Old Ottawa Eats
And now for something completely different…
Taking a walk on the wild side this summer
From the June 2025 Issue
We unleashed The Mainstreeter’s fearless taste-tester inside the local LCBO with instructions to purchase and rate the weirdest and wildest summertime drinks on offer. Here’s his report!
QUINN ABUGOV
If you’re tired of the same old beer or cooler, this summer is the perfect time to shake up your drink rotation. The Mainstreeter hit the LCBO in search of the weirdest and most intriguing alcoholic beverages on offer — and we weren’t disappointed. From spicy mango coolers to creamsicle vodka and even summer-ready eggnog, we tried them all.
Here’s what we found:
Smirnoff Creamsicle Blast (30% Flavoured Vodka) – ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
With its bold orange and vanilla flavour, this vodka hits you with a strong creamsicle taste right from the first sip. While a bit much as a straight shooter, it shines when mixed into fruit juices or poured over ice with soda water. The flavour is accurate, sweet, and nostalgic. A solid summer mixer—just don’t expect to drink it straight unless you're really into dessert in a glass.
Collective Arts, Daily Forecast Mimosa-Style Sour (4.5% Beer) – ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
This Canadian craft beer had the most split opinions in our taste test. It markets itself as a mimosa-style sour, but the strong IPA bitterness overpowered the promised orange notes. While sour beer or hoppy IPA fans might find it enjoyable, most cocktail and mimosa lovers might want to steer clear. For us, it had a disappointing aftertaste and ranked as the least favourite of the bunch.
Georgian Bay Tequila Smash – Chili Mango (6% Cooler) – ★★★★½ (4.5/5)
This one tied for first place and quickly became a team favourite. With a light mango flavour and a gentle chili tingle (not a burn!), this cooler strikes a perfect summer balance. It’s refreshing, unique, and not overly sweet. Perfect right out of the can on a hot day—especially for fans of tropical flavours with a twist. Bonus points for being Canadian-made and highly shareable.
PJS Salted Caramel Craft Liquor (17% Cream Liqueur) – ★★★¾☆ (3.75/5)
Made with 100% Ontario cream, this salted caramel liqueur is a smooth operator. While less thick than Baileys, it offers a cozy butterscotch flavour that works great on its own or added to coffee, White Russians, or chocolate drinks. Not overly sweet, but definitely rich enough to be a treat. It’s indulgent without going overboard, and proudly local.
VodKow Eggnog Cream Liquor (15% Cream Liqueur) – ★★★★½ (4.5/5)
This Almonte, Ontario-made vodka cream liquor stole the show. Distilled from cow’s milk (and lactose-free!), it delivers a spot-on eggnog flavour with a smooth finish and no strange aftertaste. While traditionally a holiday drink, we were surprised at how well it works for summer — especially in iced coffee or creamy cocktails. Smooth, local, and versatile, it’s got serious year-round appeal.
Here’s our custom 5-point rating scale:
1 – Would not recommend
2 – Not awful, not great
3 – Pretty darn good
4 – Now we’re talking
5 – Drink of the summer potential
So, summing it all up, here’s how the panel landed on our five off-beat beverages. Try them and let us know if you agree!
Final Rankings:
Tied for first with 4.5/5: Georgian Bay Tequila Smash (Chili Mango) and VodKow Eggnog Cream Liquor – both refreshing, original, and easy to love.
Runner-up: PJ’s Salted Caramel with a cozy, smooth 3.75/5.
Middle of the pack: Smirnoff Creamsicle Blast at 3/5, best as a mixer.
Last place: Collective Arts Mimosa Sour with 2/5 — maybe for the hop lovers only.
So, if you’re feeling adventurous this summer, step outside your usual drink lineup and give one (or more) of these a try – you might just find your new favourite patio pour. And for the very adventurous among you, see below for two more libations that even our intrepid tasting panel were, er, reluctant to try!
And here’s a couple of acquired tastes…
