Beasts and flights and tipples, oh my

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/10/2023 (1053 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The snow’s on the ground and, with less than two months until Christmas, the holiday season looms. But before getting bogged down in Santa Claus and ho-ho-ho, and mistletoe and presents to pretty girls (to quote Lucy Van Pelt), give yourself the gift of a drinks-related event over the next couple of weeks…

About half of Winnipeg’s local breweries and contract brewers are gathering at the Wood Tavern (112 Marion St.) in St. Boniface on Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m. as part of a mini beer festival.

Breweries taking part include Torque, Little Brown Jug, Bookstore Brewing Co., Low Life Barrel House, Kilter Brewing and more, and the event will feature appetizers, a palate-cleansing cocktail, samples from 10 different local makers and live entertainment. Tickets are $55 plus fees and are available at wfp.to/6Eo.

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Sookram’s Brewing Co. has revealed details of its annual Beastmas celebration, which takes place today starting at noon. In addition to the new batch of its Star Beast imperial stout, five variations on the dark, punchy brew will be available. A larger batch of the Star Beast has been infused with flavours of Trinidadian black cake (vanilla, citrus peel, cinnamon and brandy-soaked fruit), while smaller batches include one infused with maple syrup and aged on maple staves; another that brings gingerbread flavours of clove, ginger and cinnamon; a third variation that features schmoo torte-like flavours; and a fourth “Mexican hot chocolate” version.

The smaller-batch versions are available in mixed four-packs from the brewery (479-B Warsaw Ave.) while supplies last. There will also be test batches, music, food and more throughout the day.

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Aviation buffs and fans of hoppy brews, take note: Trans Canada Brewing Co.’s Starfighter triple IPA is once again ready for takeoff, and will be launched on Friday, Nov. 3, at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.

The Beers, Bites and Flights event takes place at the museum (2088 Wellington Ave.) from 6 to 8 p.m.; in addition to the Starfighter, Trans Canada will be pouring other flight-themed brews including the Arrow IPA, the Avenger American pale ale and the Ghost of Charron Lake, a hazy brew made in collaboration with the museum.

Former pilots of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter will also be on hand to talk about what it was like to fly the supersonic plane. Tickets for the event are $25 plus fees and are available at wfp.to/6fq.

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On the wine side of things, chef Matty Neufeld of Prairie Kitchen Catering will join the winos at the Pourium (942 Portage Ave.) on Friday, Nov. 3, for an evening of pasta and wine starting at 7 p.m. Each of the small-bite dishes will be paired with wines selected by the team at the Pourium. Tickets are $129 plus fees and are available at thepourium.com.

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Bar Accanto (300 Taché Ave.) is holding its first ever winemaker dinner on Friday, Nov. 10, featuring Michael Ingham of Australia’s Deliquente Wine Co., makers of minimal-intervention organic wines from the Riverland region. The eight-course family-style menu from chef Colin Naylor is $90; for another $45, Deliquente wines will be paired with the meal. The 8:15 p.m. seating is sold out, but a few tickets remain for the 5:15 p.m. slot — visit wfp.to/6fU to book.

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For those who like their tipples on the stronger side, King + Bannatyne (100 King St.) is the venue for a scotch tasting hosted by Darren Raeside, with all proceeds going to the Movember Foundation. Tickets are $90 and include scotch samples as well as some killer sandwiches from the King + Bannatyne crew — they’re available at wfp.to/6ft.

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Drinks of the week

Kilter Brewing Co. Fog Machine Double IPA (Winnipeg — $4.95/473ml cans brewery and beer vendors)

Kilter’s Fog Machine is back, this time featuring German Tango hops.

It’s medium straw in colour and hazy, with bright tropical fruit, fresh malt, peach and subtler herbal hoppy aromas.

It’s got just a hint of sweetness on the medium-bodied palate, which is front-loaded with pineapple, mango, dried apricot and peach and then bolstered by peppy hops and an underlying malty component before a long, warm (eight per cent alcohol) finish.

Punchy and deceptively drinkable. 4.5/5

A.A. Badenhorst 2020 The Curator Red (Swartland, South Africa — around $22, Jones & Co.)

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cinsault and Grenache Noir, this South African red offers lovely violet, plum, raspberry, red licorice and blackberry notes on the nose.

It’s a full-bodied, fruit-forward and juicy red, with ripe raspberry and cherry flavours coming with red licorice and earthy notes, modestly grippy tannins, a splash of acidity and a medium-length finish with little to no oak to speak of from start to finish.

Approachable now, and highly food friendly (and tasty). Available at Jones & Co. 4/5

Fourth Wave Wine 2021 Take It to the Grave Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra, Australia — $18.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

This dark, spooky red made from grapes grown in Australia’s Coonawarra region doesn’t bring as strong a eucalyptus note as many reds from the region — rather, there are big cassis, herbal and lacquer aromas in here, as well as a white pepper component.

It’s dry and full-bodied, with quite juicy cassis and blueberry flavours, a distinct herbal note, medium but soft tannins and a vanilla element thanks to six months’ aging in French oak barrels.

A silky but grippy red to drink now (on Halloween, perhaps) or hold for 2-3 years. 3.5/5

uncorked@mts.net

@bensigurdson