On Tuesday, June 25 from 7pm to 8pm we will be hosting a live chat with several of the people driving the success of Ottawa’s beer scene, including:

Robert McIsaac, one of the co-owners of Beyond the Pale, the Hintonburg-based brewery that just can’t seem to keep its flavourful brews in stock.

Paul Meek, owner of the Kichesippi Beer Co., the beer that US Ambassador David Jacobson was drinking as he danced on the grave of our dashed playoff dreams.

Steve Beauchesne of Beau’s beer, who not only makes one of the region’s iconic brews, but every Oktoberfest also throws one of the Ottawa Valley’s best parties.

If you have any questions about beer, brewing or starting a business in Ottawa, here’s your chance to talk directly to the city’s beer barons.

Photo by ActiveSteve on Flickr

There’s a distinct possibility that Ontarians will be waking up Friday morning to the LCBO’s first strike in its 87-year history. And given it’s the Victoria Day long weekend, the timing of the looming labour stoppage — unless you’re among the 95 percent of LCBO employees who’ve voted in favour of a strike mandate — couldn’t be worse.

Thankfully, if a strike does come to pass, thirsty Ottawans won’t be without options. Here are five handy ways to keep yourself hydrated during the coming dry spell.

Microbreweries

Over the past few years, Ottawa’s microbrewing scene has grown by leaps and bounds. And if you’ve yet to check out some of the lovingly-crafted ales and lagers our local brewers have whipped up, just think of the strike as a chance to rectify that! I’m especially partial to Beyond the Pale’s Pink Fuzz — a grapefruit wheat beer that’s ideal for long weekend relaxin’ — and Broadhead’s perfectly-balanced Underdog Pale Ale.

Gatineau

The final letter in LCBO stands for “Ontario,” so obviously the looming strike won’t affect our friendly liquor purveyors on the other side of the Ottawa River. So hit up the SAQ for some sweet, sweet Sortilege maple whiskey, or grab a six-pack of Boréale from one of Gatineau’s many depanneurs. And even better: the previous arcane laws that prohibited individuals from importing wine, beer, or spirits intended for personal use from another province into Ontario no longer exist. Just don’t resell that Quebec wine on the black market, okay?

Agency stores

If you’ve ever taken a road trip across Ontario, you’ve probably stumbled across one of the LCBO’s many agency stores. They’re found in small towns, usually inside grocery or general stores. And since they’re typically non-unionized, if there is a labour stoppage, agency outlets will stay open. So if you don’t find your lefty values are being compromised by visiting one — the Ontario Public Service Employees Union actually urges consumers not to patronize agency stores — head out to Navan or North Gower or one of the many towns in the 613 area code where the stores exist.

The Wine Rack

The Wine Rack might not have the LCBO’s selection, but they’re a perfectly decent option for Ottawa oenophiles should the strike go ahead. (I’m not much of a wine drinker myself, but fellow editor Ryan Saxby Hill’s go-to Wine Rack bottle is Inniskillin’s Late Autumn Riesling.) There are 13 Wine Racks in Ottawa alone — so wherever you live in the city, you won’t have to travel far for your Pinot fix. And they’re usually open later than the LCBO, anyways.

Road trip!

With Monday a holiday, there’s a good chance that most of you are probably heading out of town for the long weekend. If your destination is southern Ontario, you might want to grab some spirits from the 66 Gilead Distillery in charming Prince Edward County or the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company in Toronto. Just remember to bring a bottle or four back for the Apartment613 crew.

Of course, there’s always the possibility the LCBO and its employees will arrive at a settlement before Friday’s 12:01 ET strike deadline — we saw a last-minute resolution in 2009, after all. But if LCBO employees walk off the job tomorrow, tell us, Ottawa: where will you be finding your booze?

Last month, a team from Bridgehead traveled down to Guatemala to visit the sources of their coffees. They traveled throughout the countryside, meeting growers and visiting cooperatives. One of the highlights? A cupping competition to determine the best coffees produced by CODECH, an umbrella cooperative that represents 300+ farmers in rural Huehuetanango. Here, we get a glimpse into the wonderful world of cupping – coffee beans are ground, brewed, smelled, tasted, spit out and analysed by judges. Some of the best end up here in our city – that medium roast coffee you had this morning might have traveled farther than you have!

It has been a tipsy journey, full of great excuses to get a fancy drink on a week night.  Although I retain some longing for an overly hipster, dim-lit basement in Brooklyn run by a tattooed bartender (or should I say professional mixologist) with a post-ironic mustache, I have discovered some amazing drinks, some cool people making them, and a new appreciation for the small independent and creative spots that are making Ottawa so much more than a boring government town.

1.  Union 613 (315 Somerset St. W.) – Best all around!

I had the lovely opportunity of sitting down with Ivan, one of the owners of Union 613, and asking a few questions.  Turns out he is a straight whiskey man and who can blame him? But he also let me know that “The Ottawa” – a version of which regularly sits on their “Standard” permanent menu – is his personal favourite. The current version, concocted with Centennial Rye, Melleti Amaro, Birch Syrup and Angostura Bitters, happens to be one of my favourites, too.  The 6 rotating seasonal cocktails and the Standards are collaborations between staff, the bartenders and the owners.  Their house cocktails include a hibiscus rum punch and hot spiked cider.  They always have the classic Sazerac (one of my personal favorites), which is not a surprise in a place that does modern Southern food so well.

“People say Ottawa is boring, I say it’s a blank canvas,” says Ivan, challenging a judgmental newcomer like myself.  After a couple of cocktails at Union 613, I couldn’t agree more! For their creativity, continuously new treats, and the fact that they have not one but two amazing bars, (their downstairs Speakeasy being the second), Union 613 gets my vote as #1 Best Cocktails in Ottawa.

2.  The Moon Room (442 Preston) – A Classic Cocktail History Lesson

There are many things to appreciate about The Moon Room. First, the menu has the date and location that each cocktail was invented (The Prohibition: Philadelphia, 1920; The Whiskey Sour: Port of Iquique, 1870). They also credit their own creations, like the Brazzo!, the-no-joke-bourbon-based cocktail I loved on my most recent visit (Bookers Bourbon 130 Proof, Raw W&H Walnut Brown Rare Old Oloroso and West Indian Orange Bitters on top of two enormous ice cubes).  Second, in an industry mostly dominated by men, I can’t help but appreciate the very lovely, predominantly female bar staff (and while we’re getting “more feminine”, I loved their killer style and hair).  They seem to do it all, including taking a blow torch to their bacon wrapped olives behind the bar.  On top of that, they make delicious, heavy drinks – our bartender even asked us if we were driving, warning that the cocktails were strong.  Luckily we were on foot, so we just ordered more! An appreciation for the classics, female empowered mixology, and a concern for personal safety, what is not to love?

3.  The Hintonburg Public House (1020 Wellington St. W.) – Simplicity

The Hintonburg Public House may truly shine as a great local beer haven, but they also know how to keep their spirit-lovers satisfied.  It is a simple small menu, but it’s all delightful, unpretentious and tasty. Kind of like the place overall. They have a rotating seasonal cocktail menu with around four options. I enjoyed the French 75, very classic and well-suited for the finally emergent spring.  On my visit they were also featuring a Manhattan made with Mead Wine.  My last brunch visit there included an expert Caesar.  It may or may not have included red wine as a secret ingredient – but I can’t confirm that for sure.  Either way, it was a very necessary and spicy Hair of the Dog.  I love the homey and casual yet refreshing and creative feel of The Hintonburg Public House, and the cocktails are perfectly fitting match.

4.  Gezellig (337 Richmond Rd.) – Sophisticated Standards

It is not the kind of place one can go to every week, but I was delighted with their short but impressive cocktail menu when I splurged on an anniversary treat there shortly after the opening.  They have a Smoked Manhattan, and I make a habit of loving all things smoked. Plus they make a serious Pimm’s Pint and a classic Negroni – my always enjoyable, routine order.  I would certainly return to Gezellig for another special occasion, and that special occasion would certainly involve a cocktail.

5.  Navarra (93 Murray St.) – Best Margarita

Ok, this place is not cheap, but the food is unique and full of flavor and the Margarita list has got to be the freshest and best in town.  A Margarita is not something I want every day, but there is definitely a time (summer) for one, and there is also a place!  A couple people in my party sampled the “Spicy Pineapple” and it received raves all around.  I would definitely have it again. Another member of our party had the classic and it was a totally perfect execution of a Margarita – tart, salty and boozy.  They also do a Mojito, and a Ginger Gimlet, both of which I would have trouble turning down. To top it off, our waiter could not have been more friendly and chatty, recommending all his favorite spots in town.

Honourable Mentions:

Two Six {Ate} (268 Preston) – Most of the drinks on the menu are a little sweet for me, but I think they please a lot of folks as I have heard good things.  They do have an Old Fashioned – which is crucial – and a few appetizing sparkly drink options. Plus, the food, the prices, and the service are so great, that Two Six {Ate} needs to be included on any of my favorite lists.

Brothers Beer Bistro (366 Dalhousie Street)– Mostly a beer joint, obviously, but they can mix up some classics upon request. The bartender fed me a great Manhattan recently.  They also feature a rotating barrel aged/infused liquor option. It was not ready yet when I asked, but apparently some inspiring flavored gin is in the works and I hope to make it back for a sample.

This is a competition where baristas and coffee tasters get to show of their respective skills. The day switches between tasting events, where expert tasters have to pick out the odd coffee from a flight of three, to brewing events where baristas get to show off their technical skills. It should be fun to watch and I’m sure if you love the smell of coffee, it will be a paradise. Head over to see just how complicated coffee can be when you put your mind to it.

The event starts at 10:30am on Saturday, April 20 and wraps up with the awards ceremony at 3pm on Sunday, April 21. It all takes place at the Bridgehead Roastery at 130 Anderson Street in Little Italy.

The last time I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day was in St. John’s, where my night was a blur of green beer, green hats, free Miller t-shirts (because Irish) and two bars (I’m guessing on that last one).

Of course, one of the fun parts about March 17^th is that, when done right, you can never accurately compare this year’s festivities to any other year’s shenanigans  When celebrated perfectly, you deliberately forget it for years to come until that unexpected package shows up on your doorstep and starts asking for child support (because Irish).

When Jared and I arrived the place was packed, but a seat was available by the stage beside the speaker. One of the band members of Paddy’s Hangover—I think I overheard a customer call him Robbie—who made a joke about how close the speaker was to our table. The music promptly started and we were treated to foot stomping shanties intended to magically sweep us away to a fishing village in Eire.

This is the part of the night where I would order something like “Leperchaun’s Legs”—green chicken wings—with a side of Guinness and Jameson’s. Instead I hit the water like a champ and ordered a warm goat cheese salad. Jared tells me the beer was delicious and I believe him because he laughed uncomfortably at the waitress when she asked him if he wanted more, suggesting that he foresaw the danger in that course of action.

That’s around the time when some customer started swining a green t-shirt around his head doing a stompy dance that I can only describe as “the folksy-goosestep.” I saw him speaking with Robbie from Paddy’s Hangover, so in keeping with my obsessive need to find connections, I’m going to say that he was the band’s dancer.

Did I mention that Jared and I had our laptops open? Jared kept insisting that I try the new Sim City—the latest installation of city building simulators that allows you to do “everything you wanted to do in previous Sim Cities.” Except invade other neighbourhoods, apparently.

To be honest, I was only sort of listening to him because “Dirty Ol’ Town” was playing and it triggered a memory from St. Patrick’s Day last my my Newfoundland friends and I tried to get the band to play Dirty Ol’ Town twenty times in the same night.

As has come to be expected from The Clocktower, the food was really good and the service was great. Our green-hatted waitress patiently accommodated our repeated requests for WiFi access and she was quick to bring anything we asked for even though people were falling over themselves dodging the kicks of The Folksy Goosestepper.

And while I may not get to enjoy a debilitating hangover today, I take comfort in knowing that I may have at least punctured my ear drum from sitting so close to the stage.

Anyways, this past weekend, the Hintonburg Public House invited us to judge their first annual Caesar contest. They assembled five cocktail enthusiasts and a whole bunch of Clamato juice for a Sunday evening of Caesars.

The winning drink for the night came from the HPH’s own bartender, Will Egan. And here, exclusively on Apartment613, is the winning recipe. Head over to the pub and order one of these from Will, or whip one up yourself.

The drink: Clamato, vodka, Sriracha and marmite syrup

Rim: crushed Doritos, dill, chili powder, horseradish

Garnish: Celery and strips of squash

It was an inspired creation, and the garnish looked great. Nice work to all the entries and thanks to the HPH for inviting us.

WinterBrewed is the first winter craft beer festival to be held in the downtown core (though it isn’t the first in the NCR), and this one is affiliated with both Winterlude and the organizers of the National Capital Craft Beer Week. The festival was a serious draw for Sparks Street, and  it was great to see so many people on the normally desolate stretch. The narrow  street worked well for this kind of event, as it made the festival feel packed and vital. I had the opportunity to attend WinterBrewed’s summer counterpart at City Hall in August, and though it seemed to be quite well organized for a first-time event, I preferred Sparks as a venue. While I had a good time at WinterBrewed, in a lot ways it didn’t go off as smoothly as it could have.

Upon arriving at Sparks Street and Elgin, we saw a long line of people waiting to be checked in. There was quite a lot of confusion as to what this line was for, as it wasn’t signed terribly well. It turns out that this line was for people who had purchased beer tokens in advance. People who hadn’t pre-purchased were meant to wait in another line at Sparks and Metcalfe, where they could buy tokens and the required beer glass. Many confused people took to Twitter to ask for advice on where to buy tokens. A fellow Apt613er did his best fielding these questions via our Twitter account, and I found myself directing quite a few people to the correct line once I had figured everything out. We were told this would be fixed for day two of the event, today.

At the end of the pre-purchase line was one person who was frantically checking people in, handing out beer tokens and other paraphernalia, and dealing with the wrath of a crowd who had been told that pre-purchasing would allow them to dodge the lines. She did her best to direct traffic by yelling that this particular line was for pre-purchasers only, but there was no way that those at the back could have heard her. Many people had to leave the line after waiting for a good chunk of time, only to go stand in another one down the street. A friend avoided the line entirely by buying a glass and tokens from a bystander, and another group of friends skipped the festival entirely after seeing the crowds. They headed to Les 3 Brasseurs instead, who must have made a killing off of would-be festival goers.

Despite the confusion, most people seemed to take the line-ride in stride. And once they got in, spirits seemed to brighten at the sight of all of the beer on tap. Fortunately, the wait for beer was minimal, and I was struck by the sheer variety of different brews that were available.

People arriving from Elgin Street would have first happened upon the Beau’s ice bar, complete with built in draft tabs and a large variety of different beers from the Vankleek Hill brewery. Word on the street is that the bar was designed and built by Carleton engineering students.  I sampled the pumpkin gruit, which was a spicy number brewed without hops. It was a great way to warm up. My friend, to try and forget about the chilly weather, opted for the Patio Saison.

Without a restaurant to run, Chris says that he’s planning to take a bit of time off now and perhaps do some traveling.

More to come…

Our first post  is particularly special: we got Juno-nominated musician Royal Wood to review the Back Lane Cafe, one of Ottawa’s most well-regarded new dining spots. And over the next year, we’ll be partnering with the National Arts Centre to bring you restaurant reviews by musicians who are part of the new all-Canadian NAC Presents concert series. Next up: a review by Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland of Whitehorse, who will be playing the NAC Theatre on March 23.

Where to begin? As a professional songwriter, performer and producer who’s dedicated his life to the arts, it might seem strange to be writing a restaurant review. But when you look at my background and current hobbies, it makes more sense than you might imagine.

I was raised on 100 acres of farmland outside of Peterborough that specialized in fruit trees, vegetables, and livestock. My parents loved cooking, and trained my siblings and I to cook from a very young age. I spent almost as many nights peeling garlic and chopping carrots as I did practicing piano. My folks believed in the power of fresh ingredients and hands-on cooking. Nothing was ever premade. Nothing came from a box. Our microwave was actually used to store cooking utensils instead of for heating popcorn.

I’ve also had a lifelong love affair with wine. I’m a budding sommelier, training at George Brown College in my spare time. (Being a touring musician, it’s a very stop-start process. But one day I’ll be able to wear the title of sommelier with pride!) My music career also means I’ve traveled extensively, and I’ve visited wineries throughout France’s Burgundy and Provence regions.

So let’s get underway. The ambiance at the Back Lane Café — which opened in Hintonburg in 2011 — was warm and inviting, full of people and full of life. The chatter and laughter in the room instantly made me feel at home — as did the fact it was nice and warm, especially considering the ice forming on the sidewalks outside. I was greeted with a smile and offered a glass of water to begin with, which I always appreciate.

The menu had plenty of options for even the most picky of foodie, so I excitedly planned my courses. To start, I ordered the green lentil soup, despite being worried that it would be beige and pureed to death. Instead, it turned out to be deliciously chunky, full of vegetables, lentils, and flavour.

My main course was the wood-fired New York steak with oatmeal stout jus, fries and aioli. Sadly, it turned out to be a slight disappointment. Though the array of vegetables on the plate was perfectly cooked (I like my veggies on the raw side, so these were right up my alley), the steak was closer to medium rather than medium rare, and slightly colder than a freshly cooked steak should be. Its flavour was wonderful, though, and had it been taken off the grill sooner, it would undoubtedly have deserved a gold star.

My wine choice was a perfectly big-bodied red blend of Syrah/Grenache to match the loud red meat. Hailing from Ventoux, the southeastern region of the Rhone, this wine had nice aromas of prune, undergrowth, chocolate and ripe black fruit. The producer was Vidal-Fleury, the Rhône Valley’s oldest continuously operating winery, grower and negociant.

But the end the meal turned out to be the highlight. The wine poached pear with pomegranate granita was something not of this earth. Consisting of shaved ice flavoured with fresh pomegranate juice and seeds, and topped with a red wine-poached pear, the dish left me refreshed and revived, wondering how something so seemingly simple could taste so transcendent.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Back Lane Café, and would with every confidence recommend it to anyone looking to enjoy a night out in Ottawa. Just be sure to order the granita!