LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2024

The beer and cocktail worlds seem to have collided, and why not? Beer offers great value, mixes easily with many flavours and creates bubbly, lower-­ alcohol cocktails. Along with the rising popularity of canned cocktails, a wave of cocktail-­ inspired and cocktail-lengthened “beer-tails” bring your favourite brews into the mixology realm. Freshen up brunch or happy hour with these simple options. The Lagerita is 1/2 oz tequila, a dash of orange liqueur and a lime squeeze topped with Mexican beer. Tecate LCBO 45955, 473 mL, $3.40 The Beermosa may well become your new brunch favourite: orange or grapefruit juice topped up with wheat beer. Side Launch Wheat Beer LCBO 10075, 473 mL, $3.65 The Bodega Dog is a Greyhound (vodka and grapefruit juice) made with 1/2 oz vodka topped with grapefruity beer. Waterloo Grapefruit Radler LCBO 12858, 473 mL, $3.25 Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Radler LCBO 380584, 500 mL, $3.25 BEER MASH-UPS

MINI TREND

Bigger Brews: Many of this year’s hottest beers are a bit stronger: higher-alcohol beers (above 7 per cent ABV) are bold and flavour ful. This wave of strong beers arises from the brewmaster’s itch to experiment with traditional styles and big, modern flavours. Bavaria 8.6 Original LCBO 405118, 500 mL, $3.70 Flying Monkeys Sparklepuff Triple IPA LCBO 688507, 473 mL, $4.95 Blood Brothers Brewing Shumei IPA LCBO 17931, 473 mL, $4.95

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