The Alchemist Magazine BC | B.C. Distilleries | Cocktail Bars Vancouver

International Spirits, Product Spotlight

Cherry Bomb

September 9, 2016 No Comments

Heering’s classic liqueur continues to inspire the world’s top mixologists

For close to 200 years, Heering Cherry Liqueur has been a staple behind the bar in any respectable drinking establishment. The original Cherry Brandy, created in 1818 by Danish purveyor Peter F. Heering, the liqueur has gained a global reputation for its delicious, refined taste. The backbone of classic cocktails such as the Singapore Sling, the Copenhagen, and the Blood and Sand, Cherry Heering is sold in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Earlier this year, the iconic brand launched the 2016 Heering Classic Challenge, seeking to inspire the world’s greatest bartenders to take classic cocktails and reimagine them with Cherry Heering.

Features

Hey! Big Spender

September 6, 2016 No Comments

Does a blank cheque guarantee a better cocktail?

An ounce of Remy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl Cognac will cost you $800 at Hawksworth. Lou Lou Childs photo

When the Hôtel Ritz Paris’s legendary barman Colin Field introduced the $1,700 Ritz Sidecar in 2001, it was considered the most expensive cocktail in the world. Since then, a multitude of bartenders have created their own lavishly priced drinks made with everything from truffles, gold dust and precious gems, to vintage spirits recovered from famous shipwrecks.

But are these ultra-premium cocktails worth their ultra-premium prices? Well, it depends — and not just on how much credit you have left on your flexible friend.

Features

A matter of taste

September 2, 2016 No Comments

At Sheringham Distillery, Jason MacIsaac brings a chef’s palate to the still

Twenty-three years in kitchens taught Jason MacIsaac all about balance. Bitter versus sweet, savoury versus salty, weight versus intensity—key principles in creating harmonious foods. Now, as founder, owner, operator, distiller and, along with his wife Alayne, every other possible role at Vancouver Island’s Sheringham Distillery, MacIssac has transposed those culinary skills to the still.

“As a chef, studying flavour profiles was my career,” he reflects. “Balancing flavours has been a passion. Every chef can start with the same ingredients but have vastly different outcomes. The same goes for distilling.”

Features

Sweet Sangria

August 30, 2016 No Comments

Spain’s iconic cocktail is a staple at Bodega On Main

Sangria has been around for quite a while — a couple of thousand years, in fact. “Most people don’t realize that it’s been around that long,” laughs Paul Rivas, who, along with his sister Natalie, owns Vancouver’s Bodega on Main — the reincarnation of the much-loved former downtown tapas bar, La Bodega.

Home Bar, Recipes

Main Street “Wide eye”

August 27, 2016 No Comments

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 oz. Odd Society East Van Vodka
• 0.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 oz. Walter’s Caesar Mix
• 2 dashes Tapatio Hot Sauce
• Pinch ground pepper
• Pinch brown sugar
• 3 oz. Main Street Pilsner

METHOD:
In a 20 oz. pint glass, add ice and all other ingredients, and stir. Garnish with a stick of celery.

Home Bar, Recipes

Polynesian Strange Fellow

August 26, 2016 No Comments

INGREDIENTS:
• 1.5 oz. Wayward Distilling Honey Rum
• 0.5 oz. orgeat syrup
• 0.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• half a ripe banana
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 4 oz. Strangefellows Guardian White IPA

METHOD:
Put the banana into a cocktail shaker and muddle to a paste. Add everything except the beer, add ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain over fresh ice into a goblet. Top with Strangefellows Beer. Garnish with fresh banana slices.

Features

Up on the roof

August 26, 2016 No Comments

A rooftop garden brings fresh flavours and new ideas to ARC bar in the Fairmont Waterfront

Kissed by a Bee, Sage Paloma, Raspberry Thyme Collins… The cocktail menu at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel’s ARC Bar, pays proper tribute to the 2,100-square foot garden perched on its roof.

ARC’s general manager Roman Vondal describes the garden, which also includes four bee hives, as a treasure coveted by both the hotel’s chefs and bartenders.

Home Bar, Recipes

Parkside “Sip ‘n’ Slide” Raddler

August 25, 2016 No Comments

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 oz. Okanagan Spirits Gin
• 0.5 oz. Okanagan Spirits Rhubarb Liqueur
• 2 oz. freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice
• 3 dashes Bittered Sling Grapefruit & Hops Bitters
• 3 oz. Parkside Graffiti IPA

METHOD:
Add all ingredients except beer to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds. Fine strain into a pilsner glass, top with Parkside Beer. Garnish with a fresh grapefruit wedge.

Home Bar, Recipes

Four-Winds-Of-Change

August 24, 2016 No Comments

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 oz. Shelter Point Distillery Whisky
• 0.75 oz. lemon juice
• 0.5 oz. clove-infused maple syrup*
• 3 dashes of Bittered Sling Gastown Bitters
• 2 oz. Four Winds Pale Ale

METHOD:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 15 seconds. Strain over fresh ice into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with apple slices.

Home Bar

Rhapsody in brew

August 23, 2016 No Comments

Get crafty at home with these delicious beer cocktails

Local craft beer can provide excellent flavour in mixed drinks. Oliver Harden photo

We are fortunate to not only have incredible local spirits in B.C., but also an abundance of amazing craft beers. As a cocktail maker, this is another great excuse to start mixing — but before you begin that process, you’re just going to have to make the sacrifice and open a few beers to taste.

Storied drinks

Alchemy in a Bottle: Copperpenny Distilling Co. Sweeps Global Gin Awards

Spirits, spice and everything nice

Cherry Bomb

Heering’s classic liqueur continues to inspire the world’s top mixologists

Hey! Big Spender

Does a blank cheque guarantee a better cocktail?

A matter of taste

At Sheringham Distillery, Jason MacIsaac brings a chef’s palate to the still

Sweet Sangria

Spain’s iconic cocktail is a staple at Bodega On Main

Main Street “Wide eye”

Polynesian Strange Fellow

Up on the roof

A rooftop garden brings fresh flavours and new ideas to ARC bar in the Fairmont Waterfront

Parkside “Sip ‘n’ Slide” Raddler

Four-Winds-Of-Change

Rhapsody in brew

Get crafty at home with these delicious beer cocktails

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