BEAM'S BOURBON EVOLUTION EVENT AT WILLOW PARK WINES AND SPIRITS

Glasses arranged for the tasting on a map of Kentucky

This was a wonderful tie-in from the kitchen at Willow Park Wines and Spirits - Southern Style biscuits and ham served at the tasting

The classic red wax seal atop a bottle of Maker's Mark

The evening's host Jeff Meyers pouring the Devil's Cut to an attendee

One of several prize winnings - perfect for a home cave

Jeff Meyers speaking about Beam Global

Bottles from the tasting with their distinctive seal and shapes

Meyers with a bottle of Maker's Mark before the crowd

More iconic bottles from the brand

One of the t-shirts given away as a prize after the presentation

The American native spirit - bourbon was on full display at Willow Park Wine's and Spirit's Beam's Bourbon Evolution Event. Six of Beam's brands (including several small batch) - Basil Hayden's, Baker's, Maker's Mark, Maker's 46, Booker's and Knob Creek - were part of the tasting. Aged in American white oak, and made from a minimum of 51 percent corn, the bourbon are all designed to be full flavoured.

Host and Western Canadian Distillery Diplomat, Jeff Meyers, spoke to an enthusiastic crowd about the "sipping product," the Kentucky Derby and its long association with bourbon, how pewter cognac bottles inspired the design of Maker's Mark and how mint julep began as a sling. Stressing the point, that these amber beauties should be enjoyed by slowly sipping, not as shots.

Likening Beam's brands to a baseball team lineup, Meyers praised Knobb Creek for its "standout nature." Booker's he said is "a rare tribute bourbon to look out for in retail," while Basil Hayden's "was designed so it will forever be the same [bourbon] whisky, it is a ride and a crowd favourite." Of Baker's Meyers commented: "it has soft vanilla notes, and goes down easy, the black wax is emblematic of high quality." The MVP of the lineup however, was a new bourbon from the brand - the Devil's Cut. "We've all heard of the angel's share well with the whiskey we soak out the bourbon in the barrel. It is something new and creative to play with." Meyers recommends drinking it with cola or ice.

At the end of the presentation, Meyers quizzed the attendees on trivia about the brands; to the delight of everyone winners received Beam swag: golf tees, a bag, shaker, and a real bourbon cask top.

With such a wide range of bourbon made for cocktailing, sipping and socializing - we're ready to play ball, y'all!

www.willowparkwines.com

makersmark.com

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CALGARY BARTENDERS ASSOCIATION HOST PRESERVING BEHIND THE BAR PRESENTED BY MILK TIGER LOUNGE AND MAKER'S MARK

The event was hosted at Milk Tiger Lounge

Nathan Head of Milk Tiger Lounge mixes up the evening's welcome cocktail

A closer look at Earl's Garden the evening's welcome drink - which was delicious

The indomitable Christina Mah of justcocktails.org

The bar at Milk Tiger Lounge

Small bites were set out on a long horizontal table

Smoked salmon on flatbread with capers and onions

Charcuterie wrapped pretzels

Basil Hayden's bourbon - one of the featured bourbons of the evening

Colin Tait of Hotel Arts preparing a cocktail

A closer look at the Old School Jam (great name, by the way)

The always smiling Jimmy Nguyen making Apple Butter Manhattan
Photography K&S Media

Yes, the temperature was way below zero but a boisterous crowd gathered at Milk Tiger Lounge for the Calgary Bartender's Associations' Preserving Behind the Bar event. Christina Mah bedecked in a polka dot apron stirred pureed pumpkin invoking comforting memories, throughout the restaurant shadow boxes with miniature mixing tools (spatulas, whisks, wooden spoons) held recipes printed on lined cue cards (too cute), and Philippe Grandbois let guests know about the colonial practise of making a shrub (an important ingredient in the evening's welcome cocktail - vinegar and sugar preserved fruit).

Want to try the evening's cocktails at home? We've collected the recipes from Calgary's foremost cocktail experts for you (recipes courtesy Calgary Bartender's Association):

EARL'S GARDEN

Glass: Rocks

Method: Build all ingredients excluding ginger beer, in a mixing glass. Shake vigorously and fine strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and top with ginger beer.

Garnish: Grapefruit slice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Maker's Mark bourbon
3/4 ms grapefruit shrub
4 dashes earl grey bitters
1/2 lemon pressed
top ginger beer

OLD SCHOOL JAM

Glass: Rocks

Method: Muddle all ingredients in the base of a rocks glass, swizzle, top with ice and soda

Garnish: Lemon wedge if preferred

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Basil Hayden's
4 wedges of lemon
1 1/2 bar spoon cranberry-elderflower jam
3 dashes Peychaud bitters
top soda

APPLE BUTTER MANHATTAN

Glass: Martini

Method: Build in a mixing glass, add ice, stir and fine strain into chilled martini glass

Garnish: Cherry brandies, flaming orange peel, or an apple slice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ms Knob Creek Bourbon
1/2 ms Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 bar spoon apple butter

Cheers!

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You may visit the Fall 2011 digital edition of City Style and Living magazine (also available in print) at the following address (follow the three simple steps to access the full magazine, online) :

1) go to http://www.citystyleandliving.com
2) click on the 'front cover' image, on the left hand side of your screen
3) to flip through the e-magazine, click on the bottom right hand corner

of the magazine, just as you would our print magazine!

Follow us on twitter @CityStyleMag