Southern Imbibery

I'm a big fan of being Southern and drinking. Not a fan of drinking like a hobo in a park or a frat boy during rush. I'm a fan of sittin', sippin' and savorin' a well-crafted cocktail, a frosty craft beer or a well-balanced wine. Some people may think that Southerners don't enjoy the finer things. That we are more High Lifer's and

Boone's Farmers than anything else. That is simply not true. While I do feel that we may be a little behind the craft spirit revolution as whole down here, we are certainly at the forefront in many ways. Here in Jacksonville FL we have big things happening in the way of beer. In Jacksonville and the surrounding area alone there are several well-established breweries pumping out some tasty and interesting brews. Their tap-rooms are almost always full, and you can find most of their signature beers in nearly every local grocer. And what in the way of cocktails? There is certainly a lot of potential. Big things are happening in Atlanta where I just moved from. Atlanta is at the center of the craft spirit movement. The drinks and beers you see coming out of this southern metropolis rival NYC or San Francisco. What was old is now new again. Mixology and home-brewing are making a huge comeback and we are finally overcoming the long-lasting effects of prohibition. Everywhere you go you can see more and more drink menus paying homage to the great Mixologists of old. Now you see how bad-ass your grandma was for drinking Manhattans. With the desire to keep up with trends and keep costs low, sometimes things can get, well, muddled. Businesses want to capitalize on the idea of crafting their drinks like they do their food, but in their haste they fail to employ the type of people who can execute. I want to share with you the places that I go, good and bad, and tell you what they're doing right, what they're doing wrong, what they can fix, and what they can't. This movement is not going away anytime soon. All Honey Boo-Boo evidence to the contrary, Southerners do appreciate the finer things. I want to show you where they are, what they are and how to drink them.