Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Fourth of July Cocktails

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Celebrate Fourth of July with a colorful cocktail to spice things up at your party. These cocktails were inspired by the the many colors of fireworks.

Get ready to have a blast and put your best cocktail glasses on the counter. You will impress your guests with these tasty, explosive cocktails.

Fourth of July CocktailsRoman Candle

3 oz. Three-O Berry Vodka

½ Oz. Cranberry Juice

Dash of Grenadine

½ oz. Blue Curacao
Shake vodka, cranberry juice and grenadine in a shaker with ice. Strain into martini glass. Pour Blue Curaçao gently down the side of the glass so it comes to settle on the bottom.

The Sparkler 4th of July cocktailsSparkler

1 oz. Three-O Pomegranate Vodka

2 oz. Sparkling Wine

Splash POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

Combine vodka and pomegranate juice in the bottom of a champagne flute

Top with sparkling wine or champagne

Fire Cracker 4th of July cocktailsFire Cracker

2 oz. Three-O Grape Vodka

½ oz. Blue Curacao

Splash Tonic

Shake vodka and blue curacao with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass

Add tonic and garnish with a cherry

Cherry bomber fourth of july drinksCherry Bomber

1 ½ oz. Three-O Cherry Vodka

4 oz. Ginger Ale

Splash of grenadine

Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with a cherry

With 17 unique flavors, Three Olives provides endless unique mixing opportunities to try at home or at the bar.Three Olives flavored vodkas prove to hit the mark without overpowering, and already have numerous accolades, including Impact Magazine’s Hot Brand Award, already in their favor. Three Olives Vodka comes highly recommended by prestigious publications such as Wine Enthusiast, Quarterly Review of Wines, Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal, and more.
Three Olives was also named the #1 Vodka by Russian Life Magazine, upsetting numerous upscale vodka brands.


Cocktails for Memorial Day

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Many of us have friends or family coming to town for Memorial Day weekend. A cooler of cold beer is a Memorial Day staple with your barbeque or picnic, but we have come up with a few new cocktail recipes for your holiday gathering.
Shake things up and impress the in-laws or your friends with more than just your bocce ball skills.
I don’t know about you, but I can honestly say that I prefer cocktails to croquet.

Here are some refreshing summer cocktails everyone will enjoy.


1800 Tequini

¾ oz. 1800 Silver Tequila
½ oz. Dry Vermouth

Stir with ice, strain into martini glass, garnish with a lime

Blue Keys
3 oz. Three-O Citrus Vodka
½ oz. Blue Curacao
1 oz. Lemonade

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass
Garnish with a lemon wedge

Cherry Temple
1 ½ oz. Three-O Cherry Vodka
4 oz. Ginger Ale
Splash of grenadine

Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with a cherry

Jacksonville Craft and Import Beer Festival

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The 2010 Jacksonville Craft and Import Beer Festival promises to be even bigger and better than last year. Beer enthusiast from the area will gather at the Veterans Memorial Arena to taste over 200 beers from 35 different breweries. Many local restaurants are participating at the beer festival and serving great food to pair with the craft brew.

This festival allows you to sample some of the absolute best beers in the world, but you’ll also have an opportunity to learn more about the beer and the business of brewing. At the beer festival you will get an inside look at the industry and be put on the short track to becoming a beer aficionado or even a brewmaster.

The beer fest also hosts a silent auction and other prize give-aways with proceeds going to the Southside Businessmen’s Club Charities.
In addition, there will be live music performances as well.

The festival is a one day event, Friday May 21st, 2010,  at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. VIP starts at 5:30pm and general admission starts at 7pm, going until 10pm.

Click here to buy your tickets to Jacksonville Beer Festival now from Ticketmaster.

Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff in Amelia Island, Florida

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The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau (AICVB) has opened the entry process for The First Annual Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff, scheduled for August 27-28.  Interested teams can register to participate in the barbeque competition until August 13, with a $50 discount for all entries submitted before June 1.

The Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff will be held at Main Beach on Amelia Island, and include entries on both the professional and amateur level. Teams will compete for more than $20,000 in prize money and trophies. The Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff is a Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned event and will serve as a Florida State Championship contest.

The cost to participate is $100 per Backyard (amateur) team and $250 for each Professional team.  Contestants can also enter a best sauce, dessert, and seafood category for an additional $25.  The event will also be kicking off football season and will include a “Best Decorated” Team Booth.

To register, or for more information about the Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff, visitwww.gstailgatecookoff.com.

Cinco de Mayo Drink Recipes

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1800 Tequila Drink Mixes - Tetrapak family

It’s Cinco de Mayo this week – Tequila!  So below you’ll find two refreshing drink recipe perfect for your Cinco de Mayo party.  It’s TPC week and if you might be busy on the golf course or maybe you worry about your bartending skills not being up to par – relax – here’s a simple solution.

Get a selection of these new Tetra Pak Ready to drink mixes. It’s the perfect way to mix up a different cocktail every time, no expertise required. Available in Ultimate Margarita, Pomegranate Margarita, and Mojito.


1800 Tequila Frio Limonada

1800® Frío Limonada

1.5 oz 1800 Silver Tequila
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
1 oz club soda
6 medium-sized mint leaves

Muddle mint with simple syrup in a tall glass.
Add tequila, lemon juice, and ice and shake vigorously.
Strain over fresh ice and garnish with lemon wheels.

Maracas Margaritas

1 oz. 1800 Select Silver Tequila

.25 oz. Pear Puree

.25 oz. Fresh lime juice

.25 Agave nectar

Splash of Chambord