Awesome Thing We Drank
From local craft beers, ciders and wines to classic cocktails and newfangled concoctions of every mentionable stripe, this column details every especially tasty beverage that we remember to photograph before drinking.
The Timely ‘Campfire’ Cocktail At Nomad On Main Street
This is a deliciously spicy little number of Eagle Rare bourbon, dry gin and dry vermouth complicated by ginger syrup, Angostura bitters and charred citrus. The potent, aromatic mix is then poured into a smoke filled rocks glass for the win.
South Africa’s Blankbottle 2015 ‘Moment Of Silence’
Seek and taste now, because there’s every assurance this exact wine will never be again. For the better. Crazy good value for this level of everything.
Brilliant, Food Friendly ‘Red Pilsner’ From Steel & Oak
Despite all the hop bombs, delectably balanced pale ales, and brett-conditioned saisons the organizers had secured, many of the bearded beer geek set in attendance preferred the nuanced charms of Occidental's perfectly executed Bohemian-style lager...
‘Sons Of Vancouver’ Coffee Liqueur — Launches Today
Without naming names, I can tell you this is NOTHING like that coffee liqueur that Mom spikes her morning cup of coffee with over the holidays...
Niepoort ’14 Dialogo From The Douro Valley In Portugal
Youthful raspberry, blackberry, wild blueberry, thorns ride a juicy and jubilant palate, brought back to earth by earthy, savoury and youthfully fierce, fine tannins...
Locally Distilled ‘Lohin McKinnon’ Single Malt Whisky
On the nose, I was right away taken back to the Highlands. Notes of stone fruit, vanilla and the charred American oak of the barrel hit the senses. On the palate, there were silky layers of honey, candied citrus and a subtle, peppery finish.
Barrel-Aged ‘Reynard’ Oud Bruin By Strange Fellows
Whether you're savouring Hill's latest Oud Bruin on your own or serving it over the holidays with some Le Cendrillon Ash Chevre or a slice of Cadeaux's gorgeous Black Forest cake with sour cherry compote, Reynard won't disappoint.
Wind Gap Trousseau Gris From The Russian River Valley
The vibrant, lively wine is incidentally white; a white skinned grape made like it was a red wine with an alluring depth of salty herbal fruit and bitter pear through to the finish.
Summer Thyme Refreshment At ‘Cabrito’ On The Drive
Mezcal margarita sees its Cointreau, lime, and agave lit up with the booze-alleviating sting of grapefruit and a seriously summery herbaceous hint of thyme ("tomillo" is Spanish for thyme).
Veneto’s Excellent, Smashable Angiolino Maule Masieri
A fine slick of earthy lees oils the bottom of the palate, while herbal lemon oil-laced acidity brightens the whole to a lightly grippy finish. You rock up to a party carrying one of these beauties and you are the party.
Superb, Bittersweet ‘Amaro’ Made In North Vancouver
A couple of young fellows from North Van recently dove head first into the Amaro game, and their subtly sweet, silky smooth Italian style bitter is the best I’ve tried in BC.
Bridge Brewing Co.’s Brilliant Side Cut North East IPA
With a full, well-rounded mouth feel and a resiny, grapefruity aftertaste, Side Cut makes a pretty strong impression, and is a brilliant intro to a relatively new (albeit disputed) "style" of IPA.
Kitten Swish – 2014 ‘Target Practice’ Cabernet Franc
Though full bodied and generous, long tannins are spun silk textured and acidity is naturally lifted. Quite pretty, while powerful, this is a unique cabernet franc worth setting your sights on.
The Rye Stout From ‘Doan’s Craft Brewery’ In East Van
With a mouthfeel that similarly starts out supple and rich, only to be cut by a firm, dry finish, Doan’s rye stout is an inventive yet honest take on a classic style that is well-deserving of its recognition as BC's best stout.
Faia Vin Blanc 2014 From Loire’s Mai & Kenji Hodgson
Tight green apple, white honey, delicate white florals, savoury broken stone, mandarin pith and bitter herbs glide on the palate's lightly leesy chenin sheen through to the lengthy finish...
Cross Border Collab Crafts Brilliant ‘Common Winds’
lthough nearly sold out, word is that a couple remaining bottles of this super limited edition beer are still out there. I'd grab whatever you can find because epic collabs like this one don’t come around too often.
Yellow Dog Brewing Co.’s ‘Play Dead IPA’ A Rare Gem
It's maybe not what George Hodgson had in mind when he filled his first barrels with October Ale destined for the Subcontinent, but it remains a perfectly executed expression of a modern style that can be so delicious when done well.
’13 “One Ball” Chardonnay From Australia’s BK Wines
With a couple of years under its belt and a nutty, brioche maturity, this wine is drinking beautifully now but will continue to mature and deepen with 5+ years.
Pride Of Dageraad Brewing — The Stunning Blonde Ale
With a rich, supple mouth feel and a warming finish, Dageraad Blonde manages to balance all of its complexity while still maintaining its many unique, constituent elements...
Ringing In The New Year With Good Prosecco In Hand
Serious Prosecco, and seriously drinkable – at about half the price of Champagne. Saluti e felice anno nuovo!
Mathieu + Camille Lapierre’s Morgon ’13 Cru Beaujolais
Crunchy acids finish with ample white pepper on the finish. Very low sulphur use here, as is the house style. It's drinking well now, but will reward with 5+ years in the cellar.
2012 “Secateurs” Red Blend From A.A. Badenhorst
Next time instead of trotting out your darling obscure Jura or electric Savennières or natural Etna (all of which fill my shelves), reach for one of the new wave South African wines, like Secateurs Red Blend.
Citrusy “Guardian” White IPA From Strange Fellows
Barman Florian Ruff’s ‘The Elder Got Flowers’ Cocktail
“Green Room” Syrah/Grenache From Ochota Barrels
Cortado At The West End’s “Greenhorn Espresso Bar”
A Tall, Refreshing Glass Of Breakfast At Chambar
“The Blue Nutter” Cocktail At Notturno In Gastown
