Through Tableseide’s cocktail program “Choose Your Words Wisely,” choosing “love” and “local” was a no-brainer. Mention our craft cocktail to lead bartender Andy Viohl, who helped us come up with this exclusive, off-the-menu concoction.

St. Augustine Distillery Double Cask Bourbon plays the base of the cocktail—paying homage to Florida’s most historical and cultural city. Ingredients to come include a spoonful of Louies’ house-made grapefruit marmalade, plus a dash of their proprietary bitters, which carries notes of cinnamon sticks, cloves and nutmeg. Viohl adds a few splashes of fresh pineapple juice (since SRQ Media’s home base resides on Pineapple Avenue), then masters shakeology by robustly shaking the elements and straining them over ice into a chilled, tall martini glass. But the party’s not over—we decided to top the ‘tail off with a floater of Big Top’s Circus City IPA, for a shout-out to our local brewery crafting some of the finest hops on the coast. Florida’s favorite citrus rims the glass with the zest of orange peel, and in honor of Sarasota’s up and coming neighborhood, the finishing touch is a flaming rosemary sprig (stand a few feet back—the pyromaniac bartenders have some fun with their fire). The tropical fruit flavors mix immensely well with the crisp bourbon and the refreshing finish of IPA. The secret’s out—your new favorite fall drink just leaked (figuratively and not literally, we hope).  Cheers!