Labour of love: beef and beer

Opinion

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This article was published 02/09/2023 (754 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s the last long weekend of the summer, there’s a big football game on tap, the weather’s shaping up to be great and Liquor Marts have reopened.

But for many locals, the most exciting aspect of this Labour Day weekend is the bevy of burgers on offer as part of Le Burger Week, which kicked off Friday and runs through to Sept. 14.

A number of local breweries have once again gotten in on the burger action this year. Devil May Care Brewing Co. has invited Freebirds Kitchen into the taproom (155 Fort St.) to serve up their creation, the Beelzeburger, while Sookram’s Brewing Co. (479 Warsaw Ave.) is hosting Tot Wheels, who will be cooking up the Sunfire.

Over at Barn Hammer Brewing Co. (595 Wall St.), meanwhile, they’re welcoming PVG’s Street Eats and their creation, The Smokey Bandit.

One Sixteen (116 Sherbrook St.), which plays host to Good Neighbour Brewing Co., is offering its take on the smash burger, while Brazen Hall (800 Pembina Hwy.) is also participating (although its burger had yet to be revealed at deadline) and One Great City Brewing Co. (1596 Ness Ave. in Madison Square) was also teasing a new burger on social media, presumably in conjunction with Le Burger Week.

Beyond local brick-and-mortar breweries, there are a couple of solid options for local craft beer and burger offerings. Simon’s Steaks at The Forks Market has a Le Burger Week entry, the B.O.M., that can be enjoyed with all manner of brews from The Common — or if you want to get really creative with burger-and-beer pairings, Jenna Rae Cakes has a jumbo burger macaron they’ve concocted as well. The Beer Can at the Granite, meanwhile, features a range of local beer and is home to Kosmo’s Food Cantina, which has concocted something called the “420 was an inside job” burger.

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On Thursday, Sept. 14, Trans Canada Brewing Co. (1290 Kenaston Blvd.) celebrates the release of its latest iteration of Solera, a farmhouse saison, with a four-course beer dinner. Each course will be paired with a different Trans Canada beer, with head brewer Scott Sawatzky talking guests through each pairing.

The event will be held among the tanks and barrels in Trans Canada’s brewing area; tickets start at $87.86 per person plus fees and include a 500ml bottle of the sixth bottling of Solera, a beer Trans Canada makes every year that is aged in wooden foeders with portions of previous vintages of the brew blended in. For more and to buy tickets visit wfp.to/NAz.

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Wines of the week

Mumm Napa NV Brut Prestige (California — $28.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

A 45-45-10 blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris made in the traditional method used in France’s Champagne region, this California bubbly is medium straw in colour, offering aromas of red apple, peach, spice and a hint of bread dough.

It’s dry and light-bodied, with the apple and tart peach flavours landing with a touch of lemon, moderate acidity, a touch of that bread-dough note and, for a sparkling wine, a relatively gutsy 13 per cent alcohol. Well done. 3.5/5

Viña Chocalan 2020 Gran Reserva Origen Sauvignon Blanc (San Antonio Valley, Chile — $18.49, Liquor Marts and beyond)

This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc features fruit sourced from the Malvilla region in the San Antonio Valley, just five kilometres from the Pacific Ocean.

It’s pale straw in colour and aromatically brings big and tart lime, grapefruit and crabapple aromas as well as bell pepper and fresh-cut grass. It’s dry, light-bodied and brings mouth-watering acidity, delivering crabapple, tart grapefruit and lemon with plenty of acidity and a slightly resinous note that comes with the bell/jalapeño pepper flavours.

While a bit intense on its own, it would likely work well with grilled shrimp, vinaigrette-based salads and the like. 3/5

The Crossings 2020 Pinot Noir (Awatere Valley, New Zealand — $28.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Pale ruby in colour, this Kiwi Pinot Noir brings cherry, earth, cola and a savoury, almost-mushroom note on the nose.

It’s dry and light-bodied, with cherry, red licorice, raspberry candy and earthy flavours, modest tannins and a medium-length finish.

It’s still decently tasty, but a fresher vintage would probably be beneficial. 3/5

Clos de Lôm 2021 Garnacha (Valencia, Spain — around $33, private wine stores)

Inky purple in colour, this Spanish Garnacha (a.k.a. Grenache) brings deep black fruit aromas, as well as cocoa, black licorice and plum.

It’s a jammy but dry and full-bodied red, with heaps of ripe dark berry and plum flavours, secondary dark chocolate and white pepper notes, medium tannins and a long, slightly warm but not overpowering finish (it’s 14.5 per cent alcohol) unencumbered by oak.

A gutsy but fruit-driven red that would work nicely with fajitas, steak, burgers or spicy pizza; picked up at the Pourium (formerly De Luca Fine Wines). 4/5

uncorked@mts.net

@bensigurdson