A Florida Rum Distillery, Dark and Stormy in a Can, and Other Drink Links

By Melissa McCart Tue., Apr. 3 2012 at 7:39 AM

Categories: Booze Hound, Drinking Rituals

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Read on for today's roundup of Floridacentric links. Today's focus is on drinks.

1. Wicked Dolphin Artisan Rum will be the newest booze made in Florida. Created from molasses, water, sugar, and yeast and distilled in aged barrels, the first batches from Cape Coral will be ready by May and distributed by October. Wicked Dolphin will produce a white and an amber rum.

2. Created in 1917 in North Carolina, Cheerwine has developed a cult following. The bubbly, wild-cherry retro drink became available in Florida this past fall. Have you seen it? We've been looking for some.

3. Also be on the lookout for the newest cocktail in a can, the Dark and Stormy. Made by Gosling, the 8.4-ounce can was released last month in the U.S., a combination of Gosling's Black Seal Rum and its Stormy Ginger Beer. CEO Malcolm Gosling said it's marketed to the "younger, trendsetting consumer" and "people on the go."

4. Fancy yourself a creative cocktail creator? The National Restaurant Association wants to see you make your drink. Upload a two-minute video of yourself making your signature cocktail by April 6 for a chance to be flown to Chicago to shake or stir live for Top Chef celeb Spike Mendelsohn and cocktail maven Dale DeGroff. It's for the International Wine, Spirits, and Beer Event on May 6 and offers the chance to win $5,000. Judging begins April 9. For more information, click here.

5. Are you an "almost alcoholic"? The Atlantic addresses the drinking spectrum.