The Ballots Are In: West Volusia Crowns Winners of the CoolCraft American Summer
Central 28 Beer Co. and Parvathy’s Kitchen Claim Top Honors as Trail-Goers Cast nearly 1,500 Votes Across the Region
DeLand, FL — The West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority (WVTAA) has officially certified the election results for this year’s CoolCraft Summer Beverage Competition, naming Central 28 Beer Co. and Parvathy’s Kitchen as the champions of "Sips Across America."
The Alcoholic Category winner, Central 28 Beer Co.’s "CC Lime Crusher"
With the semiquincentennial taking center stage, 23 local breweries, mixologists, and roasters each selected one of the 50 states as the inspiration for their Spirited (alcoholic) and Free Spirited (alcohol-free) creations—giving visitors and locals the chance to taste their way across the country without ever leaving West Volusia. From June 26 through Labor Day, September 7, trail-goers cast around 1,500 votes across the upgraded CoolCraft Election System, submitting online votes and physical paper passport ballots to decide who took home the trophy and ultimate bragging rights.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the community turnout this year,” said Georgia Turner, Executive Director of WVTAA. “It is fantastic to see DeBary so strongly represented on the trail with Central 28 Beer Co. and the salted goat earning top honors, and we are simply amazed by Parvathy's Kitchen taking home their third consecutive win!”
Official winners and honorable mentions for the 2026 competition include:
Spirited 🦅 Beverages (Alcoholic):
Winner: Central 28 Beer Co. – "CC Lime Crusher" (Florida) - A refreshing lime Kolsch style ale featuring zesty citrus and a salted rim.
Honorable Mention: the salted goat – "Truth or Consequences" (New Mexico) - A piñon coffee martini featuring mezcal, pistachio, orgeat, and cacao, garnished with prickly pear dust.
Free Spirited 🇺🇸 Beverages (Alcohol-free):
Winner: Parvathy’s Kitchen – "Aloha Chai" (Hawaii) - A smooth, iced classic chai blending warm spices with a creamy, sweet finish.
Honorable Mention: Whit's Frozen Custard DeLand – "Blackberry Bourbon Frosted Soda" (Tennessee) - A handspun blend of blackberry bourbon mocktail flavoring, cola, and frozen custard.
Trail-goers who submitted their completed paper passport ballots to the West Volusia Visitor Center before the Labor Day deadline received a commemorative CoolCraft Summer “Made in America” bumper sticker.
Parvathy’s Kitchen took home its third consecutive alcohol-free category win with "Aloha Chai," a smooth, iced classic chai blending warm spices with a creamy, sweet finish.
With the American Summer trail officially in the books, WVTAA is already gearing up for the holidays with the upcoming debut of “CoolCraft Christmas Stories.”
For more information on the CoolCraft Beverage Trail, visit coolcrafttrail.com.
About CoolCraft: The CoolCraft Beverage Trail by WVTAA is a guide to the best breweries, wineries, pubs, coffee shops, and other craft beverage producers within West Volusia County. Visitors can follow the trail year round or participate during specialty events, CoolCraft Summer Beverage Competition and CoolCraft Christmas. coolcrafttrail.com
About West Volusia County: Conveniently located between Orlando and Daytona Beach, West Volusia County, Florida offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy parks, pristine natural beauty, historical homes like Stetson Mansion, a vibrant downtown, and award winning restaurants within 14 distinct communities. Visitors can also enjoy Downtown DeLand - voted America's BEST Mainstreet - and its many delectable restaurants, or for a bit more adventure, head out on the St. Johns River or explore the Blue Spring State Park. These are just a few of the many natural, cultural and historical area attractions you will find when visiting West Volusia County. visitwestvolusia.com
