Fill your glass with these liquid events
> BY LUCY LAU
Given that there’s a whopping 300-plus restaurants participating in this year’s Dine Out Vancouver, all eyes—and noses and taste buds—will surely be on the plates. But alongside a lengthy list of prix fixe menus is a lineup of shindigs that shine a light on the trusty liquid companions that often play a part in a memorable meal. From distillery and coffee tours to tea-spiked tasting menus, here’s a small sampling of Dine Out Vancouver events that put the beverage first. All tickets are available at dineout vancouver.com/events/ .
SPIRITED MASTERCLASSES (Various dates at YEW Seafood + Bar) Get schooled in a series of spirits-centric classes that will offer a crash course on what goes into some of your favourite bottles behind the bar. Run by leading bartender Lauren Mote, the sessions cover whisky, tequila and rum, or bitters, and include sample cocktails, small plates, take-home drink recipes, and a gift pack from Bittered Sling, the company Mote runs with her partner, chef Jonathan Chovancek, which produces smallbatch bitters that come in inventive flavours like Arabica Coffee and Plum and Rootbeer. Tickets are $96.
THE ART OF TEA GASTRONOMY
(January 19, 20, 26, and 27 and February 2 at TWG Tea Salon & Boutique) Luxury tea brand TWG’S expertly crafted blends are at the heart of this five-course dinner, which will see the hot drink infused in the evening’s cocktails and plates. The tasting menu will draw from Ethiopian, Canadian, French, Moroccan, and Japanese influences, delivering a marriage of flavours complemented by a lineup of exquisite teas. Tickets are $131.
URBAN WINE AND DISTILLERY TOUR
(January 18, 20, 25, 26, and 27 and February 2 and 3, departing from Yaletown-roundhouse Station) Vancouver’s craft-beer circuit may be the talk of the town, but our wine and spirits scene is hoppin’ (sorry) as well. Get acquainted with three of the city’s top winemakers and distillers—vancouver Urban Winery, City Side Winery, and Odd Society Spirits—during this three-hour tour that will offer a peek into the boozemaking process, plus a selection of libations and complementary bites. Tickets are $119.
BEST OF TOUR VANCOUVER COFFEE
(January 20 and 27 and February 3, departing from Canada Place) Independent coffee shops are about as common as dispensaries in Vancouver these days, so it’s no surprise that there’s a trek dedicated to the city’s impressive—and incredibly varied— caffeine scene. Those who rise and shine will be rewarded with lessons in specialty coffee roasting, cupping, and tasting at three cafés: Elysian Coffee Roasters, a local institution that boasts four locations in Vancouver; Kahve, which uses Calgary’s Phil and Sebastian beans; and Aubade Coffee, which crafts its cups of joe via Aeropress. Tickets are $86.45.
EAST VANCOUVER CRAFT BEER AND STREET FOOD TOUR
(January 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27 and February 1, 2, and 3, departing from Waterfront Station) A hit with Dine Out goers year after year, this jaunt—conducted by the knowledgeable folks behind Vancouver Brewery Tours—offers curious imbibers a taste of some of East Van’s most eccentric suds. Attendees will start their trek at Strange Fellows Brewing, then make their way to Luppolo Brewing and Andina Brewing, two newcomers to the local beer scene that draw inspiration from the flavours of Italy and South America, respectively. Tickets are $99.50.