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Who makes the best cocktail in Tampa Bay?

YOU decided at the 4th annual craft cocktail competition, HighBall 2020!

Raise a glass! Your favorite craft cocktail competition was back for another round of tipsy fun. On January 31st, 2020, HighBall attendees mixed and mingled with Tampa Bay's best bartenders as they sipped their way around unlimited craft cocktail samples to find the best!

HighBall Craft Cocktail Competition
Friday, January 31st, 2020 • 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Nova 535 • 535 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St. N. in St. Pete

HighBall showcased 16 craft cocktails created by Tampa Bay's top mixologists with either whiskey, vodka, gin, or rum as they competed to win YOU over to be named Tampa Bay’s Best Cocktail at HighBall. Attendees voted for their favorites in each spirit category while enjoying live music and entertainment, local bites, and more.

Plus, sampling by:
PRP Wine
SaltBlock Hospitality
Sonder Social Club (VIP-only)
Southeast Botanicals
The Bricks

A portion of proceeds benefited Current Initiatives of Tampa Bay.

Congratulations to the 2020 winners!

Best Overall Craft Cocktail
The Bricks | Caroline Lease
Here to Mars

Best Gin Craft Cocktail
The Bricks | Caroline Lease
Here to Mars

Best Rum Craft Cocktail
Casa Tina | Samuel Vinson
Plantain

Best Vodka Craft Cocktail
Ichicoro Ane | Cody Capobianco
Uncle Iroh's Milk Tea

Best Whiskey Craft Cocktail
First Chance Last Chance | Mo Pickering
Copay

2020 Competing Cocktails

GIN

Featuring Beefeater

Anchor and Brine | Nikole Calvo
Violet Spritz: Beefeater Gin, crème de violet, Luxardo liqueur, fresh lemon, prosecco

Bulla Gastrobar | Iliana Rivera
Lemongrass Collins: Beefeater Gin, fresh squeezed lemon juice, housemade lemongrass syrup, St. Elder, cucumber, rosemary sprig

Fresco’s Waterfront Bistro | Erin Weber
Bucha Blisstini:
Beefeater Gin, St-Germain, lemon, pink grapefruit juice, Mother Kombucha’s The Trop

The Bricks | Caroline Lease
Here to Mars:
Beefeater Gin, cranberry-rosemary compound, fresh lemon juice, handmade almond orgeat, handmade falernum, topped with fresh ginger soda

RUM

Featuring Malibu

Casa Tina | Samuel Vinson
Plantain: Malibu Rum, Yellow Chartreuse, fresh lime juice, muddled plantains with a jalepeño foam

Datz | Eva Al-gharaballi
Kiwi Be Friends:
Malibu Black, coconut water, lime juice, kiwi Monin, ginger-lime foam

Paul's Landing | Crystal Williams
Stress Reliever
: Malibu Rum, pineapple, orange juice, cream of coconut, topped with Myers

Sonder Social Club | Mike Linden
Tropic Thunder: Malibu-braised pineapple, rum, banana Angostura foam, black lime, Dope Salt, coconut snow

VODKA

Featuring Absolut

Council Oak | Lorenzo Cardei
Lady in Red: Absolut Vodka, prickly pear vodka, sour mix, prickly pear puree, ginger beer, garnished with a dragon fruit slice and a rose

Ichicoro Ane | Cody Capobianco
Uncle Iroh's Milk Tea
: Oolong-infused Absolut Vodka, Umepon Soju, lemon, honey, clarified milk

Perspective at Art Ovation | Rob Boyland
Åhus Me?!
: Cream-washed Absolut Vodka, chocolate waffle cone soda, chocolate bitters, waffle cone rim

World of Beer | Courtney Booth
Garden Party:
Absolut Vodka, St-Germain, lemon juice, mint, agave nectar, strawberry

WHISKEY

Featuring Jameson

First Chance Last Chance | Mo Pickering
Copay: Jameson Stout Edition, Absolut Juice Apple, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, one slightly aggressive dash of Angostura bitters

Gigglewaters | Brennen Brainard
Black Magic: Jameson, Meletti Amaro syrup with toasted walnut and chicory, vanilla-infused Allspice Dram topped with a spiced black cherry (a take on a Black Manhattan!)

Strandhill Public | Rory Martin
Sine Metu: Jameson, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine D.O.M., Angostura bitters, Peychaud’s bitters

TASTE Downtown Tampa | Kylie Bellows
The Vixen: Jameson, Campari, Triple Sec, plum bitters, fresh lemon juice, sugar water, black tea, Fee Foam, orange rind, thyme

2020 Sponsors

Video

Thanks to Roundhouse Creative for capturing all of this year's fun!

https://youtu.be/H8Rzv32L11Q

Sneak Peek at 2020's Cocktails

2020 Venue

Interested in being a part of HighBall 2021?

For more information on sponsorship opportunities and more, please contact Alexis Chamberlain at alexis@cltampa.com

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