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

All hail the Empress’ new reign

May 12, 2017 No Comments

Victoria’s grande dame gets a makeover with a sexy new bar and a truly royal namesake gin

The new Q Bar at the Fairmont Hotel Empress in Victoria, BC. Fairmont Hotel Empress photo

The gin is sky blue – that’s right, blue – and it has a delicate floral aroma. Add a little tonic water, though, and it magically turns a beautiful royal purple.

“It’s spectacular, isn’t it? It goes from that nice blue, then you pour the tonic in there, it swirls around, and you get that nice pink colour,” says Peter Hunt, president of Victoria Distillers. “It’s certainly something fun for bartenders and mixologists to play with.”

Recipes, The Alchemist

Empress 1908

May 12, 2017 No Comments

The original 1908 cocktail, featuring tea-infused vodka, was introduced to celebrate the Fairmont Hotel Empress’ 100^th anniversary. This royal update gets its purple hue from the butterfly pea flower in the Empress Gin by Victoria Spirits.

• 2 oz (60 mL) Empress Gin
• 0.75 oz (22 mL) lemon juice
• 0.75 oz (22 mL) simple syrup (see note)
• 1 egg white

Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, without ice, and shake vigorously. Once you have created voluminous foam, add ice, and shake again. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. If you like, garnish with dried butterfly pea flower blossoms. Serves 1.

Recipes, The Alchemist

Lady O’Keefe

May 5, 2017 No Comments

Lily Duong, assistant bar manager at UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar in the Moda Hotel, captures the floral fragrance of elderflower in this refreshing spring cocktail.

• 1 oz (30 mL) vodka
• 0.5 oz (15 mL) St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• 0.75 oz (22 mL) lemon juice
• 0.75 oz (22 mL) Monin jasmine flower syrup
• 2 dashes Bittered Sling Grapefruit & Hops bitters
• 1 egg white

Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Once you have created voluminous foam, add ice, and shake again. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serves 1.

The Alchemist

The perfume of spring arrives in your drink

May 5, 2017 No Comments

Why elderflower is the flavour you want to add to cocktails right now

Think of the elderflower as spring in a glass.

Recipes, The Alchemist

Hanky Panky

April 28, 2017 No Comments

As bar manager of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, Ada Coleman created this simple, yet complex cocktail that is considered one of the great classics. Don’t be tempted to skip the orange peel garnish – it’s what magically ties all the flavours together

The Alchemist

You go, girl

April 28, 2017 No Comments

Sexual harassment, Speed Rack and the realities of being a woman bartender

Ada Coleman, head bartender of The American Bar at the Savoy in London from 1903 to 1926. Contributed photo

You’ve come a long way, baby – or have you?

Recipes, The Alchemist

Vancouver #2

April 21, 2017 No Comments

Before the team at Botanist installed the bar top, creative beverage director Grant Sceney “bought a drink for the next generation of bartenders” by embedding a bottled cocktail, a handwritten note and a copy of the first bar menu inside the bar itself. This is the cocktail they left for the future: an updated version of the classic Vancouver cocktail. “We’ve made the Vancouver Cocktail as Vancouver as we can,” says Sceney.

The Alchemist

Botanist stirs things up

April 21, 2017 No Comments

With its own cocktail lab, this new bar is set to launch an era of innovation in Vancouver

Creative beverage director Grant Sceney with a Vancouver #2. Dan Toulgoet photo

Bored with the same old watering holes? Well, you’re in luck, because Botanist is getting ready to shake up Vancouver’s cocktail scene.

Recipes, The Alchemist

Joy’s Cocktail

April 14, 2017 No Comments

This refreshing patio-sipper of a cocktail is created by Appleton Estate master blender Joy Spence.

Ingredients:
• Slice of orange
• 1 oz (30 mL) Appleton Estate Reserve Blend
• 3 oz (90 mL) ginger ale
• 5 drops Angostura bitters
• Slice of orange peel to garnish

The Alchemist

From Jamaica to Vancouver

April 14, 2017 No Comments

A visit from the queen of rum

Appleton Estate master blender Joy Spence with her masterpiece, the Joy Anniversary Blend rum. Appleton Estate photo

“When people taste it, the first word you hear is, ‘Whoa,’” says Joy Spence, smiling. I take a sip. “Whoa,” I exclaim. She laughs.

Great world bars we love: Cosmo Pony Jakarta

Shaken, stirred & smoked

Huatulco Passion

All hail the Empress’ new reign

Victoria’s grande dame gets a makeover with a sexy new bar and a truly royal namesake gin

Empress 1908

The original 1908 cocktail, featuring tea-infused vodka, was introduced to celebrate the Fairmont Hotel Empress’ 100^th anniversary. This royal update gets its purple hue from the butterfly pea flower in the Empress Gin by Victoria Spirits.

Lady O’Keefe

Lily Duong, assistant bar manager at UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar in the Moda Hotel, captures the floral fragrance of elderflower in this refreshing spring cocktail.

The perfume of spring arrives in your drink

Why elderflower is the flavour you want to add to cocktails right now

Hanky Panky

As bar manager of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, Ada Coleman created this simple, yet complex cocktail that is considered one of the great classics. Don’t be tempted to skip the orange peel garnish – it’s what magically ties all the flavours together

You go, girl

Sexual harassment, Speed Rack and the realities of being a woman bartender

Vancouver #2

Botanist stirs things up

With its own cocktail lab, this new bar is set to launch an era of innovation in Vancouver

Joy’s Cocktail

This refreshing patio-sipper of a cocktail is created by Appleton Estate master blender Joy Spence.

From Jamaica to Vancouver

A visit from the queen of rum

Next Steps: Sync an Email Add-On

The original 1908 cocktail, featuring tea-infused vodka, was introduced to celebrate the Fairmont Hotel Empress’ 100th anniversary. This royal update gets its purple hue from the butterfly pea flower in the Empress Gin by Victoria Spirits.

Lily Duong, assistant bar manager at UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar in the Moda Hotel, captures the floral fragrance of elderflower in this refreshing spring cocktail.

Why elderflower is the flavour you want to add to cocktails right now

As bar manager of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, Ada Coleman created this simple, yet complex cocktail that is considered one of the great classics. Don’t be tempted to skip the orange peel garnish – it’s what magically ties all the flavours together

Sexual harassment, Speed Rack and the realities of being a woman bartender

With its own cocktail lab, this new bar is set to launch an era of innovation in Vancouver

This refreshing patio-sipper of a cocktail is created by Appleton Estate master blender Joy Spence.

A visit from the queen of rum

The original 1908 cocktail, featuring tea-infused vodka, was introduced to celebrate the Fairmont Hotel Empress’ 100^th anniversary. This royal update gets its purple hue from the butterfly pea flower in the Empress Gin by Victoria Spirits.