Time for Bourbon & BBQ at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Busch Gardens Summer Nights continues in Tampa with an all-new “Bourbon & BBQ” festival featuring smoky flavors and smooth spirits.
Food and beverage at Bourbon & BBQ Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
The new Bourbon & BBQ event kicks off at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on July 19, 2024. It’s an integral part of the theme park’s Summer Nights celebration, which runs Fridays through Sundays (plus Labor Day) until Sept. 2.
Bourbon & BBQ begins each day of the event at 12 noon. In addition to the continuing features of Busch Gardens Summer Nights, live entertainment will take over the Coke Stage. Guests can enjoy tunes from rising local artists, such as Luna and the Warriors, K-Luv & the United Funk Foundation, and more.
With a title like Bourbon & BBQ, the main components must be food and drink. Bourbon & BBQ, included with park admission at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, “will take guests on a tantalizing journey as the park transforms into a haven for barbecue enthusiasts and bourbon connoisseurs,” according to Busch Gardens.
BBQ menu
Busch Gardens stated that the menu for the first-ever Bourbon & BBQ festival is a pit master’s dream. The menu consists of the following items:
- Glazed Pulled Turkey: Slow-smoked turkey served with sweet potatoes roasted in a brown sugar-butter glaze and BBQ sauce infused with Cherry Coke and black cherry hot sauce
- Smoked Pork Ribs: Smothered in a sweet and tangy Coca-Cola BBQ sauce and served with a side of lima beans and corn-roasted red pepper succotash
- Lamb Ribs: Bourbon-brined lamb ribs slow-smoked with a side of sweet cream cornbread and mustard BBQ sauce
- Smoked Heirloom Tomato Salad: Local heirloom tomatoes cold smoked and placed on a bed of mixed greens, finished with an aged balsamic glaze
- Apple Smoked Pork: Apple-brined pulled pork topped with a sweet and spicy bourbon BBQ sauce and served with brown sugar baked beans
- Slow-Smoked Beef Chuck: Dry-rubbed beef Chuck slow-cooked and tossed in a Florida-style BBQ sauce, served with a peach-infused coleslaw
- Beef Brisket: Chopped brisket tossed in a key lime ketchup BBQ sauce with a hint of habanero, topped with creamy mac and cheese
- Smoked Chicken: Dry-rubbed chicken thighs glazed in mustard BBQ sauce, served with a creamy house-made potato salad
- Lamb Shank: Tender lamb shank slow-cooked with maple wood and placed on top of buttery red mashed potatoes, finished with a rich dark molasses BBQ sauce
- Smoked Salmon: House-smoked salmon over a bed of jasmine rice topped with bulgogi BBQ sauce and sriracha honey drizzle
- Smoked Chicken Sandwich: Pulled smoked chicken topped with peach habanero BBQ sauce on a potato roll
Smooth spirits and hand-crafted cocktails await guests
For those desiring a wide selection of hand-crafted cocktails, full-bodied beers, and crisp ciders, the Bourbon & BBQ festival provides ample opportunities during Busch Gardens Summer Nights. Busch Gardens stated that an array of over 25 types of drink offerings await guests to sip and savor the day away. Several new Busch Gardens beverage offerings appear on the menu for this festival:
- Blackberry Smash: Blackberry puree combined with Buffalo Trace Bourbon
- Traveller Lemonade: Sweetened lemonade with Traveller Whiskey
- Corazon Margarita: Corazon Tequila aged specifically for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in only single Blanton’s Bourbon Barrels
- Hibiscus Vodka Mule: Fresh hibiscus with Wheatley Vodka
Bourbon & BBQ samplers
For this event, Busch Gardens is offering festival samplers. Guests can pre-purchase five samples for $45 or 10 samples for $70, allowing them to partake in plenty of food and beverages.
Guests can upgrade their day with bourbon tastings
Two different bourbon tastings will be available during the Bourbon & BBQ festival. At the Treetop Bourbon Tastings, guests can learn more about the world of bourbon. On Saturdays, guests enjoy Buffalo Trace Distillery’s finest, and on Sundays, they cansavor the best of Jack Daniel’s Distillery.
The Treetop Bourbon Tasting starts with a welcome cocktail in a signature Bourbon & BBQ barrel cup in the map room of the Treetop Kitchen. Each guest will receive five half-ounce pours of specially curated spirits paired with food while learning about spirit-making from renowned distilleries. The Treetop Bourbon Tastings cost $80 and can be purchased online.
In addition, guests can enjoy the St. Augustine Distillery Tasting. This tasting upgrade features four delectable spirits or a single neat pour, and bottles are available for purchase. This tasting happens near The Xcursions Gift Shop.
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