Contrived Craft Beer: Rickard’s Oakhouse Winter Lager
Craft beer is incredibly hip right now. Sales of it are biting into the profits of macro domestic giants like Molson-Coors and Budweiser, aggravating some execs. In response, the companies are looking into breaking out of the mould of mass-produced lager and into more interesting…
Cost Conscious Cognac: Baron Otard VSOP
When I began drinking liquor, it was cognac upon which I cut my teeth. Sure, I’d tried scotch (to no real avail), and tippled the occasional rye. But it wasn’t until my tongue alighted on the sweet, rich nectar of this exclusive French brandy that…
What’s a ‘Wine’? Part I: Getting to Know Your Grapes
I started ‘Sipping With Smoth’ in large part to answer many of the questions I was receiving regarding alcoholic beverages, wine in particular. Thus, in the same vein of my earlier post What’s a ‘Whiskey’? I’m going to start an informational series on the intricacies of wine. Approaching wine…
Muskoka’s Wonderful Winter Beard
Sure, the weather is getting colder. The sweaters are out, the roads are getting slicker, and the appeal of an ice cold lager is waning. Thankfully, there is a beverage custom tailored for this season, and that’s Muskoka Brewery’s Winter Beard double chocolate cranberry stout….
A Simple, Stellar Speyside Scotch: Aberlour 10
Many uninitiated Scotch drinkers are a little wary when approaching the legendary beverage. Its potent flavours, high alcohol content, hefty reputation and steep price can be enough to scare off all but the most stalwart drinkers. Thankfully, Aberlour 10 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch…
Simply Put, It’s the Best Pumpkin Beer: Southern Tier’s ‘Pumking’
My intention when I began writing this post was to review several seasonal pumpkin brews, and pick my favourite. But when I re-tasted Southern Tier’s Pumking I forewent even reviewing other options. Because, simply put, Pumking is the best pumpkin beer on the market, and…
Jackson-Triggs Meritage Reserve: Bordeaux on a Budget
There are those magical bottles of wine. The inexpensive ones that taste like they cost a fortune. The ones universally appreciated, that you can share with friends, or bring to a fancier dinner party. The ones that have patriotic appeal, something you can be proud…
Five Budget Beers Better Than Bud
I loathe Budweiser. It tastes like the cheapest of cheap lagers, and yet, it’s marketed as a premium beer with a price tag to match. Despite bearing remarkable similarities to the drippings that sometimes ooze forth from your garbage bag, a 24 case of…
A Wonderful Welly One-Off: Kolvoord Hopburst Double IPA
Like nearly any item, the value of a beverage is often determined by its scarcity. And recently, I had the pleasure — nay, the privilege — of trying an incredibly rare beer from Wellington Brewery called Kolvoord Hopburst Double IPA. Wellington Brewery, known for its…
Sipping With Smoth: Unlocking the Case for Rubicon’s ‘Cask Cabernet’
As much as I’d like to pretend otherwise, I’m essentially a budget wine shopper. Mostly I peruse the Vintage section for interesting bottles in the $20-$30 range, and I’ve even been known to stoop so low as to mingle with non-vintage wines in the $10-$15…