A sip in the sun Raise a glass to these innovative, refreshing hot-weather cocktails from five Winnipeg mix masters
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/07/2019 (2000 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
In the winter, thirsty Manitobans turn to weighty red wines, hearty dark brews and rich, robust cocktails with a kick to help combat the cold.
But it’s summer, and that means sitting in the sun while sipping fresh white/pink/sparkling wine, lighter beer or a refreshing, relaxing concoction from behind the bar.
It was with this last category in mind that the Free Press scoured the city for innovative, delicious summer creations that deliver seasonal (read: fruit-driven and citrusy) drinks that are as fun as they are fresh. From rum to gin to tequila and beyond, these cocktails — and, in one instance, a mocktail — will shake and stir your summer sipping schedule.
Some bartenders and mixologists were eager to share the recipes for their summer-themed cocktails for Take 5, allowing readers to experiment on their own. Others, meanwhile, provided only the ingredients in the drink, preferring to engage thirsty Winnipeggers at their respective bar tops — all of which, it should be noted, offer outdoor patio options for sunny sipping….
Langside Grocery (164 Langside St.)
The cocktail: Pineapple Daiquiri
The ingredients: 60 ml (2 oz) Havana Club Anejo 3 Anos light rum, 30 ml (1 oz) fresh lime juice, 30 ml (1 oz) pineapple syrup (juice one pineapple; add an equal volume of white sugar; heat until sugar is totally dissolved, but avoid boiling… good in the fridge for one week, freezes well)
Combine ingredients in a shaker with lots of ice, and shake until your hands get too cold to hold the shaker. Strain and serve with a pineapple leaf and piece of pineapple, straight up.
The skinny: “The modern daiquiri is much more like the classic daiquiri than the 1980s abomination. The real daiquiri is served straight up, and is not made in a blender. The classic is just lime, rum and sugar, but you can change the sugar into a fruity syrup in order to mix up the flavours a bit.
“The original daq was invented in Cuba in the 1890s by an American who saw how much sugar, lime and rum they had. It’s best made with a dry Cuban rum like Havana Club “3.” A 2:1:1 ratio is key to a stiff, but very gulpable drink.
“What makes it summery? I don’t think much of an explanation is needed — rum, lime and pineapple. The key is the fresh pineapple syrup; it isn’t the same if you use canned juice to make it.”
Instagram: @langsidegrocery
— Casey Bee
Close Company (256 Stafford St.)
The cocktail: El Camino
The ingredients: 22 ml (3/4 oz) Jose Cuervo Tradicional tequila, 15 ml (1/2 oz) Grand Marnier, 15 ml (1/2 oz) cherry brandy, 22 ml (3/4 oz) fresh lime juice, 15 ml (1/2 oz) simple syrup, two dashes Orange Angostura bitters, two pumps of Mezcal
Shake with ice, then pour over fresh ice; garnish glass with 1/2 salted rim (Tajin) and citrus.
The skinny: “The El Camino takes a classic summer cocktail, the margarita, to another level. It’s refreshing and balanced with a touch of smoke.”
— Tammie Rocke
Fools & Horses, The Forks Market (1 Forks Market Rd.)
The cocktail: Lavender Fizz
The ingredients: Lavender syrup, gin, lemon juice, soda water
The skinny: “We just launched our cocktail menu in June; we collaborated with Josey Krahn from Tiny Bar to make this vision come alive.
“Josey invited our staff to a fantastic cocktail workshop. Our baristas found that building a cocktail is very similar to building an espresso drink; paying attention to every detail, respecting the ingredients and conducting every drink with integrity.
“The Lavender Fizz is summer in a cup: smooth and tart, with a sweet lavender finish.”
— Amelia Giesbrecht
Amsterdam Tea Room (103-211 Bannatyne Ave.)
The cocktail: Beets and Peaches
The ingredients: Golden beets, Jim Beam Black bourbon, Aperol, soda, Fiol prosecco, peach tea, peach slice.
The skinny: “This drink epitomizes the direction our tea cocktail menu is going, taking inspiration from our chef Frank’s food and his unique style and his ability to match and balance wonderful flavours. This cocktail is derived from his Beets and Peaches dish.
“The Beets and Peaches is made in an Aperol spritz style and, with its delicious balance of sweet and savoury flavours, is a refreshing cocktail that’s already a firm patio favourite with our customers.
“If you want to make this drink for yourself, come down and I’ll gladly share my cocktail secret with you.”
— Mark Turner
Patent 5 Distillery (108 Alexander Ave.)
The mocktail: Not Rosé
The ingredients: Berry tea blend, Earl Grey tea, pineapple, lemon, star anise, coconut, cinnamon, citric acid, malic acid, half and half, oleo saccharum
The skinny: “The drink we recommend for summer is the Not Rosé, and (it’s) available as both an alcoholic or non-alcoholic serve. It’s a version of an English milk punch, which is a clarified cocktail dating back several centuries.
“It’s a fairly technical drink; the idea behind it was to create a drink that looks and tastes similar to rosé wine but isn’t, and could be suitable for folks choosing not to imbibe. We make a big batch of the clarified milk punch, then shake four ounces of it and add a little vanilla syrup. For those who would like the alcoholic version, we add 1.5 oz (45 ml) of our vodka.”
Instagram: @patent5distillery
— Callan Andersen
ben.macphee-sigurdson@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @bensigurdson
