Lowbrow/Highball is a cool kid’s cocktail club run by three booze enthusiasts who have nothing to do with the industry. (They work in public health, academia, and design). But a trip to New Orleans inspired them to celebrate their love of mixology, and every month or so, they bring together fellow cocktail groupies for an intimate drinking experience. What started as a get-lucky-if-you-RSVP-in-time gathering around their kitchen table grew to a rooftop patio party, and has since migrated to BYOB on Queen West. You can now purchase tickets for $20 a pop, and enjoy three unexpected cocktails, paired with yummy treats, while you contemplate how good an absinthe fountain would look in your apartment.

This month’s theme? Breaking New Year’s resolutions. Three drinks were on the menu: The Master Cleanse (Prosecco, lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne and gin), the Quit Smoking (Mezcal, Aperol, St. Germaine), and Spend More Time With Your Family (Rye, Lillet Rouge, and White Vermouth). My personal favourite was the Quit Smoking, with a deep flavour and smoky aftertaste. “I feel like there’s a barnyard fire in my mouth,” said one patron, as many others took their last sip and hightailed it outside for a cigarette. Paired between the tart and crisp Master Cleanse and the sleepy-eyes-inducing red wine richness of Spend More Time With Your Family, the three cocktails provided a spectrum of boozy goodness.

Guests munched on pork-filled brioche, espresso cookies, and a rich chocolatey parfait while they sipped, and enjoyed culinary gossip and cocktail-accessory coveting. (Mint Julep Tumblers, you will be mine!) Look for last night’s recipes on their Tumblr soon.

~ Haley Cullingham