Cheers, Westchase!

Naked Good: Wine Process Exposes True Pinot Grigio Flavor

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

  This week we return to our roots and choose a Westchase Wine of the Week. Simply Naked Pinot Grigio, which you can find at The Village Market for less than $10 a bottle. Naked...wine? This one is named as such due to the fact that it is unoaked, and instead aged in stainless steel barrels -- leaving the true characteristics of the grapes "exposed" for you to enjoy. Winemakers that choose to age wine in stainless steel vs. oak must use a higher quality grape. Pinot Grigio Fun Facts: Food pairings: Due to its acidity, you should avoid pairing Pinot Grigio with tomato sauce or citrus-infused dishes. Instead, pair pinot grigio with cheeses,  summer salads, shellfish and light pastas (with sauces other than tomato sauce.) The Village Market …

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Skinny Margarita At Catch Twenty-Three

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

  To continue our summer line-up of lower calorie beverages, this week we head to Catch Twenty-Three. Margaritas... while they are certainly delicious, they tend to pack up to an average of 550 calories. A cocktail like that, rimmed with salt (adding loads of additional sodium), is far from friendly to your waistline. Luckily, there's a new "skinny" drink in town. The "Skinny Margarita" at Catch Twenty-Three is made from three simple ingredients: Patrón Silver Tequila, agave nectar and fresh lime juice.  Patron Silver is known for its light, fresh taste, crystal-clear look and a smoothness not found in other silver tequilas. The lime juice and agave are skinny substitutes for other typical ingredients that can tack on the calories: …

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Cheers, Westchase!

'Tis the Saison for a Light, Summery Beer

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood

We're on a beer kick here at Cheers, Westchase. This week, we headed to Stonechase Brick Oven Bar & Grill for a refreshing summer ale. Have you ever tried a saison? Saison (French for "season") is a type of beer that has recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. This particluar one, Saison Diego, is crafted by Greenflash Brewery of San Diego, California. It's an unfiltered golden ale, brewed with orange peels, Chinese ginger and something called "grains of paradise." We're not sure what those are, but don't they just sound nice? Saisons were originally developed in the French-speaking region of Wallonia, Belgium as "farmer's ales," brewed for farm workers to drink during the hot harvest season.  Saison Diego is relatively low in alcohol…

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Cheers, Westchase!

A Tale of Two Cocktails: The Shackarona

If a margarita and a Mexican beer got married in a summertime wedding, this would be their lovechild.

There's no doubt about it. The hot temps are here and we find oursleves searching for creative new ways to cool down.  And by that, I mean frosty adult beverages.  If you can't decide between an ice-cold Corona and a hand-crafted margarita, don't fret, Westchasers. Why not have both at once? The Shackarona from Surf Shack Coastal Kitchen is your answer. If a margarita and a Mexican beer got married in a summertime wedding, this would be their lovechild.  Through an advanced technology made possible by a tiny plastic siphon, a Coronita (a miniature Corona), seeps slowly into a traditional margarita, evenly blending the two and creating a drink that can be referred to as the best of both worlds. When made with house tequila, the Shackarona …

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Top 5 Cheers Westchase Picks

A look back at some of the best Cheers Westchase selections!

Each week in our Cheers Westchase column we strive to bring you a unique spirit, wine or beer that you can find right here in the neighborhood. We try hard to keep our selections fresh each week, and we hope you've enjoyed our picks. This week we reflect on some of our favorite choices. Enjoy!

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Cheers, Westchase!

A 'Blue Martini'... in Our Neighborhood?

Cheers, Westchase! Each week in this column, we introduce you to a new wine, beer or cocktail you can find right here in the neighborhood.

Ok, so it's not the venue the Blue Martini, but who needs a crowded mall bar when you can find this delicious cocktail just minutes from home? This week Cheers Westchase! is back at Grille 54, where every Wednesday brings the joys of $5 Grey Goose martinis for the ladies. So just what is in this little piece of blue heaven? "We use blueberry vodka, blueberry liquer, fresh squeezed lemons and a splash of Sprite," says Grille 54 manager James Elftmann. "Then we rim the martini glass with Sugar in the Raw and garnish the drink with fresh blueberries." The taste is tart and refreshing, a great complement to an appetizer such as their Calamari Roberto, which is flash-fried calamari, topped with a sweet and spicy relish and served with sweet …

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Cheers, Westchase!

Cigar City Brew a Favorite at Local Cigar Lounge

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

This week, the "Cheers, Westchase!" crew headed down Countryway Boulevard to check out C & G Cigar Lounge & Espresso Bar located in the Country Chase Plaza. Given the location when selecting our pick of the week, there seemed to be no other choice -- we went with Cigar City Brewery's Maduro Brown Ale, an English-style brown ale, 5.5% alcohol by volume. Cigar City is an up-and-coming Tampa brewery located in Ybor City. According to the Cigar City website, the Maduro Brown Ale features "roasted, toasted and chocolate components," which means it pairs well with mild to medium cigars. (In this column, we typically include food pairings, but we'll make an exception this one time!) "We offer a wide variety of domestic and imported beers, wines …

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Peace, Love and Sangria

Cheers, Westchase! Each week in this column, we introduce you to a new wine, beer or cocktail you can find right here in the neighborhood.

Pizza and beer – simply put, it’s the perfect combination.   Until this week, I always thought, what could be better than this time-honored pair?  Mellow Mushroom of Westchase is serving up a red sangria that has made me think outside the box.   Sangria is a wine punch that originated in Spain; recipes vary all over the globe.  The one served at Mellow Mushroom, a groovy, 70's inspired restaurant serving up pizza, calzones, salads, hoagies and such, starts with fresh fruit, cinnamon, and sugar, coupled with brandy, triple sec and red wine. “Our red sangria is actually one of our most popular items,” says Mellow Mushroom manager, Stefan Hicks.  And once you try it, you’ll see why.  It’s fruity but not overly sweet, and could be the perfect …

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Lemon Dessert Cocktail a Yummy After Dinner Spirit

Cheers, Westchase! Each week in this column, we introduce you to a new wine, beer or cocktail you can find right here in the neighborhood.

Many know Stone Chase Brick Oven Bar and Grill for their great menu, and weekly specials Flatbreads Tuesdays and Wine Wednesdays. But don't count it out as a place to grab a fancy cocktail. This week in "Cheers, Westchase!" we highlight their Lemon Meringue Martini, $7. Made from limoncello, a splash of cream and a splash of "Licor 43," a bright yellow Spanish liqueur, this is a creamy, dreamy treat with a lemon-zesty kick. What's limoncello, you ask? An Italian liquer made from lemon peels, steeped in alcohol until the lemon oil is released. It's traditionally an after-dinner "digestif," so this martini, which has a graham cracker crust, makes for a perfect dessert drink. "This is one of our signature cocktails," said manager Hannah …

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Cheers, Westchase!

The Incredible Schnozberry

The Schnozberry Martini is this week's "Cheers, Westchase!" selection. Each week in this column, we help kick off your weekend and highlight a cocktail you can find right here in the neighborhood.

From the 'Girl Scout Cookie' to the 'PB&J', Grille 54 offers up an impressive martini list sure to please the palate. This week we focus on one of their most popular shaken cocktails: The Schnozberry. "We take fresh lemon, lime, strawberries, raspberries and oranges, muddle it all up with a little simple syrup and top it off with Grand Marnier," says manager Jim Elftmann. "It tastes incredible." You might remember the term "schnozberry" from the fictitious movie, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory  ("The schnozberries taste like schozberries!") but this cocktail is very much the real deal. Priced at $11, Grille 54's Schnozberry martini is a little bit of a splurge, but worth it, some might say, to enjoy a top shelf liquer infused with …

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