After a season lost to the pandemic, fans are gearing up for the long-awaited return of Canadian football.
With that comes a lot of preparation. Pulling jerseys out of the closet, getting the vocal cords ready for extensive cheering, stocking up on face paint and making preparations for gameday activities.
When your favourite team hits the gridiron, enjoy these themed cocktails inspired by iconic brands from Corby Spirit and Wine along with the game:
- Calgary — It was in a Calgary hotel where the classic Canadian cocktail — the Caesar — was born. It just so happens the Caesar is red, the same colour as the city’s pro football team. For a uniquely Canadian twist, give the Polar Ice True North Caesar a shot on gameday. It’s similar to the classic (clamato and vodka seasoned with salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce with a squeeze of lime), with some maple sugar added to the glass rimmer, and a piece of bacon added for garnish.
- Edmonton — The team has a new name and look this year. Celebrate this new identity with a drink that reflects the team’s green base colour. A Basil Twist Mojito showcases greenery inside the white rum drink. Add two teaspoons of sugar to a glass, squeeze in the juice of half a lime and stir. Add two sprigs of mint and five large basil leaves and muddle all of the ingredients together. Pour in an ounce of Havana Club Anejo 3 Anos, add two ice cubes and top with sparkling water. Add a sprig of mint for a garnish.
- Hamilton — Tigertown has been resurgent in recent seasons, with a gritty team reflective of the city it represents. The J.P. Wiser’s Whisky Smash has a name that perfectly illustrates what happens on the gridiron, with a distinctive golden hue that matches the jersey highlights of the Steel City. Muddle a few mint leaves in the bottom of a rocks glass and add ice. In a cocktail shaker, mix two ounces of J.P. Wiser’s Deluxe, one ounce of lemon juice and half an ounce of simple syrup. Shake and strain into the rocks glass.
- Montreal — The city’s signature cocktail, named after the French farmers who settled along the St. Lawrence River, is the Habitant. In a cocktail shaker, mix two ounces of Pike Creek Whisky, ¾ of an ounce each of fresh lemon juice and maple syrup, and two dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters. Add ice, shake and strain into a chilled glass.
- Ottawa — A cocktail made with a Canadian whisky is befitting the team from the nation’s capital, with a garnish of red cherries to reflect the team that has adopted its colour scheme as a nickname. To make the Lot 40 Manhattan, combine two parts Lot 40 Canadian Whisky to one ounce sweet vermouth and three dashes Angostura or Abbott’s bitters in a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with whisky soaked cherries.
- Regina — Rider Nation is passionate, and some of the more rabid fans will be found wearing hollowed out watermelon rinds as hats — which makes a cocktail with new Absolut Watermelon a must. Absolut Watermelon and Lemon-Lime Soda is a refreshing drink on gameday, with some green garnish to reflect the home team’s primary colour. In a tall glass filled with ice, pour 1 ½ ounces of Absolut Watermelon to three ounces of lemon-lime soda, gently stir and garnish with a wedge of watermelon and a lime.
- Toronto — There is a lot of hope that this is the year the Double Blue return to a place of prominence in Canadian football. Cheer on the team with a cocktail named after the city itself. Made with the city’s original whisky, Gooderham & Worts, the Toronto is made by pouring two ounces of G&W with ¼ ounce Fernet Branca, ¼ ounce Demerara Syrup and two dashes of Angostura Bitters in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir then strain into a chilled glass. Squeeze zest across drink, give it a twist and place in the drink.
- Winnipeg — The league’s defending champs have a lot to celebrate. Celebrate along with them with an aptly named Bomber — in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add an ounce of Havana Club white rum, an ounce of Chic Choc spiced rum and the juice from half a lime. Shake and strain into an ice-filled Tom Collins glass. Top with ginger beer, stir and serve.
- Vancouver — A year after British Columbia got its first professional sports team, a cocktail was created in Vancouver’s Sylvia Hotel and given the name of the city from which it hails. Celebrate six decades of pro football in Vancouver with the Vancouver Cocktail — fill a mixing glass with ice and add 1 ½ ounces Beefeater Gin, ¾ ounce of sweet vermouth, a “good splash” of Benedictine liqueur and two dashes of orange bitters. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a twist of lemon peel.
