What: Art of the Cocktail
Where: Crystal Gardens, 713 Douglas St.
When: Saturday at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets: $35 to $65
More information:
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The art of making any cocktail comes down to balancing a few key elements, says bartending consultant Kyle Guilfoyle.
鈥淭he DNA of any cocktail is spirit, water, bitters and a sweetener,鈥� said Guilfoyle as he demonstrated how to make an old fashioned at Vessel Liquor on Fort Street.
The history of the old fashioned goes back to the 1800s, when alcohol was consumed as a tonic with bitters and sugar was added to make it more palatable, he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 literally a drink in the old-fashioned way.鈥�
A raw sugar cube is doused in bitters and muddled with orange peel. A king ice cube and two ounces of Knob Creek bourbon later, he adds a twist of lemon 鈥渢o give it a nice, bright top note with the otherwise deep flavours.鈥�
Guilfoyle and business partner Nate Caudle will lead a seminar on the top-five classic cocktails at the Art of the Cocktail on Saturday: the old fashioned, Tom Collins, whiskey sour, negroni and sidecar.
The annual event is held at the Crystal Garden ballroom and features workshops and a mass-tasting cocktail party.
鈥淭he curriculum of these five are the foundation for many things,鈥� said Caudle, who shared a pro tip for those without king cube trays at home: Fill the bottom of a heavy, short glass tumbler with water and stick it in the freezer until you鈥檙e ready to mix your drinks. 鈥淚t鈥檚 super easy to do at home and there鈥檚 a lower rate of dilution than with regular ice cubes,鈥� he said.
Art of the Cocktail organizer Kathy Kay said the event was started in 2009 as a fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival, but has grown to draw sell-out crowds and a range of exhibitors.
鈥淚t used to be all about vodka, but people have developed their tastes and the brown spirits are quite popular and so is gin,鈥� said Kay. 鈥淲ith the changes in our liquor laws, we now have lots of boutique distilleries participating and people are very into local.鈥�
She said the fashion had been so impressive at the main mixer, they鈥檝e started a best-dressed competition. This year鈥檚 event also features a seminar by Gez McAlpine from Bruichladdich, a Scottish distillery that produces Botanist Gin, who will talk about making batch drinks for parties.
Early this year, Guilfoyle and Caudle founded the Nimble Bar Company, a mobile cocktail bar service, consulting and marketing business.
鈥淲e saw an opportunity at weddings and events like office parties that had underwhelming bars,鈥� said Caudle, noting that the best bartenders add flair and knowledge to making drinks.
Both men have worked at some of the city鈥檚 most-popular cocktail bars, such as Clive鈥檚 and Little Jumbo, and watched the cocktail scene shift from a small group of enthusiasts to an integral part of restaurants and nightlife.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wide open now. There are wicked bartenders throwing down everywhere in the city,鈥� Caudle said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of talent in this city.鈥�
Guilfoyle said he sees cocktails as more of a craft than an art form 鈥渓ike woodworking. But it is an outlet for creativity and there is expression in it.鈥�
Ross Borland, owner of Vessel Liquor, said he鈥檚 seen an increasing interest in beer, wine and cocktail education.
鈥淚t鈥檚 similar to food, in that people are not as interested in the mass-produced products of their parents鈥� generation,鈥� said Borland, whose shop has a classroom upstairs, where seminars range from casual craft-beer tastings to accredited wine courses.
