Author Archives: Daniel Wilson

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About Daniel Wilson

I love making drinks for my friends and family, and, of course, sampling my concoctions myself! Finding and playing around with recipes is a favourite past time of mine and I hope to share that passion with all my readers.

Mixer Mania #7 – Promotional Propensity

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If the Sip Advisor had to put his money on which soda war had the best advertising campaigns, it would probably go to the great battle of lemon-lime beverages, fought primarily between 7-Up and Sprite forces. Here are the most memorable promotions from each combatant:

7-Up: “Make 7 Up Yours”

Featuring Orlando Jones of Mad TV fame, this series first showed the comedian walking the streets in a shirt that said “Make 7” on the front and “Up Yours” on the back. He would then tell passersby to “Make 7 Up Yours”, to which those he offended would respond by saying stuff like “Same to you!” Taking advantage of the popularity of the slogan, t-shirts were even released, of which the Sip Advisor proudly owned one. The other commercials were also very funny.

Sprite: “Image is nothing. Thirst is everything. Obey your thirst.”

This campaign featured a series of ads that poked fun at other drink company promotional concepts. One in particular, featured legendary wrestler Sting showing up to wrestle an adolescent boy, who thought swigging some Sprite would give him the skills necessary to battle the grappler. Another sees cute orange drink mascot Sun Fizz come to life, only to terrorize an entire family, including their dog. Damn, the late 90’s to early 2000’s were fun.

Mixer Mania #7: Electric Jam

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  • 1.5 oz Vodka
  • 0.5 oz Blue Curacao
  • Top with Lemon-Lime Soda
  • Splash of Sour Mix
  • Garnish with a Lemon Slice

Of the two campaigns presented above, I find it very hard to pick a winner. I think I have to give the slight edge to 7-Up, given I actually owned the t-shirt and have been a long-time Mad TV fan.

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3.5 Sips out of 5):
I feel I’ve seen recipes similar to this before, with different names. For the Blue Curacao content, I went with my trusty foam pump, which helped finish the cool colouring of the drink. I also used Skyy Blood Orange Vodka to complete the citrus experience. All in all, the cocktail was pretty good, if a little on the sweet side.

Snack Time #6: President’s Choice Chocolate Covered Caramel Popcorn with Sea Salt

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As a Christmas stocking stuffer for Mrs. Sip, I picked up a pack of the President’s Choice Chocolate Covered Caramel Popcorn with Sea Salt. Did she/we enjoy it? Let’s just say the box didn’t last very long once we opened it up.

I prefer the milk chocolate clusters to the dark chocolate ones, but even the dark chocolate isn’t bad here and if you mix the two, you barely even notice the more bitter version. Some pieces are lighter than others on salt content, but that’s all good with me.

presidents-choice-chocolate-covered-caramel-popcorn-with-sea-salt

In fact, the treat was so good, I picked up another box for Mrs. Sip’s birthday and really wish I’d grabbed more, especially when they were on sale following the holidays. Even at regular price, I think this dessert is totally worth it and I’m an anti-popcorn advocate.

I’ve become a big fan of many President’s Choice products, from their cookies to their potato chips to their trail mixes and nuts. You will likely see more President’s Choice selections appear in Snack Time articles in the future.

For more Snack Time articles, please visit our main page…

Beer of the Week #6 – Howe Sound Devil’s Elbow IPA

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On the way home from the Sip Syndicate’s recent weekend away in Pemberton, BC, we stopped into the Howe Sound Brew Pub in Squamish for a meal. There, I was able to enjoy a pint of this favourite beer, which was the drink feature of the day.

The Devil’s Elbow IPA is an easy to find brew, with strong hop flavours and bitterness. The 6% ABV, 68 IBUs beverage is available in Howe Sound’s patented one-litre re-sealable swing top bottles, as well as on tap at a number of locations around the province.

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Named for the grade four rapid on the Elaho River, near Squamish, the beer isn’t nearly as treacherous. The moniker has also been used for Howe Sound’s Vancouver tasting room and restaurant, which is a preferred stop for the Sip Advisor.

It was great to finally visit the Squamish brew pub, after a couple years of wanting to check it out. The IPA has earned the brewery silver and bronze medals at the Canadian Brewing Awards, as well as a silver at the North American Brewing Awards.

For more Beer of the Week articles, please visit our main page…

Mixer Mania #6 – It Gives You Wings

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Energy drinks have become such an integral part of popular culture that of course they would be spoofed on TV and in movies. Let’s take a look at some of the more famous fictional energy drinks:

Brawndo (Idiocracy)

Otherwise known as ‘the thirst mutilator’, this sports drink was being used to irrigate the crops of the United States, before the process actually started destroying farming yields and causing food shortages. Of course, this is about 500 years in the fictional future, so we have nothing to worry about… for now. Brawndo actually became a legit product for a time, although it was released years after the film, so they kind of missed the cross-promotion possibilities.

Blue Bronco (The Simpsons)

Appearing in a handful (at least for the four-fingered Springfielders) of episodes, this energy drink is most prominently featured when teacher Mrs. Krabappel is fired and replaced by hipster Zachary Vaughn. When Bart looks to get Mrs. Krabappel rehired, he plans to spike Zach’s Blue Bronco – which he refers to as “riding the indigo pony” – only to discover that the new educator already does this, ending with a booze-fuelled rant about hating the children, prior to his firing.

Booty Sweat (Tropic Thunder)

Endorsed by rapper-turned-actor Alpa Chino, Booty Sweat comes with the slogan “Pop An Ass Open”! As part of the marketing campaign for Tropic Thunder, Booty Sweat was actually released to the public. Not surprisingly, one of the most common places to find the product was at bookstores on college campuses. Throw in a few retail chains, such as Hot Topic and the cherry-flavoured energy booster became a short-term hit.

Tru Blood (True Blood)

While meant to keep vampires alive, without having to draw blood from humans, the ‘energy drink’ was also a key component in the final seasons of the HBO series, when Tru Blood stock was tainted with the dreaded Hep-V virus. This made it useless to vampires and drove them to need to feed on human plasma to stay alive… or at least not die for reals. Later, New Blood replaces Tru Blood as the next vampire nourishment supplement.

Butters’ Creamy Goo (South Park)

Wow… how to approach this entry without losing my blogger’s license. Okay, so to become better Sarcastaball players (don’t have enough word count to explain the sport), the young South Park kids begin ingesting Butters’ Creamy Goo, the newest ‘sports drink’ on the market. In the end, the adults discover that the product is actually just semen and as usual, Butters ends up grounded. Only in the quiet little mountain town that is South Park!

Mixer Mania #6: All Nighter

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  • 1 oz Galliano
  • 1 oz Cointreau
  • 1 oz Strawberry Liqueur
  • Top with Energy Drink
  • Garnish with an Orange Slice

I’ve never been much of an energy drink guy, only dabbling in them when mixing the odd drop shot or other alcoholic beverage. I don’t think I’ve ever had a serving that hasn’t been spiked in some manner and I don’t plan on bucking that trend anytime soon.

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4.5 Sips out of 5):
When describing this drink to friends, I said that it sounded really neat… until you added the Energy Drink. But since I used the Tropical-flavoured version of Red Bull, it was pretty tasty. The entire concoction was on the lighter side, but the flavours were all really good.

Snack Time #5: Hidden Valley Honey BBQ Ranch

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While dressing is not a snack in a traditional sense, when it’s used on a variety of snack items, it can become an extension of that amazing family. Such is the case with this delicious product from Hidden Valley Ranch.

On a recent trip to shop in the US, the Honey BBQ Ranch dressing caught my eye and I have since returned to grab another bottle. The sauce is a beautiful blend of sweet from the honey, spice from the BBQ and tang from the ranch.

Hidden Valley Honey BBQ Ranch.png

Hidden Valley has released a number alternative ranch dressing offerings. This includes Cilantro Lime, Buffalo, Sriracha, Avocado, Cucumber, Roasted Garlic, Buttermilk, Bacon, Spicy, Fiesta Salsa, Cracked Peppercorn, and Sweet Chili.

The Sip Advisor is a sauce junkie (our fridge is filled with flavours) and therefore, this product will be a permanent staple of my south-of-the-border shopping lists. I suppose there are worse things to be addicted to.

For more Snack Time articles, please visit our main page…

Beer of the Week #5 – Four Winds Featherweight IPA

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Looking for a beverage to enjoy while watching last weekend’s WWE Royal Rumble show, I grabbed the perfect product from Four Winds Brewing, conjuring images of a sleek high flyer getting tossed around by wrestling giants.

The Featherweight IPA was very refreshing and provided an interesting combination of its whopping 60 IBUs with such a low alcohol content of only 4.5% ABV. The mix was very enjoyable with tastes of tropical fruit and hops dominating the brew’s taste.

Four Winds Featherweight IPA.jpg

The brewery has a few really good IPAs, including the Juxtapose Wild IPA, Phaedra Belgian Rye IPA, and Vexillum Imperial IPA. You can certainly add the Featherweight to that list, as a lighter option should drinkers desire a bold taste with less booze.

The IPA (part of Four Winds’ Notus Series) can periodically be found in bomber-sized bottles at BC Liquor Stores. The drink received a well-deserved silver medal at the 2016 Canadian Brewing Awards in the Session IPA category.

For more Beer of the Week articles, please visit our main page…

Mixer Mania #5 – Simply Cran-tastic

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When making a drink that involves cranberry juice, the Irish rock band The Cranberries often pop into my head. With that in mind, here are some of Ireland’s greatest musical acts:

U2

One of the most successful bands on the planet, U2 has been releasing hit after hit since 1983. Although the unit formed in 1976, it took some time before they achieved commercial success, with the album War, which featured the track Sunday Bloody Sunday. The rest is history.

probono-u2

Van Morrison

Morrison’s song Brown Eyed Girl always makes me think of Mrs. Sip and the artist is also known for hits such as Moondance and Into the Mystic. In 2016, Morrison was knighted for his musical career, as well as tourism and philanthropic achievements in his native Northern Ireland.

Enya

The new age singer is Ireland’s best-selling singles artist, despite never going out on a concert tour. Along with four Grammy Awards, Enya was also nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for her song May It Be, which was featured in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Sinead O’Connor

Most famous for her guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, where she ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II – and in effect ruined her career – O’Connor is credited with hits such as Nothing Compares 2 U, which is still in steady rotation on soft rock radio stations around the world.

sinead-oconnor-bright-future

Thin Lizzy

Known primarily for their The Boys Are Back in Town hit, the rockers came together in 1969. Sadly, founding member and band leader Phil Lynott passed away in 1986 after years of drug and alcohol abuse. Some members of the group now perform as the Black Star Riders.

The Cranberries

We wrap up where we began. With songs such as Zombie and Linger to their credit, the group is still making music together, with the release of an acoustic album due out in April. The band’s members did take a six-year hiatus during the mid to late 2000’s to recharge the batteries.

Mixer Mania #5: Cape Codder

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  • 1.5 oz Vodka
  • Top with Cranberry Juice
  • Splash of Lemon Juice
  • Garnish with a Lemon Wedge

Some other acts that deserve mentioning are folk bands The Dubliners, The Chieftains and The Irish Rovers, whose ‘trad’ music can be found in nearly every tourist attraction gift shop on the Emerald Isle.

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
I was looking for some spice with this cocktail, so I used my UV Sriracha Vodka, which made for a solid drink. On the downside, I like using Cranberry-Lemonade as a mixer, but had to settle for plain old Cranberry Cocktail. Them’s the breaks.

Snack Time #4: Purdy’s Nutty Mac White

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The Nutty Mac White is one of Mrs. Sip’s favourite chocolate delicacies of all-time. So, with her birthday recently occurring, I was sure to gift her a couple packs of the delight, to help celebrate the occasion with sweetness.

Personally, I love all the different flavours that combine to make the Nutty Mac White experience. The sweetness of the caramel and white chocolate is balanced by salty roasted Macadamia nuts, for a blend that is sure to tickle your taste buds.

purdys-nutty-mac-white

The chocolatier also carries the similar Sweet Georgia Browns, which come in dark and milk chocolate formats, as well as in miniature form. Mrs. Sip prefers the Macadamia nuts of the Nutty Mac White, over the pecans of the Sweet Georgia Browns.

Available in two-packs, the treats retail for $5 per package, or $13.50 for three. Purdy’s is a BC-based company, which has expanded to Alberta and Ontario. Their wares can also be found online, for those with a sweet tooth.

For more Snack Time articles, please visit our main page…

Sip Trips #89: Birthday Bonanza

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Mrs. Sip’s birthday weekend was full of events, including an Irish pub dinner, beer tasting, whiskey tasting and all-you-can-eat sushi lunch. By the end of it all, I was totally ready for a day-long water tasting festival!

On Thursday, Mrs. Sip turned 33. We had the opening game of our Urban Rec season to attend, so we gathered with our team members at the Dublin Crossing Irish Pub for dinner and drinks. There, I enjoyed their Spicy Chicken Burger (available on the eatery’s daily specials menu), along with pints of Bomber Pale Ale, Granville Island Lions Winter Ale, and Hearthstone Hazelnut Porter. The meal was a lot of fun and much better than playing the ridiculous sport of handball… or as I like to call it ‘can’t do anything ball’.

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The next night, I surprised Mrs. Sip with tickets to the Tapped Vancouver event at the Yaletown Roundhouse. The Groupon deal put the price of two tickets at $40 – an improvement on the original cost of $25 per person – making the festival much more palatable. While we definitely enjoyed ourselves, the 15 advertised vendors was far from that, as by my count, there was six breweries, one cidery and one wine vendor, carrying three different wineries products. Even the most generous mathematician could only credit the event with a maximum of 10 vendors attending.

Of those who were there, I was most impressed with Howe Sound and Fuggles & Warlock, who each brought with them a varied collection of beverages. Driftwood also arrived with multiple options, but very quickly were reduced to only having their Fat Tug IPA left to serve. Other breweries in attendance were Goose Island, Whistler, and Steamworks, as well as Lone Tree Cider.

Hard Cider Morning Apple Juice.jpg

The next night, I was invited to a private whiskey tasting, with the theme being that the products couldn’t be aged more than 10 years. While accompanied by pints of Granville Island English Bay Pale Ale to cleanse the palate, I really enjoyed the Lagavulin 8 Year, followed by the Ledaig 10 Year. I’ve always been a fan of smoky, peaty whiskeys, and these two hit the mark. The evening also provided my first opportunity to eat haggis and I have to say it wasn’t bad.

The rest of the week has been spent resting up from our warrior weekend, but we’ll be right back at it soon enough!

Beer of the Week #4 – Granville Island English Bay Pale Ale

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While attending a whiskey tasting event over the weekend, I made a few trips to the bar for palate cleansers. There, my order of choice was this Granville Island Brewing product, which impressed over the night of hard boozing.

The English Bay Pale Ale was light, refreshing and full of flavour. The 5% ABV, 18 IBUs beverage featured flavours of caramel malt and balanced nicely with my whiskey servings. Suggest food pairings include burgers, kebabs and tenderloin.

granville-island-english-bay-pale-ale

Named for the inlet that is home to Vancouver’s annual Celebration of Light fireworks, the core brand release is available in a number of formats. This includes canned and bottled six-packs, as well as a place in GIB’s Summer Mingler pack.

Some recipes the folks at Granville Island have concocted, using the Pale Ale, include instructions for a Cheddar Ale & Apple Soup, Malt Crème Brûlée and Stilton Soufflé. Perhaps some cooking is in order to try the dishes out.

For more Beer of the Week articles, please visit our main page…