Q Kola and Ginger

The family and I got to spend a couple of hours at one of our favourite places again today, Roast Coffeehouse.  It's been too long since we've been!

We noticed some new sodas that we just had to try, Q Drinks.  There were 4 flavours, but we chose two; Kola - Superior Kola, the label tells us, and Ginger - A Superior Ginger Ale.

They come in pretty little bottles, with only 237 ml/8 fl oz rather than the 355 ml/12 fl oz you'd get from a canned drink, and quite a bit more expensive.  I don't remember the price per bottle, but after enviro fees and GST, it came out to just over $4 a bottle.

Ouch.

Aesthetic appeal was definitely something the makers paid attention to.

 Even under the caps.

The Kola bottle even went the extra mile, with a personal message from the company founder.

"Real trees and plants," huh.  As opposed to fake ones?  Looking at the website, one of the things that had me rolling my eyes a bit was their going on about using organic agave instead of "high fructose corn syrup and sugar."  It's always disappointing to me when I see companies playing on people's fears and health fads of the day.  Sugar is sugar is sugar, regardless of the source.  Still, I'm not a fan of super-sugary anything, so the promise of these being not too sweet was encouraging.

So were the ingredient lists.  The Kola lists carbonated water, organic agave, phosphoric acid, extracts of cinnamon, clove, coriander, kola nut, lemon, lime, orange and nutmeg. Caramel.  Caffeine.  The Ginger Ale lists Carbonated Water, organic agave, ginger extract, extracts of lemon juice, coriander, cardamom, capsicum, orange peel, rose oil.  Sounds really interesting!

The Ginger Ale bottle did not include a pretentious little message from the founder.

So, did the sodas live up to their hype?

Almost.

The Ginger Ale was not as overwhelmingly ginger flavoured, nor as ... chunky... as some sodas we've tried.

This is a good thing. 

Unfortunately, it didn't really have much else to make up for it.  We could taste a light phosphoric acid bite and a light ginger flavour, but there really wasn't much of anything else to make it stand out.  It was rather pleasant and light (this from someone who does not actually like ginger ale, nor almost any of the clear sodas).  It was nice.  Other family members who actually do like ginger ale didn't find it particularly appealing.  Nice to try, but not enough to want to buy it again.

It was much the same with the Kola.  Lightly flavoured with the light phosphoric acid bite, it was happily as not-sweet as promised, but... it was really rather boring.  I was hoping to taste more of the spices listed in the ingredients, and I really didn't.

They were both good, but not great.  I'm actually more impressed with the bottle design than I am with what was in them.

When it comes down to it, if I'm going to spend more money to get a more traditional sodas, I'll stick with Boylan for cola and Reed's for ginger.

Ayran

Recently, Spin and I got together with a group of friends at La Shish Taouk.  I was rather glad that the group met here, as it's a place that caught my attention some time ago, and I'd been interested in checking it out.  I'd never had Lebanese food before, and I was curious.

While perusing the menu, I noticed something in the drinks list I'd never heard of before; Ayran.  So I asked the waitress about it, and she told me it was a fermented yogurt drink with salt.

What the heck, I decided.  I'll try that!  I've had fermented dairy drinks before and liked it.

This is what I got.

I've looked up the website since then, and have learned that Ayran is "the healthiest soft drink in the World !"

Soft drink is not how I would have described it. 

The ingredients list is water, yogurt, salt, citric acid and what I think was a preservative, but I can't remember the name of.

It looks pretty much like a glass of milk, only slightly thicker.  As for the taste.

Hmmm...

It kinda tasted like the liquid in commercial cottage cheese, plus salt.

Plenty of salt. 

According to the label, the drink is meant to be served chilled.  I'm not a fast drinker, so it was room temperature by the time I finished it.  The flavour becomes more intense as it warms up.

Spin gave it a try and promptly rejected it.  She didn't hate it or anything, but definitely didn't like it.  Too salty, for starters.


It was definitely an interesting drink, and I don't regret ordering it, but it's not something I'd order again.  I could get used to the flavour, but not the saltiness.  I suppose if I made it at home, I could control for the salt easily enough - basic recipes I've found are equal parts water and yogurt blended with salt to taste, so it'd be simple enough to make. Some recipes include cumin or mint, which sound interesting, but neither are flavours I associate with salt.

Ayran, from what I've read, is incredibly popular in Turkey, but when it comes to fermented dairy, I much prefer kefir.

Fresh Ginger

One of the fun things about going to Soda Jerks is that they carry beverages we just haven't seen anywhere else.  With a name like Soda Jerks, a long list of sodas is to be expected, but they also have a wide range of alcoholic beverages as well.

I, however, am the designated driver of the family, so soda it is!

On our most recent visit, I decided to try one of these "never seen anywhere else" drinks, and so we have:

Fresh Ginger - Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost
Flavour: Pomegranate with Hibiscus

I figured this was a safe choice.  I'm not a big fan of Ginger Ales, but I do like them mixed with fruit juice, and I really like pomegranate.  I should note that the menu didn't mention hibiscus, so pomegranate was all I was expecting.

This is what I got.

 The ingredients list is pretty basic.  Carbonated water, pure cane sugar, 100% fresh ginger, pomegranate puree, brewed hibiscus with filtered water, fresh lemon juice and citric acid.

Prominent on the label, it tells us that this particular drink is...

 Why yes...

Yes, it clearly ... opaquely? ... is definitely UNfiltered.

Hmmm...  I've seen that sort of thing floating on the bottom of pickle jars.  It typically means the seal has been broken and they've gone bad. 

Not encouraging.

The label does inform the intrepid tippler that "Separation is natural.  Shake gently." 

You mean I'm supposed to drink the dregs? 

Hmmm.

The bottle was already open, however, so shaking my carbonated beverage was not an option. 

 It actually poured fairly clear, but only because the ice filled glass couldn't hold the entire contents of the bottle.  After a few sips, I topped it up and my daughter gleefully stirred it for me, so as to disperse the chunky bits.

She's so helpful, isn't she?

So how did it taste?

Hmmm.

I've been saying that a lot with this drink.

As a pomegranate lover, it was a disappointment.  I could not taste pomegranate.  The dominate flavour was hibiscus.  It was only after I'd drunk about half the glass that I could finally feel - but still not really taste - the ginger. 

It kinda tasted like liquid bubblegum.

Also, because I just know you're wondering, no, I couldn't really tell that I was drinking chunky bits.

May I never write that sentence again.

All in all, it was rather bland.  No pomegranate kick.  No ginger kick.  Not even a lemon kick.  Lots of hibiscus flavour, though.  If I want hibiscus, I'll get tea, not soda.

I can't say that it was bad.  It was all right.  I'm glad I tried it, but it's highly unlikely I'll ever get it again.

Maple Bacon Latte

Roast Coffeehouse and Wine Bar
Cost: under $5 for a medium

Not far from our place we have been watching the transformation of an old building.  It has been empty since before we moved out here.  It's a really interesting looking old place, and we were glad to see things happening there.

Recently, two new businesses have opened.  Mercer Tavern, which we have yet to visit, and Roast Coffeehouse and Wine Bar.

Spindle had already checked out Roast with a friend and they absolutely loved it.  Today she dragged me out into the pouring rain to check it out.

It was worth it.

The coffeehouse itself is beautiful.  They did a great job with the interior design.  There's lots of space, and it's bright, open and comfortable. 

I am not actually a coffee drinker - in fact, I hate coffee as a beverage - but when we saw a Maple Bacon Latte on the menu, I just had to try it!  Lattes, I can usually do.

The bacon was supposed to stay floating on the top, apparently.  When it sank as it was being brought to us, the barista came back with a saucer and spoon so I could fish it out!  Spin and I both gave the bacon a try, first.  It was delicious!  The maple part of the maple bacon was a candy-like coating that made taking a small bight a bit of a challenge, since it wanted to stick to the teeth.  Normally, I can't stand that, but not today!

As for the latte itself, it was really delicious!  Sweet, but not anywhere near cloying, with a just the right balance of coffee flavour and smooth creaminess. I loved it!

This is a place we're going to have to come back to, often!  The only down side is that the place is not wheelchair accessible, so I won't be able to take some of my friends there, but I was told the entire building is going to be made fully accessible in the near future. 

If you have the chance, I highly recommend checking them out!

Fentimans Dandelion & Burdock Float

Where: Soda Jerks
Price: $5.75

At soda jerks, one can make any soda selection into a float. My personal favourites are red birch beer and dandelion burdock, the latter of which prompted a waitress to once ask if I was 'really sure' that's what I wanted. Yes, it is. It's delicious, loaded with ice cream and dandelion flavour, thick and thirst-quenching. Try it out!
-spindle, via insufferable phone keyboard.

Naked Grape Chardonnay Wine Spritzer

Elephant & Castle

$5.85

Checking out Elephant & Castle's short list of less expensive drinks, I decided to try out a wine spritzer.  I've had wine coolers before, but not spritzers, so I wanted to see what difference there was.

I admit to not expecting much.  Spindle and I have tried both a red and a white Chardonnay before and it's not something we're fond of.  So I wasn't expecting to be blown away or anything.

The spritzer itself is 4.5% alcohol.  It has a nice, fruity smell and a lovely sparkle to it.  It came with a big glass of ice and slices of lemon and lime and looks rather pretty.

The flavour?

Well, I haven't been suddenly converted to enjoying Chardonnay.  I'm afraid "okay" is about the best I can give it.  It wasn't bad, by any means.  Just... meh.  Unless you already like a Chardonnay, don't bother.  If you do, it'll probably be quite grand.

Alexander Keith's Dark Ale

Elephant & Castle.

$6.60

So I had an epiphany. It came up while mulling over this beverage but is only really tangentially related to it.

I cannot taste bitter.

Not in the conventional way, anyhow.

The basic division twixt my mother and I of "This is bitter." and "what? No it isn't." led to this fascinating discovery that makes a whole lot of sense in retrospect. It explains why I wax eloquent over ~notes of citrus and caramel undertones~ in a cup of black coffee and my compatriots cock their heads and look at me like some strange mushroom. It also explains my derision toward Guinness. After all that build-up, the only description I could give it was something along the lines of "tepid ditch-water".

Sorry, Guinness. I guess the problem was on my end.

But back to this drink.

Alexander Keith's dark ale is the second I've tried of the brand, having quite liked the amber ale. I wasn't disappointed at all. The taste is very mild but it's deep and smooth with pleasant hints of fruitiness. A good ale for a light meal. I recommend it.

Vex

Strawberry Orange Banana

Hard Lemonade

Elephant & Castle

$5.85

An evening walk found Spindle and I stopping at a nearby Elephant & Castle for a chat over drinks.  Normally I would have tried another cocktail, having been rather pleased with what I'd tried the last time we were there, quite a while ago.  Alas, it seems they were only available for the summer. 

Perusing their drinks menu is an interesting challenge for me.  I don't like beer, so their extensive beer list is of little use to me.  I'm cheap, so the wine and hard liquors weren't up my alley, either.  That left the ciders and coolers.

The Vex intrigued me.  It's a hard lemonade, with strawberry, orange and banana.  That's a lot of fruit.  I like fruit.  I like vodka.  I figured this would be safe.

On viewing the label, Spindle was decidedly unimpressed by its design.  She mumbled something that I couldn't quite hear.  Something about it looking like the sort of drink a woman of questionable morals might drink while visiting numerous establishments that were purveyors of alcohol, though not that wordy. 

Not sure what that says about my choosing it. ;-)  It was amusing, though.

Well, the drink certainly does have its hit of vodka.  It's 7.0%, which is pretty fair.  As for the fruit... Yes, it tasted very fruity.  To me, it tasted like pineapple.  Spindle thought it tasted like grapefruit.  Looking at the ingredients list, however, yielded a listing of lemon juice and natural flavours.

Alrighty, then.

It was, however, tasty.  Stronger than I expected, so not the sort of thing I'd drink more than one of, but definitely something I'd order again.

Even with the label of questionable repute.

Kirin Ichiban

Place: Kyoto

Cost: About five dollars.

This is something I'd been meaning to try for a while. I'd never had a Japanese beer, and the label is just beautiful. When I finally got around to it, I was presented with this light, golden brew in a bottle of unusually thin glass. Upon tasting it...

all right, I admit that I'm not very keen on light beers in general. I gravitate toward dark, smooth and flavourful. So my first impression was of acidic tastelessness that hit the back of my tongue with a certain hostility and lingered there with obstinacy. It got better once I was a few bites into my meal (Chirashi, delicious.) and I detected the tiniest notes of other, mellow flavours hanging around, but I found them to be drowned out by that overbearing non-flavour that seems ubiquitous in light beers. And Guinness.

And "One of the world's most unique premium beers" as it says on the label? No, sorry. Also, there are no degrees of uniqueness. But I digress.

I'd recommend it if you like the general type, but drink it with food and drink it cold.

Planters Punch

Lazia

under $5

The girls and I headed out for a late evening nosh at one of our favourite restaurants.  One of the handy things about Lazia being within walking distance of home is that it allows me to try something alcoholic and not have to be concerned about driving, later. 

This drink was one of their specials of the day; a mixture of tropical fruit juices, grenadine and rum.  Sadly, it was quite dark and my camera just wouldn't focus on the glass at all, so this picture was the best I could do.  It's quite a pretty little drink.  Unlike the mojito I'd tried during our last visit, I could actually taste the rum over the other flavours.  It was really quite a refreshing drink, with just the right combination of fruitiness, grenadine sweetness and rum.  Definitely one worth ordering again!

Strawberry Früli.

At: Lazia

Cost: $4.25

Lazia doesn't carry many of my usual selections, so I did what I always do in such situations.

Pepper the staff with annoying questions.

What's a Strawberry Früli?

"Well, it's a white beer that's flavoured with strawberries."

Fascinating! Now what's a Kronenbourg 1664?

"It's... French."

Well it looks like the Kronenbourg will wait for another day. My Früli came with a cheerful label and a big glass tankard into which I dutifully poured it, revealing in the process a beautiful pink colour that is, sadly, not done any justice in the photograph.

The scent is sweet and has a definite note of berry. The taste is... oddly divisive.

I, enjoying beer as a whole, found it a bit baffling. My mother, not being particularly fond of beer, quite liked it.

The undisputed point: the Früli does not taste like beer at all.

Not to say it tastes bad, oh no. It's smooth and flavourful (with 30% pure strawberry juice. I think that's more than most actual packaged fruit-juice.) and makes me think of a rather pleasant cocktail. I would recommend it highly.

Just, you know, not if you're looking to drink beer.

Mojito

Mojito

Lime

Lazia

Special of the day: under $5

Spindle and I tend to develop an hankering to go out late inthe day, only to discover most of the places we'd like to go are either closedor soon to close. Not being thebar-hopping sort, our choices were limited. Thus, we were quite pleased to discover that one of our favouriterestaurants, Lazia, is open late. Wepromptly took advantage of it. If youever go, have their mushroom soup with truffle oil. It's pure bliss. Actually, we've enjoyed every dish we've evertried there. A wonderful place.

This particular night we wanted to try new drinks. Sadly, I only had my cell phone camera, but abad picture is better than no picture at all. The daily special was the mojito, a cocktail I'd never triedbefore. I'd ordered one in wild berry.

I get my drink and we both go into reviewer mode,discussing the appearance, the smell, the taste... Something is wrong, though,and I can't quite put my finger on it.

It was only after a while that it hit me.

Mint.

Lime.

Lime?

Hadn't I ordered wild berry?

Suddenly I couldn't remember! No matter.

I couldn't remember what type of alcohol was used in amojito, and after trying it, I still wasn't sure. It was strong in mint and lime and somethingelse I wasn't quite sure of. Looking upa basic recipe, a basic mojito is light rum, lime, sugar, mint and soda water. Ah, that was what I was tasting. Soda water. I still couldn't really identify that it was rum specifically. In truth, the whole thing tasted a lot likethe Summer Garden Bowl we'd made earlier. The only real difference was the type of alcohol. We both enjoyed the drink well enough, but itwas too soon after making the Summer Garden Bowl for it to stand on its own.

As for getting the wrong flavour, I never bothered to sayanything since I was fine with what I got. When it came time for our bill, however, our waitress apologized for hermistake and took it off the bill, which I appreciated.

I can see us taking advantage of the late hours at Laziafairly regularly! Will have to rememberto bring a proper camera!