight grape varieties commonly used in Peruvian pisco, both as single-varietal and multi-varietal expressions (acholado), yielding a depth of character and diversity of flavours not found in similar spirits. Quebranta is the most common grape used for single-varietal Pisco. “Quebranta is known for having the aromas of fresh apples, hay, pastry, vanilla and dark chocolate,” he says. “These flavour profiles follow through on the palate, adding toasted nuts into the mix.” 54

Wolowidnyk adds: “If you’re not yet familiar with Peruvian pisco, pick up a bottle and have some fun mixing it into both classic and contemporary cocktails.” Suggested cocktail: Pisco punch.

Getty Images photo

PISCO PUNCH A twist on the classic from bartender David Wolowidnyk, Acquafarina. 2 oz Barsol Pisco – Quebranta 1.5 oz fresh pineapple juice 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice 0.5 oz orgeat (almond syrup) Garnish: pineapple slice Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously, then fine strain into a chilled rock glass over new cubed ice. Garnish with a small slice of pineapple. Serves 1.

B.C. DISTILLERY LISTINGS

DISTILLERY LEGEND

(on-site services offered)

YOUR GUIDE TO THE SPIRIT MAKERS This province’s 73 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

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.

Antidote Distilling Co.

Arbutus Distillery 1890 Boxwood Rd., Nanaimo 250-714-0027 ArbutusDistillery.com

Ampersand Distilling

ClearCut Distilling Co. 319 Sutil Rd., Quadra Island 250-285-2257 SouthEnd.ca

The Schacht family handcrafts spirits in the Cowichan Valley. Ampersand Gin, their flagship spirit, was declared Canada’s Best Classic Gin at the 2021 World Gin Awards, and Best in Class: Contemporary Gin at the 2022 CASC Awards. Products: Ampersand Gin, Per Se Vodka, Imperative Dry Vermouth, Nocino! 4077 Lanchaster Rd., Duncan 250-999-1109 AmpersandDistilling.com

— Partner Distillery —

With their Double Gold and Silver at the San Francisco International Spirits awards, Antidote Distilling Co. keeps crafting unique spirits from botanicals hand foraged on Vancouver Island. Products: Hand-foragedmushroom Black Gin, London Dry-Style Gin COMING SOON 4721 Johnston Rd., Port Alberni AntidoteDistillingCo.com

— Partner Distillery —

Driftwood Spirits 836 Viewfield Rd.,Victoria DriftwoodSpirits.ca

Fermentorium Distilling Co. 2010 Government St., Victoria 250-380-1912 Fermentorium.ca

Goldstream Distillery

Island Spirits Distillery

Merridale Craft Spirits

4A-4715 Trans-Canada Hwy., Whippletree Junction, Duncan 250-213-8476 GoldstreamDistillery.com

4605 Roburn Rd., Hornby Island 250-335-0630 IslandSpirits.ca

1230 Merridale Rd., Cobble Hill 250-743-4293 MerridaleCider.ca

Bespoke Spirits House

Shelly Heppner, owner and distiller, is an artist by nature, now creating in liquid form! Part art; part science; unadulterated enjoyment! Mention The Alchemist for a free gift with purchase. Products: Jezebel Gin, Summer Solstice Gin, Winter Solstice Gin, Limoncello, Crème de Cassis, Quince Liqueur, Coffee & Candies Fig Liqueur, Virtue Vodka 56

425 Stanford Ave. E., Parksville BespokeSpiritsHouse.com

— Partner Distillery —

DEVINE Distillery

Awarded the 2022 Canadian Artisan Spirit of the Year for their Ancient Grains ‘Young’ Whisky, DEVINE Distillery continues to build on its farmto-flask approach creating unique small-batch whisky, gin, “rum” and brandy. Products: Glen Saanich, Ancient Grains, Genever, Dutch Courage, Sloe Gin, Honey Shine Silver, Honey Shine Amber, Black Bear 250-665-6983 @DevineDistillery DevineDistillery.com

— Partner Distillery —

Macaloney’s Island Brewery and Distillery

Winners of numerous World Whiskies Awards, this distillery, started by Scotsman Graeme Macaloney, offers several single malts as well as world-class tours of the distillery. Products: Glenloy Single Malt Whisky, Invermallie Single Cask Series (Ex-Bourbon, Portuguese Red Wine, Port, Moscatel), Mac Na Braiche Single Malt Spirit, Peated Mac Na Braiche Single Malt Spirit, Peated Darach Braiche Single Malt Spirit, Oaken Poitín Single Malt Spirit, Searaidh Braiche Single Malt Spirit 761 Enterprise Cres., Victoria 778-401-0410 VictoriaCaledonian.com

— Partner Distillery —

Maehem Spirits

Spinnakers

COMING SOON! 4905 Cherry Creek Rd., Port Alberni 250-731-7535 MaehemSpirits.ca

308 Catherine St., Victoria 250-386-2739 Spinnakers.com

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

Pacific Rim Distilling 2-317 Forbes Rd., Ucluelet PacificRimDistilling.ca

Salt Spring Shine Craft Distillery

Stillhead Distillery

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

105-5301 Chaster Rd., Duncan 250-748-6874 Stillhead.ca

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

Tofino Distillery Unit G & H, 681 Industrial Way, Tofino, 250-725-2182 TofinoCraftDistillery.com

True North Distilleries

194 Kitchen Rd., Salt Spring Island 250-221-0728 SaltSpringShine.com

103-680 Berwick Rd. S., Qualicum Beach 778-879-4420 TrueNorthDistilleries.com

Shelter Point Distillery

Victoria Distillers

4650 Regent Rd., Campbell River 778-420-2200 ShelterPoint.ca

9891 Seaport Pl., Sidney 250-544-8217 VictoriaDistillers.com

Sheringham Distillery

Wayward Distillery

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

2931 Moray Ave, Courtenay 250-871-0424 WaywardDistillery.com

Bruinwood Estate Distillery 2040 Porter Rd., Roberts Creek 604-886-1371 Bruinwood.com

Central City Brewers & Distillers 11411 Bridgeview Dr., Surrey 604-588-2337 CentralCityBrewing.com

Copperpenny Distilling 103-288 E. Esplanade, North Vancouver 778-802-3500 CopperpennyDistilling.ca 57

Copper Spirit Distillery

Long Table Distillery

441 Bowen Island Trunk Rd., Bowen Island 778-895-9622 CopperSpirit.ca

1451 Hornby St., Vancouver 604-266-0177 LongTableDistillery.com

Crow’s Nest Distillery 117-667 Sumas Way, Abbotsford 778-251-6002 CrowsNestDistillery.com

Lucid Spirits

Mad Laboratory Distilling

785 Iverson Rd., Lindell Beach DeepEarth.ca

119-618 East Kent Ave., Vancouver MadLabDistilling.com

Dragon Mist Distillery

Mainland Whisky

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

107-3425 189th St., South Surrey MainlandWhisky.com

8-7167 Vantage Way, Delta GWDistilling.com

The Liberty Distillery 58 1494 Old Bridge St., Vancouver 604-558-1998 TheLibertyDistillery.com

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

Odd Society Spirits 105B-8257 92nd St., Delta 604-349-3316 LucidSpirits.ca

Deep Earth Farms

Goodridge & Williams Craft Distillers

North West Distilling Co.

Montis Distilling

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

One Foot Crow 1050 Venture Way, Gibsons OneFootCrow.com

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

Ravens Distillery 1062 Millar Creek Rd., Whistler MontisDistilling.com

New Wave Distilling 3387 Tolmie Rd., Abbotsford 604-864-1033 @NewWaveDistilling

2485 Townline Rd, Abbotsford 604-758-1557 RavensDistilling.com

Resurrection Spirits 1672 Franklin St., Vancouver 604-253-0059 ResurrectionSpirits.ca

Sons of Vancouver 1431 Crown St., North Vancouver 778-340-5388 SonsOfVancouver.ca

Roots and Wings Distillery

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

Stealth Craft Distillers

The Woods Spirit Co. 1450 Rupert St., North Vancouver 778-996-7637 TheWoodsSpiritCo.com

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

OKANAGAN, KOOTENAYS & INTERIOR Specializing in craft spirits from absinthe to whisky to gin to vodka. Stop by for a tasting or a cocktail flight and feel the farm-fresh spirit take flight on your tastebuds. Products: Vital Vodka, Double Vice Coffee Infused Vodka, Renegade (horseradishinfused vodka), Dill Pickled Vodka, Peachy Keen Vodka, Jackknife Gin, Encore Gin, Inspired Gin, Old Dame, Rebel, Sidekick, Johnny Handsome, Old Fashioned Spirit, Apotheosis Absinthe, cocktail kits 7897 240th St., Langley 778-246-5247 RootsAndWingsDistillery.ca

— Partner Distillery —

After Dark Distillery Stealth Wheat Vodka is a single-grain spirit with exceptionally clean taste and smooth finish. Subtle notes of sweet grain with a crisp body. Great mixing vodka for just about any cocktail you can think of. Available online and at private liquor stores. Products: Stealth Corn Vodka, Stealth Wheat Vodka, Stealth West Coast Rum #3-20 Orwell St., North Vancouver StealthCraftDistillers.com

— Partner Distillery —

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

Alchemist Distiller 101-18006 Bentley Rd, Summerland 250-317-6454 AlchemistDistiller.ca

Bohemian Spirits 417A 304 St., Kimberley BohemianSpirits.com

CrossRoads Brewing & Distillery 508 George St., Prince George 250-614-2337 CrossRoadsCraft.com

Legend Distilling

Okanagan Spirits

3005 Naramata Rd., Naramata 778-514-1010 LegendDistilling.com

Maple Leaf Spirits Dubh Glas Distillery 8486 Gallagher Lake Frontage Rd., Oliver 778-439-3580 TheDubhGlasDistillery.com

Elder Bros Farm Distillery 3121 Mission Wycliffe Rd., Cranbrook 250-581-2300 ElderBrosFarms.com

Monashee Spirits 307 Mackenzie Ave., Revelstoke 250-463-5678 MonasheeSpirits.com

Okanagan Crush Pad

Fernie Distillers

16576 Fosbery Rd., Summerland 250-494-4445 OkanaganCrushPad.com

531 1st Ave., Fernie FernieDistillers.com

Old Order Distilling Company

Indigenous World Spirits 2218 Horizon Dr., Kelowna 250-769-2824 IndigenousWorldWinery.com 60

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

Jones Distilling 616 Third St. West, Revelstoke JonesDistilling.com

270 Martin St., Penticton 778-476-2210 OldOrderDistilling.ca

Red Collar Brewing & Distilling Co.

B.C.’s Original Craft Distillery invites you to step into their Prohibition-era tasting rooms to experience authentic farmto-flask whiskies, gins, vodkas, liqueurs, brandies, and even Canada’s original absinthe. Products: BRBN BourbonStyle Whisky, B.C. Rye Whisky, Laird of Fintry Single-Malt Whisky (double-wooded in Fortified Foch, Port, Rhum Agricole and Extra-Anejo Tequila casks), Okanagan Shine un-aged whisky, fruit and grain-based vodkas and gins, seasonal traditionally made liqueurs and brandies, Taboo Genuine Absinthe and Aquavitus. Private label custom cask program also available. 5204 24th St., Vernon 267 Bernard Ave., Kelowna 250-549-3120 | 778-484-5174 OkanaganSpirits.com

355 Lansdowne St., Kamloops 778-471-0174 RedCollar.ca — Partner Distillery —

Taynton Bay Distillers

Wiseacre Farm Distillery

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

4275 Goodison Rd., Kelowna 250-469-2203 WiseacreFarmDistillery.com

Tumbleweed Spirits

Wynndel Craft Distilleries

#7-6001 Lakeshore Dr., Osoyoos 778-437-2221 TumbleweedSpirits.com

1331 Channel Rd., Wynndel 250-866-5226 WynndelCraftDistilleries.ca

Vernon Craft Distillery Vernon, 250-306-4455 VernonCraftDistilleries.com

MAKE YOUR

DRINKS WORLD CLASS

MAKE YOUR MAKE YOUR

WORLD DRINKS CLASS WORLD

CLASS News

SPRING/SUMMER 2022

SPRING/SUMMER 2022 / 18

Interviews DRINKS Features Reviews PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

THE ALCHEMIST

Trends

NEW/NEXT

COCKTAIL WEEK

B.C. BAIJIU

CORDIALLY YOURS

Where to drink in Vancouver now

Looking back at the inaugural fest

China’s popular spirit goes local

Home Bar’s recipe for a better Gimlet

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

Recipes & more

Subscribe today and get every issue delivered to your door.

For more info and to start your subscription, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca/shop

LAST CALL GREAT WORLD BARS WE LOVE: DANTE WEST VILLAGE Just as its sibling is famous for crafting an entire menu of Negroni cocktails in various creative iterations, West Village offers a list of eight playful Cosmopolitan riffs, taking on the long balked-at ’90s drink and making it trendy again. For those visiting in the evening, expect a palpable mood change as the room darkens and the energy amps up, with guests enthusiastically clinking coupes of perfectly frozen Martinis while noshing on a seafoodheavy menu that leans Italian.

ew York City is back. Like back back. After a whirlwind two years as the city hardest hit by the pandemic, there is now an energetic buzz returning to the streets. People are going out again in droves. Tourists are re-visiting. And that means you are likely to find yourself in a standing room situation squished between patrons or circling the block hoping for a table to open up when looking for a place in which to imbibe. Dante West Village is one of those magical spaces well worth waiting for. It is the second outpost of the former World’s 50 Best Bars list topper and opened at the apex of the pandemic in July 2020.

Located on a quaint corner in the heart of the West Village, the whimsical space immediately draws you in with its esthetic charm. Lightfilled and airy by day, Dante WV offers beautifully crafted spritzes and other aperitivos set against a backdrop of dried florals and soft green furniture accents.

Photos cby Doris Sun

Servers are attentive and committed to providing a unique experience, often bringing surprises like mini Espresso Martinis to cap off your evening. Dante calls them “ones for the road” and they certainly make travelling to your next destination a whole lot more fun. dante-nyc.com —Doris Sun

The Coco Cosmo (coconut-washed Absolut, coconut liqueur, cranberry wine, coconut water) at Dante West Village.

SAVE THE DATE!

MARCH 5-11, 2023

Presented by

FEATURING SPIRITED BRUNCH

CINQ À SEPT SERIES

SEMINARS

UNIQUE EVENTS & DINNERS

FUN CIT Y GAL A

To enquire about sponsorship, Cinq à Sept, or to hold a VCW seminar or event contact co-founder and event producer: Gail Nugent | gnugent@glaciermedia.ca

thealchemistmagazine.ca/vcw

MAKE YOUR

DRINKS WORLD DRINKS CLASS WORLD MAKE YOUR

CLASS

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.