Barrels of Awards

Spring is awards season, and B.C. bars and distilleries have been picking up shiny gold trinkets all over the place. Just a few of the honours: Botanist Bar won the prestigious Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award from North America’s 50 Best Bars and at #19 was the only B.C. bar to make the list. Clive’s Classic Lounge in Victoria was named World Whisky Hotel Bar at the World Whiskies Awards, which also recognized Macaloney’s Island Distillery with a trio of top prizes. The Keefer Bar was nominated Best Canadian Bar by the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. And Okanagan Spirits was named Artisanal Distillery of the Year at the 2022 Canadian Whisky Awards.

Hold the Booze

Looks like the zero-proof trend isn’t slowing down any time soon. Non-alcoholic ready-to-drink products in the U.S. are predicted to grow by 18 per cent in volume by 2026, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. IWSR also found that the global low- and no-alcohol market surpassed US$11 billion in 10 key markets, including Canada.

Or Maybe Not

An Ipsos poll has found that nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of Canadians don’t plan to change their alcohol consumption habits despite new Health Canada guidelines recommending no more than two drinks a week. 

Trendy Tipples

The classic Margarita may be the most ordered cocktail in the world, but it didn’t make Google’s list of the 10 trendiest drinks for 2022: Aperol Spritz; Espresso Martini; Dirty Shirley; Cosmopolitan; Negroni; Dirty Martini; Hot Toddy; Lemon Drop Martini; Mai Tai; Piña Colada.