Join me at Tales of the Cocktail: Mister Smooth's Wild Ride

Hey, I've been remiss: if you're going to be at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans next week, there's still time to sign up for a seminar I'm participating in on...Canadian Whisky. No, really, and it's run by every beer drinker's favourite Canadian, Stephen Beaumont.

Stephen's calling it The Many Faces of Canadian Whisky, and it's a panel discussion of how Canadian whisky, long derided as "brown vodka," is finally stepping out into the brave new whisky world of small batches, single barrels -- an odd concept with Canadian, and one I'll be discussing in my part of the presentation -- extra aging, and all that jazz. The third panelist is Sazerac taste/blending master Drew Mayfield, who'll be presenting Sazerac's two new special Canadian bottlings: Caribou Crossing and Royal Canadian.

Here are the seminar details: if you're going to Tales, drop in and get some Canadian learning. We will have cocktails, of course, and anyone who knows Steve Beaumont knows they'll be innovative, different, and delicious.

New gig at All About Beer

I'll be taking over John Hansell's seat in All About Beer's long-running Beer Talk beer review section, effective immediately. John's handing over the next four beers to be reviewed to me tomorrow. I'm honored to be part of this small, select group, and doubly-honored that John nominated me directly to the magazine staff as his replacement. Should be fun, swapping review opinions with Steve Beaumont.

More on Beer Cocktails

We talked about beer cocktails back in Session #27, and I mentioned I had written a piece on them for a cooking magazine. The magazine is Fine Cooking, and the piece is up on their website; have a look. I wouldn't point it out -- I don't point out all my stuff to you, after all! -- except that it's my first piece in a food magazine, and that since it came out less than a week ago I've already had four people mention it to me. Guess I need to pitch more food magazines.

And yes, Stephen, I've sold out to beer cocktails. And you know? Not only is the money pretty good, but they don't taste bad, either.

Mondial

I leave for Montreal tomorrow morning, judging and presenting a seminar (on what else?) at the Mondial de la Biere. Looking forward to a pub crawl tomorrow and Thursday (the latter of which includes Steve Beaumont's threat to make sure I'm not at my best for my 9:15 AM presentation on Friday), the judging (always like that), wonderful weather, new beers, great food, and -- speaking of that -- stopping in Plattsburgh for michigans on the way up and back. I'll do what I can about blogging. When I'm not drinking, walking, or sleeping. Au revoir!

Bravo Beaumont!

I am always happy to claim Stephen Beaumont as a friend. That's him on the left, with another good friend, Mike Gates, hanging out in my backyard back in August of '07, helping me drink up my leftover beer. I've known Steve for, oh, maybe 14 years, been to Germany and Belgium with him, hit some fun spots in his hometown of Toronto with him, and helped him celebrate his wedding last summer.

But today I'm very pleased to claim his as a colleague. Stephen Beaumont has received the "Raising the Bar" award from Cheers magazine, an award for individuals "who have made a noteworthy and sustained contribution to the world of beverage alcohol." Stephen didn't get this just for writing. He's been consulting and advising major restaurant and hotel chains on their beer programs for a number of years. In fact, the craft beer program at the ESPN Zone that I wrote about last year as a great example of how craft beer is getting in everywhere, the program that also won an award for Best Chain Beer Program? Built for them by Stephen Beaumont. This is a well-deserved award indeed.

Like I said, I'm pleased to say Stephen is my colleague. And my friend. Congratulations, my friend!