Noggin Toboggan Ride

This creamy seasonal favourite is kicked up a notch with two shots of Crown Royal's award-winning Northern Harvest Rye, which any proud Manitoban knows is distilled in Gimli using our fresh water and thousands of bushels of our rye, barley and corn. A visit to Gimli offers the chance to explore the Icelandic-influenced lakeside community with specialty shops, dining and scenic walks along Lake Winnipeg, making it a great pairing for this classic winter warmer. Note: We recommend enjoying this egg nog after tobogganing, not before.

Boreal Forest Fog

Many locals have a bottle of Patent 5 Distillery's Elletaria Spiced Gin on their wish list this holiday season. We recommend using it in a classic Foghorn cocktail recipe - close your eyes, sip away, and imagine you've escaped to a cabin in the middle of Manitoba's boreal forest. Patent 5 Distillery is located in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District where you can stop in for custom cocktails, learn about their small batch process and explore nearby galleries, restaurants and shops.

The Golden Boy

This iconic statue that stands atop the Manitoba Legislative Building and watches over Winnipeg is incarnated in this fruity beer cocktail featuring the flagship beer 1919 of Little Brown Jug. Sure, this bevy may have a bit more of a cheerful, summery vibe...but who doesn't love some sunshine in winter? Little Brown Jug’s taproom in the Exchange District is a favourite stop for locals and visitors alike and an easy add on to a day spent exploring downtown Winnipeg landmarks.

Warm Me Up, WinterPeg!

Our capital city's cool moniker is the perfect reason (and season) to get innovative with Shrugging Doctor Beverage Company's sweet Mead. Mead is fermented honey and with the Canadian Prairies being a key honey producer, we figured enlisting the Dr.'s sweet nectar could be just the cure needed for a winter's day.

Little Latte on the Prairie

After a day spent outdoors with the wind whipping across the prairies, warm up with this latte featuring Capital K Distillery's Tall Grass gingerbread rum paired with freshly brewed coffee from one of Manitoba’s many independent roasters. The province's coffee scene continues to evolve with local cafés roasting beans in house and showcasing thoughtfully sourced blends. Use this cocktail as inspiration to plan a festive winter café crawl exploring neighbourhood spots, then bring those flavours home for an après adventure treat.

The Sour Curler

Pucker up, Santa! We're not talking about mistletoe but Baltic Brothers' Sour Cherry Bomba, an infused vodka that's guaranteed to bring some holiday cheer. The ruby red spirit is a festive addition to your mini bar and also a great gift idea. Hurry hard to your local LC to snag a bottle and serve it on ice. Tasting note: The nostalgic flavour harkens back to memories of Baba and her Nutty Club cherry juice syrup.

Oh, Honey Dill!

We can't take credit for this beguiling beer cocktail named after the beloved condiment that's commonly found in fridges across Manitoba (and no other Canadian province). Capital K Distillery, the makers of Tall Grass Dill Pickle vodka, dreamed up this one and we thought the recipe was too Manitoban not to share. We searched high and low for a honey beer from a local brewery and found it in the Exchange District at Little Brown Jug. It is a playful reminder that Manitoba’s food and drink scene embraces creativity and a strong sense of place, all best experienced by visiting the businesses behind the bottle.

Original blog written by Jillian Recksiedler.