LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — Gasparilla may be over, but Lakewood Ranch has some pirates of their own at Loaded Cannon Distillery.
Located in a commercial district of the community, the pirate-themed distillery is award-winning (seriously, expect a "yo ho" when you arrive), from its vodka to its gin.
It's the hobby of founder Steve Milligan, who takes great pride in creating different options for his customers.
"Most of the drinks that we produce are based on input from customers, the consumers," Milligan said. "For instance, our black cherry vodka, I had an individual come in, and he'd been looking for black cherry vodka all over Sarasota. Couldn't find it, had a family reunion coming up, and he needed the black cherry vodka. So I said, 'Hey, give me a month, and I'll have your black cherry vodka.' And now it's one of our biggest sellers."
Loaded Cannon is also the first distillery in Manatee County. One of their most popular items is jalapeno vodka.
They hold tastings, tours and even classes on cocktail making.
Click here to find out their hours and where you can buy their products.
