Now that my computer is at least somewhat behaving itself, it’s time to catch up on a bunch of posts, beginning with what was a rather remarkable long weekend for the enjoyment of fine beverages. Some highlights:
1) A roughly four year old bottle of Cantillon Gueuze enjoyed before dinner on Friday night was an adequate, no, a tremendous reminder of just how great this beer really is. In the face of all the special releases the brewery has offered in recent years, I sometimes lose site of that.
2) The Kellerbier from Molson-owned Creemore Springs Brewing might be pretty damn fine in the can, but it’s even better on tap, as I rediscovered at The Harbord House. If you’re listening, decision-makers at Creemore, this is something that deserves more than a one-shot release.
3) While in London for the GBBF, I found time to drop by the Sipsmith Distillery and try their vodka and gin, and bring home a bottle of the latter. I cracked its seal on Sunday and made a fairly dry and positively delicious martini. Straight up, with about a half ounce of vermouth to two ounces of gin – far drier than I’ve been making my martinis of late, and without the drop of orange bitters I’ve come to favour – it expressed a beautiful mix of softly perfumey citrus blossom, spice including cinnamon and licorice, and a steadily growing but never overwhelming juniper.
4) Before dinner on Saturday, we dropped by Toronto’s cocktailing nirvana, Barchef, and allowed genius mixologist Frankie Solarik to have his way with us. One of three wonderful concoctions he surprised us with involved saffron-infused bourbon and Islay whisky, and oh man, was it ever extraordinary! Best of all, it will soon be appearing on the bar’s fall cocktail menu.