Yelp Brisbane’s Cocktail O’Clock @ Canvas

Amongst all happenings in Brisbane last night (Riverfire & Parklife to name a few) Yelp's Brisbane Elites and guests trundled to Canvas in the Gabba Village and quickly saw why this is one of Australia's most awarded small bars. 

Led by a casual intro and history to cocktails, our small but lively gang gathered round the bar where the true fun and frivolity began! 

"Hit me with your schwizzle stick!" Katie R excalimed as an Old Fashioned was being crafted by Drew O behind the bar. The Canvas crew wowed us with their mad mixology skills and lessons in making a lustworthy cocktail. 

Glenn and the Canvas crew mixed more than 16 different cocktails for our eager palettes – it's easy to see why this Woolloongabba bar was given the title of 'Cocktail List of the Year' at the recent National Bar Awards. FUN FACT (OR URBAN LEGEND): Did you know that a champagne coupe was originally modeled on Marie Antoinette's boosom? No? Neither did we! 

Yelper Kay-Lynn's Elite Event Happy Snaps

Yelpers weren't just there for leisurely sips on dangerously perfect combinations of raspberries, gin and sweet vermouth, we were "put to work" mixing our own cocktail behind the bar. We were treated to libations including the Tom Collins, the Bramble (dubbed by Yelpers as the "Gummi Bear" cocktail), an Old Fashion, and visiting Sydney Yelper Michael M tried his hand at making a Manhattan.

All the while Glenn explained to us the "method to the madness" of each cocktail, it's origins and twists to change the end result. The rest of our time was giddly spent sipping Little Farmers, Espresso Martinis, Negronis, and the best Cosmopolitan (with added flame-off) you'll ever drink. We all had our own personal highlight but who could forget Glenn mixing the Blue Blazer? 

The Blue Blazer

For the hangers-on who stayed back, we managed to see Canvas's mixologist Andrew in a liquid-nitrogen heaven making us scientifically delicious concotions and the Lillet-based 'Revive A Corpse'. 

A huge thanks to Canvas for taking the time to introduce us to the ways of a great cocktail and to our photography team who were there to capture the evening. I think we all left with mental shopping lists to make our home-cocktail making extra special. 

• Check out the 5-star reviews and (write your own if you were there) here
• Peep more photos here 
• And if you're interested in joining the Brisbane Yelp Elite Squad, you'll find the info here.

SYOY! (See You On Yelp)

Lani P.

Brisbane Community Manager