TAMPA, FL -- Our tastes are different, just ask Mike Welsing, a bar patron in Ybor City.
"My favorite drink is a VO Manhattan," Welsing said.
But one thing remains the same.
When you order an expensive drink, you expect to get what you pay for.
"I like Chivas with Chivas. No ice, no water, Chivas with Chivas," said Derek Hugh about his favorite beverage.
But we discovered some bay area bars aren't giving you what you pay for.
"You take advantage of one, and it slips out, all the other ones are going to find out and you lose everybody and you're out of business," said Dan Bygden.
Bygden has been mixing up drinks for more than 30 years and for the last 13 years he's been the director of ABC Bartending School in Tampa.
He warns his students some bars and restaurants refill top-shelf liquor bottles with cheaper booze.
"We tell them it's against the law. And I tell them the reasons why it's against the law," said Bygden.
From Polk County to Pinellas to right here in Hillsborough County we've uncovered records that show at least a dozen businesses in the past year have been caught by the state misrepresenting alcoholic beverages.
In April, Florida Alcohol and Tobacco agents went into Temple Lounge on East 7th Avenue in Ybor City, suspecting the bar was refilling alcoholic bottles to marry them together or refilling with a cheaper brand. Both are illegal.
Agents seized 66 bottles of alcohol including various Hennessy bottles different in color, Crystal Palace Vodka and McCormick Vodka bottles over-filled past the factory line, and high-end brandy bottles suspected of being refilled with a cheaper Paul Masson Grande Amber.
And the penalty was steep.
"First offense is a $1,000 fine and a 20 day suspension of their alcoholic beverage license," says Lieutenant David Merrill.
For the last 20 years, Lieutenant David Merrill has been a supervisor with the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
His agents also wrote up Temple Lounge for purchasing liquor from a non-licensed distributor, which is against the law and can be a tax revenue loss for the state.
"Beer has a tax based on the percentage of alcohol in the beer, same way with wine and same way with liquor; it's based on the gallon. And that's how we collect our money and that's how we're trust funded through the state," Merrill said.
And in July of this year, special agents found Kau Kau Koner on East Main Street in Lakeland also unlawfully buying from a non-licensed distributor, marrying liquor, and refilling various liquor bottles.
Agents seized bottles of Captain Morgan Rum, ABC Rum, Rondiaz Rum and a funnel as evidence for refilling or misrepresenting alcoholic beverages.
Bygden says marrying liquor is a bad practice and can be an indication of a more serious problem.
"Watering down alcohol or putting less expensive items into empty bottles that are considered top shelf or premium items," Bygden said.
But inside ABC Bartending School, Bygden hopes he's making a difference by teaching the importance of staying honest behind the bar...and says you should remember one thing.
"All bars don't have halos."
Temple Lounge has since shut its doors
. We tried reaching a representative with the business for the past two weeks but he did not return our calls.
Kau Kau Koner in Lakeland would only say they cannot comment because the administrative charges are still being discussed with the state.If you suspect a bar or restaurant may be refilling bottles, you can call the Customer Contact Center for the Department of Business and Professional Regulations at 850-487-1395 or their ABT district office. That information can be found online at
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/abt/district_offices/enforcement.html
