AltWeeklies Wire
Sexy Times With Beer and Chocolate: When Two Aprodisiacs Combinenew

For those lucky enough to be struck by Cupid’s arrow, here are some natural aphrodisiacs that may tease, tantalize and titillate the taste buds and help put you in the mood for a trip to the bedroom this Valentine’s Day: chocolate and beer.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Mike Tessier |
02-11-2010 |
Food+Drink
Rising Brew Culture: Japan is Producing Some World-Class Beernew

There’s another invasion coming from the land of Godzilla — an attack from Japan’s emerging craft beer scene. You may laugh at the notion of Japan making great beer, but it’s producing some of the world’s best, with 13 brews already on the shelves at Calgary beer stores.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Mike Tessier |
01-14-2010 |
Food+Drink
Pass on the Grape Juice: Pair Your Holiday Meal with a Triple Alenew

What wine goes best with Christmas dinner? Most sommeliers recommend their favourite oak-y white wine, while the more adventurous will suggest a Pinot Noir. They are all wrong. Belgian triple ales are best for the fest.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Mike Tessier |
12-21-2009 |
Food+Drink
The Little Guys at Achouffe Come Out Swinging with a Big, Bad IPAnew
A big beer brewed by little guys shouldn't seem odd; after all, most bodybuilders suffer little-guy syndrome and want to get bigger. Achouffe's Houblon Chouffe IPA Triple is no different -- it is a gnome in the throes of a steroid rage.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Mike Tessier |
10-22-2009 |
Food+Drink
Potheads & Hopheads Have More in Common Than Being Mellownew

The hop plant is part of the Cannabinaceae family and, therefore, it's marijuana's sister. But don't think for a second you can smoke hop as a marijuana substitute. For those who do, prepare to cough and not get off.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Mike Tessier |
07-07-2009 |
Food+Drink
Super Cuvees Lose Sight of Their Rootsnew

The super cuvee is to wine what the remix is to music -- a busier, more modern version. And as with the remix, the soul of the wine is sometimes lost.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Kevin McLean |
05-21-2009 |
Food+Drink
Tags: super cuvee, wine
Post-Oil Food: Surviving When Veggies Cost More Than a Carnew

Our lives have been inextricably linked to oil since the first commercial wells were drilled in the early 1900s. Now some experts believe the oil supply (produced over billions of years) is dwindling.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Alyssa Julie |
04-16-2009 |
Food+Drink
Will Argentina's Favorite Grape Go the Way of Merlot?new

Malbec is the darling of the wine world, and it's left the competition choking on its dust. While super-hot wine trends tend to get swallowed up by the pack, Malbec's many strengths make me believe it can be more than just the flavor of the week.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Kevin McLean |
04-02-2009 |
Food+Drink
Imperial Stouts fit for Royaltynew

In this world of super-sized everything, even the beer world isn’t safe. The industry term, however, is "double" or "imperial." This is annoying, as it belittles and confuses beer’s great history. Only one style of beer should be allowed to carry the "imperial" appellation — the beer of the Russian royal court — Russian Imperial Stout.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Mike Tessier |
02-12-2009 |
Food+Drink
Tags: Beer, John Courage Imperial Stout
The Rhone Less Travellednew

The Rhone Valley is one of France's most treasured and ancient grape-producing regions. Grapes seem to grow naturally here, spread ubiquitously among the endless sprawling hills, slowly baking under the ever-present Provence sun.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Kevin McLean |
10-23-2008 |
Food+Drink