Palais des Congrès, MONTREAL
Elixirs in effervescence!
Inspire Drink is a space of workshops, tastings and discoveries that allows restaurateurs and food professionals to push their creativity and extract more from their favorite drinks.
You will find unique animations, in line with market expectations: Mixology, infusion, fermentation, well-being, trends, new textures and unusual tastes!
SESSION 1 – Tea Cupping & Tasting Process – Taste and compare different types of tea (Camellia sinensis). Learn to discern quality and consistency of service through the tasting process. Learn how to do a tea tasting, record tasting notes and leave with a better understanding of how tea can be different from season to season and region to region based on terroir.
SESSION 2 – Brewing Up Wellness: Infusions and Functional Beverages- For wellness or to limit caffeine, this session explores different types of herbal teas or infusions and functional beverages in vogue. Think fermented drinks, turmeric, collagen, herbs and more. Learn how to differentiate infusions from tea on menus, the best preparation methods, and how to incorporate them into a profitable beverage program.
SESSION 3 – Foodie Fun: Tea and Cheese Pairing – Taste and learn how tea and cheese pair for a unique dining experience. Learn about a variety of types and their origins and how a tasting/pairing can add interest and profit to your business, menu or special events.
SESSION 1 – Shake Things Up: Boba, Matcha, and More – Boba or bubble tea, matcha, and more. Attendees will taste and learn about different types of beverages shaking things up and adding profits to a beverage program. We’ll also touch on wellness beverages and how to profit more (tea bags vs. pyramid style vs. loose tea).
SESSION 2 – Coffee Tasting: Flavor Profiles, Roasting Styles and Terroir – Taste and compare different types of coffee. Learn to discern quality and consistency while learning about particular tastes and terroir. Attendees will be introduced to different types and regions and roasting styles of coffee.
SESSION 3 – The Art of Tea and Chocolate – Taste teas and chocolates side by side. Learn how like or opposing flavor profiles may work together for a delicious experience. Learn more about tea and chocolate origins, types, and how each pairs with the other.
SESSION 1 – Brewing Up a Storm, Cold Brew & Iced Tea – Coffee or tea, cold brew is still on-trend and delicious. Discover how this unique method creates a smooth and fresh tasting beverage. We will also compare and discuss other methods of making cloud-free iced tea and how to add interest to beverages with fruit or other garnish.
SESSION 2 –The Art of Flavor Blending– Flavored coffee and flavored tea will be discussed. See how flavors or different blending ingredients create a new tea blend and how to add flavors to already prepared tea for a different flavor profile. See how each blend is visually beautiful before and after brewing and taste how those flavors marry well with the natural flavor of the tea.
SESSION 4 – Improved Garnish Game – Cocktail garnishes are a straightforward way to tell customer one cares for details, quality and that a place puts the extra effort to stand out. Comparative tasting of Martini olives and cocktail cherries, tips on how cut zests and rim a glass.
SESSION 5 – Putting Up A Show – One of the main trend is to combine efficiency (quick to make, low waste cocktails) and put the effort in presentation. Smoke, collective cocktails, unique vessels, sparkles, foams, colors, and other eye-catching tips to step up your experience game without losing efficiency.
SESSION 6 – Non Alcoholic Cocktail How To- N/A cocktails and Low alcohol are all the rage. But are they any good? How to start? What are the pitfalls? Tips to make sure mocktails are tasty, interesting, profitable and bring customers.
SESSION 4 – Espresso Martini Trend – This 1990’s classic has taken back the world by storm in 2022 and keeps on growing. Variations on it are the highest selling cocktails of many bars. Come sample different twists and learn how to make them faster, better than anyone else!
SESSION 5 – Cocktails for “non cocktail” places – This workshop is designed for anyone running a restaurant, wine bar, hotel, music venue or other place that gets asked for cocktail but doesn’t have the staff, resources, room nor time for them yet has a demand. Tips to manage, use already existing resources and techniques requiring low training.
SESSION 6 – IT & Mixology – Post pandemic world is more technology integrated then ever. Review and use with us new programs, computer tools and data forward approaches to deal with beverages.
SESSION 3 – Bitters & Tinctures : a former perfumer perspective –Bitters and tinctures are used in the cocktail world for over a century. They are now ubiquitous. Yet, not everyone grasp their use and versatility. We will compare how different tinctures can turn around completely a cocktail, the different categories, how best use, store describe and chose them. A guest who both worked in the perfume and cocktail industry will help us navigate through.
SESSION 4 – Closing Cocktail– Jean-Sebastien will be serving cocktails and discussing industry trends, challenges and opportunities. Come sample creations and exchange on the beverage world trajectory.
