6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Drink makers show off best, latest at festivals
Opinion
As summer proper looms, people start thinking about taking vacations, heading to the lake and just generally getting away from it all.
But before we get to the lazy, hazy (too hazy!), crazy days of July and August, June brings a whole bevy of beverage-related events for fans of wine, beer and cocktails.
Good Neighbour Brewing Co. (110 Sherbrook St.) has once again teamed up with the Winnipeg Humane Society for the Pets on Pints campaign. Proud cat, dog or other-critter owners can upload a photo of their pet at and convince friends and family to vote for their pet — each vote costs one dollar, with funds going to the Winnipeg Humane Society.
The two pets garnering the most votes will feature on a forthcoming brew, while two more who manage to clear $100 raised will be randomly chosen for another pair of cans.
The beer will be on sale at the brewery and select Liquor Marts on July 9, with further proceeds going to the Humane Society.
It's last call to get tickets for the Flatlander's Beer Festival, which takes place June 6 and 7 at the Canada Life Centre (300 Portage Ave.).
The festival has uploaded its list of participating producers and drinks being poured, including a whole host of ready-to-drink canned cocktails and over a dozen local producers of beer and wine. For the complete list of what's being poured and to get tickets see
Patent 5 Distillery's Purple Blossom Gin will be the feature ingredient in the monthly cocktail at The Beer Can (1 Granite Way), and the drink, dubbed the Purple Rain Spritz, launches June 7 from noon to 4 p.m. Patent 5 has also released Pride Purple Blossom Gin, with a special label designed by Shafik Kamani; a portion of proceeds from sales of the bottle will benefit LGBTTQ+ organizations.
Low Life Barrel House (398 Daly St. N) hosts its sixth natural wine party on June 10, starting at 5 p.m. in conjunction with Ellement Wine + Spirits. In addition to Low Life's own many minimal-intervention wines, a dozen natural wines made elsewhere will be available by the glass. There's no charge to attend.
The Beer Mkt (6600 Roblin Blvd.) is once again hosting the Charleswood Beer Fest on June 13 and 14. The free event will feature samples from more than a dozen local producers, finger food and giveaways. For more information see
Over at Bar Accanto (300 Taché Ave.), sommelier Casey Holder has put together an all-Australian wine list for a takeover on June 18, with chef Emily Butcher putting her spin on classic Aussie dishes reimagined for the evening. Those interested in a taste of Down Under can reserve a spot at
Kilter Brewing Co. (450 Rue Deschambault) celebrates seven years of beers at Kilterpalooza, which takes place June 21 at the brewery from noon to 11 p.m. The celebration will feature new beer releases and merchandise, games, local vendors, hot dog and taco specials and ice cream sundaes. The free event is both kid- and pet-friendly.
Last but certainly not least, Winkler will welcome the province's newest craft brewer on June 27, the date of the grand opening of Heritage Farms Brewing Co. (400 Memorial Dr.). The brewery currently has a trio of brews — a blonde, pale ale and brown ale — available in cans at Liquor Marts and beer vendors. Watch for more info at
Here are some fun, fruity, fab drinks to celebrate Pride, beat the heat or just try something new…
(Winnipeg — $3.79/355ml can, Low Life Barrel House, Liquor Marts)
This hard seltzer is back again for warmer temps; it's clear and devoid of colour, with ripe pear aromas front and centre along with more subtle floral notes.
It's mainly dry (less than one gram of sugar per can) and light-bodied, brimming with pear flavours and floral notes that add some complexity before the medium finish (it's 5.5 per cent alcohol). A crisp, easygoing hard seltzer. 3/5
Patent 5 Sour Cherry Vodka Spritz
(Winnipeg — $3.69/355ml can, distillery, Liquor Marts)
Featuring 'real fruit flavour' along with Patent 5's vodka, this ready-to-drink canned cocktail is very pale straw in colour, bringing ripe, almost stewed cherry flavours and a hint of spice on the nose.
It's light-bodied and off-dry, with the slight sweetness of the cherry flavours offset by medium acidity before the short, 4.5 per cent alcohol on the finish. 3.5/5
(Winnipeg — $4.39/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)
A cherry- and lime-flavoured lager brewed for Pride, the Queer Beer is strawberry-copper in colour and mainly clear, with fresh malty notes working well with the subtle lime and cherry component.
It's light-plus-bodied and dry, with the malty flavours coming with secondary cherry and slightly tart lime zest notes, no discernible bitterness and, at five per cent alcohol, an unobtrusive finish. A solid warm-weather sipper. 3.5/5
(Winnipeg — $4.30/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)
Some Sauvignon Blanc grape skins join 'cryogenically concentrated pellets, hop oil extracts and Phantasm thiol powder' in this brew, which is pale gold and hazy in appearance and offers a tart lemon-lime note along with gooseberry, herbal, grapefruit rind and saline aromas.
It's mainly dry and medium-bodied, with racy acidity keeping things tart and accentuating the slightly sour citrus flavours, while the herbal notes linger in the background before the modest five per cent alcohol kicks in on the finish. 3.5/5
(Winnipeg — $4.75/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)
This sour beer is infused with Gatorade concentrate, which helps explain the brew's deep, intense blue colour.
Aromatically it's a throwback of Fun Dip and blue whale gummy and blueberry candy; on the medium-bodied palate it picks up some slight Gatorade notes along with the candies, modest tartness and, at 4.5 per cent alcohol, a relatively short finish. A wild but fun brew made for Pride — also comes in three other flavours. 4/5
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Ben SigurdsonLiterary editor, drinks writer
Ben Sigurdson is the Free Press's literary editor and drinks writer. He graduated with a master of arts degree in English from the University of Manitoba in 2005, the same year he began writing Uncorked, the weekly Free Press drinks column. He joined the Free Press full time in 2013 as a copy editor before being appointed literary editor in 2014. Read more about Ben.
In addition to providing opinions and analysis on wine and drinks, Ben oversees a team of freelance book reviewers and produces content for the arts and life section, all of which is reviewed by the Free Press's editing team before being posted online or published in print. It's part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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