By: Andrew Silverstein

Well, this is pretty cool.  GQ and Bombay Sapphire are teaming up to find the "Most Inspired Bartender" in the nation with competitions in local bars across the country.

Timpano's Italian Chop House in Hyde Park just so happens to be one of those places.  On August 1, 38 bartenders from across the Tampa Bay area will convene at Timpano's to show what they've got when it comes to creating a unique, inventive cocktail of their own.

Last year, Dean Hurst, a general manager and mixologist at Sideberns took the cake in Tampa with his Upsy Daisy cocktail, a pink/purple drink with lavender, cinnamon, and blueberries.

This year, 38 more bartenders are vying for the spot and surely perfecting their drinks, which must include Bombay Sapphire Gin, for the big night on August 1.  Timpano's own Kim Kramer with 15 years of bartending experience under the belt, will also be one of the competitors.

The winner of Tampa Bay's Most Inspired Bartender Competition gets a free trip to Vegas where they'll compete in the national competition later in the month.  Whoever wins that gets featured in GQ's "Man of the Year" issue coming out in December 2011.

The event at Timpano's is free and open to the public.  It starts at 6 p.m. and runs till midnight.  Head out there, enjoy some delectable Italian eats while you're at it and watch Tampa Bay's best bartending talent compete for that prized trip to Vegas, and, who knows, maybe a spot inside GQ?