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Ontario Brewer Podcast
Since 2010, I have been preparing and hosting the Ontario Brewer Podcast series for the Ontario Craft Brewers Association. These podcast feature interviews with Ontario brewers on a range of different topics.Beer News & Updates
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Feeling the Need for Mead
Posted March 8, 2013 | 4:18 pm, by Mirella
Mead is not a beverage that you hear about often. Most people have a vague notion that it exists. Some have read about it in seminal works like Dante’s Divine Comedy, Beowulf or Canterbury Tales. Others might have heard the story that the term honeymoon comes from the medieval tradition of giving newlyweds a month’s supply of mead to bring good luck to the union and promote fertility. Still, very few have had the opportunity to try mead and there […]
To Your Health
Posted March 8, 2013 | 4:06 pm, by Mirella
They say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but studies show that beer may be just as effective… Various independent studies, published in the past ten years, have determined that having one or two drinks daily is not only healthier than abstaining, but it can also prolong life! According to the American Council on Science and Health: “Among middle-aged and elderly people, moderate drinkers have lower mortality rates than abstainers… due largely to the protective effect of […]
Büze
Posted February 13, 2013 | 10:10 pm, by Mirella
…To become a Master Cicerone (a professional certification for the highest level of beer knowledge), candidates must achieve at least 85% in two intensive days of testing: 10 hours of written questions, two hours of oral exams and two hours of beer testing and evaluation!…
A plea for styles
Posted February 12, 2013 | 5:38 pm, by Mirella
(an open letter to breweries) I came across a beer last night and it brought to mind a concern that I’ve often shared in my beer classes but never addressed in writing… Here’s what happened: I was leaving my local bar and the bartender flagged me down. She let me know that a new beer had just come in and she was curious to hear my thoughts because it was brewed in a style that she wasn’t familiar with: India […]
I’m writing a book!
Posted February 11, 2013 | 2:25 pm, by Mirella
I’m happy to announce that I’ve started writing my first book. This book will be a natural extension of the work I’m doing. I’m delighted to have this opportunity to share my knowledge and passion for beer with a wider audience and I’m very much looking forward to assembling the book and seeing it published. Should everything go according to plan, my book will be released next year. I’m lucky to be working with a fantastic team on this project. The […]
The Grid
Posted February 1, 2013 | 12:00 am, by Mirella
Mirella Amato—Canada’s only Master Cicerone (master beer sommelier)—regularly runs guided beer tastings. She also advises restaurants, bars, and brewpubs on beer varieties, brands, and pairings. Amato gave us the lowdown on tarting up your favourite chips with some classy brew…
Restaurant News
Posted January 23, 2013 | 9:49 pm, by Mirella
…Mirella Amato was named Canada’s first ever master cicerone, after completing the Cicerone Certification program, a feat only six people have accomplished, according to a Dec. 12 release from the Craft Beer Institute of Chicago. After a series of written and oral exams, Amato proved her expertise…
City Centre Mirror
Posted January 5, 2013 | 8:53 pm, by Mirella
From weekend warriors to self-styled connoisseurs, Canadians pride themselves on their knowledge of all things beer. No Canadian, however, knows more on the subject than Master Cicerone, Mirella Amato. Amato recently earned the certification after 14 grueling hours of tests…
Festive Beer Nog Float
Posted December 20, 2012 | 10:00 am, by Mirella
The holidays are fast approaching and so I thought it might be fun to share the recipe for one of my festive beer cocktails with you, since the traditional “beer nog” recipe that I posted last year was such a hit! This cocktail is actually more of a beer float. It was inspired by an online article I that read two years ago about the fact that it is impossible to make a beer cocktail with eggnog. The unfortunate truth is […]
The first Canadian Master Cicerone
Posted December 7, 2012 | 9:00 am, by Mirella
I am delighted to announce that I just became the first (and, for the time being, the only) Master CiceroneTM in Canada. I am one of only six people in North America to have earned this certification. I completed the Master CiceroneTM certification in Los Angeles this past October. It involved a series of exams that took place over the course of two days and included some intense taste testing as well as written and oral questioning about beer styles, draft systems, […]