beverages is my brand Archives

Beer Exchange Day 12

December 23, 2024 No Comments

We did it! We made it all the way to the last day of the beer exchange. And I think I avoided spoiling any beers for anyone, even though it was harder than I expected. (Both my boyfriend and my best friend decided to drink their beers during the 12 days leading up to Christmas. And my dad has done something chaotic that means he still has more beers left than days before Christmas and none of them are in any sort of numerical order.) But I did it! And I am a little bit tipsy and it’s very late at night, so let’s talk about Beer Exchange Day 12.

Why am I a little bit tipsy? Because I very much wanted to drink Beer 12 while I was recording Academy versus Audience. Other than an extra credit episode that I had to throw together because I messed up our schedule, this was the only recording date we pulled together in December. Of course I had to enjoy a very special drink.

Life

Hot Chocolate Showdown

December 22, 2024 No Comments

Photo by American Heritage Chocolate on Unsplash

Y’all. I write about beverages on this blog a lot, but there is one that just has not gotten enough love. Hot chocolate is the drink of the season. It’s cozy in a cup. It’s the only drink that can make you feel both like a kid on a snow day and like a festive adult who has their life somewhat together. (Spoiler alert: I do not. Remember my burst pipe?)

But let’s be real — not all hot chocolate is created equal. Oh no. There are good ones. There are bad ones. People have opinions. And many of them have wrong ones. So today, we’re diving headfirst into the great hot chocolate showdown. Buckle up, because I have a lot to say. (Spoiler #2: White chocolate is the reigning champ. Perfect drink, no notes..)

Classic Milk Chocolate

Okay, so it’s the standard. The OG. The cocoa powder you stirred into hot water as a kid and topped with enough marshmallows to form a flotation device. Classic milk chocolate hot cocoa is a vibe. It’s comfort, it’s simplicity, it’s the sweater of holiday beverages.

But here’s the thing: is it exciting? Does it thrill you? Or is it just… there? Look, I love it. I respect it. But in the hierarchy of hot chocolates, it’s the shallow squats during the warm up in a fitness class.

White Hot Chocolate

Only slightly different but oh so much better. White hot chocolate doesn’t get the love it deserves, and honestly, I’m tired of it. Yes, white chocolate is chocolate. It has chocolate in the name!

Besides, it’s creamy, it’s rich, and it’s the perfect base for holiday experimenting. Feeling fancy? Add a splash of vanilla or almond extract. Feeling festive? Crush some candy canes and sprinkle them on top. Feeling like you need to enter a sugar coma? Whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and chocolate shavings. (They can be “real” chocolate if you insist.)

If regular hot chocolate is a hug, white hot chocolate is the kind of friend who shows up with wine, asks how you’re really doing, and burns shit with you. In a good way.

Gourmet Hot Chocolate

Is my debate actually turning into a tier ranking? Who can say? It’s not like I actually plan these things… maybe you’ve leveled up from your cocoa powder days and are now dropping $12 on a hot chocolate with gold on it. (As you should.)

These are the hot chocolates that come with edible glitter, handmade marshmallows the size of your head, and more toppings than a sundae bar. They’re decadent, they exist for the ‘Gram, but who cares? You have to do it at least once! (Witness my Zoolights post.)

Spiked Hot Chocolate

Actually, speaking of my Zoolights post… This, my friends, is where hot chocolate truly shines. Nothing takes a cozy drink to the next level like a splash of something hard. (Ugh, I need a better word. I’ve been trying to stop calling alcohol “adult” beverages, but this is not the best alternative.)

Okay, sorry for the non-sequitur. What I am trying to say is that if you haven’t tried Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey in hot chocolate, stop what you’re doing. Right now. Go.

It’s like a Reese’s in a cup. Sweet, boozy, and absolutely perfect. And if peanut butter isn’t your thing (tragic), Baileys, peppermint schnapps, or spiced rum all bring their own holiday magic. Spiked hot chocolate is forgiving, festive, and guaranteed to make even the most aggressively cheesy Christmas movie feel like peak cinema.

Wildcards

You know that I’ll put something doing its own thing at the top of my lists. Spicy Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon and cayenne? Iconic. Frozen hot chocolate? Chaotic but fun. Vegan-friendly or matcha-infused variations? Absolutely valid.

Do they stick to tradition? No. Are they delicious? Also no. (Just kidding, they’re great. I just feel bad for the cocoa powder people. I dunked on their taste, I can’t let them be the only ones.)

And the Winner Is…?

Please. As if I’m going to pick a winner. At the end of the day, the real winner of the hot chocolate showdown is you. Because you get to drink it all. (Yes, even the weird ones with turmeric.)

So, what’s in your mug this season? Are you a classic cocoa devotee or a fan of the spiked-and-chaotic? Or are you right, and you obsess over white hot chocolate like me? Let me know in the comments.

YYCEats

Beer Exchange Day 11

December 21, 2024 No Comments

Yesterday was just the most perfect late December day. In yesterday’s post, I talked about my really fantastic work lunch. (I just love eating very good food and getting to talk to acquaintances. That’s how you make friends!) After work, I ran a few errands, finished my Christmas shopping, and felt very productive. And then Tyler came over! We popped an edible and watched The Santa Clause and Muppet Christmas Carol. (We’re Canadian. It’s legal here and way cheaper than wine.) Plus I enjoyed Beer Exchange Day 11.

Ooh, and look at that locally purchased popcorn! The YYC Mix is specifically very good – it’s a mixture of spicy buffalo and maple syrup. Delicious. And, actually a pretty good pairing for Beer 11.

YYCEats

Beer Exchange Day 10

December 19, 2024 No Comments

I have water! I have water! Okay, I am also $250 poorer, but the last time I had a pipe burst, it took over five days before it was repaired, so this is pretty okay. The turnaround was only about 36 hours and hopefully I don’t have any memorabilia that got wet and isn’t salvageable. We’ll see. In the meantime, I’m just going to think about how much I enjoyed last night’s Survivor and also Beer Exchange Day 10.

Follow me through the cut for all my thoughts on both!

YYCEats

Beer Exchange Day 9

December 17, 2024 No Comments

You know, I was watching one of Melanie Laurene’s Vlogmas videos earlier today and she mentioned that she can’t believe she has already posted 17 vlogs this December. I hadn’t thought of it in sheer numbers that way, but – omg! Seventeen! I think that’s more posts that I’ve done in the whole rest of the year combined and yet it’s flown by. I’m very proud of myself and, while I certainly won’t keep this pace up, I hope I’ll be able to use this inspiration to keep things going a little bit come the new year. And, if nothing else, I’ll have an excellent record of all the beer exchange beers I drank this year when it comes to picking my beer for next year. Because today is Beer Exchange Day 9.

My schedule is finally starting to slow down, which means it’s time to catch up to the cultural zeitgeist by watching some trashy holiday movies. You may have caught Hot Frosty in the background of Day 8 and for Day 9, I was on a similar grind. (Hee. These are the jokes, friends.) Yes, I watched The Merry Gentlemen. No, I didn’t recognize Maxwell Caulfield, aka Rex Manning. Yes, it was dumb and totally worth it.

(OMG! You will also not recognize Maxwell Caulfield… he looks like a demon from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this picture!)

Beer Exchange Day 9

Also worth it was Beer 9! It has become extremely obvious that I need to get to the Vacay Brewing taproom. Stat. It’s only 10 minutes from my house and appears to be a collaboration with Burwood Distillery so there are beer and cocktail options.

And the two beers I’ve had from Vacay Brewing were so good. Beer 9 was The Weekender, a West Coast IPA, and y’all know that I love a pine-y beer. I feel like this is a good introduction to WC IPAs, though – it’s not super bitter and there are some delicious tropical notes in there. Plus it’s a 5.8% ABV, so you get a little bit more bang for your buck. Who can complain!?

Alright, friends. Who is in to hit up Vacay Brewing with me?

Culture, YYCEats

Beer Exchange Day 8

December 15, 2024 No Comments

Happy Sunday, beautiful friends! And let me tell you, today was another wonderful holiday season weekend day. Yes, it is Beer Exchange Day 8, but it is more than that! Today is a day where I both got productive and had fun.

Despite my post from early in Blogmas about feeling like myself again, I haven’t quite fallen into a good routine yet. It’s hard when your life is so full and there are so many demands on your time. But that’s not really an excuse. It’s just a matter of prioritizing what is important to you. So, this morning, I set my alarm for 7:30am and managed to sneak into a 9:30 barre class.

That was before the main event of the day – taking Rylee to Morpheus Theatre’s Puss In Boots. (I told y’all that I was going to!) I have already posted about this over on ye old Instagram and Facebook, but it was truly the best. She was so excited to see the show, she was basically waiting at the front door for me when I arrived to pick her up. And even though she kept the excitement up the entire time we were there, she was so well behaved during the actual show. Of course, she had little questions, but the nice thing about a pantomime is that she could whisper them to me. And she got to shout at the stage in her little voice.

But let me tell you, after all that excitement, I was ready for a quiet night. A little bit of cooking, a little bit of holiday decorating, and a little bit of enjoying Beer Exchange Day 8.

YYCEats

Sound Room

December 14, 2024 No Comments

Okay, I am getting this in just under the wire. I probably could have written another post earlier today, because I did have a little break between work at Moveology and going out. But for once in my life, I was ahead of a thing and I so wanted to write about it. So, a middle of the night post it is! Because today, Tyler and I went to Sound Room!

First, though, we swung by Market Collective, which long-time readers will know is one of my favourite holiday markets. It is the perfect mixture of fancy and mid-range artisans. This year, I didn’t get any delicious hummus, but I did fill out my Christmas shopping a little bit. And Tyler ate poutine perogies. Everyone won!

And then… 4pm rolled around. The time had come. The time for us to be trendsetters and make our way to 1st Street. To venture into the basement of the Calcutta Cricket Club and check out Sound Room.

As mentioned in his Beer Exchange post, Ol Beautiful is Tyler’s favourite Calgary brewery and he has been missing their taproom. Sound Room is similar, but different. It is vibey and cool. Maybe too cool. The bathrooms had affirmations playing on the day we were there. The bartenders were all very hip (yes, I used that word on purpose, it sounds funny!). It did sort of feel like hanging out in your coolest friend’s living room – especially with how good the music was. We Shazaam’ed more than one song while we were tucked away in a corner with our beers.

I should offer a caution. Sound Room should not be confused with a taproom. It doesn’t have the same vibes and I can’t see anyone hanging out there for hours, playing board games. It’s more like a very cool lounge, but a little bit less pretentious. And also beer. Good beer.

So when are you going to hit up Sound Room?

Culture, YYCEats

Beer Exchange Day 7

December 13, 2024 No Comments

Today is Beer Exchange Day 7, but before I get into that, I need you to celebrate something with me.

I did it! Finally, I did it! Unlike last week, I made it to Cochrane in ample time to see the play I attempted to see in that post. (Mostly because I knew what time it started at this time.) In fact, I actually made it there early enough that I was able to swing by Half Hitch Brewing to enjoy a thoroughly delicious brisket sandwich. Not really the type of thing I would normally go for, but I was drawn in by the dill pickles on it and it was totally worth it.

But what about the play, I hear you asking! It was a pantomime version of The Wizard of Oz, filled with songs new and old, and lots of shouting at the stage. (This is normal in a pantomime.) The costumes were elaborate, which is exactly what you need for something that takes place in Oz. And there was so much heart. I look forward to driving out to the Cochrane Ranchehouse yet again to see another play. But maybe in the daylight next time…

Oh, and the best part was that I was home before 10pm, even though it was a 45 minute drive home! And I celebrated by drinking Beer 7. Obviously.

Culture

Beer Exchange Day 6

December 11, 2024 No Comments

Survivor beer, survivor beer, survivor beer! It’s Beer Exchange Day 6 and I am delighted to announce that I have ticked yet another item off my Holiday Bucket List. (At this point, I’m going to have to do a check-in post!) Today I got to present on learning styles and when to embrace them at a Psychiatry Resident wellness event (not the bucket list item), and then do my favourite thing… watch an important Survivor episode with Mike and Sarah!

And delicious charcuterie.

So, of course I had to bust out another Beer Exchange beer for this special night. And today’s beer was… my dad’s beer! Yes, yet again, Rob had to save the exchange by filling in and buying a beer. He is in the industry, you know. (He works at a liquor store as his retirement job.) So what did my dad select?

YYCEats

Beer Exchange Day 5

December 9, 2024 No Comments

If you couldn’t tell from my last couple posts, life has been pretty intense and busy lately. Which I think can be quite common at this time of year, I won’t pretend it’s just me. We’re all trying to fit everything in. But sometimes, you just need to be cozy and watch a movie that everyone else in the world has seen so you can join into the societal conversations. If the “you” in this situation is me, anyway. Because that’s what I did while enjoying Beer 5.

I mean, just look at that grilled cheese, y’all.

(Note: the cheese crust is courtesy of Tyler. When I am left to my own devices, I eat the same sad meal the entire week. Realizing that I need to create a meal that is also appropriate for a man to eat makes me elevate my game and then Tyler usually has some idea to make it even better.)

And, actually, both the beer and the evening came courtesy of Tyler, as well! I talked him into filling in for the beer exchange at the last minute and he talked me into watching Die Hard. Perfect evening.

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