It's now March, the month when the Leprechauns are among us, and it seems it's time for a festival. With all the four-leaf clovers, faux Irish accents, cheer and merriment, celebrating is in order.
However, is there a right and wrong way to enjoy a spirited beverage at a St. Patrick's Day bash? Some claim that there is absolute tradition to consuming a luxurious beverage. Others say, "Drink what you like, how you like it."
Kristin Havert, the bartender at The Shamrock Pub and Grille on U.S. Highway 27, north in Davenport, says that when British customers come into the pub, they put Ribena Blackcurrant in their beer, usually a Guinness. Ribena claims to be rich in vitamin C and a powerful antioxidant.
"There is no name for it, they say. It's mainly for the women to sweeten up the Guinness," Havert says. "They'll also put Rose's Lime juice on top of a lager."
Havert also makes "Shandies" for the English folks. "It's half Sprite and half lager; usually a light beer," she says.
Havert also says that several of the customers fancy tomato juice and beer together.
"They call that a Red Eye," she says. "The English also like 'Snake Bites.' That's cider and a lager mixed together, usually Stella."
Another unusual concoction that English order while they visit the pub is the Blue Moon.
"That's a Belgian wheat beer," Havert says. "But when the English layer it with Guinness, it's called a Belgian Waffle."
Havert says that it's her understanding that the English started these drinks in the United Kingdom and Americans have simply adopted them.
When it comes to Scotch, Havert says that almost every family in Scotland very likely has its own label of Scotch whiskey. The older the whiskey, the more expensive it will be.
"The single malt is not blended; it's pure," Havert says. "Blended whiskeys are generally cheaper because they are easier to mass produce, as opposed to pure whiskey."
In assisting with the cultural component of the beverages, Havert says that if a whiskey comes from Scotland, it is called Scotch or Scotch whiskey. Blended whiskeys are mostly Canadian. Those familiar brands are Canadian Mist, Seagram's Seven, Canadian Club, Black Velvet and Inver House.
American whiskeys include Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey and Maker's Mark, which all come from the old distilleries, mostly in the Kentucky area.
The most common whiskey format is the whiskey-cola mix, while martinis, on the other hand, have become the cosmopolitan on the liquid list. Havert says, just make sure to know who's placing the order.
"When English people order a martini, I get confused," Havert says. "When they order a martini, they generally mean they want dry vermouth with Sprite, not a real gin or vodka martini," Havert says. She says the "old-school" customer wants their martini made with gin, while the younger crowd wants vodka with "fruity stuff."
Jeff Gurman ,also of The Shamrock Pub and Grille, says that the gins are extremely aromatic and that all gins have one thing in common - juniper berries from Italy.
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Beer is one of the most common alchololic beverages.
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Vodkas bear an extreme diversion in alcohol content. Absolute vodka is 40 percent alcohol, while Martini and Rossi is considered to be more of a "cordial" and contains only 18 percent alcohol. Due to the varying alcohol content, Havert says there's quite a difference when someone orders a martini, and it helps to know the customer's culture.
Havert serves quite a bit of Scottish drambuie, which has been around since before the 1700s. This famous adult beverage is crafted with spiced honey. Havert says that most of the folks visiting northeast Polk County order their aged, malt whiskey on the rocks and basically enjoy sipping it after dinner.
Kelly Daley of Longhorn Steak House in Winter Haven says the new thing with American beverages in anything made with Red Bull.
"You can mix it with anything," Daley says. "Everyone wants this energy drink as a backer with alcohol. It kinda wakes you up and slows you down at the same time."
Daley says a lot of people like Red Bull mixed with soda, like Coke, Sprite, soda water, juices, vodka, rum and even Jagermeister.
"Mixed with Red Bull, it's called a Jager Bomb," Daley says. "It's German and definitely for the young."
According to Daley, Manhattans and margaritas are going through a kind of revolutional period.
"It's the same drink being reinvented with more juices and more fruit to appease a wide variety of people, not just the heavy drinker," she says.
With so many visitors to the Winter Haven Longhorn, vodka seems to be the drink of choice right now. Longhorn serves a lot of margaritas, "the ones with fruit," she says. Daley says there are no rules and no traditions per se at Longhorn.
"You name it, we make it, sweet, tart, mixes and even ones that are good for you," she says. "You can create your own. Longhorn does that very well."
Daley says pomegranate juice in margaritas is very popular now because people want the antioxidants found in the pomegranate juice. Daley says she sees that the old is becoming new again, especially with rum, vodka and tequila.
"Folks want the kick of the tequila, but don't want to taste it, so they go out of the norm and put a lot of fresh fruit in it," she says.
According to Daley, Longhorn focuses strongly on what the produce seasons give it. The local restaurant is getting into the new and radical "infused drinks," which Daley says is the new push.
Even premium vodkas are being infused with fresh fruit. Restaurants like Longhorn take that infusion and make new drinks from it. They also enjoy educating their clientele.
"When bartenders have the time, they like to demonstrate and show through instruction, the mixology and what steps are involved," Daley says. "Some steps are layered, so when you drink that, you taste each flavor in the layer."
Bartenders can school consumer in the best drink selection to go with their food choices, especially with meats.
Daley says that for St. Patrick's Day specifically, anything with Jameson (an Irish Whiskey) is generally ordered during March. Daley says that some of the favorite Irish drinks ordered are the Grasshopper, Irish Kiss and Irish Whiskey with creme de menthe.
"People want their green drink during this time of year," she says. "Irish coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream is requested a lot."
Like a mad scientist working in a hospitality laboratory and mixing sparkling liquids, Daley says don't forget about the container in which the beverage is served.
"The glass that it's served in is very popular, too," she says. "We get 'Birthday Princess' glasses and even 'Queen for the Day' glasses. People have been bringing in their own glasses for a while now. Some have big blue rims. Some of the stemware says, 'Over 40.' "
Daley says the bartender just mixes the drink as normal and serves it in the customer's personal glass.
"We make it nice and pretty," she says. "It's very popular with the young crowd. They carry their own designer stemware around from lounge to lounge and have them filled up."
There's a reason for the way that all "beverage cradles" are made. The design of the wine glass was created with a reason that dates back to the early Roman Empire. Pilsners for beer are made with skinny bottoms and fluted tops. Some porcelain beer steins even have music boxes underneath the base, while other steins are proudly topped with pewter lids or display the family's coat of arms.
A larger glass may hold a bloody Mary, which is a drink that enjoys varied recipes. While some have mixes contain vegetables and fruit, others contain Clamato juice, which is made with tomatoes, onions, celery, a variety of spices, and a dash of clam juice.
Daley says that if there's a liquor you can't go wrong with, it's rum.
"It's from sugar cane, and it's sweet," she says. "Probably the most versatile liquor."
She says rum comes in a variety of flavors that include banana, vanilla and chocolate, making it appealing to most everyone.
Fancy drink decorations are also desired these days.
"You indulge with your eyes first, so when you see light-up ice cubes, you want them," Daley says. Flavored straws are becoming popular, as well as the flavored sugars that rim glasses with nicely colored and varied flavors of sugars.
"They come in tangerine, watermelon and pineapple," Daley says.
Brandi Barrett, the territory manager for the Johnson Brothers Wine and Liquor Company. based in Tampa and headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., says that now in the wine world, Malbec is the fastest trending red varietal.
"If you're wondering what Malbec is," Barrett says, "Malbec grapes are to Argentina as Zinfandel is to California and Shiraz is to Australia. It's a full-bodied wine with a soft mouth feel. Malbec generally speaking, has soft silky tannins and dried fruit flavors with plenty of black current, cassis and red fruit flavors like plums and berries as well as hints of black pepper and other spicy notes."
Barrett says that as the days creep into spring, white wine is going to be all the buzz. With varietals such as Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc and even a nice Gewurztraminer, afternoons on the porch will be made perfect with these delights. Barrett says that wine can be for everyone, and her best advice is to just try them.
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Bartenders are whizzes at preparing your drink the way that you like it.
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"Go to a wine tasting or, better yet, go into your favorite wine shop and tell them you're just getting started, and they will point you in the right direction," she says.
One such opportunity is happening March 26. The Alliance for Independence will present the Wine Festival of Central Florida on the Lake Mirror Promenade in Lakeland. Along with enjoying a premiere evening under the stars, the Wine Festival of Central Florida will have more than 100 wines, spirits and microbrews and samplings from local chefs and restaurants. The event will benefit Alliance for Independence, which provides adult day training and residential services to more than 120 Polk County adults with developmental disabilities.
Advance tickets are $50 and are available online at www.afi-fl.org by clicking on the "Donate Now" tab. Tickets also can be purchased at the event for $55.
When you are experimenting for your own knowledge, celebrating the holidays, or are participating in a benefit that serves spirited drinks, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says, "We want everyone to enjoy themselves this St. Patrick's Day, but not at a risk to themselves or others. If you plan on drinking alcohol with friends this year, plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person the keys. If you didn't plan ahead and you're impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely. You can even call a sheriff's deputy to give you a ride. We would much rather give you a ride home, than have to put you in the back of the patrol car and take you to the county jail. The choice is yours."
Along with the sheriff's advice, a program available to people during most holidays is "Tow to Go," a partnership of AAA Auto Club South and Budweiser.
Since its inception in 1998, "Tow to Go" has safely removed more than 10,000 drunken drivers from the roads. It is free and open to AAA members and nonmembers, and is 100 percent confidential. Anyone is welcome to call 1-800-AAA-HELP. The AAA tow truck will take the vehicle and the driver home safely.
This service will be offered March 12-17 for the St. Patrick's Day holiday this year.
