tbt* Ultimate Bar Guide

# t a m p a b ay d r i n k s

ULTIMATE

U LT I M AT E B A R READER PICKS PG 36

BAR GUIDE 201 6

G U I D E T O TA M PA B AY ’ S BREWERIES PG 55

B AY A R E A B A R S T O WAT C H P G 76

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Ellen E. Clarke, tbt* editor

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – when we get to write about our favorite brews, cocktails and watering holes.

For work! As I write, I’m dreaming of a Cream & Sugar, Please from St. Pete’s Cycle Brewing.

This year’s tbt* Ultimate Bar contest was fast and fierce.

Voters from all over the Tampa Bay area told us their favorites, with 3,500 votes for more than 200 places choosing the 50 best bars over a variety of categories. New spots join old favorites to make for one hell of a fun-to-visit list. Over the years, some readers have taken it upon themselves to visit all of the top bars. Tag us on Instagram (@tbtnewspaper) and #TampaBayDrinks if you adopt that lofty challenge!

Sometimes, we talk about mapping out and visiting all of the breweries in the area. This year, we went crazy and did it, realizing that there will be exciting updates soon after you see it. We’ve got tbt* beer aficionado Justin Grant to walk you through the evolution of the brewery scene in Tampa Bay. He’s also got a take on which bars and breweries to keep an eye on. Correspondent Gina Vivinetto talked to some popular bartenders for their take on the scene.

Cheers!

Luis Santana/tbt*

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The tbt* Ultimate Bar Guide was produced by the Marketing department of the Tampa Bay Times.

Editor: Ellen E. Clarke Marketing director: Marti Galloway Advertising director: Dawn Philips Art director: Kate Rigney Map illustration: Angela Stork Writers: Justin Grant, Scott Pollenz, Gina Vivinetto Photography: Dave Morrison, Luis Santana, Chris Zuppa Please contact Marti Galloway with questions or comments. mgalloway@tampabay.com or 727-893-8664

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Booze

by the Numbers

In tribute to the skateboard shop once located in its building, the St. Pete Brewing Co. writes its beer menu on

12

Gina Vivenetto, tbt* correspondent

The oldest bar on Clearwater Beach is the Palm Pavilion, which opened in

1926

.

There are more than

900 songs featured on the iconic jukebox at the Hub Bar in downtown Tampa.

The popular black bubbles cocktail at Cask Social Kitchen in South Tampa contains ingredients:

skateboards fastened to a wall.

Shep’s Beer Emporium in St. Pete sells more than

2,000

varieties of beers, ciders and meads.

Photo by Dave Morrison

7

The area’s oldest craft brewery is Dunedin Brewery, which opened its doors in

• Ketel One vodka

1996

• St. George raspberry liqueur

.

It takes the brewery about days to brew a typical batch of beer.

14

• lemon juice • simple syrup • blackberry purée • water • sparkling wine Kay Groetsch, one of the area’s longest-serving bartenders, has been slinging drinks at the Tapper Pub in Tampa for

49 years

.

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Bern’s senior sommelier found a rare gem in its wine collection: a double magnum of 1947 Chateau Latour valued at

$30,000

.

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant in South Tampa broke the record for the world’s largest batch of sangria.

The sangria contained

750 500

bottles of wine and

pounds of fruit. It was served in a

9-foot-tall pitcher.

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READER PICKS

WINE / COCKTAIL LOUNGE Bella Vino Wine Bar

Bizou Brasserie

Chic A Boom Room

Clean, cozy, friendly, wine-focused This spot has 25 wines by the glass, all reds served from a cruvinet with a drive to ensure freshness and proper temperature. They also offer 25 imported and craft beers with artisan cheese plates and paninis.

Crafted cocktails in historic hallways Located in a former federal courthouse in downtown Tampa, Bizou Brasserie looks formal on the outside, but inside it’s a casual, fun restaurant. Bizou’s mixologists are constantly creating innovative cocktails while seamlessly serving up signature favorites.

Five bars in two buildings With five bars to choose from, there is something always going on at the Chic A Boom Room. The bars range from live music and karaoke, DJ’s and dancing to Drag Queen bingo.

The Chic A Boom Room is a martini bar and one of the best places to get a cocktail in Dunedin.

Happy hour | 4-7, Mon.-Fri.

319 Main St., Dunedin kellyschicaboom.com

Happy hour | $2 off wines, craft beers | Daily 100 Indian Rocks Road N, Belleair Bluffs BellaVinoWineMarket.com

601 N Florida Ave., Tampa facebook.com/BizouTampa

Happy hour | All day, Thur.

The Mandarin Hide Cocktail lodge and social sanctuary The Mandarin Hide is St. Petersburg’s first craft cocktail bar and a steward to a bygone era. They offer a unique venue to enjoy expertly crafted drinks with a focus on “pouring our spirits to raise yours.”

E N J OY O U R S P E C I A LT Y C O C KTA I L S .

Test Kitchen Tuesday with cocktails made from local ingredients, genres or themes 231 Central Ave., St. Petersburg | mandarinhide.com

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READER PICKS

BEACH BAR Photos by Luis Santana/tbt*

CJ’s on the Island

Gill Dawgs

Jimmy B’s Beach Bar

Swigwam Beach Bar

Riptide’s

Entertainment bar and game room This Treasure Island staple has almost everything under one roof.

There is a full liquor bar, pool tables, darts, skee ball and live-band karaoke. They also offer tons of cheap deals every night of the week.

Waterfront Key West vibe This dog-friendly restaurant and beach bar has open-air seating and a fully stocked tiki bar. They also offer kayak and pontoon tours and rentals.

Mecca for surf, sand, sun and fun Voted the No. 1 beach bar in Florida five out of the last six years, this St. Pete Beach hotspot features daily live entertainment, frozen drinks and a Key West-style ambiance.

Friendly local neighborhood bar A cheap, locals beach bar, the Swigwam has over 45 beers, nightly cocktail happy hours, steel-tip darts, pool table and foosball.

Friendly watering hole Smoker- and dog-friendly, this beach bar features large TVs with tons of different sports packages. Every day has a different $3 drink deal.

$3 Ketel One | All day long

Happy hour | $2 wells, $2.50 Bloody Marys, $3.50 margaritas | 11-7, daily

Happy hour | $1.75 16-oz. drafts | 10-6, Mon.-Fri.

5419 Treadway Dr., Port Richey gilldawg.com

2 for 1 domestics when it’s raining

115 107th Ave., Treasure Island

Harry’s Beach Bar

CJsOnTheIsland.com

A locals favorite on the beach One of the oldest beach bars on St. Pete Beach, Harry’s is located at Sirata Beach Resort and has a covered bar and dining area, fire pit lounge and live music. They are big on buckets, offering rum and beer bottle varieties. Their food menu features gourmet hot dogs, flat

Caddy’s on the Beach Eat and Drink on the Beach Located directly on the Gulf of Mexico, Caddy’s is one of the best places to eat and drink on the beach. They offer complimentary lounge chairs and umbrellas. Be sure to check out their BBQ menu, the Smoked Corned Beef Reuben is known all around the world.

Late night happy hour | 8, daily

Free sunset shooters every day 6200 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach facebook.com/JimmyBsBeachBar

336 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach swigwam.webs.com

7618 Blind Pass Road., St. Pete Beach facebook.com/RipTidesSPB

*Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

breads and burgers.

Monthly featured craft beer 5300 Gulf Blvd., St Pete Beach harrysbeachbar.com

9000 West Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island caddys.com

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READER PICKS

NEIGHBORHOOD BAR / PUB / TAVERN

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Luis Santana/tbt*

READER PICKS 1933 Pub and Grill

Anchor Bar

The Dog Bar

A local favorite Not your standard “bar fare,” 1933 Pub and Grill is always looking to bring its best. They use fresh, quality ingredients as well as their own flair.

This favorite also carries local craft brews and aims for outstanding food and service.

Nautical, neighborhood sports bar Open 365 days a year, Anchor Bar offers award-winning wings with a vast collection of local and national craft beers on tap. It is a laid-back bar frequented by sports stars, sailors, doctors and everyone in between.

Sit, stay, drink The only private dog park with a bar, this unique Tampa Bay drinkery offers the perfect place to enjoy pups, pints and pals.

All-day happy hour | Sun. 2245 Nursery Road., Clearwater 1933Pub.com

Fat Cat Tavern Best neighborhood tavern around A neighborhood tavern with a fun bar atmosphere, Fat Cat Tavern takes food seriously. They offer weekly hosted trivia, karaoke and live music on Fridays.

$1 tacos & margaritas | Mon. 3665 E Bay Dr., Suite 100, Largo FatCatTavernLargo.com

50¢ wings | Mon. (Davis Islands), Tue. (Tampa) 304 E Davis Blvd., Davis Islands 514 N Franklin St., Tampa anchorbartampa.com

Harbor Bar Great neighborhood bar A friendly and welcoming neighborhood bar, Harbor Bar has something for everyone, whether it is cheap drink deals, karaoke tournaments or the wide variety of bar games, including cornhole, Jenga, 25¢ pool tables, darts, pinball and more.

2 for 1 happy hour | Mon.-Thur. *Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

840 Main St. , Safety Harbor facebook.com/harborbar1

Yappy hour | $4 wells, $2 domestic cans, $4 SKYY | Until 8, Mon.-Fri. 2300 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Dogbarstpete.com

District Tavern Hip, friendly, family From their homemade ketchup and hand-rolled mozz balls to habanero-infused tequila and oak-aged bourbon, District Tavern applies their from-scratch mentality to their food and their drinks. This neighborhood bar strives for a hip and urban feel with a friendly, relaxed vibe.

$5 Moscow mules, ladies night with free champagne | Thur.

116 N 12th St., Tampa districttaverntampa.com

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READER PICKS Ferg’s Live

Yard of Ale

Live music and sports mecca Ferg’s Live is Tampa’s best venue for live sports and live music. This Channelside bar redefines game-watch headquarters with wall-to-wall TVs, giant projection screens and an LED wall for UFC fights and select events.

Their stage in the sky welcomes bands and DJs from all over.

Craft beer and sports bar This local bar has become a livemusic staple on both South Howard in Tampa and First Ave. N in downtown St. Pete. Each location offers over 20 domestic and craft beer taps, a full liquor bar and wine by the bottle and glass.

Pedals & Pints ride to Davis Islands | 3rd Tue. 490 Channelside Dr., Tampa fergslive.com

75¢ wings, $3 domestics | NFL Sundays 406 S. Howard Ave., Tampa 260 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg yardofale.com

LP’s Pub Pub, food, music This friendly pub touts dozens of beers on tap with local craft selections. There is live music from local bands almost every night with rocking blues bands on select nights.

$5 craft beers and apps | 6-10, Mon., Wed.

LIVE MUSIC BAR

Photos by Luis Santana/tbt*

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904 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater facebook.com/lpspubclearwater

*Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

READER PICKS

GAY BAR

Punky’s Bar and Grill

Quench Lounge

Fun, new, comfortable This new pet-friendly LGBT hotspot is already impressing with generous pours for their daily drink specials and weekly drag queen bingo and shows. Tuesdays and Thursdays offer karaoke and live entertainment, respectively.

All-welcoming gay bar From hot male dancers and drag queens to karaoke singers and pool tournaments, there is always nightly entertainment at Quench Lounge.

They take pride in their stylish, upscale dĂŠcor with cheap drink prices.

Drag show | Fri.

Happy hour | 1/2 price | 2-9, Daily

3063 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

punkysbar.com

13284 66th St. N, Largo quenchlounge.com

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READER PICKS

RESTAURANT / HOTEL BAR

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Luis Santana/tbt*

READER PICKS Fodder and Shine

Green Lemon

Rowe Bar

Southern bar and kitchen A Southern public house, Fodder and Shine celebrates the food and drink ways of the South with everything made in-house and by hand, from the pie crust to the fresh-squeezed juices for cocktails.

Fun, modern, Mexican With an upbeat atmosphere, live music and eclectic menu, this Mexican restaurant and bar is a dining and nightlife experience. They make guacamole right at your table and offer their own private-label reserve tequila that amps up their margaritas.

Craft cocktails and coastal cuisine Hand-crafted cocktails and coastal cuisine await guests at Loews Don CeSar’s seaside bar. The outdoor deck stretches out over the sand dunes and the drinks feature fresh fruit and juices from local producers.

Tullamore Dew & pickle back shot specials | Tue. 5910 N Florida Ave., Tampa fodderandshine.com

Front Porch & Barts Tavern Longevity in the Heights Located in a century-old Victorian house, this Seminole Heights staple serves strong cocktails and more than 30 bottled beers. Their liquor selection is vast, with one of Tampa Bay’s best offerings of scotch.

Happy hour | 1/2-off house wine and wells | 4-7, Mon.-Sat. 5924 N Florida Ave., Tampa frontporchgrill.com

$2 tacos | 5-close, Tue. 915 S Howard Ave., Tampa facebook.com/eatgreenlemon

The Canopy Upscale rooftop lounge Perched atop the Birchwood property, The Canopy provides an escape from the downtown bar scene norm. Look out across the bay while enjoying their signature cocktails, utilizing only the freshest ingredients.

Happy hour | $3 drinks | 3-7, daily 340 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg thebirchwood.com

*Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

Tropical punch bowl with Cape Coral’s Wicked Dolphin rum, fruits and edible flowers 3400 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach therowebar.com

Old Key West Bar Eat, drink, local This family-owned and -operated neighborhood stop is the Key West vibe without the drive. They have weekly events and a brand new brunch menu with bottomless drink options.

$15 all-you-can-drink mimosas | 11-4, Sat.-Sun. 2451 Central Ave., St. Pete facebook.com/oldkeywest

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READER PICKS Frankie T’s Dive Bar

Sly Bar

The Beer Shed

Not your daddy’s dive bar This five-star Dive Bar is looking to redefine the traditional dive. This Clearwater spot has an underwater theme with shark cages, ship wrecks and lights to give the feel of waves.

There is a big hospitality night every Tuesday with a 50% discount for service industry employees.

Neighborhood-driven craft beer bar This hidden gem in St. Pete’s Grand Central district has a varied mix of people and looks to be a home away from home for its patrons. With craft beer, grinders and english muffins, this stop looks to be an escape from the downtown St. Pete crowds.

Honky tonk dive bar This historical bar is the oldest drinking establishment on the Alafia River. They boast the coldest and cheapest beer and best live music on the river.

Ladies nights | Thur.-Fri.

2061 Central Ave., St. Petersburg slybar.com *Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

28778 U.S. 19 N., Clearwater frankietsdivebar.com

Open mic night | Thur.

11222 Casa Loma Dr., Riverview

1/2-off draft beer | 4-8, Fri.

DIVE BAR

Luis Santana/tbt*

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READER PICKS

SPORTS BAR

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Luis Santana/tbt*

READER PICKS Brown Boxer

Bilmar Station

Linksters Tap Room

Upscale sports bar This Clearwater Beach watering hole combines multiple concepts throughout the day, with a comfortable hometown sports bar feel in the morning, a traditional family restaurant around dinner time and then a fun spot with live music and drink specials at night.

The cheers of Tampa Known for their good pours and extensive selection of beer, including 20 rotating taps, Bilmar Station is a great spot if sports is your thing.

They carry NFL, MLB and NHL packages alongside the SEC, Big Ten and golf channels.

Clean, safe, friendly sports bar A golf-oriented neighborhood sports bar, this spot aims to be the drinkery where everybody knows your name.

They have additional locations in Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties.

$6 lunch specials | 11-3, Mon.-Fri.

Get on the foam wall by drinking 99 different beers in 90 days.

483 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach TheBrownBoxer.com

8501 W Hillsborough Ave., Tampa bilmarstation.com

Mugs Sports Bar & Grill

The Landing Bar & Grill

Good food, good times This sports bar is a karaoke hotspot with a stage offered seven nights a week in their karaoke room. On Mondays and Thursdays, it has been a tradition for many years that they offer a sample of three free wings to all seated for karaoke.

Valrico’s favorite bar and grill This sports bar serves old-fashioned American comfort food with a Buffalo, N.Y. inuence. They serve up signature cocktails and local craft beer.

Extended happy hour | 4-9, Mon.-Fri. 13563 Icot Blvd., Clearwater mugssportsbar.com

Complimentary buffet | Sun. during the regular NFL season 13155 U.S. Hwy 301 S., Riverview facebook.com/LinkstersRiverview

$5 martinis and Motown music | Wed. 4351 Lynx Paw Trail, Valrico thelandingvalrico.com *Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

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READER PICKS

IRISH BAR

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Luis Santana/tbt*

READER PICKS Finley’s

James Joyce

The Dubliner

Great food, atmosphere and entertainment Walking into Finley’s you are greeted by a hand-painted Irish mural, setting the warm tone for this Irish pub and eatery. There are two bars, 16 TVs, an outside patio and a calendar filled with monthly events.

Be sure to check out where their new bus might be going.

Upscale Irish pub and eatery This Ybor Irish Bar has over 50 beers on tap, a huge selection of Irish whiskey and a premier scotch wall.

They have won burger showdowns across Tampa Bay and have numerous cheap drink deals nightly.

Comfortable, laid-back, neighborhood pub This South Tampa century home was remodeled into one of a quaint, SoHo Irish pub. The food ranges from traditional Irish fare to pub cravings such as Irish Nachos and pizzas.

$7 Long Island Pitcher | Daily

Live music on the deck | Wed.-Sat.

1724 E Eighth Ave., Ybor City jamesjoyceybor.com

2 for 1 fish & chips | Mon. 13477 Belcher Road S, Largo finleysirishpub.com

Irish 31 The People’s Pub Irish 31 believes every neighborhood deserves a local Irish pub that becomes a community. There are nightly deals, trivia nights and running clubs on Wednesdays.

Happy hour | 2 for 1 house wines | 3-7, Mon.-Fri.

O’Brien’s

2307 W Azeele St. , Tampa facebook.com/Dublinersouthtampa

Neighborhood Irish pub With different-styled rooms and events every night, this bar has everything: live music, trivia and karaoke. This is the local gathering spot for Buffalo Bills backers and the local Ohio State Alumni Club.

$15 all-you-can-drink | 7-9, Fri. 701 W Lumsden Road., Brandon facebook.com/brandonobriens

Hyde Park Village, Westchase, Amalie Arena and WestShore irish31.com *Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

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READER PICKS

BREWERY / CRAFT BEER BAR

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Luis Santana/tbt*

READER PICKS Barley Mow Brewing

Brass Tap

Johnny’s Tap House and Grill

Stein and Vine

Tampa Tap Room

Simple. Honest. Craft.

A neighborhood craft beer tasting room with a staff who looks forward to helping introduce folks to the art of craft beer. In addition to a wide variety of their own craft beers, Barley Mow also carries fine wine and spirits.

A craft beer experience With a large number of taps, the Brass Tap is able to showcase a variety of drafts with a focus on Florida-based brews.

8 locations across Tampa Bay

Sports craft beer bar With 27 different craft beers on tap, Johnny’s is a great place to catch any sports game and some of the area’s best beers. They have house infused vodka and a dog-friendly outside tiki bar.

International Beer Garten

Creole neighborhood pub This five-time tbt* Ultimate Bar has 41 taps of craft beer with a full liquor bar and serves award-winning burgers, wings and Cajun/Creole food. This bar has a strong sports following and is a great place to watch football and other events.

$2 off growler fills | Thur.

Craft beer, full liquor, wine & food Established in 2008, International Beer Garten was the first craft bar in Pasco County. It is home to 52 rare and personally selected craft beer taps along with 220 different bottles.

For non beer drinkers, IBG has wines on tap and a full liquor bar.

1/2-price burgers, $3 craft beers | 5-close, Thur.

Neighborhood pub with great food With a food menu that is changing daily and over 42 rotating craft beers, no two trips to the Stein and Vine are the same. In addition to rare brews, this craft beer haven also has four wines on tap.

518 W Bay Dr., Largo barleymowbrewingco.com

Big Storm Brewing Beer for everyone Both Big Storm taprooms pour 20 different beer creations and feature limited releases not found anywhere else. Brewery tours are available at the Clearwater location.

Try the Oktoberfest Märzen Lager, dubbed the Best Beer in Florida

$4 Pinnacle vodka, $6 weekend cocktails | Fri.-Sat. 16540 Pointe Village Drive, Suite 102, Lutz IBGtampa.com

224 E Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs Johnnystaphousegrill.com

30% off for hospitality workers and one guest | Tues.

827 W Bloomingdale Ave., Brandon thesteinandvine.com

Pinellas Ale Works Love for craft beer and dogs The aptly named PAW has two brewmasters with a goal to brew the best beer possible. Their dog-themed brews showcase a love for canines and craft brews.

Yappy hour | Every other Thur.

1962 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg pawbeer.com

Happy hour | $3.50 wells, $1-off craft beers | 4-7, Mon.-Fri. 13150 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa tampataproom.com

Stilt House Brewery Casual, relaxed, friendly A family-run craft brewery, this tasting room is right off the Pinellas Trail and has over 30 beers on draft with a variety of styles and guest taps. They also have a “war room” stocked with TVs and arcade and board games.

12707 49th St., Clearwater

Six flight glasses for $12 | Daily

and 2330 Success Dr., Odessa bigstormbrewery.com

625 Alt 19, Palm Harbor stilthousebrewery.com *Content provided by individual bars and edited by tbt*

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Justin Grant, barfly on the wall

EXPANSION

Since this time last year, the local beer business has, predictably, continued to experience rapid growth.

The rate of new breweries opening seems to be higher than ever, and there are many more on the way.

OPENING

But this has also been the ďŹ rst real period of transition for Tampa Bay beers, with closings, expansions, a major buyout, a brewery spinoff, and a complete rebranding all bringing the focus away from mere growth and onto evolution.

SIDE PROJECT FIRST BATCH

THE EVOLUTION OF

BAY AREA BEER Thinkstock

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We saw a surprising end to 2015 with the sudden closing of Tampa’s Three Palms Brewing. Around the same time, Florida Avenue Brewing Co. announced that it had been sold to Brew Bus Brewing, due to the retirement of owner Bruce Talcott. Brew Bus has since remodeled and reopened the

Big Storm Brewing Co. Luis Santana/tbt*

tasting room as the Brew Bus Terminal & Brewery, and it continues to brew the core Florida Avenue beers, preserving the legacy of one of the first breweries to open in Tampa during the boom.

Another change came to Tampa in January, as ESB Brewing came under new ownership, rebranding as Tampa Beer Works. So far, the new brand and new beers have been well received.

A much higher-profile buyout came courtesy of Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing, which announced in March — a week after its wildly popular Hunahpu’s Day festival — that it had sold a controlling interest in the Continued on next page >>

Tampa Bay Times | Friday, August 26, 2016 |

53TBT

company to Colorado’s Oskar Blues Brewing, via the private equity firm Fireman Partners.

According to Cigar City founder Joey Redner, who remains an owner of the brewery, the move represented the best way to continue growing, as demand for Cigar City’s beers has far exceeded the brewery’s production capabilities.

Other breweries have also found the need to ramp up production, such as St. Petersburg’s 3 Daughters Brewing, which added 10,000 square feet of warehouse space to its facility earlier this year, along with six 150-barrel fermenters, increasing the brewery’s potential output five-fold (and opening the door for contract brewing).

Thinkstock

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Meanwhile, Odessa’s Big Storm Brewing Co. both expanded its original location and opened a second location in Clearwater, increasing its production capabilities dramatically, as well as bringing a new brewery to a relatively craft beer-barren stretch of Ulmerton Road.

Overall, the past year’s changes show just how much beer has evolved in the Tampa Bay area. New breweries are still popping up every month, but sales, new ownerships and expansions have played an even more major role in our current beer landscape.

St. Petersburg’s Cycle Brewing has expanded in a more subtle way, with the launch of a side project called Orange Belt Brewing, spearheaded by brewer Eric Trinosky and focusing on sour, wild and farmhouse ales. Orange Belt brews are currently available on tap — and occasionally in bottles — at Cycle, and an expanded facility, also in downtown St. Petersburg, is in the works.

Sure, it’s sad to see some breweries go, but it’s exciting to see others expand — a trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

K DRRIN WAY YOU

D N U O R A Y TAMPA BA

and receive e g n e ll a h c Take the *! ss from tbt la g t in p e e a fr SIDE DETAILS IN

BREWERY TOUR 1. Saint Somewhere Brewing

4. de Bine Brewing Co.

8. Woodwright Brewing Co.

12. Crooked Thumb Brewery

15. Rapp Brewing Co.

Right in the midst of Tarpon Springs’ sponge docks, this brewery and its widely distributed bottles focus on farmhouse ales and other Belgian styles.

1441 Savannah Ave., Tarpon Springs saintsomewherebrewing.com

This Plam Harbor hub for craft beer, built out of an old golf cart repair shop, is right on the Pinellas Trail. It has games, big tables and locally themed beers.

993 Florida Ave., Palm Harbor facebook.com/deBineBrews

Dunedin’s newest brewery has a rustic tasting room spanning over two floors. The beers offered are sharp and balanced, with new batches being added regularly.

985 Douglas Ave., Dunedin facebook.com/woodwrightbrewing

Safety Harbor’s first brewery is off Main Street and offers solid takes on traditional styles. Locals are big fans of the Grandpa Jack’s pilsner and highly palatable golden ale.

555 10th Ave. S, Safety Harbor crookedthumbbrew.com

Known for their award-winning gose and Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout, Rapp Brewing in Pinellas Park brewery offers all of their beers for $5 with flights up to 24 beers.

10930 Endeavour Way, Seminole rappbrewing.com

2. Silverking Brewing Co.

5. Palm Harbor Brewery

This fishing-themed taproom in Tarpon Springs has a hometown bar feel with a strong showing of four flagship beers. The Strike Blonde is known for its sharp taste and drinkability.

325 E Lemon St., Tarpon Springs silverkingbrewing.com

Expanded from Two Lions Winery, Palm Harbor Brewery offers craft beer and wine. Locals offer rave reviews of the cheap flights and wine slushies.

1022 Georgia Ave., Palm Harbor twolionswinery.com

9. Dunedin House of Beer

13. Barley Mow Brewing Co.

16. Big Storm Brewing Co.

Originally a small craft beer haven, Dunedin’s House of Beer quickly grew and features over 40 beers on tap, with a wide variety of their own.

927 Broadway, Dunedin

A wide variety of flavors and styles can be found at this Largo brewery.

The brewery is known for the juicy, citrusy punch of the Quackalope IPA. 518 W Bay Dr., Largo barleymowbrewingco.com

6. Stilt House Brewery

10. Dunedin Brewery

Big Storm’s new Clearwater operation is another example of their rapid growth in Tampa Bay. The tasting room offers more taps and styles outside of their core brands.

12707 49th St. N, Clearwater bigstormbrewery.com

Directly on the Pinellas Trail, Stilt House Brewery is a perfect stop for cyclists looking to snag a tasty craft brew from one of their 26 taps.

625 U.S. Hwy Alt 19 N, Palm Harbor stilthousebrewery.com

Florida’s oldest microbrewery sits in the highlands of Dunedin and serves a wide selection of flavors and styles. The large space often has live music and beer events.

937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin dunedinbrewery.com

7. 7venth Sun Brewery

11. Sea Dog Brewing Co.

This award-winning brewery might be small, but it packs a punch with an assortment of styles and flavors. It is currently working on an expansion in Seminole Heights.

1012 Broadway, Dunedin 7venthsun.com

This New England brand sought more sun for their suds and ended up in Clearwater. They feature over a dozen locally brewed versions of Sea Dog and Shipyard classics.

26200 U.S. Hwy 19 N, Clearwater seadogbrewing.com

3. Lagerhaus Brewery & Grill This brewery specializes in hefeweizens, lambics and other European-style beers. The house brews are served alongside local, domestic and international craft favorites.

3438 East Lake Road. S, Palm Harbor lagerhausbrewery.com

14. Arkane Aleworks This Largo brewery just opened and is looking to showcase their numerous styles. The tap list, a giant chalkboard menu, is sorted by flavor to help you find the exact beer you are craving.

2480 E Bay Drive, #23, Largo facebook.com/arkanealeworks

17. Pair O’ Dice Brewing Co. Pinellas Park’s gambling-themed brewery is known for their Lucky Lady Strawberry Blonde and Hop Bet Red IPA. They offer a variety of events almost every night of the week, like the Hops and Tabletops board game series on Wednesdays.

4400 118th Ave. N, #208, Clearwater pairodicebrewing.com

Continued on page 58 >>

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As if visiting all the breweries in Tampa Bay were not enticing enough, you can now receive a free, limited edition pint glass from tbt* for visiting all the breweries on the map.

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Download a copy of the Brewery Map at tampabay.com/breweries for details. Some restrictions apply. Cheers!

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Ybor City 37

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Saint Somewhere Brewing

26 Green Bench Brewing

2 Silverking Brewing Co.

27 Cycle Brewing

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28 St. Pete Brewing Co.

Lagerhaus Brewery & Grill

4 de Bine Brewing Co.

29 Four Stacks Brewing Co.

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30 81Bay Brewing

Palm Harbor Brewery

6 Stilt House Brewery

31 Cigar City Brewing Co.

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32 Ulele Spring Brewery

7venth Sun Brewery

8 Woodwright Brewing Co.

33 Hidden Springs Ale Works

9 Dunedin House of Beer

34 Tampa Bay Brewing Co.

10 Dunedin Brewery

35 Coppertail Brewing Co.

11 Sea Dog Brewing Co.

36 Cigar City Cider and Mead

12 Crooked Thumb Brewery

37 Tampa Beer Works

13 Barley Mow Brewing Co.

38 Southern Brewing & Winemaking

14 Arkane Aleworks

39 Brew Bus Terminal & Brewery

15 Rapp Brewing Co.

40 Angry Chair Brewing

16 Big Storm Brewing Co.

41 Six Ten Brewing

17 Pair O’ Dice Brewing Co.

42 Carrollwood Brewing Co.

18 Brewers’ Tasting Room

43 Dunderbraü Brewery

19 Mad Beach Craft Brewing Co.

44 Cigar City Brewpub

20 Keel & Curley’s Vino-N-Brew

45 Craft Life Brewing

21 Mastry’s Brewing Co.

46 The Wild Rover Pub & Brewery

22 Urban Comfort Restaurant & Brewery

47 Tampa Bay Brewing Co.

23 3 Daughters Brewing

48 Big Storm Brewing Co.

24 Cage Brewing

49 Escape Brewing Co.

25 Pinellas Ale Works

Brewery locations are approximate.

Tour map presented by:

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WEATHER ALERT:

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18. Brewers’ Tasting Room

25. Pinellas Ale Works

32. Ulele Spring Brewery

St. Pete’s first microbrewery is home to a collection of brews created by hand-picked brewmasters. The tap list is known to have rare kegs from across Tampa Bay. 11270 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg brewerstastingroom.com

Part of the dense collection of breweries in St. Pete’s Grand Central district, the aptly named PAW offers doggy-themed beers, yappy hours and unique takes on traditional styles.

1962 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg pawbeer.com

One of Tampa’s trendiest restaurants is also a brewery. Ulele offers six beers and two rotating seasonal beers. One of their flagships, the Wedding Beer, changes flavor depending on fruit in season.

1810 N Highland Ave., Tampa ulele.com

19. Mad Beach Craft Brewing Co.

26. Green Bench Brewing

33. Hidden Springs Ale Works

This Madeira Beach brewery offers flavorful beers in a tasting room filled with pool and air hockey tables.

Their pub fare is a beachy fusion of Caribbean and Southern cuisines.

12945 Village Blvd., Madeira Beach madbeachbrewing.com

St. Pete’s Edge district brewery offers a large yard area with room for live music, cornhole and yoga classes.

In addition to their standard beers, Green Bench offers bottles of cider, mead and small-batch drafts.

1133 Baum Ave. N, St. Petersburg

This Tampa Heights brewery has an abundance of styles, including fruity goses, milk stouts with chipotle and flavorful saisons.

1631 N Franklin St., Tampa hiddenspringsaleworks.com

40. Angry Chair Brewing

greenbenchbrewing.com

34. Tampa Bay Brewing Co.

angrychairbrewing.com

20. Keel & Curley’s Vino-N-Brew

27. Cycle Brewing

Vino-N-Brew is the Pinellas County surrogate for the Keel and Curley winery in Thonotosassa. The beach stop provides

One of the most beloved breweries among craft-beer die-hards, Cycle Brewing’s collection of bicycle-

Two Henry’s beer from Plant City.

9641 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island keelandcurleywinery.com/locations/ vino-n-brew-treasure-island

themed brews is expertly crafted. The modest taproom in St. Pete serves Cycle flagships and has rare bottle releases.

534 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

21. Mastry’s Brewing Co. This new St. Pete Beach brewery has a bier garten and a wide tap selection.

7701 Blind Pass Road, St. Pete Beach mastrysbrewingco.com/

22. Urban Comfort Restaurant & Brewery The sister site of Urban Brew and BBQ, this restaurant comes stacked with new takes on barbecue favorites, shuffleboard courts and eight of their beers on tap, including Bohemian pilsners, IPAs and stouts.

2601 Central Ave., St. Petersburg urbancomfortstpete.com

28. St. Pete Brewing Co. Milo’s IPA and the St. Pete Orange Wheat are the two staples at this taproom. Patrons can also enjoy nostalgia with old board games and an N64 and Mario Kart.

544 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg stpetebrewingcompany.com

29. Four Stacks Brewing Co. Apollo Beach’s first, and only, craft brewery has brews with West Coast inspiration. Their flagship IPA, the Mosaico, is perfect for beloved by beach goers for easy drinking.

5469 N U.S. Hwy 41, Apollo Beach fourstacksbrewing.com

23. 3 Daughters Brewing St. Petersburg’s largest brewery offers their renowned flagship and seasonal beers alongside a large warehouse filled with tons of games and a stage for concerts.

222 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg 3dbrewing.com

24. Cage Brewing Cage Brewing was built from the small brews that originated at R Bar on Treasure Island. The St. Pete version has more of R Bar’s delicious beer with freeplay arcade games, cornhole and a large lawn perfect for dogs and games.

2001 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg

30. 81Bay Brewing South Tampa’s first brewery offers a calming, maritime atmosphere with murals to match. Popular beers include the Ramble On Raspberry Ale and Lightning Lager.

4465 W Gandy Blvd., Tampa 81baybrewco.com

31. Cigar City Brewing Co. Tampa Bay’s biggest name in craft beer has two bars, with brewery tours and rare small batches available.

3924 Spruce St., Tampa cigarcitybrewing.com

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Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, this brewery focuses on pub fare and classic beer styles. The restaurant has an outside bar perfect for a craft beer stop in Centro Ybor.

1600 E Eighth Ave., Ybor City tampabaybrewingcompany.com

39. Brew Bus Terminal & Brewery The hub for all of Brew Bus’ tours now has a home in Seminole Heights.

Here you can hop on a local loop, take a cross-bay tour or hang out in the ’70s-inspired tasting room.

4101 N Florida Ave., Tampa brewbususa.com/terminal-andbrewery

Angry Chair is Seminole Height’s beer-festival darling, constantly getting rave reviews for its dessert-style darker beers and trend-defining sours.

6401 N Florida Ave., Tampa

This new brewery in Land O’Lakes opened in July and offers over 20 different taps. They strive to experiment with their brews and serve some of the most sought -after Florida beers.

2624 Land O’Lakes Blvd., Land O’Lakes facebook.com/CraftLifeBrewing

46. The Wild Rover Brewery This restaurant closed in 2013, but just opened a new English-style taproom in Westchase. Their beers are English, Scottish and Irish styles, with an emphasis on cask ales.

13921 Lynmar Blvd., Tampa thewildroverbrewery.com

41. Six Ten Brewing Co. This new Tampa brewery has a broad selection in a small taproom. The bartenders and patrons look to have

47. Tampa Bay Brewing Co.

great conversation over good beer.

7052 Benjamin Road, Tampa sixtenbrewing.com

Ybor pub. The larger space lends itself to live music and a home for their local beer bonanaza, the Bad A** Beer Festival.

13937 Monroes Business Park, Westchase tampabaybrewingcompany.com

35. Coppertail Brewing Co. This mayonnaise-factory-turnedbrewery sits on the edge of Ybor.

Coppertail offers deep flavors on opposite ends of the beer spectrum, from Florida weisses, wheats and IPAs to porters and stouts.

2601 E Second Ave., Tampa coppertailbrewing.com

45. Craft Life Brewing

42. Carrollwood Brewing Co. Carrollwood’s namesake brewery sits in a Brass Tap. Enjoy the small selection of its beer, brewed on-site, and the selection of craft beer Brass Tap is known for.

10047 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Carrollwood brasstapbeerbar.com/carrollwood

36. Cigar City Cider and Mead

43. Dunderbraü Brewery

This mecca for specialty ciders and mead in Ybor City has varied flavors, with spicy takes on the dry and sweet flavors of ciders.

1812 N 15th St., Ybor City cigarcitycider.com

Mr. Dunderbak’s is brewing! Their own beers are now alongside the selection of American craft brews and European styles they stock.

14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa dunderbaks.com

37. Tampa Beer Works

44. Cigar City Brewpub

Formerly ESB Brewing, the re-imagined Tampa Beer Works offers a new vision with a focus on American craft beer in this Brandon taproom.

333 N Falkenberg Road, Tampa tampabeerworks.com

Cigar City marries their craft beer with cocktails and a blend of American and Latin cuisine at the Dale Mabry brewpub. Specialty cocktails and beer-infused desserts are crowd favorites.

15491 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa cigarcitybrewpub.com

Tampa Bay Brewing Co.’s second location offers a similar feel to their

48. Big Storm Brewing Co. The Odessa taproom is Big Storm’s original brick-and-mortar. This smaller operation places an emphasis on their beloved beer.

2330 Success Dr., Odessa bigstormbrewery.com

49. Escape Brewing Co. This three-barrel nanobrewery is a “passion project” between two brothers-in-law. It has small releases and limited distribution, making the trek to Trinity worth it for the beer.

9945 Trinity Blvd., Trinity escapebrewingcompany.com

38. Southern Brewing & Winemaking Southern Brewing and Winemaking started as a homebrewing supply destination, but now serves their own wine, craft beer, root beer and kombucha.

4500 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa southernbrewingwinemaking.com

Visit tampabay.com/breweries for more details about DRINK YOUR WAY AROUND TAMPA BAY

BEER GLASS GLOSSARY If you’ve ever been confused by the variety of glasses in which beer is served, here is a quick guide to why your double IPA is being served to you in a goblet.

Tulip The wide bottom and narrow stem ensures that your craft beer will be full of body and not foam. Perfect for: IPAs, saisons, stouts, scotch ales or any dank, high-ABV brews

Snifter With its wide base, this glass is perfect for palming and swirling your strongly scented beer in between sips.

Perfect for: stouts, barelywines and strong ales

Pint True beer snobs turn up their noses at this ubiquitous glass and its lack of aroma management. Meanwhile, the rest of us ignorantly drink our ales and lagers, none the wiser. Perfect for: any and everything

Stein The benefit of this Europeanstyle vessel comes in its handle, which prevents beer drinkers’ hands from warming their beers. It’s also easy to grip during drunken swaying and singing. Perfect for: Oktoberfests, bocks and American ales

Weiss The dramatic presentation of this tall glass is perfect for beers with a lot of head.

Wheat beers are most commonly served in this glass with an orange garnish.

Perfect for: Pilsners, wits and — obviously — weisses

Red Solo Cup The pièce de résistance for watery macrobrews is necessary for feats of skill like beer pong and flip cup. Earn bonus points by drinking from non-red varieties to really show how far you have come since college. Perfect for: anything that comes in packs of 18 or more

Tampa Bay Times | Friday, August 26, 2016 |

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Q&A

BARTENDERS S AROUND THE BAY Gina Vivenetto, tbt* correspondent We asked bartenders around the Tampa Bay area to tell us about the tricks – and trends – of their trade.

Here’s what they said.

KRIS ROSZAK General manager and bartender at Proof: Cocktail Club in St. Petersburg What trends in cocktail culture are you seeing?

Right now, people want classic craft cocktails. They’re going back to traditional Old Fashioneds and Manhattans using small-batch bourbons and whiskeys. People were drinking Jack and Cokes 10

years ago and now they want a Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Manhattan.

What ingredients are you having fun working with?

Actually, it’s infusing a lot of vermouths and coming up with different shrubs – making something traditional and then putting a twist on it. We do a chocolate-infused vermouth for our house Manhattan, and that flavor adds a little bit of signature to that cocktail. The egg whites – people see them and they’re like, “Oh, my God!” But then they get the taste of it. I really do like using egg whites and getting that silkiness and that nice froth

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and making a cocktail pop a little bit.

Have you ever created your own drink?

I came up with one two nights ago. It’s huckleberry vodka with some blackberries in it, a little bit of rhubarb, some fresh lemon juice, some ginger, and I put a little spice on it. So you get the sweetness from the blackberries, a little acidity from the citrus in the freshsqueezed lemon juice in it, and a little bit of spice from the ginger. It’s got a beautiful, rich, deep purple color that you don’t see in many cocktails these days. I think I’ll be calling it I’ll Be Your Huckleberry.

What’s the best part of being behind the bar?

It’s like being on a stage.

It’s like being in a theater every day. It’s a different vibe every night and it’s exciting to see who’s going to come through that door, who you’re going to serve, and how you’re going to make that guest happy.

What’s your drink at the end of the night?

I’m a beer guy, actually. But I enjoy a good cocktail. My favorite is the Manhattan.

Give me a nice good Manhattan, one big rock on it, and I’ll sit back and enjoy that all night long.

Kris Roszak, Proof: Cocktail Club Photos by Luis Santana/tbt*

Tampa Bay Times | Friday, August 26, 2016 |

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Q&A

BARTENDERS S AROUND THE BAY COURTNEY TONGE Bar manager / beverage director at Fodder & Shine in Tampa Part of your job is pairing cocktails with food. How do you do that?

I work with our chef, Greg (Baker). We sit down every time I develop the menu and we go back and forth flavor profilewise. I try to keep the cocktails Southern-based because his food has a lot of salt and a lot of brine since it’s Southern food. I try to pair the drinks to balance that out because you don’t want to be drinking a super-savory

cocktail while you’re also eating savory food.

So, you go the opposite of savory. You go bitter, or you could go sweet. Sugar always balances and complements the salt. We don’t have a lot of super-sugary drinks, but we’ll do a lot of citrus, a lot of bright, definitely bitter (flavors).

Which one of your drink creations are you most proud of?

It’s called a Tear in My Beer and it’s a white whiskey drink. So it’s a corn-based whiskey with lemon, cinnamon syrup and pear liqueur, and we do the IPA beer foam on the top of it

with like a spice rub.

What’s your favorite new ingredient you’ve been working with?

We use a lot of shrubs.

They’re vinegar-based (syrups). You take sugar and you macerate it with a fruit or whatever you’re using and you mix it with white vinegar and it’s kind of a vinegary sweet.

What’s the best part of being behind the bar?

Being able to be creative every day. Nothing makes me happier than going back there and getting to talk to people and being creative and making drinks and seeing people having a good time.

You have a psychology degree from USF. Does that help on the job?

It doesn’t hurt, that’s for sure.

Courtney Tonge, Fodder & Shine Luis Santana/tbt*

What’s your drink at the end of the night?

It’s always just a shot of whiskey and a beer, to be honest. It’s like cooking.

Chefs will tell you the same

thing. When they go home they just eat whatever’s in front of them.

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Q&A

BARTENDERS S AROUND THE BAY BROOKLYNN WHITE General manager and bartender, Kelly’s Chic A Boom Room and Blur Nightclub in Dunedin Your bar situation at Kelly’s is enormous.

Our logo is “Kelly’s for Just About Anything” and we truly exemplify that. We have three full buildings. We have a full restaurant that does breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We have a martini bar with an inside and outdoor patio bar that does craft cocktails, martinis, craft beer. We have the largest liquor selection in northern Pinellas County and we also operate according to the Miracle on 34th Street routine: If we don’t have it and you’re a regular and you want it, we will get it in for you. In addition to all that, we have the Blur nightclub, which has two indoor bars and an outdoor patio bar.

What’s your most popular drink?

Our martinis are what we’re known for. We have a $5 martini night every Wednesday.

What’s the best part about being behind the bar?

My favorite thing is that Florida is such a transient state, so I get to meet people from all over the country and all over the world. They tell me about where they’re from, so I feel like I’m traveling when I’m at work.

What’s your drink at the end of the night?

Jameson is my go-to.

Have you ever invented a cocktail of your own?

Many. What I’m most famous for is actually something the Tampa Bay Times wrote about when you guys did the revival of the peanut butter and jelly. You featured my Elvis Martini, which has Van Gogh PB&J vodka, crème de banana, Licor 43 and it’s served with a peanut butter sauce rim and a hot piece of fried bacon.

Any trends you’re noticing?

The retroaction of prohibition drinks like the Sidecar and the Negroni and the Boulevardier. When I first started, if you offered those in a nightclub people would look at you like you had a third eye.

Brooklynn White, Kelly’s Chic A Boom Room Photos by Luis Santana/tbt*

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GUIDE TO

CLASSIC COCKTAILS Source: Classic Cocktails, Salvatore Calabrese

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Arguably the most glamorous cocktail ever created, the martini is known for its upper class appeal. It was the ďŹ rst drink mixed in the White House when Prohibition ended in 1933. A true martini is one part gin, one part dry vermouth and two dashes of orange strained over skewered olives in a chilled glass. A dry martini places an emphasis on the gin with just a soft whiff of vermouth.

MARTINI

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TROPICAL DRINK This established cocktail is one of the best ways to experience the deep taste of bourbon. An old fashioned consists of a sugar cube muddled with Angostura bitters and then stirred — slowly — with club soda, bourbon and ice. Garnishes for the classic drink are orange peels and cherries. A current trend in mixology is to burn the orange peel to release a smoky, caramelized flavor into the whiskey.

Due to Tampa Bay’s endless summer weather, rum runners, piña coladas and other tropical drinks aren’t just relegated to beach bars. Favored flavors — whether frozen or iced — are the warm, tropical tastes of pineapple, mango and orange mixed with white rum. Most renditions of these drinks also incorporate coconut cream for the extra exotic punch.

OLD FASHIONED

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A boozy brunch staple, the Bloody Mary is the quintessential savory cocktail. Traditionally, vodka is mixed with tomato juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, served with a celery stick. The drink is the perfect accompaniment to a runny eggs Benedict or pancakes.

Fun variations on the drink consist of sticking outrageous meats — ribs, sausages and even sliders — on skewers.

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Billed as one of the best predinner drinks, the Manhattan’s history dates back to the 1870s.

A Manhattan combines rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and a few dashes of Angostura bitters into a mixing glass with ice. The drink is stirred, then strained into a cocktail glass. Another version is known as a dry Manhattan, using dry vermouth instead of sweet.

MANHATTAN

A staple at almost every Mexican restaurant ever, this cocktail is one of the most popular in the United States, adored for its drinkability and versatility. A standard margarita mixes tequila, triple sec and lime juice over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. Other popular takes include frozen versions and other flavors like strawberry-lime, mango and even jalapeĂąo.

MARGARITA

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These drinks in snazzy copper mugs have infiltrated Tampa Bay bars in the last few years. They have become so popular some bars hold IDs and check purses to prevent theft. A buck is the family of drinks served in these mugs, with ginger beer, liquor and citrus over crushed ice. Moscow mules, served with vodka, are the most popular. Dark ’n’ stormys — arguably tastier — use dark rum.

BUCK

Show us these favorites at local bars with the tag #TampaBayDrinks

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BAY AREA BARS

THAT ARE SHAPING THE LOCAL SCENE

Photo by Chris Zuppa

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Justin Grant, barfly on the wall

The ever-changing Tampa Bay bar scene features one constant: a steadily increasing range of styles, approaches and specialties; sometimes capitalizing on the latest trends, sometimes setting new ones.

Beer bars are big across the country, but the bay area has a few that wouldn’t be out of place in cities like Denver, Portland, Asheville or San Diego. While it may seem counterintuitive in an area where a new beer bar opens every other week, much of what our beer scene looks like is shaped more by the old guard than by newer forays into the genre.

St. Petersburg’s the Ale & the Witch and Tampa’s Pour House were early to the local beer scene, and they’ve remained leaders in the field ever since. A constantly rotating selection and staffs that are always on top of the latest picks keep them in the ranks of beer bars that newcomers model their approach after. Having a few dozen taps might get people Continued on page 77 >>

Station House, St. Petersburg Photo by Chris Zuppa

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Red Star Rock Bar, Seminole Heights Photo by Chris Zuppa

in the door, but the best beer bars in town take a cue from these two to keep people coming back.

The neo-rustic aesthetic is everywhere nowadays, and it sets the scene at hip, modern restaurants like St. Petersburg’s Station House and Oldsmar’s Craft Street Kitchen.

These restaurants give their well-stocked bars equal billing, pouring creative, thoughtful cocktails made from a dizzying selection of interesting booze — expect

lots of high-end whiskeys alongside exotic bitters, liqueurs and spirits that you’ve never heard of — in spaces draped with natural wood, brickwork and iron fixtures. They border on upscale without feeling stuffy or pretentious.

Others, like Ybor City’s First Chance Last Chance, Tampa’s Red Star Rock Bar and Soho Backyard, and St. Petersburg’s the Blue Goose, have found a loyal following by providing back-to-basics alternatives tucked into neighborhoods crowded

with concept-heavy bars and restaurants.

These bars are light on gimmick, giving regulars a low-key, no-nonsense option that doesn’t involve sitting in a smoky dive. They’re the kinds of places that bartenders drink at: cool, quality watering holes for the folks in-the-know enough to find them.

Continued on next page >>

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Then there are bars that are all about the concept.

At Tampa’s Lowry Parcade, for example, guests indulge in some good ol’ nostalgia, courtesy of a full video arcade with a collection of vintage games, many carefully restored using original equipment.

Naturally, there’s also a great beer selection, prominently featuring brews from the perpetually-growing number of local breweries. Drink local, play “Mortal Kombat.”

NINE BARS THAT ARE SHAPING THE LOCAL SCENE The Ale & the Witch thealeandthewitch.com Pour House pourhousetampa.com Station House stationhousestpete.com Craft Street Kitchen craftstreetkitchen.com First Chance Last Chance firstchancelastchance.com Red Star Rock Bar redstarrockbar.com SoHo Backyard sohobackyard.com The Blue Goose facebook.com/ thebluegoosebar Lowry Parcade lowryparcade.com

The Blue Goose, St. Petersburg Photo by Chris Zuppa

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