Earlier this week, the National Post published a story entitled “Are you going to drink that tequila or just talk about it?”, which has prompted more than a little bit of discussion within the Canadian bartending community. The article’s author talks about suffering through a tequila tasting in Toronto, claiming that the hosts spend too much time talking about how the spirits are made, and not nearly enough time shooting them back. Canadians, he claims, don’t care to learn more about what they’re drinking or about what makes it superior – they want to just skip to the shot.

He goes on to describe the bartender as “hapless”, and the discouragement to the profession has left more than a few bartenders feeling more than a little upset, but does he raise a good point? How many extraordinary bars or bartenders have you heard of within Canada? Sure there are a few Canadian headliners, but compare that to the news coming out of New York, or San Fransisco, we don’t even come close to the same notoriety.

Bartending in Canada can be significantly more difficult than in other parts of the world, for many different reasons — the most significant of these reasons being our government. Unlike New York State, whose Liquor Authority, which deals with license issuing, and Liquor Store Association, which oversees liquor retailers, each Canadian province has their own, government-run liquor store. What this means to bars and bartenders is that any product introduced to Ontario is subject to the approval of the Ontario government. The result of this is a market dominated by the brands with the biggest budgets, leaving little room for the smaller spirit and liqueur companies to make headway.

How long have Domaine de Canton and St. Germain cocktails and competitions been making news across the United States now? We still don’t have those products here in Ontario. The only reason I have them, along with products like Cherry Heering, G’Vine Gin, and Maraschino Liqueur is that I smuggled them back into Canada when I was at Tales of the Cocktail this summer.

With that said, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is the single-largest purchaser of wine and spirits in the entire world.. yet our variety and our quality offerings are minimal. Hell, the only spirit-based bitters you can purchase in Canada right now are still simply Angostura Aromatic. Head on over to Liquid Revolution and ask Shawn Soole about the nightmare he’s had trying to set up “House of Bitters” as a Canadian bitters supplier.

So what does it take to succeed as a bartender, especially in Canada? A whole hell of a lot of passion, and a persistence and commitment to the craft that’s sure to drive everyone around you nuts. Anyone can make drinks – it takes very, very little to stand behind the bar and pour wine, beer, and rum and cokes all night. To take that step beyond, requires more than a head full of drink recipes, and a cocktail shaker at hand. How you progress beyond that point depends directly on what the National Post suggests Canadians don’t do – care about what you drink.

Help us prove them wrong.

In case you missed the post on my facebook profile, here’s a copy of my response to the editor of the National Post.
My name is Nick Nemeth, and I’m an incredibly passionate bartender from Niagara Falls, Ontario. Recently, one of my peers from New York City pointed out one of your articles that, even now, I find difficult to craft the appropriate response to.

Besides myself, across Canada there are an ever-growing number of bartenders building a career out of providing exemplary service and quality cocktails to our guests. With that said, there are a good number of us that feel Adam McDowell was phenomenally out of touch with his article discussing a recent tequila tasting, published in the “Happy Hour” section of your newspaper…. See More

Speaking as one of the so-called “hapless” bartenders that Mr. McDowell refers to, I find it incredibly discouraging to think that someone in an influentially significant position like his would talk down about a career that so many of us are working so hard to elevate.

The “great” cocktail cities like New York, San Fransisco, and London (among others) cast a fairly large shadow on the beverage industry, often eclipsing the talent of many equally talented Canadian bartenders. Pair that with the legal red tape and limitations our government-run liquor stores impart on us, and it’s very difficult for an upstanding Canadian bartender to succeed.

Be that as it may, there are a rapidly growing group of professionals across Canada who have built careers out of tending bar. We’ve found much more within that glass of tequila than simply a shot to suck back, and there are a good number of us who are baffled as to how a beverage writer could be so ignorant to the quality cocktail culture flourishing around him.

Popularity: 77% [?]

Earlier this year, Knob Creek made headlines with their much-publicized “Thanks For Nothing” campaign, celebrating having run out of their 9yr Old Bourbon. Globally, over the course of the past few years, whisky consumption has risen at a rapid pace, and many suppliers are now finding it increasingly difficult for their supply to meet the market’s demand, without compromising quality.

In February, Spirits Canada announced that, for 2008, Whisky was the largest spirits category in Canada. Of those sales, three quarters belonged to Canadian whisky and Rye, accounting for approximately 3.6 Million cases sold in 2008. These kind of numbers aren’t without their consequences.

Most recently, Canadian Whisky makers “Gibson’s Finest” announced a looming shortage of their 12yr Old product. Shelves across Canada may already be finding themselves light for the holiday season, but supply of Gibson’s flagship “Sterling Edition” Canadian Whisky won’t be affected this year. In an effort to not compromise the quality and flavour Canadian’s are accustomed to, Gibson’s has no desire to rush the next batch of their 12yr Old Whisky. Instead, fans of the product will just have to wait until the whisky in the casks fulfills all of Gibson’s age standards.

What else can we expect? As the whisky market in Asian countries begins to surge at an uncontrollable rate, the demand for 12yr or older whiskies is putting the pressure on distilleries worldwide. In 2007, Singapore alone saw a 121% surge in imports, and as drinks like green tea and whisky become the norm in Chinese and Japanese clubs, we can only expect the demand to surge further. For bartenders, what this means is that, assuming we can get ahold of enough of the product, the prevalence of neutral spirits like vodkas, which once dominated the market, are being forgotten in the consumer’s search for quality within their cocktails.

Viva la revolution!

Popularity: 60% [?]

If you weren’t able to guess by now, I’m a Whisky fan. My tastes rarely stray to this side of the border when choosing my spirit of choice, though, and quite often, bourbon trumps all. That’s why this past Friday at Whisky Live Toronto, I was more than a little surprised to find my favourite product of the show being local – distilled and aged less than 15 minutes from my home.

Price: $69.95 CDN
Size: 750 mL
Alcohol Content: 45% ABV
Produced by: Kittling Ridge Estate Wines and Spirits

Forty Creek Whisky, the flagship spirit of Grimsby, Ontario’s Kittling Ridge Estate Wines and Spirits, is no stranger to North America. Despite the fact that it was introduced a mere seven years ago, in 2003, it’s wasted no time in developing a name for itself. The winner of countless awards, and worldwide recognition, Forty Creek’s latest offering may just well be my favourite yet.

In 1993, the heavily charred, white oak barrels for the Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve were readied, as the latest batch of Niagara Port had just completed bottling. Rather than be discarded or sold, distiller John Hall had a different plan. He never thought it would turn out this great.

Made in the same way as the Forty Creek Barrel Select and Double Barrel bottlings, the Port Wood Reserve uses no mashbill in distillation. Instead, each grain – rye, barley, and maize (corn) is distilled and aged separately, and then blended and “finished” for an additional two years in the Port barrels before being bottled.

This special edition marks the third limited release Forty Creek whisky created, and with only 3000 bottles produced, this is the smallest batch made so far. It just hit shelves in the LCBO, and will be available for a very short time. After tasting this for the first time at Whisky Live, I had to jump on purchasing a bottle before it was too late.

While I’m not quick to advise the addition of substantial mixers to this Whisky, I’m certainly very eager to see how it holds its own in my next Manhattan, and have no problem in recommending you to add this to your own bar.

Appearance: Burnt orange, honey colour, with thick, slow legs that cling to the glass forever.

Nose: Ginger, cinnamon, chocolate, orange, subtle hints of vanilla

Palate: Sweet and smooth, with hints of cloves, almonds, and an initial hint of smoke and honey

Finish: This is where the port really shines – Sweet, smokey, and spicy, extra long lingering finish

If you want a bottle, snatch it up before it’s too late. After a quick peek at the LCBO’s inventory, it’s a shame that none of the 3000 bottles made its way to the spirit’s home here in Niagara. Most can be found in the Greater Toronto Area, and if you’re so inclined, distiller John Hall will be doing bottle signings at LCBO locations from now until December 19th, at various times and locations across the province. For a full list of dates, click here.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Well in the spirit of the recently-passed Canadian Thanksgiving, and a new contest being hosted by The Bitter Truth and A Dash of Bitters, I figured I’d turn things around – rather than share what I’m thankful for, here’s what I’m bitter (and envious) about today.

Camper English and Alcademics
My first intention was to write about jealousy of Camper English and the extensive traveling he is privileged to as he updates his posts. If you’re a follower of Camper’s blog, Alcademics, you’ll be all too familiar with his recent trip to Cognac, France, and the different Cognac houses he visited, including Courvoisier, Pierre Ferrand, Remy Martin, and many more.

The Beefeater 24 Bitters Competition encourages bar bloggers to give a "shout out" to those their envious of.

Frustration with the LCBO
But today, I’m bitter about something else. Here’s how the plan for today was supposed to go down. I went to bed last night, reveling in discovering the last remaining bottle of Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Sweet Mash (I know, quite a mouthful) for sale in Ontario. The drive would take about an hour and a half.. but it would be worth it.

I woke up early, around 9AM, and got ready for the drive.. an hour and a half, and $130CDN away, this bottle of bourbon was about to be mine.

But alas, it wasn’t meant to be – before I had a chance to leave, the trip was over. The last bottle has disappeared from Ontario, and short of a trip to the United States (which will involve smuggling it through US Customs), I won’t get a chance to taste it, and display proudly on my home liquor cabinet.

Darcy O’Neil and Art of Drink
So in the spirit of the competition, I turn to fellow (Canadian) blogger Darcy O’Neil in envy. If you haven’t read Art of Drink yet, get on it.

A former chemist turned bartender, Darcy often (but not exclusively) takes a scientific approach to dissecting spirits and cocktails in a refreshing blog that’s updated frequently. I attended his seminar “Sugar: The Science of Sweet” this year at Tales, and believe me, Darcy brings a unique, and educated voice to the world of bartender education and communication. As a fellow resident of Ontario, I’m sure he can share in the often resentment of our liquor practices and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO).

Why so bitter with him? You might want to read this post of his here. As for now – Cheers, Darcy on raising the bar for bartending blogs worldwide.

For more information on the “Don’t be Bitter!” competition, visit A Dash of Bitters

Popularity: 24% [?]

While quality cocktail bars around the world have embraced the idea of fresh, quality juices paired with premium spirits, much of the rest of the world has been slow to follow. While it may seem like a no brainer to most of you reading this, the idea of using quality ingredients for a superior cocktail has often been trumped by the idea of “cheaper”, ready made substitutes to make the bartender’s job faster, and more cost effective.

The truth is, the cost of a fresh cocktail program can often be on par with, if not cheaper than, post-mix “bar lime” or margarita mixes that are now all too common in bars across the world.

The next time you get in the “fresh cocktail” debate, here are some facts and figures that just might help you provide your guests with that quality cocktail.

Assumptions / Omissions
*This is the price I currently pay in my bar. In a seminar at Tales in July, Dale Degroff quoted a cost of $15 / 220 limes from his supplier, which brings the cost down to $0.06 per ounce of juice
**This assumes that each lime yields approx. 1 ounce of juice
***Omits the cost of simple syrup (sugar & water) to balance sour (approx. $0.01 per ounce)

Comparing Costs: Then and Now
When I took over the bar at Johnny Rocco’s here in Niagara Falls, the margarita was blended, using the Island Originals Margarita Mix and a ready-made, low quality tequila and triple sec combination. When we launch our new restaurant and cocktail menu, we’re going all fresh, and here’s the difference it’s going to make.

*Note: To get a full picture of the cost of a cocktail, factors such as labor cost, ice, cost of cleaning glassware, and more must all be considered as well

Which cocktail do you think will sell better? Providing a better quality drink and experience for your guest doesn’t have to be more expensive or inconvenient to you and your bar staff. With the proper preparation, and education of bartenders, we can all expect a little bit more value from our next drink.

Popularity: 91% [?]