Relaunching Tooting Otter Blonde Ale: ‘Why the hell not?’

If you’ve ever been sitting riverside at Wekiva Island, soaking up the Florida sun and sipping on some of Southern Tier Brewing Co.’s beer, you might have noticed the phrase “Why the hell not?” on the side of the can. Just like Southern Tier Brewing Co., (our partner of 8 years!), that phrase has come to symbolize a certain spirit we’ve had since day one.  For us, it was when the Weinaugs set out to redesign a very cool place at the end of Miami Springs Drive in Longwood, FL – called Wekiva Island. 

It’s an appreciation that not only rolls along the beautiful Wekiva River, but also rolls along the countryside in Western New York – the sleepy little community nestled amidst the Allegheny Mountains where our founders (both Bill and Mary Sue Weinaug) have their roots, family and friends. 

It has come to mean a certain determination—equal parts work ethic and willingness to challenge convention. It’s what makes Wekiva Island and Southern Tier what they are today, and it’s what motivates us at Wekiva Island to be the best we can be, from offering the best options at the Tooting Otter Craft Beer & Wine Bar to championing our sustainable efforts.

Those are just a few of the reasons why the Wekiva crew recently made the journey back up to Southern Tier New York and is why we decided to relaunch one of the top performers from the lineup, Tooting Otter Blonde Ale!  Check out the live feed from the relaunch here!

Wekiva Island has the pleasure of bringing you these greats from Southern Tier:

Tooting Otter Blonde Ale – Crafted just for us and named after our awesome bar, this is truly top tier!

Swipe Light Pale Ale — Ghost your “go to” Saturday Night and get a sweet set up with Swipe Light and a basket of our own chicken wings and homemade blue cheese—just like from Buffalo, New York, where our dad (and our kids’ “Baumpa”) called home!

Wekiva Island’s other favorite Southern Tier beers include:

• 2XIPA
• Lake Shore Fog
• Nu Juice
• 2xStout

We knew our relationship with Southern Tier was something special after a fire at the Island in 2013. Our niece and retail manager Carrie Ann Lang Vanderhoef found just one beer tap amidst the rubble—Southern Tier’s. (You can see the tap in the Wine Room still today!)  We’re also incredibly grateful that Southern Tier Brewing Co. sponsors Wekiva Island’s annual Wekiva Paint Out.

We’re proud to partner with a company like Southern Tier Brewing Co., not only because we both have a passion for working hard and playing hard, but also because everything good comes from the Southern Tier area—from this beer to the Weinaug family.

So why the re-launch of one of our favorites?  We say, why the hell not!