Irish 31 Pub House & Eatery
by Laura Breen Galante
Oviedo’s Irish 31 Pub House & Eatery is gearing up for the most wonderful time of the year with unique gift ideas and community giveback events guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.
Beginning on November 1, the pub is rolling out its $5 Pub Perks program, which means that for every $25 patrons purchase in online gift cards, they’ll receive an extra $5 as bonus credit.
“They can use it for themselves or add it to a gift for someone else,” says Melissa Maloney, Irish 31’s director of marketing and branding. “After such a trying couple of years, the gift of a home-cooked meal or a night out with loved ones is especially cherished, so why not add a little something extra to sweeten the pot?”
Irish 31 wouldn’t be an authentic Irish pub without offering whiskey, and not only does the bar serve a wide variety, it also has its own signature blend known as i31 Whiskey. The small-batch whiskey was bottled in 2017 after a nine-month process of testing 26 ingredient combinations using malted barley, rye, and sweet corn. The owner and corporate team tasted various samples crafted by Ybor City’s Florida Cane Distillery to help develop the perfect recipe.
“We worked together to get it to a point where we had three different batches that we thought could go the distance, that we were proud of,” explains Melissa. “Then, because we are The People’s Pub and love to involve our guests whenever we can, we invited a bunch of regulars and neighbors in to do a final sampling and determine which would be our signature blend.”
Now, nearly five years later, the whiskey has become much more than merely a spirit served neat or on the rocks. It is the star in many of Irish 31’s handcrafted cocktails, the secret ingredient in its signature i31 Whiskey sauce, and the something sweet, yet also savory that makes i31 featured dishes something truly special.
i31 Whiskey has gained such popularity among guests that, in 2019, Irish 31 partnered with local liquor store Vintage Liquors and nationwide spirit distributor Luekens Liquors to give guests the opportunity to enjoy this special blend at home. Whether purchased online, at the store, or in the pub, i31 Whiskey makes for a unique, local gift for anyone on your list. What’s more, Irish 31 is hoping to offer a sneak peek at its cookbook soon, featuring even more cocktails and homemade dishes you can create with the custom i31 Whiskey blend – when you’re not sipping it neat by the fire.
Irish 31, at the corner of Alafaya Trail and Mitchell-Hammock Road, features a massive dining room and outdoor patio along with live music and drink specials; the perfect setting for any holiday gathering, large or small.
The pub also hosts a running club that meets every Thursday, and during the holiday months, the running club partners with local charities for giveback events. On November 18, the club will feature a Thanks-for-Giving Run, during which participants will be asked to bring a donation for a local food pantry. The Run, Run, Rudolph Run will take place on December 9. Runners will don holiday attire as they jog through a festive lighted route. The December run will feature a toy drive to benefit a local nonprofit organization.
More details about the holiday runs can be found on Irish 31’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/Irish31Pub.