Join us on Facebook Thursday, October 21 at 5 p.m. for another virtual Art on Demand event brought to you by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) in partnership with Alys Beach, 30a.com and Florida Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture.

In this episode, meet South Walton’s resident fine spirits expert Christine Tarpey. Learn how she began Better Together Beverage, a local business offering boutique beverage experiences including cocktail seminars, in-home bars, beverage pairings, event bars and more. Then settle in as Christine guides viewers through creating two of her favorite craft cocktails. Spoiler alert: they’re both delicious!

Cocktail #1: Lucid Greens

2 oz. Vodka

.75 oz. Lime Juice

1 oz. Simple

3 Mint Leaves

4 Basil Leaves

4 Sprays St George Absinthe

4 Drops Hemp Oil

*Spray absinthe into coupe glass, set aside. Muddle simple, mint, basil, and lime juice in shaker, add vodka and ice, shake until fully chilled. Double strain into already misted coupe glass.

-Drop 4 drops of hemp oil around top of cocktail. Smack mint leaf with hand and lay in middle of hemp oil droplets.

Cocktail #2: Strawberry-Hibiscus Margarita

1.5 oz. Reposado Tequila

1 oz. Hibiscus Tea Concentrate**

1 oz. Strawberry Syrup**

.5 oz. Lime Juice

Sparkling Wine to fill

*Shake all ingredients (except sparkling wine) over ice. Strain into rocks glass, add large format ice cube or serve up.

-Lime peel oil expressed and discarded. Strawberry slice laid on top of large ice cube as garnish.

**Hibiscus Tea Concentrate: 3 Hibiscus Tea Bags, 1 cup turbinado sugar, 1 cup hot water, pinch of pink Himalayan salt. Steep tea bags in hot water for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags, add sugar and salt. Blend until fully dissolved.

**Strawberry Syrup: 1 cup strawberry preserves, 1 cup sugar, 1.5 cups hot water. Blend until fully incorporated, strain.

Christine began her career in hospitality at the young age of 15. A Florida native, she decided to take her love for beverages on the road, and fine tune her skills in the big city lights such as Las Vegas and Dallas. During her travels, she worked under many Master Sommeliers, celebrity chefs, and other beverage professionals, propelling her into a life full of beverage exploration! She soon realized that her passion for learning about trends in the bar world would become an interest to her in many facets, and would soon open the gate to a world full of innovation and collaboration.

This event will be viewable on the 30A Facebook page as well as available post-premiere on the CAA’s website at CulturalArtsAlliance.com. For more information about Christine and Better Together Beverage, visit Better-Together-Beverage.com.