LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2024

BEER

Hip to Sip Along with cozy nights at home and snuggly sweaters, winter brings with it a host of new beer options. Give them as gifts (with a little something extra) or try them yourself. But don’t wait … some are only around for a limited time.

BY JORDAN ST. JOHN WITH JESSICA HURAS PHOTOGRAPHY BY DARREN KEMPER

Savoury and Spicy What better gifts to give in the depth of

Canadian winter than food and drinks that suggest far‑flung locales with bright sunshine and exotic flavours? Collective Arts Mango & Chili Gose (LCBO 38995, 473 mL, $4.85) uses a lightly tart style of beer as its base and incorporates Himalayan pink salt and coriander, taking this beer in the direction of a spicy mango Margarita. Expect notes of tropical fruit, lime juice and jalapeño in this spicy quencher. Blood Brothers Ginger Key (LCBO 39583, 500 mL, $12.95) is a sophisticated take on Moscow Mule fla vours. The result of blending ginger into a lightly tart oak barrel–aged golden sour, Ginger Key brings not only fiery heat, but also gentle acidity to the party, reminiscent of an assertive Caribbean ginger beer.

PROP STYLING BY CATHERINE M ac FADYEN

The natural sweetness and chewy texture of dried fruit provides a satisfying contrast to the bold flavour and fizz of these brews. Toronto’s Fresh Dried, a family-run producer with a sustainable focus, offers organic dried fruit made from ingredients ranging from apples to peaches to dragonfruit. Try one of their tasty mixes like the Everything, featuring 20 kinds of dried produce. freshdried.ca

55

HOLIDAY 2024 ————————