Love & Hate #1: Airports

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Daniel Wilson

The Sip Advisor is full of a lot of hate… but with that, also comes love. This new feature to the website will look at a certain subject and dissect three items I love and three items I hate within the topic. Up first, airports from around the world. Here are the ones the Sip Advisor doesn’t mind spending time in:

London, United Kingdom

The amount of times I’ve been day drunk in London-Heathrow Airport is quite impressive. On one trip in particular, Mrs. Sip and I were served – for free – full Gimlet and Vesper cocktails, as Duty Free locations were showing off gin and vodka products. There are also usually a few Whiskeys or Scotches available to sample and you can attain quite a buzz between flights. Heathrow is also a great place to get souvenirs, such as British chocolate bars.

Vancouver, Canada

At times, I have had an odd love-hate relationship with my hometown airport. I didn’t like going because it often meant sending Mrs. Sip off on her next great adventure. In the same breath, the site was nothing but joy when she would return from her journeys. It has also been the location of my own trips abroad… but every time you return, the airport is home to the celebration. Vancouver International is also a beautiful facility with transportation directly to Downtown Vancouver.

Airport Bars.png

Las Vegas, USA

Slot machines inside an airport… what isn’t there to love about this place! With all the times I have been through Las Vegas’ McCarran International, I have never had a bad experience. There’s an energy in this airport that simply can’t be recreated elsewhere. Not to mention, the commute from airport to Las Vegas Strip is incredibly short and keeps the good vibes rolling and party potential optimized.

Narrowly missing my love list were Edmonton (great place to do an airport pub crawl), Amsterdam (seriously, the place has not one but two McDonalds), and Taipei (where hours can be spent checking out each of their themed boarding areas). Now let’s move onto the worst of the worst:

Toronto, Canada

First, it’s not easily connected to Toronto’s downtown core. Second, it has one of the most confusing layouts I have ever encountered, with poor signage and even worse service from those who are supposed to be guiding you. It seems every time I land in Toronto for a connecting flight, I’m left with little time to get through customs, collect my luggage, go through security all over again, and make it to my gate. And if you’re final destination is Toronto, then things are even worse!

Airport Logic

Los Angeles, USA

While I love landing at LAX because it means Mickey Mouse and all his pals are only about an hour drive away, leaving from the same airport is often a disheartening task. The place is in need of some serious updating, which is slowly happening in some parts. Often, we would be on our way home, which is already disappointing enough, and then we’d be in a terminal that had zero to offer as far as food or beverage went. With a couple hours to kill, there really wasn’t anything to do but be cranky and miserable.

Casablanca, Morocco

This disgusting hellhole still gives me nightmares. Most notably, we have photos of no smoking signs throughout their food court, while every single person is lighting up and filling the place with disgusting smoke. Also, they only accept cash at stores and eateries, but when you’re (thankfully) leaving a country, you’ve often done everything you can to rid yourself of that country’s currency, leaving you completely out of luck.

Love & Hate #1: The Aviation

The Aviation.JPG

2 oz Gin
0.5 oz Maraschino Liqueur
Splash of Lemon Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with Lemon Zest

Which airports out there do you either love or hate? Disagree with my assessments? Let me know in the comments!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (5 Sips out of 5):
I can’t believe it took me so long to make this classic cocktail. It is a boozy one, but the flavours are so nice and work well together to provide the beverage balance. I recommend this to sippers of all walks. You will not be disappointed!

Mixer Mania #44 – Power and Glory

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Daniel Wilson

One way for the world’s strongest folks to show off their power is to crush a watermelon, typically between their thighs. That sounds like an onerous way to extract watermelon juice, today’s feature mixer, but it did get the Sip Advisor thinking about other feats of strength. Let’s take a look at a few of those:

Ripping Phonebooks

Perhaps the only reason phonebooks still exist is for muscle-gifted to tear them to shreds. Want to give it a shot, yourself? There are even instructions and tips online to help those who may want to take a crack at ripping a phonebook in half.

Dogs Phonebook

Pulling Vehicles

Even the thought of pulling or pushing a vehicle on my own is incomprehensible. Therefore, I’m very impressed when strongmen are able to move cars, trucks, buses, boats, planes and more with sheer strength. They should work for transit authorities across the globe.

Lifting Vehicles

If not pulling a vehicle, a strongman can often be found lifting a vehicle off the ground to prove their mettle. The last vehicle I lifted was a Tonka Truck and I struggled mightily with that. Things are not looking good for Baby Sip’s playtime aspirations.

Lifting Vehicle.jpg

Bending Metal Bars

I can barely bend plastic cutlery, let alone thick metal bars. Once again, we can take to the world wide web for strategies on completing the feat, but I’d rather spend my time and effort finding videos of kitties and people falling and such.

Keg Toss (And Other Items Thrown)

While I’d rather be drinking from them, some strongmen throw kegs around to test their power. Hopefully these ale vessels are emptied, as I’m not sure I’d want to drink the shaken and damaged suds inside, after they’ve been thrown. Who am I kidding, I’d still give anything for a drink.

Mixer Mania #44: The Firecracker

The Firecracker.JPG

Rim glass with Salt/Sugar Mix
2 oz Cucumber Vodka
Top with Watermelon Juice
Splash of Lime Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with a Lime Wheel

Of course, if you’re looking to test your own power, you can always celebrate Festivus, including the feats of strength portion. Events include wrestling the head of the household, with the holiday only ending once they are pinned.

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4.5 Sips out of 5):
This drink is very nice, as I totally expected. The Salt/Sugar rim is interesting and add a nice complexity to the Watermelon Juice. You really can’t go wrong with this collection of ingredients.

Mixer Mania #38 – In the Face of Danger

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Daniel Wilson

Sometimes, grapefruits are used to describe a person’s bravery… as in that dude has some huge grapefruits on him. Today we look at some of the most courageous actions the Sip Advisor has taken in his life. While none were earth shattering, they helped form the person I am today:

Kidney Conundrum

Moving in a somewhat chronological order, when the Sip Advisor was 12, I had my right kidney removed, as it was not functioning properly. Major surgery when you’re that young can be hard, but it’s also a blessing to have the issue dealt with early on, before it does even more damage. I think I took the whole thing pretty well and the scar can provide an interesting talking point.

Kidney Operation.jpg

Asking Mrs. Sip Out

On mutual family trips to Disneyland, I mustered all the swagger I could and asked Mrs. Sip out on a date in front of Cinderella’s Castle during the nightly fireworks extravaganza. The moment was perfect and she couldn’t say no. Had she turned me down, not only would that have stung bad, but it would have probably ruined one of my favourite places in the world. Luckily, we’re still together 15 years later.

Moving Abroad

Leaving all the comforts you have always known can be a daunting task. On two different occasions, I packed up my belongings and ventured to other parts of the world for new adventures. I spent a semester in Preston, England as part of an exchange program, before later moving to Toronto, Canada for a year-long school course. Both journeys made me much more confident.

Traveller’s Choice

Along with Mrs. Sip, I have journeyed to 51 different countries across the globe, including some that aren’t as safe and settled as others. With each expedition, insight has been gained about how other parts of the world operate. There are many more places on my wish list, though, so this courageous enterprise will never be fully achieved.

Dangerous Travel

Daredevil Days

The Sip Advisor can have a bit of a reckless spirit, doing crazy things like leaping off of high platforms (sometimes tethered to a bungee cord) into watery depths below. Some highlights have included jumping off the Auckland Bridge in New Zealand, swimming in the Devil’s Pool on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, and ziplining in multiple locales.

Conquering Anxiety

While it always remains in the background of my psyche, I can proudly say that I’ve conquered anxiety issues on three separate occasions in my life. For me, anxiety has largely been a fear of fear. It has been brought on by different circumstances and while each occurrence is tough, I have always worked through and made it out the other end stronger.

Daddy Daycare

Through my life, I haven’t really been around babies, meaning I’d never changed a diaper, fed a little one, and rarely even held a baby. So, taking the leap into fatherhood recently has certainly been an eye opener. It’s also been an awesome experience, despite the sleep deprivation, second guessing and unsolicited advice from all angles. I wouldn’t change a thing!

Mixer Mania #38: Hemingway Daquiri

Hemingway Daquiri.JPG

2 oz White Rum
0.25 oz Maraschino Liqueur
Top with Grapefruit Juice
Splash of Lime Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with a Lime Wedge and Maraschino Cherry

Perhaps one day I’ll be viewed in a similar vein to Sir Ranulph Fiennes, recognized as the bravest man in the world. If not, I’m still happy with my own accomplishments!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
This drink is very good and has brought me around to the Grapefruit Juice bandwagon. I’m particularly impressed with the Maraschino Liqueur. Ernest Hemingway was onto something!

Mixer Mania #29 – Shell Game

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Daniel Wilson

Over the years, the Sip Advisor has drank beverages from a wide array of chalices. As we feature Coconut Water this week, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the devices used to serve me a drink:

Coconut

There’s nothing like drinking basically straight rum out of a coconut, as we did in Belize. We later saw the same vendor hurriedly approaching us with a large knife. Had we not paid the fair rate? Was he after more of our tourist dollars? Nah, he just wanted to cut the coconut up for us to eat the meat inside… crisis averted!

Beer Bong

While chugging a beer is not my favourite thing to do, in some party settings, it is the right thing to do! A friend of ours used to have a skeleton beer bong, nicknamed Skeletor, which always made things festive fast. All you need was someone tall enough to hold the pouring end.

Beer Bong Kid

Marshmallow

During the first year of this website’s existence, I was tasked with creating a different cocktail or shot, every day for the entire year. Getting created, I decided to serve one shooter from a hollowed marshmallow. The shot did have to be consumed quickly, though, as the marshmallow was quick to leak.

Strawberry

Another Sip Advisor project had me using a strawberry as a side shooter to the cocktail I had made. You had to be very careful to cut the piece of fruit just right, but it did hold its liquor better than the fibrous marshmallow.

Glass Boot

Swakopmund, Namibia is an area of Southwest Africa that was a former German colony and therefore has many features of a Bavarian town. Here, I ordered a boot of beer, which held more than two pints worth of ale. I didn’t think much of it, being the brew hound that I am, but the rest of the tour group all wanted photos holding the massive serving.

Boot of Beer

Plastic Football

Las Vegas is home to some of the most unusual souvenir glasses I’ve ever seen, from guitars to the Statue of Liberty. On one trip to Sin City, I picked up a plastic football sipper, which we were later able to use for a drunken pick-up game.

Fishbowl

Sticking with Las Vegas, when we were there to celebrate Broski Sip’s 21st birthday a decade ago, Mrs. Sip, Cousin Sip and I joined him in drinking a massive cocktail blend served in a large bowl. This took place at Kahunaville inside Treasure Island, which unfortunately doesn’t exist any longer.

Fishbowl Drinking

Watermelon

On a camping trip a few years ago, our group made holes in a watermelon and inserted bottles of vodka into those openings. The result was a heavily-boozed up melon. The fruit was so liquefied, in fact, that it was like eating a drinking a mushy soup.

Team Pitcher

During my days living in Toronto, our school crew would frequent the Fox & Fiddle Pub near campus, often on their karaoke nights. There, we would sit down to what they called Team Pitchers, which were the equivalent to at least two normal pitchers and even came with a contraption to keep the suds cool.

Mixer Mania #29: Blue on Blue

Blue on Blue.JPG

1.5 oz Vodka
0.5 oz Blue Curacao
Top with Coconut Water
Splash of Cranberry Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with Blueberries

If I had to add anything to my drinking bucket list, it would be to enjoy a beverage from the Stanley Cup. Now all I have to do is find a way to get my hands on the hardest trophy to win in sports!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3 Sips out of 5):
This recipe comes courtesy of the Absolut Vodka website, which has always maintained an eclectic cocktail collection. I’ve never been much of a fan of Coconut Water, but this drink is actually decent. I’ll give credit to the Cranberry Juice, of course!

Mixer Mania #4 – Jack of All Trades

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Daniel Wilson

Upon further research, it seems that Club Soda is a pretty versatile product. Yes, it can be used for more than getting drunk, while limiting calorie intake! Here are some other uses for the drink:

Stain Remover – Unfortunately, it can’t remove some of the human stains that exist out there (your Donald Trump’s and the like), but perhaps if those folks drank enough of the pop, it might make them disappear.

Fluff Food – Sorry, I was laughing too hard when I thought of food needing to be fluffed, in the same manner that the term is used in the adult film industry.

Remove Rust – I wonder if it would also work on the Sip Advisor’s joints after winter hibernation. Those first few trips back to the gym are not very fun.

Water Plants – Hmmm, water is free and soda costs money… I think I’ll stick to the water. Better yet, just get rid of all your plants and eliminate the dilemma entirely.

watering-plants

Soothe Your Belly – Given the pop in mixed drinks often leads to “gut rot” for some, I’m skeptical about this solution.

Restore Hair Color – This tactic is to be used after swimming, but won’t you damage your hair to a similar degree if you first have to wash it with Club Soda and then wash it again to wash out the Club Soda? I mean, those dyes are only good for so many washes.

Shuck Oysters – I would still think this process would eliminate some of the natural flavours oysters are supposed to provide… you know, the aphrodisiac qualities.

Preserve Newspaper Clippings – What lunatic still does this!?

Clean Surfaces – If you ever spill some Club Soda, you can simply tell your wife/girlfriend/mother, etc. that you were simply trying to clean the place, like they’ve been asking you to do for weeks.

spring-cleaning-tip

Windshield Cleaning – I bet there are some car guys out there that have always dreamed of having a drink with their vehicle.

Clean Gems – Then have sticky fingers for the rest of your life.

Rid Pots and Pans of Stuck-On Food – So much for leftovers.

Remove Bird Droppings – If only it could remove birds, as well.

Deodorize Pet Accident Areas – I wonder if it would also work to eliminate the odor of those who like to use alleys as toilets. If so, I think we’re going to need a lot more of it.

Mixer Mania #4: Gin Rickey

Gin Rickey.JPG

1.5 oz Gin
Top with Club Soda
Splash of Lime Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with a Lime Wedge

It seems Club Soda’s best attribute is being able to remove unsightly and gross things. And yet we’re throwing all caution to the wind and still drinking the stuff. Well, bottom’s up!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3.5 Sips out of 5):
Yet another classic cocktail that the Sip Advisor has yet to profile. This is the ultimate scurvy remedy, but I would have loved a little more complexity to the recipe.

Flavour Revolution – Orange

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Blood from an Orange

The blood orange is a natural mutation of a normal orange. Speaking of mutations, superheroes can’t all become invincible, receive the gift of flight, or adopt spider-like abilities. Take Captain Citrus, for example, created by Marvel for Florida Orange Juice, at a cost of $1 million. His powers include making good choices… oh and energy shields and such, by drinking orange juice each day. Here are some of the other worst mutations/special powers in comic book land:

Jubilee

Poor Jubilee… she has long been viewed as a weak link in the X-Men armor and it’s quite understandable. I mean, she’s often the youngest of the bunch and her power is shooting fireworks from her hands, which she can’t even control that well. That’s like attending a 4th of July party at your buddies place and half his stash of explosives are duds that just fizzle out. Then a big one goes off unexpectedly and everyone has to duck for cover.

Almighty Dollar

Real name Pennington Pennypacker (where do they come up with this stuff!), Almighty Dollar shoots pennies from his hands. While that might hurt, wouldn’t that also kind of reward your foes!? If I was a villain, I’d get Almighty Dollar’s crime fighting attention as much as possible and see how long would it took to amass a fortune. I guess he’s out of luck in countries where the penny has been rendered extinct.

Bouncing Boy

I often wonder how superheroes (and regular folk alike) discover their talents. For example, Bouncing Boy has the ability to turn into a bouncing ball. Did he one day run into a wall and bounced right off it? Bouncing Boy’s success as a mutant is best seen when battling foes with animals as sidekicks. All he has to do is start bouncing around and he will distract the creature. As for people, the odds may be stacked against him.

Cypher

A member of the X-Men, Cypher is basically a glorified translator, who should really be employed by the United Nations, rather than being an affiliate of the mutant superhero team. I mean, how many times is Cypher called upon to help the organization. Isn’t he more of a liability than any help. I have to give him kudos for a pretty cool name, but one would hope he’s capable of more than facilitating discussion.

Dollman

Somehow we’ll have to avoid all the genital jokes, but Dollman’s special talent is being able to shrink himself to six inches… you know, the size of a doll. I suppose that being able to decrease your size has worked for some heroes in the past (Ant-Man for example), but it might be the name of this character that really irks most fans. Now if Dollman lived in the Toy Story universe, that may make more sense than the comic realm.

Arm Fall Off Boy

Have you ever wanted to be able to remove your own arm and use it as a club against your enemies? Yeah, me neither. I feel that any superhero that is named solely after their “special power” is one that is doomed to fail. Aren’t you also at a more-than-slight disadvantage when you’re using one arm to swing your other arm at foes? And couldn’t your opponent remove your arm and use it against you!?

Matter Eating Lad/Maggott

These two characters are known for their ability to eat anything and everything. Why this qualified them to be comic characters and didn’t just put them on a path for competitive eating glory is beyond me. Let’s hope that Matter Eating Lad/Maggott never cross paths with Eye Scream, whose talent is that he can turn himself into ice cream. I wonder what flavour he can change into and whether we can find spoons quick enough?

Kylun

I’m not sure if being able to copy sounds is even a super power, as the dude from the Police Academy movies seemed to be quite adept at it and I wouldn’t classify him as a hero… just a funny guy. As Soundwave from Transformers showed, all you really need is a robotic recording device to do similar work. I suppose Kylun could come in handy in espionage situations, but what worth would he have in battle?

Flavour Revolution: Dracula’s Kiss

Dracula's Kiss

Muddle Orange Wedges
1.5 oz. SKYY Blood Orange Vodka
Top with Blueberry Pomegranate Juice
Splash of Lemon Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with an Orange Wedge

There is one superhero with odd powers that may be closest to the Sip Advisor’s heart. Gin Genie’s special talent corresponds with the amount of booze in her system. Mrs. Sip can tell you that I operate in a similar fashion!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3 Sips out of 5):
This drink wasn’t bad, but there was almost too much going on to be anything special. The Bluberry Pomegranate Juice really takes over the tasting experience and makes the cocktail too juice-like.

Flavour Revolution – Grape

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Grumpy Grapes

I try to be as optimistic and happy as I can in life. Sure, not everything has gone the way I’d want it to, but that’s no reason to become a bitter, miserable person… a person who can be defined as a ‘sour grapes’ type. Love them, or typically hate them, here are some of those folks:

Ebenezer Scrooge – A Christmas Carol

Before having his personality and therefore future changed for the better by three visiting Christmas spirits, Ebenezer Scrooge was one of the most miserly men you could ever come across. His cruelty knew no limit, driving even his closest family members away. Scrooge’s misery can be traced back to neglect from his own father, who left the young boy all alone at boarding school during the holiday season. With his trademark “Bah, humbug!”, Scrooge makes his gruff opinion quite clear to anyone around him.

Gregory House – House

This incredibly talented doctor is a miserable prick with a bedside manner that leaves a lot to be desired… and that’s just the way he likes to be. Thanks to an aneurysm in his thigh, House loses the use of one of his legs and the operation that saved what is left of the limb, ruined his relationship with a long-time love. Add a drug addiction to deal with his chronic pain and you can kind of understand why the guy is so angry. Somehow, House has managed to maintain one friend, fellow doctor James Wilson, who manages to put up with the curmudgeonly diagnostic expert.

The Grinch – How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Much like Scrooge, the Grinch has no interest in his fellow man (or in this case, Whovillians). He’s content to live inside an isolated cave and never have any contact with the outside world. The extent of The Grinch’s bitterness leads him to want to ruin Christmas for the Whos down in Whoville and he sets upon a devious plan to steal the holiday. The Whos, however, aren’t phased by this, leading to the Grinch’s heart growing three sizes (really it was a massive coronary episode) and a complete change in character.

Grumpy Cat

The Sip Advisor is a big Grumpy Cat fan (and an admirer of all kitties in general). The memes created using Grumpy Cat – real name Tardar Sauce, although Grumpy Cat is much better – are some of the best on the internet. Many don’t know that Grumpy Cat actually looks the way she does because of an underbite and a form of feline dwarfism. I love how the owner of this feline turned a negative into a positive, creating joy for many, while also amassing a fortune that will help this kitty live comfortably for all of her nine lives!

Mr. Potter – It’s a Wonderful Life

At every twist and turn, George Bailey’s life seems to always hit some sort of snag, but none of these are more crippling then when George’s uncle Billy absent-mindedly loses the money he meant to deposit for their Building & Loan business. Mr. Potter, an adversary and competitor to the Bailey’s happens to come across the money-filled envelope and takes it for his own gains. We learn, when George wishes he never existed, that without him, the town of Bedford Falls would be known as Pottersville and would be inhabited with all the grime a slumlord could ever dream of.

Grumpy – Snow White

Perhaps it’s the years of wear and tear on his body from working in the mines. Perhaps it’s having to live with seven dudes (total sausage fest!). Perhaps it’s simply the fact that he’s a dwarf. Regardless, Grumpy is not a happy person (that’s reserved for Happy!) and can’t even be cheered up by the musical stylings of Snow White and his fellow mining brethren. Despite not initially welcoming Snow White to the fold, Grumpy is the first to rush into battle with the Evil Queen, after she poisons the fair princess with that dastardly poison apple. Healthy food, my ass!

Inspector Javert – Les Miserables

As the title implies, every character in this musical is miserable (and each has their own good reason to be so), but Javert really takes the cake. He’s obsessed with ruining the life of Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who has escaped from parole and managed to elude capture. Even in the end, Javert just can’t let go of his fixation on Valjean and it ends up costing him his life. The dude commits suicide because he was shown mercy from the very man he has hunted for so many years. You’d think with all the wine the French have access to, they’d be a little more relaxed.

Flavour Revolution: Arctic Summer

Muddle Raspberries
1.5 oz Bacardi Arctic Grape Rum
Splash of Lime Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with a Lime Wedge and Raspberry

It’s amazing how many of these characters have a connection to Christmas media. It’s the best time of the year (or so the song implies) so why are miserable people an enhanced version of themselves around the holidays? Speaking of the holidays, if you’re ever in Spain for New Year’s Eve, tradition dictates that when the clock strikes midnight, you should eat 12 grapes, one to go with each chime of the New Year.

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (2.5 Sips out of 5):
This is kind of a mint-less, soda-less version of a Raspberry Mojito, but what it lacked it could have used. I’m looking forward to trying more cocktails with the Arctic Grape Rum, as that was the best part of the drink.

Flavour Revolution – Chipotle

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Spice Spree

The Sip Advisor is a fan of spice in his beers and cocktails, so picking up a bottle of Rogue’s Chipotle Spirit was a no brainer. In honour of the liquor, I thought it would be good to look at the restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill, of which I have visited on one occasion. Should I go back for more? Let’s weigh the evidence!

Today, Chipotle is worth an estimated value of over $22 billion, but its beginnings were much more humble. Founder Steve Ells launched the chain on July 13, 1993, with the first restaurant located in Denver, Colorado, financed thanks to an $80,000 loan from Ells’ father. The minimalist design that is common for Chipotle locations was based on Ells having to establish the original restaurant on a tight budget.

Fast food giant McDonald’s was an early investor in the Chipotle business, joining the venture when it was still a budding brand with only 14 outlets located around Denver. By the time McDonald’s pulled out of Chipotle (wow, that sounds pretty bad… or delicious… I don’t know!?) in 2006, Chipotle had over 500 stores around the country. Sure, the deal netted McDonald’s $1.5 billion, but Chipotle is worth so much more now.

Some Chipotle joints in Chicago have partnered with craft brewery 5 Rabbit Brewing, to serve their specially made 5 Vulture, which is brewed with ancho chili, and 5 Rabbit Golden Ale. Other expansion the company has taken on includes a pizza chain, Pizzeria Locale, as well as ShopHouse, a collection of Southeast Asian eateries.

Sports stars Russell Wilson, Bryce Harper, Abby Wambach, and Tony Hawk (among others) have received “Free Burritos” cards from Chipotle, which allows them free meals for one year. The offer has also been extended to folks outside of athletics, including rocker Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and comedian Gabriel Iglesias.

They may be rare, but free burrito coins for the franchise do exist. They boast: “In Burritos We Trust,” which is a message many of us can get behind. The coins sell for pretty decent money on eBay, but that seems counterproductive to the whole idea of a free meal.

Chipotle goes through a ton of avocados each day, 480,000 to be exact… or at least estimated. 60 avocados go into each batch of guacamole, which also included red onions, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and salt. Musician Jason Mraz is one of the folks that owns an avocado farm which supplies Chipotle.

While not an officially recognized world record, Matt ‘Megatoad’ Stonie can destroy a Chipotle burrito in 35 seconds. He has also been recorded eating four burritos and downing a Diet Coke (gotta save calories somewhere!) in just three minutes.

Although first established in Denver, Colorado, Chipotle has become a sponsor of both the Boston Celtics (NBA) and Boston Bruins (NHL). It looks like teams in Colorado missed jumping aboard the burrito train and Boston fans can thank them for that.

Lastly, Chipotle delivery trucks warn that “Drivers Do Not Carry Burritos,” which puts my draft for a food truck heist movie on hold. It would have starred John Cho and Kal Penn and been the fourth installment in the Harold & Kumar franchise, seeing the two stoners in need of satisfying their munchies, with a cameo from Neil Patrick Harris as the truck driver. That actually sounds better than most of the drivel in theatres today!

Flavour Revolution: Berry Caliente

1.5 oz Chipotle Spirit
Top with Wildberry Juice
Splash of Lemon Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Garnish with a Lemon Wedge

Chipotle means smoked chili and is derived from the Náhuatl (Aztec) word “chilpoctli”. Rogue also now has a Chipotle Whiskey, which looks pretty darn good and will be added to the Sip Advisor’s ‘I Want to Taste That’ list!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
I really liked the smokiness of this drink, thanks to the Chipotle Spirit. The Wildberry Juice also played an important part, while the Lemon Juice gave it just enough zest to complete the cocktail.

Flavour Revolution – Vanilla

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Vanilla Ice

For the Glazed Donut Liqueur article I posted recently, I looked into some of the companies that make a living hawking sugary pastry treats. Now that we’ve entered vanilla country, said to be the most popular ice cream flavour around the world, I’d thought we should delve into the ice cream biz and some of its biggest players. Let’s hope we can get through before out treats melt!

Dairy Queen

Mrs. Sip and I are fans of the Blizzard, which was introduced in 1985 – 45 years after the chain opened. I always feel kind of bad for Dairy Queen, though. Try as they might, the chain will never be viewed as a place for food and will largely remain a place people go for dessert after eating elsewhere. I’d still love to see Dairy Queen and Burger King enter into a partnership, providing customers with a complete meal on the cheap. I had almost forgotten that Dennis the Menace was once the chain’s spokestoon, a role the character held for 30 years.

Ben & Jerry’s

Launched by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the two opened their first ice cream parlour in 1978. To celebrate their first anniversary, Ben and Jerry hosted their first ever ‘Free Cone Day’, which has become an annual staple of the company. Some of Ben & Jerry’s creations have capitalized on icons of pop culture, such as Stephen Colbert and the Stephen Colbert’s AmeriCone Dream release. Ben and Jerry are no longer part of the day-to-day operation of the company they founded, but still remain the faces of the brand.

Baskin-Robbins

Boasting 31 flavours, allowing customers to have a different taste each day of the month, Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest ice cream chain. It was started in 1945 by the team of Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins and in the seven decades since they first opened, the company has created and carried over 1,000 flavours. Baskin and Robbins believed that customers should be able to try as many flavours as they wanted before committing for a full cone or cup and that’s why the chain has their famous mini pink spoons.

Cold Stone Creamery/Marble Slab Creamery

I combine these two companies because they are both relatively new to the ice cream game and they deliver similar signature products – ice cream combined with various toppings for a delicious result. While Cold Stone has enjoyed growth in recent years, thanks to partnering with other franchises, such as Tim Hortons, Soup Kitchen International, and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Marble Slab is actually five years old, having been founded in 1983. Today, Cold Stone has close to double the outlets Marble Slab does, but Marble Slab has expanded more into the international market, than its doppelganger.

Dippin’ Dots

The ‘Ice Cream of the Future’ (little pebble-like ice cream balls) is incredibly fun to eat… and there are actually about 2,000 of them in a 5oz cup. Dippin’ Dots are created by flash freezing ice cream in liquid nitrogen and was invented by microbiologist Curt Jones in 1987. Going with today’s featured flavour, the first taste Jones invented was vanilla. Since then, numerous flavours have been added to the company’s line-up, including mint chocolate, banana split, and the franchise’s most popular option: cookies and crème. No wonder they’ve found their way to being served around the world!

Flavour Revolution: The Turtle Dove

2 oz Wiser’s Vanilla Spiced Whiskey
Top with Grapefruit Juice
Splash of Simple Syrup
Dash of Grapefruit Bitters
Dash of Vanilla Extract
Garnish with a Grapefruit Slice

In closing, we have to ask: Is vanilla really that boring? Sure, we give things that aren’t so flashy the moniker of being “vanilla,” but there’s actually a really nice flavour to the stuff. And is any ingredient that can be combined with whiskey really that boring?

Flavour Revolution – Cucumber

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Cold-Blooded

The term “cool as a cucumber” comes from the fact that cucumbers are known to actually cool the blood. Someone who shows a similar disposition to a cucumber, remaining cool under pressure, is usually given the nickname Iceman… and there are a lot of these folks. Let’s take a look at some of the dudes (there doesn’t seem to be any women on the list) who have ice in their veins:

Chuck Liddell

Liddell is a retired Mixed Martial Arts fighter and Ultimate Fighting Championship legend, holding the record for most knockouts in the company’s history at 13. Liddell has capitalized on his Iceman moniker, opening a memorabilia store called The Ultimate Iceman in 2010, as well as titling his autobiography Iceman: My Fighting Life. There is also Iceman Fight Gear, which is designed based on Liddell’s suggestions.

Kimi Räikkönen

The Formula 1 driver was given the nickname Iceman for a number of reasons, including the frigid temperatures of his native Finland, his cool as a cucumber demeanor on the race track, and his often standoffish relationship with fellow racers, media, and even his own team. I’m not sure how much weight a nickname holds when you give it to yourself, but Räikkönen does have 20 wins under his belt.

Retief Goosen

The South African professional golfer is more likely to be called ‘Goose,’ but he’s also known by ‘Iceman’ for his calm, poised behaviour while on the links. Interestingly, both of Goosen’s nicknames also belong to characters from the movie Top Gun. Goosen’s mom credits her son’s conduct on him being struck by lightning at the age of 15, while golfing with a friend. That event would definitely change your perspective.

Richard Kuklinski

It’s not often that a contract killer gets lumped together with sports stars, but Kuklinski’s method of freezing his victims, to throw off their time of death for investigators, earned him this dubious handle. Kuklinski estimates that he murdered anywhere from 100 to 250 people, while working for the Five Families of New York’s Mafia. The Iceman, a film based on Kuklisnki’s double life, was released in 2012.

Dean Malenko

Also dubbed ‘The Man of 1,000 Holds,’ Malenko would often approach the ring with absolutely no emotion on his face and this continued throughout the duration of his matches. Unfortunately, when the strong technical wrestler arrived in the character driven WWE after stints in other promotions, he was saddled with the persona of a James Bond-esque ladies’ man, which just didn’t fit.

Adam Vinatieri

While there are some who devalue the role of a football placekicker, when compared to the rest of his teammates, Adam Vinatieri has earned the respect of fans, media, and his colleagues, thanks to completing some of the most essential field goals in the history of the sport. His resume includes two game-winning Super Bowl kicks, among his record four championships for a kicker.

Wim Hof

Of all the people listed in this article with the nickname Iceman, Hof is the only that can claim to actually have a close relationship with the cold stuff. Hof was once the world record holder for the longest ice bath at one hour and 44 minutes. He also excels at other cold weather challenges, including climbing the world’s most fearsome mountains in only shorts and completing marathons in polar temperatures, also scarcely clad.

George Woolf

How about a little Canadian content to wrap up? Woolf was one of the jockeys who rode the legendary Seabiscuit. His strategy of waiting for just the right moment to make his move in a race is what earned him the nickname Iceman. Sadly, Woolf died following a racing accident, in which he fell from his horse and suffered a head injury. An award for jockeys was named after Woolf and awarded annually since 1950.

Flavour Revolution: Crisp Twilight

Muddle Sage Leaves
1.5 oz Effen Cucumber Vodka
Top with Grapefruit Soda
Dash of Simple Syrup
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Garnish with a Cucumber Slice

Cucumbers are so awesome that they can even be used to cure hangovers… not that the Sip Advisor is ever afflicted by this dreaded condition. Thanks to their mix of vitamins, sugar, water, and other nutrients, a few slices of cucumber can be the difference between waking up normally, or wasting the day away in bed!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3 Sips out of 5):
This drink was okay, but given the combo of Angostura Bitters and Grapefruit Soda, the Simple Syrup and even Cucumber Vodka could only do so much to balance out the cocktail, with a kick of sweetness. The Sage Leaves didn’t do much at all for the drink, hidden behind other flavours.

Sip Advisor

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