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Creative Loafing's HighBall Another Round 2017

Wed, Apr 19, 2017 at 1:48 pm

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Raise your glasses high, Loafers, because Creative Loafing's craft cocktail competition, HighBall, was back for another round of tipsy fun in celebration of our annual Summer Guide Issue!

We invited mixologists from Tampa Bay's best bars and restaurants to get creative as we let attendees decide who makes the best cocktail in Tampa Bay!

Featuring local spirits, bartenders, and more, HighBall Another Round showcased craft cocktails created by Tampa Bay's top mixologists with either whisky, vodka, gin, or rum as they competed to win the title of 'Tampa Bay's Best Cocktail' at HighBall Another Round 2017.

Not to mention, the winning cocktail will be featured at Creative Loafing's annual Best of the Bay Awards Party in September!

Creative Loafing's HighBall Another Round
Craft Cocktail Competition

Thursday, May 11th | Rialto Theatre | 1617 N. Franklin St. in Tampa

VIP: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. | GA: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Thank you to Tampa Bay video studio, Roundhouse Creative, for capturing all of the fun!

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CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS!

O Cocina & Flights's Sean O'Donnell
BEST OVERALL COCKTAIL

Taps Restaurant Bar & Lounge's Scott Wenger
BEST RUM COCKTAIL
Casey's Craft Bar Kitchen
's Dylan Clements
BEST WHISKY COCKTAIL

Datz's Morgan Zuch
BEST GIN COCKTAIL

The Living Room's Anthony Rizzotto
BEST VODKA COCKTAIL

& CONGRATS TO ALL OF THE COMPETITORS
FOR BRINGING THEIR A-GAME!

FEATURING
CRAFT COCKTAILS BY:

Competing with Siesta Key Rum

Bob Heilman's Beachcomber | Matthew Moscato
Bob the Beachcomber Mai Tai | Siesta Key Rum, Creme de Noyaux, lemon, pineapple, & orange juice

Buya Ramen | Ryan Pines
Pirate Booty | Siesta Key Rum, Giffard Blue Curacao Liqueur, passion fruit, Orgeat syrup, pineapple, & lemon juice topped with pirate coins, pineapple spear, & Caribbean spice blend

Ichicoro Ramen | Jessica Wohlers
Jessica Wohlers’ Improved Hero Water | Siesta Key Rum, coconut cream, cucumber, Velvet Falernum, lime, & Angostura Bitters

Taps Restaurant Bar & Lounge | Scott Wenger
The Lazy Hammock | Siesta Key Rum, dry vermouth, carrot juice, pineapple juice, & cayenne pepper

Competing with Kozuba & Sons Mr. Rye Whisky

Casey's Craft Bar Kitchen | Dylan Clements
1933 | Kozuba & Sons Mr. Rye Whisky, lemon, brown sugar, & cinnamon

Castile Restaurant | Robby Rosello
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF) | Kozuba & Sons Mr. Rye Whisky, Yellow Chartreuse, orange juice, & lemon juice topped with almond & Himalayan sea Salt foam

Catcher and the Rye | Austin Sanchez
Devil's Handshake | Kozuba & Sons Mr. Rye Whisky, ginger simple syrup, Bittermens Hellfire Habanero bitters, cherry pomegranate juice, strawberry jam, & lemon juice topped with jalapeno slice and candied ginger

Pisces Sushi & Global Bistro | Stephen Bessette
Yuzu Hana (translation: Yuzu Flower) | Kozuba & Sons Mr. Rye Whisky, passion fruit pulp, Yuzu Juice, Passoã, muddled shiso leaves, & garnished with micro shiso

Competing with Tamiami Gin

Datz | Morgan Zuch
She Wants Revenge | Tamiami Gin, Calvados, hibiscus, hellfire shrub, elderberry hibiscus kombucha, passion fruit, cracked black pepper, & fresh edible hibiscus flowers

Franklin Manor | Matt Camacho
Southside | Tamiami Gin, jalapeno-infused simple syrup, cucumber juice, & fresh lemon topped with club soda

O Cocina Modern Mexican | Sean O'Donnell
In Full Bloom | Tamiami Gin, Green Chartreuse, housemade Falernum, lychee purée, guava, lime, & grapefruit bitters

Tampa Marriott Waterside | Rebecca Reiss
A Little R 'n' R | Tamiami Gin, rhubarb liquor, fresh rhubarb-infused simple syrup, & homemade grapefruit tonic water topped with a sprig of rosemary & served up with a smoked sugar rim

Competing with Florida Cane Vodka

District Tavern | Ryan Fitzgerald
Raspberry Beret | Yogurt washed Florida Cane Vodka, raspberry, cacao nibs, & love

Flanagan's Irish Pub | Michael Webb
Mule-A-Rita | Florida Cane Vodka, cilantro, lime juice, ginger beer, & smoked habanero simple syrup topped with a secret ingredient

Park & Rec | Terrance Walz
Rosie Mae | Florida Cane Vodka, fresh muddled habanero pepper, homemade mint simple syrup, & tart cherry juice

The Living Room | Anthony Rizzotto
It's a surprise, you'll see.

TICKETS

General Admission
$25 Advance | $40 Door
General Admission included craft cocktail samples from each bar/restaurant; bites by District Tavern, Catering by the Family, Empanada World, & more; & voting in each category of the HighBall competition.

VIP Admission
$50 Advance | $80 Door
VIP Admission included early entry for an extra hour of sampling without the crowds from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; passed apps by Casey's Craft Bar Kitchen during VIP-only hour; craft cocktail samples from each bar/restaurant; bites by District Tavern, Catering by the Family, Empanada World, & more; & voting in each category of the HighBall competition.

A portion of proceeds to benefited Ybor City Museum Society!

Featuring complimentary on-site valet provided by Sunshine Valet.

We teamed up with Lyft to get attendees to and from HighBall Another Round safely! First-time Lyft users got their first ride free up to $20 by downloading the app, creating an account, and entering the code CLTAMPA in the 'Payment' section at checkout.

Attendees RSVPed to the event on Facebook here to stay in-the-know!