Montreal’s Cocktail Invasion is back for the fifth year. This May 14-20, you can try more than 250 specialty cocktails from more than 30 bars in Montreal and Quebec City (please don’t try them all in one week, as that would be very dangerous for your liver).
How it Works
Get your free passport at invasioncocktail.com and then go to the bar of your choice. The cocktails are usually a little discounted, but mostly it’s fun to check off different bars and explore new ones you’ve never been to before. The festival is sponsored by a bunch of alcohol brands, so there are a variety of flavour options for the bartenders to work with when coming up with their festival menus.
What’s New This Year?
This year there’ll be a pop-up bar at festival headquarters from May 17-18 with two nights of DJs, activities and cocktail tastings. Admission to the parties will be $10 plus tasting coupons (most cocktails will be $4). There’s also a tour of the slick Cirka Distillery in Montreal and brunches at Perles et Paddock.
To get you pumped for the fest, I’ll be featuring cocktails from five of my favourite bars until the end of the festival. Here’s the first one from 132 Bar Vintage.
If you’ve never played Jenga with Jonathan at the bar here, you’re missing out.
The BEE STING from 132 Bar Vintage
created by Jonathan Elbaz, Fred Lafontaine, Jonathan Larouche
If you’ve never had Cocchi Americano Bianco before, it’s a bittersweet aperitif made from Moscato d’Asti, an aromatic Italian wine with a fair bit of sweetness. The bitterness comes from the quinine added, which is the same flavour you get from tonic water.
Ingredients:
Cocchi Americano Bianco
raspberry liquor
pineapple juice
ginger bitters
grenadine
pineapple leaves and raspberries to garnish
Try it at:
132 Bar Vintage
132 rue Fleury Ouest, Montreal
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