Toronto Temperance Society set to make cocktail culture exclusive + thirteen other links
Feb/100
Toronto’s cocktail scene is about to get a major upgrade with the opening of the Toronto Temperance Society. Perhaps embodying the maxim “drink less, drink better” more than any other venue, the club promises to the sort of joint where you never have to worry about getting anything different than the drink you ordered (unless you like Appletinis).
Only thing is, you have to pay an annual membership fee of $285 for the privilege of hanging out with like-minded imbibers. Perfection doesn’t come cheap…
In another instance of exclusivity = credibility, a travelling cocktail party in Los Angeles is the Next Big Thing. Only a matter of time before someone starts doing that here (hey, wait-a-minute).
Apparently, shit beer equals poor stock performance for major beer companies. Who’d have thought? Even better, the supposed panacea for these corporations involves buying up perfectly good craft breweries and wringing every little bit of individuality from their recipes.
Robert Parker, the venerable wine critic, rated a wine higher in a blind tasting than he had in his published review of it earler. Cue snickering
Alcademics reviews a new liqueur from Bolivia that is made from coca leaves. While not quite monkey-for-your-back, it apparently does give you a boost. They also take a look at a mezcal, my new favorite tipple.
I’ll drink a bicicletta if it means I get to have a two-hour lunch in the afternoon to boot! Half-an-hour is practically criminal.
Moonshine goes mainstream with white whiskey. Hopefully the LCBO will get notice and start selling a bottle here (I’m not holding my breath).
Another thing they should get on Right Away is St. Germain. Why is this not available in Canada? It practically sells itself! Here are some cocktails to tide you over…
Over at A Mountain Of Crushed Ice, Tiare talks about collecting bar tools (which is about as wonderfully geeky as you can get when it comes to the industry).
Dr. Bamboo resucitates Midori melon liqueur (at least for enthusiasts) with a cocktail that actually sounds pretty tasty. I predict a dark age revival… Can new uses for blue curacao be far behind?
I grit my teeth every time someone asks for a Keiths. A Good Beer Blog pointed me in the direction of guys who just might be my heroes. I wouldn’t mind so much if people just admitted to being biased towards mainstream brands.
If I had a little more discipline, I’d release my own brand of syrups and bitters instead of waiting for lines like Trader Tiki to make their way up to Canada.
SLOSHED! puts together a Bumble-bee Cocktail which sounds amazing, courtesy of Charles H. Baker Jr. and his book, Gentlemen’s Companion (not a new release in case you were wondering). They’ve also managed to introduce me to my new favorite quote (by the same man)
…all really interesting people–sportsman, explorers, musicians, scientists, vagabonds and writers–were vitally interested in good things to eat and drink; cared for exotic and intriguing ways of composing them. We soon discovered further that this keen interest was not solely through gluttony, the spur of hunger or merely to sustain life, but in a spirit of high adventure.
What an excellent sentiment!
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(Image taken from Boing-Boing)
How to decide which beer to order
Nov/090
I was at my current local, Hoops Sports Bar & Grill, conveniently located across the street from where I work, and about to order my first brew of the night when I was presented with an unexpected choice.
Sandra, instead of getting me my Rickard’s Red (they’d stopped carrying Mill St. Tankhouse Ale sometime in the fall), told me that the Creemore keg had just been tapped. Now the freshness of a keg doesn’t normally factor into my decision to partake or not but for some reason tonight, it really appealed to me and a set of criteria for ordering beer began to assemble itself in my mind.
1. Is it new or different?
Obviously, the most important question for anyone who truly loves beer. If you’ve never had it before, maybe it’ll be the best one you’ve ever had. Any truly decent bar will have one or two lines devoted to seasonal drafts and you’d have to be daft to pass up the opportunity to sample a pint of Grand River’s Jubilation Spiced Ale, for example. Even if you don’t like it, what’s the harm? You can always pussy out and order half-a-pint anyway…
2. Is it clearly the best beer available?
This is where Mill St. Tankhouse Ale often cleans up for me. Before they stupidly did away with it at Hoops, it was the only beer worth ordering in a line-up that included a full collection of Keith’s products. When it comes to that kind of decision, don’t settle for second-best. The flip-side to this neatly segues into point no. 3 which is:
3. Is it fresh?
It might be the best beer but if hardly anyone ever orders a pint because they’re too busy drinking Keith’s, it might not be up to its full potential. Just like in a restaurant, if you order the special that no one else is having, prepare to be disappointed. One person ordering their favorite beer from time-to-time can take an awfully long while to drain that keg and you don’t want to be the one sampling the lower third of that bastard.
So there you have it. Follow this quick-and-easy set of rules and you’ll probably be happy with whatever beer you end up drinking.
Or not. Maybe you just want a goddamned beer and you won’t even notice the taste because all your throat’s been craving all night is that magical equation of water, malt and hops.
Have at ‘er, I won’t stand in your way.
But for those of you who order a Keith’s, day in and day out, because nothing better comes to mind, try something else. And if I’m serving you, know this… I’m gonna fetch you your shitty beer but I hope it gives you gas and a nasty hangover tomorrow morning.
How to do you decide what you’re going to have?
Meet Ryan McVittie
Oct/090
He’s the first contributor to the Jolly Inebriate and I’m quite pleased to have him on board.
I first got to know Ryan back at The Comrade, the bar he co-owns in Leslieville. After a long shift at Joy Bistro, I’d frequently start a night of drinking there because they had a fantastic selection of seasonal beers and Ryan could always be counted on to make a damn good cocktail when something stronger was required.
I’ve had quite a few good dates end up there and many quiet evenings on my own as well; although other bars have taken its place, I’ll always remember the good times.
I’ve seen Ryan at a couple of places since then but one thing remains consistent; he enjoys making classic cocktails, knows their stories and can experiment with ‘em when called on to do so. He’s a solid bartender and I hope you get as much from his experiences as I have.
In completely-unrelated news, I can’t get enough of this cover by The Arcade Fire. I couldn’t tell you which show it was recorded at or who did the original but it’s good. Give it a listen, download and share because it’s a bitch to source out on Hype Machine. ‘Tis the season!
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(Photo taken from Toronto Life.)
Tequila and Mai Tais
Sep/090
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 recipe
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.
Cutting Edge Music Festival + Festival of Beer = excessive summer drinking!
Sep/090
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.
In 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.
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.
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.)
Bacon mania hits Canada + ten more links
Aug/091
Sarah Boesveld of The Globe and Mail reports on a “bacon trend” that seems to involve the tasty pork product being added to everything from cupcakes to ice cream and serving it with chocolate sauce. I just want my Bakon vodka dammit! I can’t imagine a better Caeser…
Corby Distilleries (owner of Wiser’s, Lambs, Polar Ice, etc. and controlled by Canadian Club’s Hiram Walker & Sons. Ltd which is itself a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard of France… confused yet?) reported a 24 per cent increase in its net earnings which it attributes to its license to distribute Absolut in Canada and the LCBO’s recent strike.
Why am I repeating this? I merely find it interesting and slightly worrying how tangled these companies get with their labyrinth of distribution deals spanning the globe. Basically, everybody owns a little bit of everybody.
I’m very happy to see Cocktail Culture post a recipe of the Bloodhound Cocktail because it means I’ll be able to use the rest of my strawberry syrup.
Camper English of Alcademics tries to make ice clearer by refreezing it multiple times. Besides the visual joke, the numerous responses from other folks make it worth browsing.
He also shows us how to get more mileage out of our simple syrup.
Could you tell a Collins from a Fizz if you saw them in a bar? The Kitchn gives an overview on the two cocktails, their similiarities and their differences.
Over at the The Washington Post, Jason Wilson rebrands the Red-Headed Slut (one of those slutty cocktails from the 90’s) for the new century and ends up paying tribute to a beloved and recently-departed film director.
Vodka & Co. posts three very delicious-sounding cocktails using Bombay Sapphire gin. Feel free to substitute your own favorite spirit but try at least one of ‘em.
Oh Group shares their recipe for shrub. (Make some, you won’t regret it!)
The cocktailnerd reviews the latest round of ginger beers in his pantry. I wish we could get some of these up here in Canada…
Coming so soon on the heels of 3 Brewers opening up a brewpub in Toronto, we have a local brewmaster getting in on the action. Canadian Beer News reports that Michael Duggan (of Mill St. and Cool fame) will be opening up Duggan’s Brewery at the former location of Denison’s Brewing on 75 Victoria St.
So I kind of owe you guys an apology. I’m dreadfully late on some promised reviews and other articles. Besides the party I’ve been busy enjoying summer. Not being at home means not much time between sleeping off the fun and going to work. I promise to do some more writing soon but since this season started so late, I want to enjoy what I can of it.
The party did go well. No slushies but all the guests were ably served by the bar I’d set up. I had to man it because the bartender I’d asked to come in was delayed by a lengthy catering shift elsewhere. Even so, I had a good time (one for me, one for you!) and while it wasn’t exactly revolutionary, it was a reminder of how even the most basic bartending can be tons of fun when you have your friends around you.
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(Photo taken from The Stakhanovite Twins’ Flickr Photostream.)
3 Brewers a welcome addition to Toronto’s beer scene
Aug/091
On 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.)
Colossal LCBO summer ‘09 release beer review
Jul/091
(This is the second part of a three-part series. Part one can be found here.)
To put it simply beer night was a success. We may not have discovered much good beer but we had a helluva time trying.
With 19 beers to get through (plus extras for insurance) and a lovely potluck spread, we were all set for a completely unbiased and measured review. We decided to start off with the fruity wheat beers followed by the regular wheat beers and lagers and finish up with some of the darker ales.
First up was the Wittekerke Rosé (250 mL, 4.3% ABV, $.2.40), an incredibly girly beer from Belgium’s Brouwerij Bavik. When I picked up this beer at the LCBO, I was repelled by pretty much everything it represented; the casual, joined font of the title (which I’m guessing is supposed to appeal to non-beer drinkers), the tagline “The Fruity Pink Beer”, the long-legged silhouette of the lady and the inclusion of aspartame in the recipe.
Now, I’m not one of those guys who dismisses beers that look or taste “girly”. I like Pink Killer, Früli and Apricot Wheat Ale amongst others and I’ll never turn down a beer I haven’t tried. Still, I was prepared to hate Wittekerke Rosé and my prejudice didn’t change with the first sip.
For all intents and purposes, it tasted like a cooler to me. The Lush thought it tasted like rosy gingerale but not as effervescent. The Connoisseur was amazed that there wasn’t a law somewhere against calling this beer (try Germany). The Alcoholic compared it to white zinfandel and finished it but somewhat grudgingly. She thought it would be a good mixer and I had to agree although only in the spirit of finding anything good to say about this beer. For the next minute or so, recipes for beer punch were floated around but having to buy a bunch of bottles just to make it was an issue with pretty much everyone. The Pothead wanted to know why the fuck the brewery would put aspartame in this beer and I have to say I’m wondering the same thing.
The incredibly-pronounced aspartame aftertaste was what really killed this “beer” for me. It was like drinking a really shitty soda; the fake sweetness kills whatever other flavors might wanna come through. Stay away from this one at all costs. It’s an overpriced cooler and it’ll probably give you cancer.
We tried a personal favorite of mine next; Van Diest Früli Strawberry Beer (250 mL, 4.1% ABV, $2.35), another fruity beer from Belgium. I’d enjoyed this one when I had it on tap at Smokeless Joe a couple of years ago and it’s one I still pick up a couple bottles every now and then.
Maybe the aftertaste from the first beer was plugging my tongue because this Früli didn’t do it for me. It was far too sweet and reminded me of a strawberry daquiri. I still dug the strong aroma of strawberry but everyone else gave it a thumbs down.
The Alcholic was convinced it tasted like Dimetapp mixed with soda water and while the Pothead wondered if it might have the makings of a good smoothie in it. Nearly everyone thought it was way sweeter than the Rosé and I’d have to agree; this is definitely a different beast from what you can get on tap.
Try it at Smokeless Joe or wherever else you might see it but I’d avoid buying a bottle. Make yourself a Strawberry Basil Balsalmic Mojito instead, produce your own strawberry liqueur or even buy a bottle of Fragoli (500 mL, 24% ABV, $23.45).
Trust me, it’ll be better than this.
After overdosing on the sugar, we decided to tart it up a bit and opened Chapeau’s Lemon Lambic (250 mL, 3.5% ABV, $1.80) which is produced through “spontaneous fermentation” using wild yeasts that are only available in the area. I find ‘em far too sour for my liking and even though fruit lambics are generally a bit sweeter, that damn sour aftertaste comes in swinging before the beer hits the back of your throat.
We all hated this beer. I poured the rest of mine down the drain and keep in mind this is a 250 mL bottle split in six. None of us could imagine drinking an entire bottle of this.
The Connoisseur compared the smell to an unholy combination of puke and Alka-Seltzer while the Lush branded it “skunky” and refused to have anything more to do with it. The Pothead said he’d drink anything but and the Alcoholic issued perhaps the most damning statement when she said that if this was the last bit of alcohol on Earth, she’d rather be sober.
Personally, I don’t get it. I’d rather make some lemonade and spike it or have any kind of ale. Hell, I’d rather drink Mike’s Hard Lemonade! I don’t like lambics and I don’t think an overly-artificial lemon taste makes them more palatable.
It was with a fair bit of trepidation that we approached the next beer on the list, the Exotic Lambic (250 mL, 3.5 % ABV, $2.40) from the very same brewery. The exotic on the label referred to pineapple which is one of my favorite flavors, especially where cocktails are concerned, but it was still a lambic and I didn’t think this would be any better than the Lemon.
Surprisingly, we all found it quite pleasant in comparison to the previous beer. The aroma was cloyingly sweet and artificial (think cleaning product) but the taste was acceptable from what we could make out with the same flavor you might get if you drank one of those pineapple sodas they import from the Caribbean. Unfortunately, the nose almost completely overwhelmed any pleasant effects although it did lessen the naturally-sour aftertaste of the lambic.
I really don’t understand why anyone would want to drink this. If you like pineapples, go buy one or get some juice and throw some dark rum in there. Hell, make it a sour and you’re still better off. Beer-wise, there are so many good products coming out of Belgium that it’s almost a crime to waste your time on something like this.
Next up was a beer that’s been around for awhile: Amsterdam’s Framboise (4×341mL, 6.5 % ABV, $11.95). I’ve it on tap at a variety of bars and I don’t mind it all that much but I take issue with Amsterdam on one issue and it’s a biggie.
Back in 2003, they purchased Kawartha Lakes Brewery which had been producing a Raspberry Wheat. While they continued to produce most of the KLB line, it’s been widely discussed how the flavors seemed to change, especially with the Raspberry Wheat which was pretty much a competitor to Amsterdam’s Framboise.
While my memory’s been doused in suds one too many times, I remember the Raspberry Wheat being particularly good and I’ve always enjoyed the odd pint at C’est What?. With this in mind, I wanted to do a direct comparison to the Framboise and see how they stacked up or (worse) if they’d become indistinguishable from each other.
The Pothead thought it smelt and tasted like weed and while it might be argued that he’s a bit biased, we all agreed there was definitely an aroma of marijuana emanating from our glasses. The Connoisseur dismissed it as Benilyn (why do so many fruit beers have a medicinal quality?) in an otherwise-decent beer but thought it had a good mouth-feel. The Alcoholic said it reminded her of why she doesn’t like beer with berries. The Lush thought it would be a good Christmas beer.
I liked the tart finish and while it’s not a beer I’m particularly devoted to, I wouldn’t turn away the odd bottle either. It’s got a nice level of carbonation and none of that fake sugary sweetness that dominated the other fruit beers we tried but it still tastes more like a raspberry concentrate flavor than anything fresh (but then again, I’m not quite sure how it could taste any fresher).
Of course, KLB Raspberry Wheat (500 mL, 4.5 % ABV, $2.75) had to come next. The Connoisseur was pleased that it looked and smelt like actual beer. The Pothead liked how subtle the fruit flavor was but the Lush swore she detected notes of apricot and apple amongst the raspberry.The Alcoholic was happy that she’d finally found a fruit beer she could actually drink and thought it would make a good caeser chaser.
I must admit to wondering why they called it a raspberry wheat when there’s nothing in the makeup of this beer that would suggest it; no spices, unfiltered sediment, crispy graininess or effervescence. The carbonation was quite low and it had a smooth mouth-feel and a bitter finish.
I enjoy this one but it loses points for not being wheaty enough; I’d almost go so far as to add half-an-ounce of whatever fruit liqueur you enjoy to a pint of your favorite wheat beer for an arguably tastier beverage. Chambord would work pretty well…
So which beer is better? I like Framboise well enough for it’s high ABV and a better raspberry flavour but the KLB is a better beer overall, especially at C’est What?
Our next beer was the Raspberry’s sister, Amsterdam’s Pomegranate Wheat (500 mL, 4.5 % ABV, $2.75) which was a considerable letdown after the KLB. Opinions varied considerably with the aroma being compared to everything from a “christmas tree” to “cat piss” to “rather nice with a bit of citrus”. I dunno, it smelt like fruity gum with a bit of malt to me…
One thing we could agree on was that it was weak and watery. Any presence of beer almost seemed like an afterthought with this artificial pommy taste dominating a small bit of hops. The carbonation was definitely higher than in the KLB and closer to the Framboise.
Again, much like the KLB, Amsterdam’s stretching the definition of “wheat beer” by quite a margin. I don’t really get why they thought pomegranate would be a good idea unless, like Greg Clow pointed out on Taste T.O., they probably figured it was an easy marketing point. In the end I can’t say I really care because so far, the only way I like my pomegranates is in a syrup (otherwise known as Grenadine); keep it out of my beer!
Look for part three next week where I finish up the wheat beers and delve into darker territory.
The best karaoke bars in Toronto
Jun/095
(A current list of all the karaoke nights currently running in the city.)
Karaoke’s always been a bit of a niche scene, with the larger Asian segment dominating like a Pacman-shaped portion of the graph while a slice of more western nights comprise a small (but loyal) contingent of singers spread throughout the city.
The most common reaction I get when I confess to enjoying karaoke is a surprised “Really?” tinged with (I think) a bit of disdain. The common thought seems to be that it’s all about tuneless, drunken sing-alongs and while that might be part of it (and God bless every single one of those martyrs for the cause) booze-soaked renditions of Bohemian Rhapsody are the exception, not the rule.
And therein lies the reason behind this list.
Everyone who gives a shit has an opinion about where to go for the best karaoke, some local spot that’s unreservedly fantastic and I won’t even pretend to be some kind of authority on the subject; my intention with this list is to merely provide a short (but solid) selection of joints that I think stand head and shoulders above the rest.
These places feature (mostly) good singers, eclectic song lists, drink specials and they’re open during the middle of the week; the only decent time to hold a really good karaoke night.
My favorite of the moment has to be Paradise (488 Parliament St.). Located just north of where Carlton begins, it’s a bit of a dive but the owners are friendly, especially when they realize that you’re not like the rest of the bums that infest this place.
Karaoke nights are Sundays and Wednesdays and both feature $3.50 pints of Cool ($11 for a pitcher!). However, those in the know point to the Guinness tap from which flows Doublefist Stout. I can’t find anything about this beer and I don’t even know if that’s its actual name; the bartender wasn’t exactly sure himself. What I do know is that it’s smooth and creamy with a bit of coffee and caramel to taste. I like it; especially at $5 a pint.
However, the best thing about Paradise is the song selection! The MC (whose name escapes me at the moment) will proudly tell you that he didn’t pick any crap; just the stuff he likes and it shows. A quick flip through his book reveals the Sex Pistols, Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, The Clash, Björk, T. Rex, David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits, The Arcade Fire and The Pogues!
I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am to be able to sing along to the best of Shane MacGowan and Co.! Having spent many a night doing the same thing on the way home from a party, it’s even better to do it pint in hand, backed by the original recording. It’s one of those things you can feel your way through with your eyes closed and if you’re a fan, you have to give it a try.
I even saw Berlin’s Sex (I’m a…) which I count as one of the best duets of all time. If you can sing this, you are my hero. Best of all, you’ll get to perform at least half-a-dozen songs which is unheard of if you’re not renting a private room.
When I’m too tired for Paradise and my coworkers at the hotel come calling, we go across the street to Hoops Sports Bar & Grill (458 Yonge. St). While the food is nothing special (go for the Monterey burger, the wings or the nachos), they do have relatively-clean taps and if you can find the screen with the lyrics amongst the jumble of sports games, you’re gonna have a good time. The smart-ass MC Jeremy will get you up there and the song selection is pretty good for a typical karaoke night. The crowd is usually pissed and very supportive and I have a good time. Bonus: Mixed amongst the crappy singers are some real professionals who have real talent so even if you’re not going to get up, you’ll enjoy some of the show.
Karaoke happens every Wednesday and Thursday and even if you don’t arrive until midnight, you’ll probably get a couple of songs in which is more than Peter Styles and the Gladstone Hotel can claim.
One event which I enjoy going to but have never actually taken the stage at is Hip-Hop Karaoke. Held at Revival (783 College St.) it’s the spot for aspiring MCs to show their stuff. Forgoing the usual screens displaying lyrics, here it’s all sheets but since most of the would-be rappers know the songs by heart, trying to read while performing is not recommended. Even if you’re not going to perform, it’s a blast to watch some unknown do Biggie and in many ways, it feels more like an open-mic/concert than a karaoke night proper which is fine by me.
Neutral has a pretty damn fine karaoke night on Tuesday that has some longevity in an industry where most don’t last longer than a year. Located at the mouth of Kensington Market (349a College St. West at Augusta Ave.) it features a more alternative selection of songs, curated by Steve-O, and while Nick Cave may not be everyone’s cup of tea (and why not?) with over 20,000 songs to choose from, you’d be hard-pressed to sing the same one twice in a month.
It can get busy but when it’s not, everyone gets their fair share of stage-time and the drinks are reasonably-priced, with some kind of special usually featured.
In a nod to the neighborhood’s past, Baby Huey’s on 70 Ossington St. now does karaoke! I haven’t actually tried it out but I have been to Huey’s and I know Richie Rich from his karaoke nights at both of the Foxes and I think it’s safe to say that you’ll find a good time here. He’s a great MC who’s very friendly and tries to get everyone up there. His song selection is also very decent.
(I’m pleased that he’s doing another night at a different venue because no one should be going to the Fox & The Fiddle on Danforth. Managed by Jimmy Georgoulis (along with O’Grady’s) he is known for fucking over his employees. The guy’s a first-rate asshole and doesn’t deserve anyone’s business. Full disclosure: I worked there last summer so I know of what I speak.)
The drinks are cheap ($4.50 for a domestic beer, $5.50 for bar rail) with $3.50 Jäger shots being just the thing to give you enough courage to join your friends behind the mic.
Do you have a favorite karaoke joint? Let’s hear about it!
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(Image taken from therozblog’s Flickr photostream.)
JAPHET BOWER