By Cyndi Ingle
As a lover of wine, beer and most types of food (okay, maybe not anchovies) I was in my element when I attended Slainte’s Harvest Moon Craft Beer & Wine Festival on Saturday, November 5th.
Arrayed before me as I strolled into the darkly comforting restaurant were displays by 15 different wineries and craft breweries and a true “groaning board” of delicious cuisine.
This is the second year that Slainte has presented the festival and for only $40 those in attendance enjoyed an afternoon of unlimited tasty appetizers created by Slainte’s talented chefs, and unique wines and beers. Considering the price of (good) beer and wine, an event such as this is the perfect opportunity to taste before you commit to buying a case of either beer or wine.
The food was beautifully presented with something for every taste; we enjoyed pulled pork sliders; a fresh fruit tray complete with berries, pineapple, melon and grapes; a cheese tray with olives; sushi; pizza; ribs and wings; sausage, and a sliced meat platter.
To complement my enjoyment of the delicious cuisine my first stop was Konzelmann Estate Winery, an Alsace style winery located on the lakefront in Niagara on the Lake. Slainte’s house wine is Konzelmann, so this was the perfect first stop on my tasting journey.
Norm Curran poured me a taste of Konzelmann’s Reisling, and the light lime taste complemented the pork slider very well. Later, I returned to try the Vidal Special Select Late Harvest, which is the perfect choice for those who find ice wine too sweet (and expensive). The Vidal Special Select has a delicate peach, apricot and lychee taste and at only $19.95 per bottle is a great choice, especially for gift giving.
As the afternoon progressed I had the time to leisurely enjoy many distinctive beers. A stand out was the Hawaiian Style Pale Ale offered by Spearhead Brewing Company, located in Etobicoke. Spearhead started in business this year, and their ale has already won three awards.
As Julian Osen explained, the wine style pale ale is naturally carbonated, and created without filtration and pasteurization. Hawaiian is a hoppy West Coast pale ale, with 6.5% alcohol, that is created with pineapple during a five week brewing process. Spearhead is served at 75 locations, only on tap. Locally the ale can be found on Augusta Street at The Winking Judge and The Ship, and at The Casbah.
St. Louis based Shock Top’s Belgian White, another award winning beer was memorable. It’s a Belgian style wheat beer which is unfiltered and has a light taste of orange. Brewed with orange, lemon and lime peels and augmented by coriander spice, the ale is memorable. It can be found in all LCBO’s and in cans and on draft at select venues.
Sideroad Twenty Cellars, Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery, Nickel Brook, Mill St. Brewery, Amsterdam, and Wellington Brewery were also serving delicious beverages.
The next event at Slainte’s? Single in the City, a Hamilton Speed Dating event takes place on Wednesday, November 23rd for people aged 28-38 years old.
