Category: Reviews


Review: Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew

Filed Under: Reviews by japhet — 1 Comment
August 30, 2010

hintachino nest real ginger beerOne of my favorite things they do to beer is adding flavorings to beer to create something new. Fruits and spices make for great adjuncts so when I picked up a bottle of Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew (171546, 330 mL, $3.95) I figured I might be onto a good thing.

I like non-alcoholic ginger beer and ginger ale. Some of the best I’ve ever had was made by Kyle Burch of the sadly defunct Bespoke Bar blog from his house. He’d brew it in leftover Beau’s Lugtread Ale ceramic bottles. It was peppery as all hell with a much softer carbonation than was found in the commercial recipes. Both types go very well with West and East Indian food; the spicier the better.

Anyway, I decided to make a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches to eat with the ginger beer. There were some interesting odds and ends in my fridge and I’d had a hankering for one ever since I visited The Grilled Cheese, a little cafe serving just that in Kensington Market at 66 Nassau St.

There I’d dined on a pizza version which contained mozzarella cheese, pesto and bacon, grilled panino style. While delicious I wasn’t about to go shopping. Anyone who knows will tell you the best part about making a sandwich is using what you have (this assumes you actually make dinner at least once a week and have leftovers).

The star of the show is always the cheese and so it should be your first consideration. I had just enough bocconcini and old cheddar to make one sandwich of each.

With the former cheese, I decided to keep it traditional and add some fresh basil picked from my roommate’s herb garden along with some Roma tomatoes. To jack it up a bit, I rolled the balls of cheese in some chili garlic sauce to which I’d added a couple dashes of lemon juice.

With the cheddar, I sautéed some red onions in sesame seed oil and layered them overtop. Feeling pretty fly, I put some over the bocconcini as well. One can never have enough right? The cheddar also got a liberal grind of black pepper.

grilled cheese

Both sandwiches used StoneMill Sprouted Grain bread which is pretty much all I’ve been buying lately. I lightly slathered both sides of the bread with salted butter and off they went to the frying pan. Less than a couple minutes later they were ready to go and so was my beer.

I’d left the Ginger Brew on the counter so it would have time to warm up just a bit; a beer that’s too cold doesn’t reveal its full flavor.

It poured a cloudy amber with a head that took no time at all in disappearing. My first whiff left me with a whole lot of ginger and a touch of sweet malt and caramel. The flavor was interesting to say the least; I could almost taste pine for some reason. While the ginger dominated, I got less of the malt and the ginger lingered on a bit afterwards with some bitterness. It got a bit much towards the end of the glass and I found myself wishing for more of the carbonation that seemed to have gone with the head.

The Ginger Brew wasn’t half-bad with the grilled cheese, especially the salty, spicy and garlicky bocconcini. At the end of my meal, I had to say I enjoyed the sandwiches way more than I did the beer. I’d like to try another bottle just to make sure I didn’t get a bum sample but I don’t think I’d make a habit of buying this. It would probably go really well with Korean food or that delicious Ultimate Sandwich (fried eggs, kimchi, bacon and garlic mayo on sourdough bread) you can get at Mitzi’s on College St. Now that’s a sandwich!

I prefer ginger in my cocktails or in my cooking.

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Review: William Premium Cider

Filed Under: Reviews by japhet — 2 Comments
June 24, 2010

When I first moved to Toronto back in 2001, the only cider you could get was Strongbow. I had a lot of fun drinking six-packs in High Park but due to my generally-high levels of consumption, I soon grew tired of the bubbly, apple beverage.

Over the years, I’ve tried every cider out there, from Bulmer’s to Gaymer’s but I’ve stuck to the English ciders because their Canadian counterparts are usually sugary and about as enjoyable as a cooler.

On a recent expedition to my local LCBO, I picked up  a new can of cider. I didn’t pay much attention to what it was all about (novelty can go a long way with me) but when I examined William Premium Cider (173039, 473 mL, $2.75)  closer later on, I was pleased to see that not only was it Canadian but certified organic as well.

After letting it chill, I cracked open the can and poured myself a glass and goddamn if it didn’t snack-crackle-pop with the sheer force of the carbonation! While the head dissipated rather quickly, the bubbles continued for a good long while. A nose of apple and pear continues into its taste which is thankfully not too sweet; about on the level of a extra-dry sparkling wine. Without lingering around like a recalcitrant guest, it provides the kind of finish that complimented the rotisserie chicken and bok choi (sautéed with garlic and sesame seeds) that I paired it with.

It would go equally well with a spinach salad, particularly if one were to add candied pecans and strawberries or something along those lines. Whether you drink it by itself or alongside a meal, William Premium Cider definitely holds its own against Strongbow or Magner’s and has the added benefit of coming from our side of the pond.

—

(Image taken from Conception Focus. My camera’s acting up…)

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Review: Georg Schneider’s Wiesen Edel-Weisse

Filed Under: Reviews by japhet — 1 Comment
May 11, 2010

A recent foray into the LCBO at the Manulife Centre (after a screening of Iron Man 2) led to me discovering a a new hefeweizen called Georg Schneider’s Wiesen Edel-Weisse (157651, 500 mL, $3.25).

These types of beers are German, feature at least a 50:50 ratio of wheat to barley malt, strong notes of banana and cloves and a dry and tart mouthfeel (unlike the Dutch witbiers, think Hoegaarden, which are typically made with unmalted wheat and have more of a citrus and herbal taste).

It sat in my fridge for a couple of days because you don’t just casually drink this beer before a night out on the town. This is a beer best savored when you have nothing else to do.

Monday came along and after dinner, I decided to have at ‘er. After leaving it out to take some of the chill off, I cracked it open and poured it into my vase-like Erdinger glass.

I was immediately impressed by the cloudy, golden color and the thick, substantial head. Even after the first swallow, there was a good amount of lacing. There was also a fair bit of carbonation which is always nice to see if you’ve ever been served a pint with maybe half-a-dozen lonely bubbles crawling to the surface.

The dominant aroma was one of banana and cloves which continued on in the flavor with wheat malt, some citrus and bitterness from the hops that lasts a surprisingly long time.

I’m surprised by how long it took me to finish this but this is a substantial beer that is not meant for downing quickly. Thankfully, in the time it took to drain my glass, it stayed refreshing. A nice, dry finish lingers and although I can’t remember what the original Schneider Weisse tastes like, the fact that this one’s organic makes it a winner as far as I’m concerned.

This is not the type of beer you might want drink more than one of but it would certainly suit for a quiet evening. Definitely a worthy alternative to Edelweiss Snowfresh White Weissbier (73718, 330 mL, $1.95)  (which is making a welcome return to LCBO shelves this summer.)

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Zuidam makes a perfect “gin” and tonic

Filed Under: Recipes, Reviews by japhet — 2 Comments
May 9, 2010

Current chill and gale force winds notwithstanding, summer is approaching with a vengeance. We’ve already had a taste of it and if you’re like me, you want more. A repeat of ought-nine’s rainy skies will not do; I want a hot, dry summer that leaves one incapable of doing more than lounging on the porch, sweating and drinking gin and tonics.

When trying to beat the heat, poor gin and sugary tonic water will be the death of you. Up your game and bask in glowing praise from your friends and grudging admiration from your enemies (if your the sort of fellow who drinks with ‘em)!

First, choose a gin. In this case, I was quite unable to resist Zuidam Jonge Graan Genever (660928, 500 mL, $24.95). Triple-distilled from equal parts rye, corn and malted barley before being distilled again with a variety of botanicals, it’s clear from the first sip that this is no London dry gin. The malt tones are much more evident and then you get the juniper and liquorice. It’s big and spicy but very clean and smooth indeed.

I’d read somewhere that genever is traditionally taken chilled but my friend and I didn’t have time for that. After the requisite sipped quarter shot, I decided to whip us up a couple of gin and tonics.

For my mixer, I’d gotten a pack of Fever-Tree Tonic Water (you can find it at The Big Carrot and maybe some other high-end grocery stores). Much like the Zuidam, this is very clean and soft with a high level of carbonation and none of the sweetness you get in many of its mass-market cousins. My limes were nothing special and if there was anywhere I was cheating myself, it was with the ice which was made from filtered tap-water. (One important thing to remember with limes (or any citrus) is to roll them under the palm of your hand before cutting and squeezing them. It helps release the juices.)

I was expecting a refined drink and suffice it to say, was not disappointed. This genever and tonic is all smooth curves and lightness on the tongue. It will please those who don’t like gin and delight those who do.

GENEVER AND TONIC

1.5 oz Zuidam Jonge Graan Genever

4 oz Fever-Tree Tonic Water

.5 oz lime juice

Squeeze half a lime into a rocks glass filled with ice. Add the genever and the tonic.

While I’m still enamored with Hendrick’s and Beefeater 24, I think Zuidam’s is a fine alternative to whatever gin you might be used to. As well, the flavor profile is markedly different enough to give new life to whatever gin-based cocktail you might fancy.

If, like me, you’re inordinately fond of Pink Gins, throw a good three to four splashes of Angostura Bitters in there and you may very well never go back to classic version.

Doesn’t that look refreshing? You know you want one!

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Review: Hogs Back T.E.A. & Rickard’s Dark

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March 29, 2010

One of my favorite surprises is finding a new beer on the shelves of my local LCBO. While drinkvine (a fantastic resource for finding out about upcoming wine and beer releases; sign up right now if you’re not already on there) has lessened the extent of that surprise somewhat, it’s still possible to walk into the Danforth location, for example, and find a product you thought you might have to go down to Queen’s Quay for.

Too bad that with Hogs Back Traditional English Ale (157560, 500 mL, $3.75)  my excitement didn’t last much longer beyond the pour (which was quite lovely with a dark, amber colour and a fair bit of sediment). Maybe I’ve been ruined in super-hopped beers but I was fairly underwhelmed by the light body and mild flavor. There was some malt and caramel in there and a very slight, bitter finish but that was about it and the aroma was similarly-disappointing.

Honestly, it felt a little stale to me (the quickly-dissipating head worried me a bit too) and I couldn’t help wondering if this would’ve been a whole lot tastier pumped fresh.

I’d like to try another bottle or, better yet, get in on a cask but for now, I’ll stick with Fuller’s E.S.B. (106435, 500mL, $2.45).

How I came by the couple bottles of Rickard’s Dark currently sitting in my fridge is another matter altogether.  I’d missed a tasting at O. Noir, a new restaurant where you are served food in darkness by blind servers, and the P.R. company associated with the event had sent me some samples.

In the back-and-forth battle between Molson Coors and Anheuser-Busch InBev to branch out through their subsidiaries, Rickard’s and Alexander Keith’s respectively, I’d been a practically non-existent spectator. While I’d hesitate to call either the Red of the faux-I.P.A undrinkable, they’re both unremarkable, especially when there are so many other delicious beers out there.

Rickard’s had definitely edged out Keith’s (why the hell does Keith’s White taste like Corona?) when it came to wheat beers but that’s like praising one of the slow kids because the gifted child happens to be out of the room (which in this particular instance is Weinhenstephaner Hefe Weissbier [75291, 500mL, $.3.05]).

Honestly, I generally prefer Rickard’s to Keith’s and it’s not just because one of the latter’s spokesmen turned out to have a thing for kids. I also think their beers are better, if only marginally so.

Seeing as I’d been out biking all day and worked up a powerful thirst, I decided to crack one open and see what this new, dark beer was all about. Described as being “brewed in the style of English porters” I was hoping for something with a nice body that I could order at a Firkin, for example, in place of a macro-lager.

It poured a dark amber (much like the T.E.A. actually) and retained at least half of the head a couple of minutes after pouring with some minimal lacing. The aroma was a bit trickier in that I had quite a bit of trouble detecting much of it at all beyond a hint of roasted malt and maybe some caramel.

A couple mouthfuls in, I was struck by how it managed to be both sweet and fairly watery; definitely lighter than I was expecting. Flavour-wise, it was a stronger take on on the aroma with a hint of maple syrup in the astringent finish.

This is definitely not a porter; it was more of a dark ale in the broadest sense of the handle.

While not as good as their White, it was definitely not going to compete against some of the porters from the States and England that I’ve had the pleasure of drinking. I’ve never gotten around to trying Keith’s Dark (incorrectly introduced to the market as a Stag’s Head Stout) but I would imagine Rickard’s take is probably the better one.

Do I hate this beer? No but I’m not particularly impressed either. You could do far worse at many bars but in this day where there’s usually at least one decent beer to pick at any given venue, I can’t see many people making this their go-to dark beer.

Everyone I’ve talked to who has tried it feels pretty much the same. I’m guessing Molson could style it as an introduction to dark beers but likening a product to training wheels for better beers is hardly the best way to carve out a meaningful share of the market.

—

(Photo taken from Matthew Black’s Flickr Photostream.)

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Review: Everyday Drinking – The Distilled Kingsley Amis

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January 18, 2010

First of all, you should know that Kingsley Amis was a bit of an elitist, a misanthrope and a out-and-out curmudgeon. He didn’t have much time for women in a monogamous sense (as both of his marriages show) but he did spend a lot of time drinking (when he wasn’t writing) and Everyday Drinking – The Distilled Kingsley Amis is a fairly good example of the dedication an amateur can bring to the subject (whilst being pretty sad all the same)

Amis was not a nerd but he was very much an enthusiast and one with definite opinions on the rights and wrongs of drinking. He was also a massive alcoholic and, as Christopher Hitchen says in the introduction, ” the booze got him in the end, and robbed him of his wit and charm as well as of his health.”

Still, with that in mind, perhaps the best way to approach this collection is with some understanding of the man and the era he came from. Sure, there’s some information here that is wrong (morally or factually) but there’s a lot to enjoy here as well. Amis may have been many things and not all of them were “nice” but he did know what he liked and what he didn’t like and he appreciated others who felt similarly:

“I dislike men and women when they are cold-hearted (a reserved manner is okay), unpleasant to those who can’t hit back (waiters, etc.), unable to allow others to finish a sentence, stingy, disinclined to listen to reason and fact, bad hosts, bad guests, affected, racialist, intolerant of homosexuality, anti-British, members of the New Left, passively boring.” (from The Letters of Kingsley Amis, ed. by Zachary Leader, 2002)

There. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, perhaps we can go on to the book itself. Divided into three sections, On Drink, Everyday Drinking and How’s Your Glass?, it covers a wide variety of topics that interested Kingsley: literature on booze, recipes, being British, the decline of pubs, what kind of bar tools and products you’ll need, purchasing and serving wine, being both a good and bad host (and guest), how not to get drunk and (when that invariably fails) dealing with the inevitable hangover.

The last section is dominated entirely by quizzes that will test your knowledge of alcohol. Most people have found this part of the book boring but I quite enjoyed it; I guess this is where my inner nerd (and Amis’ too) comes out.

I particularly enjoyed his list of G.P (General Principles). Some of the best include:

1: Up to a point (i.e. short of offering your guests one of those Balkan plonks marketed as wine, Cyprus sherry, poteen and the like), go for quantity rather than quality.

4: For any liquor that is going to be mixed with fruit juices, vegetable juices, etc., sweetening, strongly flavoured cordials and the like, go for the cheapest reliable article.

7: Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life, a mark of the naïve–or worse.

8: Careful preparation will render a poor wine just tolerable and a very nice wine excellent. Skimping it will diminish a pretty fair wine to all right and a superb wine to merely bloody good.

These four have a lot to offer the modern consumer who is often tempted to go to extremes when it comes to purchasing booze and then gets upset when the product doesn’t match up to their expectations. Amis is quite right; don’t spend too much at the expense of getting the good stuff, buy the cheapest of the best, don’t be pretentious and make sure you prepare your drinks well.

Amis was at his best when he was cutting and dismissive. On Canadian whisky:

I can’t help thinking that the Canadians are a great crowd, but are perhaps the only people who could have produced a boring whisky.

He is less kind to the Irish:

The idea of medieval Irishmen inventing a rather complicated technique like that of distilling, or anything at all for that matter, is hard to credit.

On the Pina Colada:

Just the thing for a little 95-IQ female, fresh from a spell on the back of the bike, to suck at while her escort plunges grunting at the fruit machine. Mind you, he’ll be no ornament to his sex either, quite likely clutching a lager and lime–an exit application from the human race if there ever was one.

On being asked about what you think of the wine:

If asked what you think, say breezingly, “Jolly good,” as though you always say that whatever it’s like. This may suggest that your mind’s on higher things than wine, like gin or sex.

While Amis was fond of the classics (he counts a martini, gin of course, as the best cocktail around) he displayed a fairly remarkable ingenuity for getting the most of out what he had around him. He wouldn’t have been into mixology in the slightest, viewing drinking as an everyday pleasure, but he did appreciate good ingredients, prepared carefully, and who can’t get behind that?

In short, this book is perfect for those who enjoy a bit of British wit, don’t mind some stuffiness here and there and are willing to overlook his hypocrisies. There’s a lot of interesting information here, both historically-speaking and for the bartender-at-home. Amis does have his moments of clarity and the best advice he offers is at the end of of On Drink:

Well–if you want to behave better and feel better, the only absolutely certain method is drinking less. But to find out how to do that, you will have to find a more expert expert than I shall ever be.

Spoken like a true sot.

—

(For a different take on the book, read John Crace of The Guardian, which is also where I happened to find this rather excellent illustration by Neal Fox.)

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The best booze to buy for New Year’s Eve

Filed Under: Guides, Reviews by japhet — 1 Comment
December 25, 2009

Now that you know when you can buy booze this season, it’s time to figure out the best options out there no matter what your tipple. And seeing as we’re all broke-as-fuck from buying too many Christmas presents and engaging in a variety of holiday activities, I’m all about getting you the most bang for your buck.

(All of my selections have been carefully-vetted through the time-honored process of me getting drunk with my friends. It’s the only way to go.)

Wine

While I know that I don’t focus much on wine on this blog, I do buy and consume a lot of it. My go-to red of the moment is the Fuzion Alta Malbec Reserva. Smooth and fruity, it’s medium body makes it a perfectly-acceptable sofa companion or accompaniment to a meal. I have to agree with the LCBO; this is a terrific value at $9.95.

My choice for white is the Cono Sur Viognier ($14.95). This varietal is meant to be drunk right away and with a fruity aroma that belies its low acidity, it’s easy to do just that either with spicy food or as an aperitif. Soft and well-balanced, it’ll set you back a bit more (and it’s not as easy to find as the red above) but it’s well worth it. (If you can, try and find the “Vision” version of this release. It’s just like this but even better.)

As far as bubblies go, I’m going to have to stick with the Hungaria Grande Cuvée Brut ($11.90). Outperforming sparkling wines twice its price, it’ll still be good when you whip up some mimosas on New Years Day.

Beer

Folks can be notoriously recalcitrant when it comes to trying new beer so it’s best to have three or so types on hand. The trick is to pick three that are attractive enough to persuade ‘em to switch it up. The following will definitely do the trick…

Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout (355 mL, 10% ABV, $2.60) is the quite simply the best beer of its kind to come along in ages. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout notwithstanding, this is a serious contender that is dangerously-easy to drink. Like a creamy dark chocolate truffle, this stout is neither too malty or bitter and will leave you feeling pretty warm by the time you finish your third bottle. Do yourself a favor and pick up a case at Queen’s Quay LCBO. Most other locations will have a couple bottles lying around but it’ll be gone soon enough and this stuff is meant to last for years.

Flying Monkey’s Hoptical Illusion (6×355 mL, 5 %ABV, $11.95) is also a solid purchase. For those who like their beer hoppy, this brewery admirably steps into that role while still being approachable. While not as complex as Mike Duggan’s No. 9, you can buy twelve of these and that’s all you’ll really need. I like to think of this beer as a good opener for people intimidated by really bitter beers.

Lastly, for those who need a lager look no further than Estrella Damm (500 mL, 4.6% ABV, $2.25). I’ve heard all the arguments about imported macro-lagers and I simply don’t care. This beer is incredibly crisp and doesn’t skimp on the carbonation. The best part is it has none of those weird, lingering aftertastes that ruin the finish of so many domestic macro-lagers. I’ll take a dry finish when I’m drinking all night…

Spirits

The thing to remember is that one wants to stay in the sweet spot between local derivatives (Smirnoff), overpriced imports (Grey Goose) and trendy tangents (pretty much any flavored vodka). Think a smaller company with something to prove and you’ll probably find a decent spirit.

‘Tis the season for whiskey and rightly so! While Centennial 10 Year Old is still my favorite and best value to boot, it’s getting increasingly harder to find and it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s gone before we’re even halfway through winter. With that in mind, I’d go across the pond and pick up a bottle of Teacher’s Highland Cream ($24.95 or Té Bheag. The former is an acceptable mixer while the latter is worth the extra $11 if you’re going to be drinking it neat.

Vodka-wise, I’d still pick up a bottle of Zubrowka Bison Vodka. For those who don’t like their vodka aromatic, a bottle ifIceberg will do and it’s only $23.

Broker’s Premium London Dry is fairly good gin and a steal at $24.60.

One has a lot of choices when it comes to rum but I prefer to think of it as an opportunity to try something new. Havana Club Anejo Reserva is perfectly acceptable and currently $2 off the $26.95 price tag. Or you could go with the El Dorado 5 Year Old which is only 5 cents more and just as good. Many other rums are available for only $5 more so will get you something even better so evaluate your budget and plan accordingly.

Tequila’s a little trickier. Saddled with some of the most unfair mark-ups I’ve ever seen, you can find amazing tequila in the States for one-third the price but here, the cheapest brands are home-grown and nothing worth writing about. Go for El Jimador’s Reposado ($32.95)or don’t bother getting any.

With all or some of the above, you’ve got the makings of a fine party and you won’t be breaking the bank.  Buying everything on this list (with extras when it comes to the wine and beer) will only run you $250. Get 25 of your friends and the party becomes even more affordable.

Just don’t buy the big brands. You don’t need to and most of the time, you’re spending more than you have to.

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Tequila and Mai Tais

Filed Under: Recipes, Reviews by japhet — Leave a comment
September 28, 2009

While combing over my recent music downloads (Bruce Dickinson does a decent, apropos cover of All The Young Dudes!) I came across a .doc file of semi-intelligible bar reviews tucked away in the bottom, left-hand corner of my desktop. A week ago, I’d gone on a bit of a tear with some friends that started on Ossington and continued east on College through Little Italy.

Since, I haven’t done a proper review in awhile, I decided to post these scribblings and maybe even bone them up with whatever memories I have left of the night…

Reposado Tequila Bar was our meeting spot. I’ve only ever been there on the weekend and between the limited seating and the jazz bands they usually have in, you might have a difficult time of it. It’s still worth it.

I couldn’t begin to tell you which tequilas I’ve tried there because when you’re handed a 2 oz pour in an extremely-pretty stemmed shot glass, you shut up and drink it. I’ve stayed in the mid-price range and been very well-rewarded. They do offer Corzo Blanco Tequila (which I had the pleasure of imbibing at home after Bacardi sent me a bottle) which would pair pretty well with their freshly-squeezed juice but I recommend going with some of their more complex reposados and anejos for some slow-sippin’ pleasure. Stick to 100% agaves and you’ll do just fine. Hell, you’ll have a good time if you give yourself over to Andrea the bartender. She knows what she’s doing.

Next up, we went to Sutra Tiki Bar in Little Italy. I’d wanted to go to Sidecar but one look inside convinced me otherwise; it was far too brightly lit and when you’re bar-hopping, the last thing you want to do is stand in an empty room anyways.

Now, tiki occupies a very particular niche in bar culture. It comes and goes, surging in popularity as people rediscover kitsch only to disappear again as soon as it peaks. The much-maligned quality of the cocktails doesn’t help either.

There are many ways for a tiki drink to go wrong. With multiple ingredients and garnishes that are meant to evoke tropical fantasies as well as stimulate your taste buds, a “sweet rum drink” is a rather crude understatement.  Using multiple rums, spices, freshly-squeezed juices and home-made syrups is a must.

Take the Mai Tai. Two essential ingredients (orgeat and curacao) aren’t even available in Canada.  If you want to make orgeat this recipe by Rick of Kaiser Penguin is one I’ve used and it’s good. The closest thing we have to Curacao in Canada is Cointreau but you should really just go across the border and pick up a bottle in Buffalo.

What, you ask, is in a Mai Tai? Trader Vic’s family (who came up with the most enduring version) provides three recipes and (one psuedo-recipe) on the website that bears his name and I’ll reprint the first one here:

THE ORIGINAL MAI TAI

2 oz 17 year-old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican rum
1/2 oz French Garnier Orgeat
1/2 oz Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao
1/4 oz Rock Candy syrup
juice from one fresh lime

Hand shake and garnish with half of the lime shell in the glass and float a sprig of fresh mint at the edge of the glass.

Now obviously, we Canadians run into trouble with the first item in the recipe, the rum. If you’re a bit of a traditionalist, you could go with Appleton Estate Master Blender’s Legacy rum (750 mL, 43% ABV, $89.55) which is produced by J. Wray but I agree with Tiare of A Mountain of Crushed Ice who recommends a good demerara (rum from Guyana).

The only available brand in Canada is El Dorado (you can get two vintage Bristol Classics but they’ll cost you anywhere from $200-$250); their 21 Year-Old (750 mL, 40% ABV, $109.95) would probably work very well.

If you’re feeling really fly, you could use an ounce from each; part of the fun of a good Mai Tai is the mixing and matching of different rums. Regardless of your budget, there’s probably a couple of bottles you can afford.

As for the curacao, you really should make a run and grab a bottle of the good stuff but Cointreau will do in a pinch. Rock candy syrup is not the same as simple syrup, it has a whole lot more sugar, and a decent recipe can be found on the Tiki Central Forum. I don’t even need to get into why you should use a fresh lime do I?

Anyway! Sutra’s Mai Tai doesn’t even come close to the traditional recipemenu2 as you can see from their menu to the right. Substituting amaretto for orgeat is lazy bartending and those juices don’t belong anywhere near a Mai Tai.

I ordered one anyway, just to see what it was like and while it’s not bad, it’s certainly not worth $7.50. Stick with the recipe above because you won’t find one bar in Toronto that can make a decent Mai Tai.

Most of their other cocktails were similar bastardized versions of the classics. A coconut cup with a little umbrella does not a tiki drink make.

Despite the disappointing cocktails, the music was boomin’ and the back patio floor is covered with ankle-deep sand which is kind of charming. There are better bars for the cost of the drinks but you could do worse if you’re with the right friends.

(For more information about tiki, head on over to A Mountain of Crushed Ice.)

We were going to go the College Street Bar but the bouncers carded us and insisted we pay cover. Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal but there were quite a few of us and, feelin’ rowdy and a bit put-out by the delay, we headed down the street to The Midtown where we were greeted with open arms.

It’s a new bar but it’s still stuck in the first few years of the millenium. Fatman Scoop and Co. were on the playlist and the bar was packed nine-deep with young ginos  ordering round after round of shots. Between the dancing and the Jager-bombs, we fit right in.

Nostalgia can have a powerful draw; we didn’t end up leaving till after last-call so this venue marked the end of our “crawl” but I suppose it was for the best that we didn’t close the night at Bistro 422 with pitchers of rye-and-gingers in hand.

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Cutting Edge Music Festival + Festival of Beer = excessive summer drinking!

Filed Under: Reviews, Stories by japhet — 1 Comment
September 9, 2009

So I figured that since I’m behind on several updates, I’ll just smoosh them all into one big post and get it out of the way so I can get ready for the next season (and perhaps even become more timely with my writing!).

The big thing for me this summer was festivals and travelling. I went to the Cutting Edge Music Festival at the start of August and when not enjoying some hard, hard music, I did my fair share of drinking as well.

My friend Kat (who bartends at one of my favorites, Rasputin Vodka Bar) and I packed a couple 24′s worth of booze. There was no liquor but I brought Corona (my go-to camping beer) and she brought half-a-dozen types of coolers.

I can’t stand the damn things due to what I feel is an excessive amount of sugar and Kat doesn’t generally drink beer but over the next couple of days we dipped into each other’s stashes and I have to admit that Bacardi’s Blueberry Guava Breezer was actually quite refreshing, dare I say even buyable if one were prone to that sort of thing.

bud busIn terms of where one could drink there was a licensed area set to the side of the two main stages which was a Budweiser Bus. I generally hate segregated beer gardens with a passion and there was no way in hell I was going to pay $7 for a plastic cup of Bud when the camping area was licensed as well.

Unfortunately, drinking there required leaving the pit, making your way through security without getting anything confiscated, climbing up a monster hill and trying to find your way through Tent City. I’m not exaggerating when I say this was a 10 minute walk, made exceedingly challenging for many folk dealing with the variety of substances playing havoc with their bodies. I wasn’t at all surprised when I heard stories of people dropping where they stood but I can’t believe that fucking hill didn’t claim more victims. Still, I made the trek over twenty times and I’d do it again if it meant not drinking a Bud.

CEMF was my first music festival and I’m definitely looking forward to attending more although I think I’d prefer ones in other countries that don’t have such draconian licensing restrictions.

The next big thing I went to was Toronto’s Festival of Beer. I’d never been and I figured I should probably go to see what the fuss was about. I was a bit put out by the steep entrance fee ($45!) and getting in to the event was a challenge of labyrinthian proportions but I still enjoyed myself.

I know that Greg Clow of Beer, Beats & Bites was largely unimpressed with the festival, Troy Burtch at Great Canadian Pubs and Beer also had some quibbles and Save Your Fork… There’s Pie‘s Sheryl Kirby gave a number of good reasons why it sucked when stacked up to the Hart House Craft Beer Festival and while I agree with pretty much everything they said I think I’m coming from a different place in my take on the event.

dug those barrels!

They’re right when they take issue with the smaller number of craft brewers in attendance, the roaming packs of drunken louts (and requisite “beer Nazi” security force) and all the cringe-worthy accoutrement of the Molson-Coors/Anheuser-Busch Inbev crowd.

Beerfest was all of that but it was also fun! Tecate’s human foosball was a glorious mess of tangled limbs and drunken saves and almost good enough for me to forgive them for the piss they call beer. Sure the hats you received for winning looked dumb but my group largely negated that by stealing ours. The Steamwhistle photobooth was also nice carnival-style throwback but other than those two promotional tie-ins, I mostly stuck with drinking as much beer as possible.

My friends were already trashed by the time I got there but I managed to catch up pretty quickly with a stop at the Trafalgar Brewery booth and I had another go at their Critical Mass and Korruptor strong beers. Both tasted much better than I remember from that three-pack I bought back in the spring (or maybe I was just happy to finally have a beer in my hand).

In quick succession, I hit the Wellington, Radeberger & DAMM and McClelland Premium Imports booths. The first two didn’t do that much for me but the last one featured both the Erdinger Weissbier and Dunkel, Fruli and Affligem’s Dubbel, Tripel and Blonde. Unfortunately, they were out of Delirium Tremens by Sunday; this saddened me because I’ve always loved it and since it was banned by the LCBO awhile ago, it’s been very difficult to source it out beyond a few bars.

One of my friends had a massive hankering for wings and that was just fine with me because it allowed us to sit in the southwest corner of the festival where Great Lakes Brewery’s CASKapalooza! held court. I’d heard good things but I had no idea they’d have so many great brews just waiting for me to sample!

We ended up spending over an hour here; quite a feat when you consider that most booths didn’t merit more than a couple of minutes at best. During our time there, I tried the Snaggle Tooth Pumpkin Ale, Kaptain Kolsch, Iron Eagle Pilsner, Simon Says Stout and Superior I.P.A.

All were pretty good with the Snaggle Tooth and Kaptain definitely meriting a place on the shelf. My disappointment at not being able to try more of them has been tempered by the hindsight that I was pretty trashed by this point and wouldn’t have made it through much more.

Still, there was more of the grounds to traverse and I forced my comrades to take me back to the Bier Markt’s Oktoberfest Experience. There, we dined on sausages, sauerkraut and a most excellent weissbier which I believe was imported. The only finer example I’ve had would be the rather untraditional Edelweiss’ Snowfresh or Denison’s.

After this point, my memories of what we did next begin to jumble together like a night of partying… I remember watching some booth girls playing a drinking game that involved some kind of soccer chant and being extremely disappointed by the Eastern European lager I got when it was my turn.

We ended up in the center of the grounds and although I think I tried some great beers I don’t recall what they were called or even what they tasted like. I remember a couple of friends climbing up into a tree and getting reprimanded by security and one of our cups getting confiscated by the beer Nazis after we doubled up while one of our friends went to the washroom. We ended up dancing in front of the bandshell to some no-name band playing a cover of Home for a Rest, a song that is somehow synonymous with being smashed and Canadian. (On a sidenote: there are so many concert videos of that song being played by the band on YouTube… they must be very tired of playing it but if the festival is any indication of public opinion, no one seems to very tired of hearing it.)

In retrospect we were pretty much like everyone else by that point; very drunk and very, very happy. This may not be the best way to try out new beers but it can be a terrific condition in which to enjoy yourself. I may be getting older but I still take some pleasure in this sort of thing from time to time. The day I stop doing so may very well coincide with the day I start taking my writing more seriously but it hasn’t come yet. I saw plenty of assholes but I also met some incredibly-fun people and drank some damn good beer; those are the memories that stick.

When not going out, I’ve had the opportunity to buy a few beers here and there but not too many of them stick out in my mind.

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Boris Organic (not pictured here, I misplaced the can, but I’m sure you can picture it) is a middle-of-the-road lager with that slightly-malty, clean, inoffensive taste that features in so many beers of its kind. There’s not a whole lot of carbonation and you’re left with not much of an aftertaste because it’s so damn watery. It reminded me a bit of Mill St. Organic except not as good.

Both Nektar and Ochakovo Premium were both equally bland and I’d stay away from both of them. I don’t like the Eastern European lagers the LCBO brings over here and neither of these changed my mind.

Estrella Damm, on the other hand, is a lot better but that’s faint praise considering the company it was keeping. It poured with a nice thick head that left a lovely amount of lacing on the glass which was unusual given that I wouldn’t call this a full-bodied beer.

Still, it was quite lovely; dry, crisp and refreshing. The nose was definitely light and there was a decent mouthfeel but I would’ve preferred more carbonation. It’s definitely less grassier than some pilsners with some malt and just a touch of bitterness. Bonus points for no evident skunkiness or overt sweetness. There was very little aftertaste but the dryness definitely became more pronounced which I didn’t mind.

Everyone I know who doesn’t generally enjoy beer and has tried Damm has enjoyed it; this is definitely one of those beers you can satisfy most people without sinking to the level of your garden-variety macro-brews. I’ve had a couple cans with everything ranging from a tuna-melt sandwich to pasta and found it worked quite well as a “carb-soaker”. My only real caveat with this beer is that is has to be served ice-cold; it loses points for not aging well in the glass. Overall, it’s a decent beer to get drunk with but there are cheaper tallboys that don’t sacrifice too much in taste.

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(Top photo by Matt Eckensweiler.)

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3 Brewers a welcome addition to Toronto’s beer scene

Filed Under: Reviews by japhet — 1 Comment
August 12, 2009

3 brewersOn my way home, I was biking up Yonge St. to get to Gerrard when I passed a new pub just south of the Hard Rock Cafe near the Yonge-Dundas Square.

The front was open to the street, it was pleasantly-packed with guests and at first sight, came across as a different take on the mass-market pubs we’re so used to in Toronto.

After going over the menu and finding out they brewed their beer on-site, I couldn’t resist it’s obviously carefully-designed siren call; I simply had to go in and have a beer. Score one for Gerry Kakaroubus (one of the owners as I was soon to find out)!

What really sold me on giving the place a try was the tasting flight of their beers for a measly $6.75! I can’t think of a better way of getting people who might be stuck in their usual beer-buying patterns to try something new.

After taking a seat at the bar (I only ever go where the action is, tables are for parties) I was pleased to discover that all of the beers were above-average; they didn’t knock my socks off but I wasn’t disappointed either and having 5 new beers to try (you can add a couple dollars and get a bit of their special brew) was totally worthwhile.

The first one I sampled was their bi-monthly brew, a red ale called Indian Ocean. It wasn’t so much like an IPA but it was definitely crisp with clove and vanilla undertones and a slightly-bitter finish. I enjoyed it quite a bit and I ended up going back for some more after my tasting was done.

Next up was the blonde which reminded me of a pilsner with a bit of a grassy taste. It wasn’t very crisp but it was well-balanced; I would’ve liked a little more bite though. The wheat was quite delicate and next to the Rickard’s and Keith’s offerings, more than holds its own. Think of it like a Hoegaarden but more spicy and you’ll be on the right track. I wouldn’t go out of my way to order it but it was lighter than a Paulaner, for example, which might be right up some people’s alley. It’s definitely refreshing and I imagine it’d do pretty well as a component in one of their beer cocktails. (Yes, they mix beer with liqueurs which can be a whole lot of fun. I have fond memories of Hoegaardens with a liberal dose of Chambord at Jack Astor’s on Front St. They mix their wheat beer with either banana liqueur or peach schnapps but I’d imagine they’d substitute whatever if you asked nicely.)

The amber ale had quite a bit more bitterness from the hops, more so than the special brew, with some caramel undertones and a wee bit of grassiness. The dark ale was rather predictable with some chocolately-maltiness but I would’ve liked a bit more oomph. I was expecting more of a stout and I got something akin to Cool Brew’s Doublefist Stout except not as good.

(One beer I didn’t get around to trying was La Belle Province, a bottled brew brought in from Quebec City that apparently has a “hint of maple syrup”. It seemed to be a largish portion so I imagine it’d be best shared with a couple of friends.)

To accompany my beer I ordered some mussel’s on the bartender’s recommendation but they didn’t impress me. We’ve got some great mussels in this city (Smokeless Joes, Starfish, BeerBistro, etc.) and there’s no way these can even compare. The broth was supposedly made with beer and tomatoes but it was bland and not even the occasional piece of celery and onion could salvage it. You know you’re in trouble when sopping up the broth with the de riguer bread is a chore.

Where’s the spice? Where’s the fucking flavour??

There was also way too much of it… I actually had trouble finding all of my mussels. Complaints aside, the portion was very generous and the side of fries was crisp and tasty. The house-made mayo dip was particularly nice with a tartaresque quality that left me recalling some pleasant memories at Deep Blue Fish & Chips.

Normally, I do pretty well with picking the best dish to have on any menu but I was led astray by an obviously-inexperienced staff-member. Next time I’ll go with one of their flamms which seem to be very close to a thin-crust pizza. The menu is quite large with a lot of items in place to ensure there’s something for everyone. It’s not my bag but I can see why they’d do it.

Despite not being able to recommend something decent for me, the staff were relatively friendly and not overbearing. I’d definitely go back with friends if I was in the area and with Yonge St. being a relatively bereft of decent dining options, you could do far worse than spend some time with the 3 Brewers.

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(Image blatantly stolen from Urbanspoon.)

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