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

The Caesar

June 28, 2019 No Comments

Canada’s cocktail hits the big five-oh

The Caesar turns 50 in 2019. Istockphoto.com photo

This year Canada’s favourite cocktail turned 50. And like many a middle-aged bon vivant, it has been undergoing something of a makeover.

The Caesar was famously invented in 1969 by a Calgary bartender named Walter Chell, who was tasked with creating a drink to celebrate the opening of a new Italian restaurant at The Calgary Inn (now The Westin). Inspired by the popularity of the Bloody Mary and the umami-rich flavours of spaghetti alle vongole, he mixed together vodka, tomato juice, clam nectar and spices and created Canadian cocktail history.

Recipes

Donnelly Caesar

June 27, 2019 No Comments

With a few aromatic tweaks, the Donnelly Group’s Trevor Kallies has updated the classic cocktail created by Walter Chell in 1969. If you prefer it zero proof, he suggests substituting Seedlip non-alcoholic spirit for the vodka.

• 2 oz Absolut vodka OR Seedlip Garden 108
• 1 dash Tabasco hot sauce
• 1 dash Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
• Top with Walter Caesar Mix

Garnish:
• Celery salt rim
• Skewer of Castelvetrano olive, pickled onion and cucumber spear
• 1 lime wedge
• Sprig of rosemary and thyme

Recipes, The Last Word

The Last Word: Bees Knees #2

June 22, 2019 No Comments

The Bees Knees #2. Photo courtesy of Fairmont Chateau Whistler

All the buzzzzz

June is National Pollinator Month. Celebrate all the winged things that keep us alive with an updated classic that’s the Apis patella.

Recipes

Garden’s Keeper G&T

June 21, 2019 No Comments

Spanish-style G&Ts like the one on our cover are the coolest drinks of summer 2019. This one was photographed at Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, and created by head bartender Jeff Savage.

• 1.5 oz Star of Bombay gin
• 0.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur
• 2 dashes Bittered Sling Haskap Bitters
• Fentiman’s tonic water

The Alchemist

The Alchemist Summer 2019

June 20, 2019 No Comments

Keep cool: The summer issue of The Alchemist is out this week.

The Garden’s Keeper G&T by Jeff Savage of Botanist. Dan Toulgoet photo

The 12th edition of B.C.’s only magazine dedicated to cocktail and spirits culture returns with everything you need to quench your thirst this summer.

The Alchemist

Botanist wins Bols Around the World

June 19, 2019 No Comments

The Fairmont Pacific Rim team cleans up at the global competition

The Botanist Bar team was crowned 2019 ‘BOLS AROUND THE WORLD’ World’s Best Bar Team! From left, Grant Sceney, Jeff Savage and Max Curzon-Price. Botanist Bar photo/Facebook

Another day, another global win for Botanist Bar. Bartenders Grant Sceney, Jeff Savage and Max Curzon-Price have just been crowned the “Bols Around the World” bar team of the year.

Recipes

Born and Raised

June 17, 2019 No Comments

Creating cocktails is a team effort at Timber, with all the bartenders and servers contributing their ideas. Most recently, they’ve been working on summer cocktails—including this one that restaurant manager Jonathan Dennis calls “a mix between a mojito and a bourbon peach lemonade.”

• 2 oz chili-infused Okanagan Spirits BRBN (see note)
• 1 oz peach and mint purée
• 1 oz mint syrup (see note)

Bar Bites

In the spirit of cocktails

June 16, 2019 No Comments

Into the Aether, created by the Botanist bar team, was selected to represent North America at the Bols Around the World competition in Amsterdam in June 2019. Photo courtesy of Botanist Restaurant

A sparkling goblet filled with golden elixir revolves lazily in mid-air, twirling a couple of inches above the vapours of dry ice billowing from a wooden platform. It looks like magic, and it is, sort of.

Bar Bites, Recipes

Into the Aether

June 15, 2019 No Comments

Designed by Botanist Bar team members Grant Sceney, Jeff Savage and Max Curzon-Price. Note that the team uses their own housemade vermouth, but any quality dry vermouth will also work.

• 1.5 oz Bols Genever
• 0.75 oz dry vermouth
• 0.75 oz cold-pressed white tea
• 0.25 oz BOLS Maraschino
• 1 barspoon peated Scotch whisky
• 1 barspoon salt water (5%)

Recipes, The Last Word

The Last Word: Hibiscus Mojito

June 14, 2019 No Comments

Head to Commercial Drive for Havana Vancouver’s floral twist on the classic five-ingredient cocktail. Jennifer Gauthier photo

Our love for the mojito will never die

Mint, rum, soda, lime, ahhh: Cuba’s classic highball makes us think of Caribbean breezes and sandy beaches. Forget the naysayers; the Mojito will always be the quintessential drink for sunny days.

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Where to drink right now in New Orleans

The Caesar

Canada’s cocktail hits the big five-oh

Donnelly Caesar

With a few aromatic tweaks, the Donnelly Group’s Trevor Kallies has updated the classic cocktail created by Walter Chell in 1969. If you prefer it zero proof, he suggests substituting Seedlip non-alcoholic spirit for the vodka.

The Last Word: Bees Knees #2

All the buzzzzz

Garden’s Keeper G&T

Spanish-style G&Ts like the one on our cover are the coolest drinks of summer 2019. This one was photographed at Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, and created by head bartender Jeff Savage.

The Alchemist Summer 2019

Keep cool: The summer issue of The Alchemist is out this week.

Botanist wins Bols Around the World

The Fairmont Pacific Rim team cleans up at the global competition

Born and Raised

Creating cocktails is a team effort at Timber, with all the bartenders and servers contributing their ideas. Most recently, they’ve been working on summer cocktails—including this one that restaurant manager Jonathan Dennis calls “a mix between a mojito and a bourbon peach lemonade.”

In the spirit of cocktails

Into the Aether

Designed by Botanist Bar team members Grant Sceney, Jeff Savage and Max Curzon-Price. Note that the team uses their own housemade vermouth, but any quality dry vermouth will also work.

The Last Word: Hibiscus Mojito

Our love for the mojito will never die

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