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A perennial winner in the word association game in Naples for “cocktail bar” or “craft cocktails” is Bar Tulia—and for good reason.
The self-styled gastropub has led the craft movement since it opened its doors in December 2014. From a logistics standpoint, the entire bar team is a member of the United States Bartenders Guild (some are Bar Smarts-certified), and they attend regional and national conferences. But to revelers and enthusiasts, they know they’re getting something special when they see things like freshly batched house-made syrups, spirits you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere but there, and herbs being ground for your drink with a mortar and pestle or a sage leaf clipped to the side of your glass.
Because owner Vincenzo Betulia and his staff place a premium on continuing education, they came up with a win-win last year for mixologists and consumers alike: a series of guest bartending nights where they invite other reputable tradesmen from the hottest cocktail bars throughout the state. They’ve brought it back, with dates throughout the summer and all the way into January. If you care whether your ice is shaved, crushed, cubed or one planetary-sized ball, make a point to stop by and see the magic they’ve got in store.
Bar Tulia Guest Bartender Series 2017
- June 22: Joel Kollinger, St. Augustine’s Iceplant
- July 27: Hector Acevedo, Miami’s Cocktail Cartel Co.
- Aug. 17: Josue Gonzalez, Miami’s DOA
- Sept. 21: Andrew Luzenko, Boynton Beach’s Sweetwater
- Oct. 19: Michael George, Jacksonville’s The Volstead
- Nov. 16: Katie Harrington, New Smyrna Beach’s The Bounty at Flagler Tavern
- Dec. 14: Andy Pope, Pensacola’s Old Hickory Whiskey Bar
- Jan. 18: Robert Freeman, Jacksonville’s Sidecar
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