How to Take a Cool Virtual Summer Vacation: Miami in 5 Glasses
It's summer and even if you don’t have a beach vacation planned, you can still get a taste of Miami no matter where you are. Miamians are known for lounging it up on their patios, sipping a tall glass of something cold under sunny skies. From a liquor made with fresh mangos to a rum named after an iconic author to a vodka that's a literal anthem to Miami nightlife, here are five ways to "drink in" Miami without ever leaving home.
Papa's Pilar Rum
For years, Ernest Hemingway lived, wrote, and drank in Key West. To this day, visitors flock to Key West to visit the Hemingway House, and to celebrate the author's birthday on July 21, when the entire island celebrates Hemingway Days. Key West is also home to the Hemingway Rum Company, where Papa's Pilar is distilled. The rum, named after Hemingway's beloved boat, the Pilar, was developed in conjunction with the Hemingway estate and the Hemingway family choose adventure and conservation charities, like the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and the International Game Fish Association, to benefit from a large portion of the rum's proceeds. The distillery houses a host of Hemingway memorabilia and offers distillery tours, but if you can't get to Key West, Papa's Pilar is available for purchase online with bottles starting at $34.99.
Miami Cocktail Company
If you're looking for a taste of Miami, look no further than these organic spritzes that say "Miami" in the title. These canned cocktails are low in sulfites and sugar, are gluten-free and vegan-friendly. The low-alcohol (4.2% ABV) , low calorie beverages (110 calories per can) make them the perfect picnic tagalong. The cocktails come in a multitude of flavors including mango and peach rose bellini spritz, sunrise rose sangria spritz, mandarin rose mimosa spritz, grapefruit and hibiscus paloma spritz, and elderflower and ginger margarita spritz. The spritzes are bright, bubbly, and not-too-sweet -- just like the city they're named after. A four-pack costs about $13.99 and is available nationwide at retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Fresh Market, and Total Wine.
Schnebly Redland's Winery
Peter and Denisse Schnebly had a tropical fruit packing business in the Redlands, the farming community that lies between Miami and the Florida Keys. Frustrated with having to throw away produce deemed "not pretty enough" for markets, the husband-and-wife team decided to try their hand at making wine. In 2004, they produced their first fruit wines, offering tastings from a trailer. Today, Schnebly Redland's Winery is a gorgeous sprawling winery and brewery with a tasting room that would convince anyone they were in Napa or Sonoma. The wines are made from tropical fruit grown in Florida instead of grapes: avocado, passion fruit, carambola, lychee, mango, and coconut are all turned into red, white, rose, and sparkling wines that range from a crisp white Avo-Vino to a decadent Chocolate-Passion Fruit wine. Wines start at $14.95 a bottle and can be shipped to Arizona, California, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Washington DC, and Wyoming.
J.F Haden's Mango Liqueur
While all the world loves mangos for their sweet, fragrant flavor, some Miamians have a dilemma during mango season: too many mangos. It seems that each year, every mango from every tree in Florida decides to fall from its tree at the exact same time. If you live in Florida, you're probably up to your ears with mango smoothies, mango jam, mango chutney, mango sauce. Buzzy Sklar, CEO of J.F. Haden's, decided to use these mangos for something that people really could use — a liqueur. Sklar says that after extensive research, he couldn't find a real craft mango liqueur that tastes like real fruit. "I just ran with the idea," says the industry professional. Each bottle of J.F. Haden's contains about the equivalent of five to seven mangos, and is produced in Cape Coral, Florida in small batches. The result is an extremely mixable 40 proof liqueur that makes a great mango martini, margarita, mimosa, or spritzer. Plans are in the works to open a 10,000 square foot distillery, tasting room, and visitors' center in Miami and to launch additional Florida-forward flavors. A bottle of J.F. Haden's costs $34.99
E11Even Vodka
E11Even is one of Miami's hottest nightclubs. The 20,000 square foot mega-club cost $40 million to build and was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week pre-COVID. The club featured scantily-clad performers dancing and performing Cirque du Soleil-style aerobatics, celebrity DJs spinning, and bottles popping all day and all night. These days, the club is subdued, there's still plenty of cocktailing to be had — and the spirit of choice is the club's very own branded vodka. E11Even vodka is sourced, distilled, and bottled in Miami. The vodka contains no carbs, and no sugar and is distilled from 100% organic, non-GMO corn so it's vegan and keto-friendly. The distillery is women-owned and operated so you can literally toast to the female spirit with this spirit. E11Even vodka is available for shipping nationwide. A 750 ml bottle costs $35.99, but spring for the party pack ($221) that includes six bottles and two snapback hats.