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🥗 What's REALLY In Your Food? The App Exposing It All 🔍

This week on Thirsty Thursdays, I sit down with Galen Karlan-Mason, founder & CEO of GreenChoice — a public benefit food health intelligence company that has analyzed over 1 million foods across the US using science, data, and AI! 🌎💡

Watch on YouTube!

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• 🍎 GreenChoice scores every food across 4 dimensions: Nutritional Quality, Processing Level, Ingredient Safety & Climate Footprint
• 📱 The app is 100% FREE — download "Green Choice Food Scanner" in your app store right now
• 🛒 Over 70% of grocery store foods are ultra-processed or contain a harmful ingredient — you deserve to know what you're eating!
• 💊 60% of US adults have a diet-related disease — most of which are preventable through food choices
• 🏛️ 22 states have now restricted SNAP benefits from being used to purchase soda and candy — a seismic shift for the F&B industry
• 💰 For every $1 spent on healthy food benefits, studies show $3 in healthcare savings
• 🌿 About ⅓ of global greenhouse gas emissions are tied to our food system — every purchase is a vote
• 🧪 GreenChoice's science advisory board ensures zero brand influence on scores — brands cannot pay to change their ratings
• 🔄 The platform is helping retailers, healthcare systems, and consumers align around food as medicine
• 📊 GreenChoice tracks over 150 million data points and 1,000+ dietary, health & sustainability attributes

💬 Galen's message: "Times of not knowing what's in our food are behind us. People want to know what they're buying is safe for themselves and their families."

👇 Drop a comment: What app do YOU use to check what's in your food?

�� Subscribe & hit the bell so you never miss a Thirsty Thursday! @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Kate Jerkens at Uncle Nearest, Erica Duecy with Business of Drinks and Caitlyn LuBell at BoozeBiz and we discuss the beverage industry changes and updates in 2026. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

👀📹 Watch here: 👉👉 YouTube🚀✨🍹

The beverage alcohol industry is in the middle of a massive reset. 🍷📉
In this powerhouse panel, JessieO sits down with leaders from whiskey, recruiting, consulting, and beverage strategy to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes.

From distributor consolidation and exploding RTDs to THC beverage regulation, tariffs, inflation, and consumer spending shifts… this conversation is packed with real-time data, analytics, and honest insight from the front lines of the beverage business.

💥 Key Takeaways:

📦 RNDC, Reyes & distributor consolidation explained
💸 Why $25 cocktails are becoming the new normal
🍹 RTD growth, Surfside momentum & Tito’s comeback
🌿 THC drinks, hemp regulation & cannabis beverages
📉 Why emerging brands are struggling right now
📲 How Hampton Water used TikTok & community to explode growth
🧠 Why sales teams matter more than ever
🌎 How tariffs & global politics are impacting beverage imports
🚚 Why warehouse space & inventory are becoming major problems
🔥 The future of distribution, portfolio strategy & consolidation

👉 If you work in wine, spirits, beer, THC beverages, RTDs, distribution, marketing, or hospitality… this episode is a MUST WATCH.

🎯 CTA:
Subscribe, like, and share this episode with your beverage industry community! 🍻

Comment below: What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry right now?

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Buyers can’t find brands = lost sales. Learn how Drink Distro connects suppliers & buyers in real time with data, distribution visibility & faster decisions 🍷📊 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

👉🎬 Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/wVPVdF4Zr1o

🔥 Engaging Summary

This episode breaks down a major gap in the beverage industry: visibility. If buyers can’t find your product, it doesn’t get sold. Simple.

Josh Ochoa shares how Drink Distro is changing the game by connecting suppliers and buyers in real time.

DrinkDistro solves visibility for Wine & Spirit brands by creating a connection between buyers searching for products and the brands that want to be found.

For Buyers to Search: https://drinkdistro.com/

For Brands to List: https://drinkdistro.com/learn-more

💡 Key Takeaways:

Buyers struggle to find who distributes products
Suppliers lose sales without visibility
Real-time search = faster decisions
Data signals demand before sales reports
Simplicity wins in a complex system

👉 CTA (Call to Action)
If you’re a brand, supplier, or buyer — this is your wake-up call. Watch now and rethink how you drive sales.

🎇 Follow us!👏😋🥂🍾☕ 🍵 🍶🍸 🍻 🍷 🍺🍽 🍸 🍹 🥃 🍺 🍔
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThirstyThurs3PM
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstythursdaysat3pmest/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessieott/
Website (Podcast): https://thirstythursdaysat3pmest.buzzsprout.com/

C-Suite Do's Dont's to Start Bev Brand: https://youtu.be/b3Oy_RhqXmE
Taylor's Daily Advice to Get What You Want: https://youtu.be/ohF_Q1d6Ddk
Insights into Starting a Beverage Brand https://youtu.be/DT81i4bfYek
2X Sales? Focus on these 5 Things https://youtu.be/3Mk_mepe4YQ

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In this episode of the Thirsty Thursdays Podcast, I talked with Michael Fors, founder of Liquid Jazz Experience a new way of thinking how to experience your wine while it opens up. Very Innovative Product and perfect for an elevated Restaurant Experience! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

🎥 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/efObWn3pG5c

This episode isn’t about wine… it’s about experience, community, and unlocking better answers through simple innovation.

Michael Fors built something that changes how we experience flavor in real time—and the results are wild.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• 🍷 Same bottle, different experience (data doesn’t lie)
• 🔬 Science + analytics unlock flavor
• ⏱ 4 minutes = massive impact
• 🤝 Community drives the magic
• 🚀 Experience > product in today’s sales environment

👉 CTA: Want better growth and smarter decisions? Start thinking experience-first. Subscribe for more real-time insights.

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Launching a beverage brand in 2026? 🍹 Learn the do’s & don’ts, data, analytics, sales strategy, and real-time insights from industry experts. Build smarter, grow faster 🚀 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

📊 Engaging Summary
This panel breaks down the real answer behind launching a beverage brand today—and why most fail before they ever see growth.

🔥 Key Takeaways:
📉 Data over ego: Build for the market, not yourself
📊 Velocity wins: Sales per account beats distribution count
🧠 Know your “why” or your brand dies early
🌍 Start small, scale smart (1 market → proof → expand)
💰 Cash burn kills brands faster than competition
🧪 Test, learn, adjust in real time
🤝 Community + relationships = real growth
⚠️ Legal + compliance mistakes = expensive setbacks
👉 This isn’t theory. It’s real-world analytics + execution.

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In this episode of the Thirsty Thursdays Podcast, I talked with Mika Shino, founder of Issei Mochi Gummies, to discuss her incredible journey from Kyoto, Japan to building one of the most innovative better-for-you snack brands in the U.S. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Mika shares how her background in jazz, opera, technology, and international work with the UN shaped her creative approach to entrepreneurship. With no formal experience in the food industry, she set out to create a healthier candy option after feeling uneasy about giving her children traditional gummy candies filled with artificial ingredients and gelatin.

What started as homemade treats for her two boys quickly became a neighborhood favorite as their friends began asking for them too. From that small kitchen experiment, the idea was born—and the brand grew from there.

Issei Mochi Gummies—a unique, rice-based gummy made from simple ingredients like rice and water, delivering a chewy texture with all-natural flavors. The product is gluten-free, vegan, and intentionally less sweet, offering a cleaner alternative in the candy aisle. She

Mika explains the difficult early stages of launching the brand, including the challenge of finding manufacturers willing to work with her clean ingredient requirements. She even hand-managed production for the first order when Whole Foods placed an exclusive launch across 170 stores, requiring over 3,000 pounds of mochi gummies.

The conversation explores the cultural meaning behind the brand name Issei, which pays tribute to first-generation Japanese immigrants who bring the best of their heritage to America. Mika also shares how building the company in the U.S. helped open doors to exporting the product back to Japan, where entering the food industry without family connections is extremely difficult.

Jessie and Mika also discuss:

• The inspiration behind mochi gummies and their clean ingredient philosophy
• Lessons from launching in Whole Foods and Sprouts
• Her Target launch
• Winning Most Innovative New Product at the Sweets & Snacks Expo
• Being named #2 Female Founder by Inc Magazine in 2024
• How jazz philosophy influences her leadership and business mindset
• Why personal customer engagement is central to her brand

Mika also offers honest insight into the realities of entrepreneurship—from manufacturing struggles to retail scaling—and shares advice for founders: start before you feel ready and don’t let fear of failure stop you.

This episode is a powerful story about culture, innovation, and building a mission-driven brand that brings healthier snacks—and immigrant spirit—to the global stage.

Learn more about Issei Mochi Gummies:
https://mochigummies.com

Media features:
CBS Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJRBx1BN5dM

Food Institute Spotlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIyAypJ-rj4

🎧 Listen to more conversations with founders, innovators, and beverage & CPG leaders on Thirsty Thursdays at 3PM EST.

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Amanda Swift Co-Founder at Swift Distillery that produces a Texas based Single Malt with Scottish Two-Row barley and yeast! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

🎬 Watch on YouTube Here 👉🍿

Texas single malt, women in whiskey, bourbon barrels & Sauternes finish 🥃 Amanda Swift shares distilling, aging in Texas heat & UK Amazon launch. Craft spirits story @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

🔥 Engaging Summary

Amanda Swift, Co-Owner of Swift Distillery in Austin, Texas, joins me to talk science, single malt, Texas aging, and building a craft spirits brand from the ground up 🥃

From studying fire ants 🐜 to crafting award-winning whiskey, Amanda shares what makes Texas distilling different — and why bold decisions build great brands.

💡 Key Takeaways:

✅ Why Texas heat accelerates whiskey aging
✅ The difference between Sauternes & Oloroso cask finishes
✅ Why grain & yeast choices define your flavor profile
✅ The truth about bourbon barrels vs French oak
✅ Why alcohol sales are harder in the U.S. than the UK
✅ How Amazon UK changes craft spirits strategy
✅ The power of women leadership in whiskey

This episode blends science, entrepreneurship, flavor, and fearless growth.

🥃 Try Swift Distillery & taste the difference
🌍 Explore Texas single malt on Amazon UK
🎙 Subscribe for more founder stories in food & beverage
💬 Comment: Are you team Oloroso or Sauternes finish?
👍 Like, share & support independent craft distillers

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Pete Olander Founder at Drink Happie, and we discuss the differences in Delta 8-10, the timing of why Cannibis was changed from Sechedule 1 to 3 Classification by Trump so research can be done and the odd timing of the FM 4121 Banning Cannibis in various formats in the goverment opening last November! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

THC drinks, CBD vs Delta-9, hemp regulation, functional mushroom beverages & cannabis laws explained 🍄🍒 Inside the $1B hemp beverage boom!

Watch Here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nbPK6S-S7II

🔥 Engaging Summary

In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, Jessie Ott sits down with Pete Olander, founder of Drink Happy, to break down the fast-growing world of THC beverages, CBD drinks, hemp regulation, and functional mushroom wellness.

From Delta-9 vs Delta-8 confusion to Schedule 3 cannabis shifts and the future of hemp drinks in grocery and liquor stores — this is the real talk the beverage industry needs. 🍹🌿

They also taste test THC microdose drinks and mushroom-infused beverages (Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi) and discuss why low-dose THC could disrupt alcohol.

🚀 Key Takeaways

✅ Delta-9 is naturally occurring — Delta-8 & Delta-10 are synthetic
✅ THC beverages are tested multiple times before reaching consumers
✅ Hemp drinks are a billion-dollar category in 2025
✅ Functional mushrooms are exploding in wellness retail
✅ Schedule 3 cannabis could unlock more medical research
✅ Beverage regulation may follow the alcohol model
✅ Microdose THC = controlled experience vs dispensary high-dose products
✅ AI & real-time sales data are helping emerging beverage brands scale

This episode blends entrepreneurship, wellness, beverage innovation, and policy insight into one powerful conversation.

We cover:
• Hemp beverage compliance & testing standards
• Cannabis beverage distribution models
• Functional mushrooms like Lion’s Mane & Reishi
• Real-time Amazon beverage sales data
• The billion-dollar hemp drink market

If you’re in food & beverage, CPG, wellness, cannabis retail, or alcohol distribution — this conversation is essential. 🚀

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Rob Minucci CEO & Co-Founder at TalkHouse Encore and we discuss how he has used his experience in operations to build out a CRM and win Accounts and Distributors! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

How do RTD brands actually scale? 🍺 Rob Minucci, CEO of TalkHouse Encore, breaks down data, operations, CRM, distributors & real-world sales strategy for CPG growth. @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

“Everything I’ve built is based around systems, processes, and procedures that are repeatable—with as little human intervention as possible.” Rob Minucci

Watch Here! https://youtu.be/AeZl7vXfigo

Most RTD brands chase hype.
TalkHouse Encore built systems.

In this episode, Jessie Ott sits down with Rob Minucci, CEO & Co-Founder of TalkHouse Encore, to break down how operations, data, and distributor trust drive real growth in CPG and beverage.

🔥 Key Takeaways:
• Why beer distributors outperform spirits distributors for RTDs
• How CRM + real-time data create sales accountability
• Building velocity before chasing expansion
• Why on-premise still matters (40% of sales!)
• How systems beat guesswork every time
• Using tastings + analytics to drive reorders

This is a masterclass in execution over noise.

How Rob’s Team Actually Differentiates (and Why It Works)

Most RTD brands compete on flavors, packaging, or hype.
Rob and the TalkHouse Encore team compete on execution.

That difference shows up in a few very specific ways.

They build systems before scale
While many brands rush distribution, Rob’s team focused early on operational processes that remove friction. Sales, inventory, distributor activity, and account follow-ups are tracked in real time. Less guessing. More control.

They designed a CRM for beverage reality
Instead of forcing reps to live in bloated software, they built a CRM that works the way beverage teams actually work:

• Simple inputs
• Shelf photos
• Account scoring
• Inventory flags
• Route efficiency

It’s not “data for reporting.”
It’s data that drives action in the field.

They treat distributors like partners, not order takers
Rob’s team doesn’t just hand off the brand and hope for the best. They create clarity for distributors by:

• Showing exactly where velocity is working
• Identifying underperforming accounts early
• Making it easier for reps to win

That builds trust — and trust gets priority.

They use focus as a competitive advantage
Instead of chasing national presence, they went deep in hard markets. Fewer states. Better execution. Higher velocity.

They win on-premise to pull through off-premise
With roughly 40% of sales on-premise, TalkHouse uses bars and restaurants as marketing engines. Sampling, education, and activation create demand that shows up later in retail

They remove ego from pricing and product decisions
Pricing wasn’t set to “fit the shelf.” It was set to reflect quality, margin, and sustainability. The mixed vodka + tequila variety pack wasn’t trendy — it was intentional differentiation that helped open doors fast.

👉 CTA:
Share this with a founder who needs systems, not hype

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Jeanne M. Sullivan and we discuss the THC/CBD potential ban in 2026! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

👀📹 Watch here: 👉👉 [https://youtu.be/1MSPWwJeCwA]🚀✨🍹

What’s really going on with the hemp beverage ban? 💥 Investor Jeanne Sullivan breaks it all down—laws, money, loopholes, and the path forward. 🚫🌿 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

🧠 Summary and Takeaways:

What started with a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill could end with a billion-dollar industry being banned in 2026. Jeanne Sullivan, veteran investor and cannabis industry expert, walks us through:

🌿 The origin of legal hemp beverages
🧃 The explosion of CBD/THC drinks in retail
🚫 The proposed 2026 ban slipped into HR 4121
💰 The economic impact on Total Wine, BevMo, and beyond
🧠 Why regulators don’t understand the category
📉 The alcohol industry’s evolving stance
🇪🇺 Why Europe is welcoming cannabis while the U.S. restricts it
💥 The consumer backlash that could turn the tide

🎯 CTA: Watch, share, and speak out. Contact your representativeand help save the hemp beverage category before it disappears.

I downloaded H.R. 4141 and had Chat GPT summarize it and here's the output told me:

"This bill does not explicitly ban CBD or THC drinks — but it gives FDA the power to effectively eliminate hemp-derived THC beverages unless strict limits, age gates, and retail controls are adopted."

Well, who's in charge of that? How do we make that happen? We need to be very vocal about this bill!!

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Kate Jerkens at Uncle Nearest and Caitlyn LuBell at BoozeBiz and we discuss the beverage industry in 2025 and 2026. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

👀📹 Watch here: 👉👉 [PASTE HERE]🚀✨🍹

2025 was a reset year for beverage 🍷🍺🍹 RTDs surged, NA grew, costs spiked & hiring shifted. We break down data, trends, distributor chaos & what’s coming in 2026. 👀 👉 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

2025 shook the beverage industry to its core 🍸📉. From RTD dominance and NA growth, to California distributor chaos, premium pricing pressure, and talent market stress, this episode breaks it all down—no fluff, just real talk.

Key Takeaways 🔑

• 📉 Growth slowed—but didn’t stop
• 🍹 RTDs are winning on convenience & price
• 🚫 NA still struggles with sugar + shelf life
• 🏬 Distribution strategy > national expansion
• 🧠 Storytelling + velocity matter more than ever
• 💼 Hiring is tighter, salaries pressured
• 🔄 2025 = reset | 2026 = change + growth

🎯 Why this matters:
If you’re building, selling, hiring, or distributing in beverage—this episode helps you see the chessboard, not just the pieces.

Describe 2025 and 2026 in One Word

Jessie Ott
2025:

“My word was to level up on the "experience” of enjoying a cocktail.

2026:

"My word is "hopeful". I’m hoping that this is the new foundation of what’s to come.”

Caitlyn LuBell
2025:

“My word for 2025 was "evolution.”

2026:

“My word for 2026 is "growth"… we can only go up from here.”

Kate Jerkens
2025:

“I think "reset" was a great word. I still think reset is applicable.”

2026:

“Mine is "change"… something’s got to change and I believe it will.”

⏱️ Chapter Descriptions

• 0:00 Welcome + Why 2025 Was a Reset
• 1:02 Meet the Guests (BoozeBiz & Uncle Nearest)
• 2:30 Who Really Holds the Money? Generational Wealth
• 5:22 Economic Signals: Growth, Inflation & LEIs
• 7:18 Premiumization & Consumer Behavior
• 9:40 Inventory Digestion & Distributor Reality
• 11:30 California Distribution Chaos Explained
• 15:42 Smaller Distributors vs Big Houses
• 18:00 Pricing Wars & National Market Impact
• 21:44 Military, Multi-Outlet & Channel Performance
• 22:26 RTDs, NA Mixers & Brand Winners
• 25:30 The Real Cost of $30 Cocktails
• 29:00 Why RTDs Win on Convenience & Cost
• 33:55 Hiring Challenges & Salary Compression
• 41:10 Tastings, Education & Velocity
• 45:15 Why 2025 Was a Reset Year
• 50:07 Unemployment & Workforce Mismatch
• 56:20 Words for 2026: Growth, Change, Hope
• 59:00 Final Thoughts + What Comes Next

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Lawrence Bremer Founder of St. Buena Vida Non-Alc Wine! Happy Dry January! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

What if Dry January actually felt like a celebration? 🍾
In this episode, Lawrence Bremer, founder of St. Buena Vida, shares how tech, taste, and logistics come together in one of the most innovative NA wines on the market.

🔥 Top Takeaways:
• 🤰 The origin story: a pregnancy, a bottle, and a surprise sip
• 🔬 Aroma capture tech that makes NA wine taste real
• 🚛 Global supply chain: Spain ➝ Germany ➝ U.S.
• 🥂 Crisp, clean bubbles with finish & balance
• 📈 Real sales data — not hype
• 🧠 Analytics mindset meets wine innovation
• 🧘 30 calories per glass = wellness crowd win

🎯 Whether you’re skipping booze or sipping smarter, this is a must-watch.
👇 Tap play and learn how NA wine is finally worth the pour.

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What are the 7 cocktails every drink is based on? 🍹 Dive into tiki, bitters, fire tricks & cocktail history w/ bartender legend Dr. Cush! 🎙️@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/azJZrXe5R2Q

💡 What happens when a comedian turns into LA’s best bartender? You get Dr. Cush’s Exotic Drinks — a one-man show mixing cocktail science, bar wisdom & some hilarious fire tricks 🔥🍊

✨ Highlights from the episode:

• 🍹 The 7 cocktails that rule all other cocktails
• 🔥 His signature drink: Dr. Cush’s Exotic Old Fashioned
• 📚 Why bartending is more books than booze
• 🍍 How pineapples became the symbol of hospitality
• 🧊 The lost art of ice (yes, really!)
• 🎭 From improv heel to hospitality hero
• 💻 Building an online bar community during COVID
• 💥 Flaming citrus, tiki wars, and cold pizza cocktails

🎯 CTA: Subscribe for weekly food & bev innovation talks 🎙️ — and try making the Hemingway Daiquiri or your own signature drink!

0:00 Intro to Dr. Cush 🍸
1:00 From comedy to cocktails
5:00 The 7 cocktails theory explained
12:00 Punch vs daiquiri: tiki breakdown
17:00 Cocktail vs experience: why it matters
25:00 Building an online bar community
31:00 Hemingway Daiquiri tutorial 🍹
41:00 The Dr. Cush Exotic Old Fashioned (🔥)
50:00 Shelf-stable lime juice recipe
1:03:00 State of the booze industry
1:10:00 Signature drink + fire tricks
1:20:00 Cocktail nerd history tour
1:30:00 Outro & cocktail class invite

Mentors in Drinks and Tiki

Steve the Bartender

Created Drinks Website: Kindred Cocktails Discovered: Pseudo Juice Calculator

Dave Arnold - Technique Liquid Intelligence

Jeffrey Beachbum Berry Owns Latitude 29 in New Orleans

Martin & Rebecca Cate own Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco

Wrote James Beard Award-winning “Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki

David Wondrich Drinks Historian and author, Link to his Books and awards

Sammy Ross Best Bar Dudes of All Time

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Maria Littlefield, Co-founder of Owl's Brew made with only premium clean ingredients! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Explore how Owl’s Brew is reinventing RTD drinks with real tea & botanicals 🍋🌿 and transparent labels that consumers love. 🍹💥 Clean cocktails explained + brand story! ⁨@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST⁩

In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, Maria Littlefield, Co‑Founder of Owl’s Brew, shares how they built a clean‑ingredient RTD brand long before it became a trend. 🍹 From brewing tea in buckets at events to scaling canned cocktails in 22+ states, Owl’s Brew stands out in a crowded market by choosing real tea, botanicals, and juice instead of artificial flavors and lab compounds.

🔥 Key Takeaways:
• 🧪 Clean Ingredients First: Real tea and botanicals create authentic flavor.
• 📜 Transparent Labels: They fought to list sugar & nutrition — most spirits don’t.
• 📊 Consumer Shift: People now read labels and demand real food quality in drinks.
• 🛒 Retail Noise: RTD shelves are crowded — deep consumer pull is bigger than shelf presence.
• 🤝 Brand DNA: Authentic stories and community build loyal drinkers.

Buy them today! https://www.theowlsbrew.com/

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This week 📢I talk🎙️with Ruby Honerkamp Founder and Co-CEO of Talkhouse Encore created in honor of the iconic Hamptons venue, Stephen Talkhouse! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Ruby Honerkamp talks TalkHouse Encore 🍊🍸 RTDs, real tequila, vodka, & legacy bar roots in the Hamptons 🎤🎶 A brand built on taste, data, & community ❤️‍🔥

Ruby grew up in the music venue and shares a story of wearing her best dress for Sting as a kid. Her parents founded and manage the venue. Created out of a way to pivot from COVID "Talkhouse Encore" was born. It honors the top drinks requested at the bar and is made with fresh ingredients.

🎤 From the stage to the shelf! Ruby Honerkamp, Founder of TalkHouse Encore, brings the soul of an iconic East Hampton live music venue into every can. These tequila & vodka RTDs are no boardroom – they’re grassroots, authentic, and crushable. Ruby shares the startup journey, operational smarts (hello KPIs), flavor formulation secrets, and the hustle of scaling without selling out.

💡 Top Takeaways:

• Built on heritage, not hype
• Tequila & vodka-based RTDs with real fruit juice
• Flavor-first, calorie-smart
• Strong local focus > chasing every market
• CRM-driven growth & velocity KPIs
• Distribution done right: beer-style mindset
• Authentic storytelling builds sub-communities
• Howard Stern & Metallica fans approved 🎸🎧

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Discover the 7‑hat framework for entrepreneurs from Yuval Selik on mindset 🧠, health 💪, relationships ❤️, business 💼, investing 📈, giving back 🌍 & purpose ✨. Transform your life + venture! ⁨@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST⁩

In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, Yuval Selik breaks down the 7 Hats every founder must wear for real success:
• Hat 1: Self & Mindset 🧠 – Your internal world drives your impact
• Hat 2: Athlete/Health 💪 – Your body is your business asset
• Hat 3: Relationships ❤️ – People fuel your platform
• Hat 4: Entrepreneur 💼 – Build the thing & scale smart
• Hat 5: Investor 📈 – Protect your nest‑egg before growth
• Hat 6: Philanthropist 🌍 – Contributions complete your legacy
• Hat 7: Seeker/Spiritual ✨ – Connection to something bigger than profit
Key Take‑aways:

You can’t neglect your foundation and expect business to thrive

Cash flow + margin beat hype — especially in CPG/retail

Data & analytics matter: don’t fly blind in shelf‑business

Fulfilment comes from balance, not burnout
Call to Action:
👉 Hit Like, Subscribe, and drop a comment: Which hat are you ignoring?
👉 Share this episode with another founder who needs balance!

Mentors

Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, Your Clients

CPG Pioneers

GT Dave Created GT's Living Foods Kombucha Pioneer

Seth Goldman Just Ice Tea

John Paul DeGioria Patron

Books

E-Myth Revisited

Ramping Up Your Brand by James Richardson

Jobs to be Done

When Coffee and Kale Compete by Alan Klement

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This week 📢I talk🎙️withJeni Jonte Veteran. Entrepreneur. Mindset Mentor. #Veterans #NAVY #Mindset 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

In this powerful episode, Jeni Jonte shares her journey from serving as a Navy physical therapist to launching her own mindset coaching business, Eliminate Impossible. We explore the tools that helped her shift from burnout to breakthrough—and how she now empowers entrepreneurs to rewire their beliefs and unlock their next level of success.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

• 🎖 Lessons from military service & deployment
• 💡 How Bob Proctor’s teachings changed everything
• 🧠 Why mindset is 95% of success
• 💼 Building a coaching business from scratch
• 📚 Recommended books & resources
• 🧒 Parenting with mindset techniques
• 💰 Breaking income ceilings through subconscious rewiring
• 🌊 The importance of paddle boarding, laughter & nature

🙌 CTA:
👉 Like, Comment, and Subscribe if you’re on a journey of growth!
👉 Connect with Jeni at bringonpossible.com

St Augustine, FL Museum: https://lightnermuseum.org/

Get in Touch!

jeni@eliminate-impossible.com

www.eliminate-impossible.com

www.bringonpossible.com

Books

Psycho Cybernetics

Neville Goddard any book

Mentors & Resources

https://kathleencameronofficial.com/

https://karenbrook.com/

https://www.uniquespeakerbureauint.com/speakers/kim-calvert

👉 New episodes weekly — catch us every Thursday!

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🔥 What happens when a Special Forces veteran applies battlefield strategy to hedge fund investing?

You get David Walker — ex-Green Beret, West Point grad, MBA from Kellogg, hedge fund founder, and author of Don't Be Stupid: A Green Beret's Guide to Investing. This episode is packed with leadership gems, military-to-Wall Street grit, market insights, and actionable lessons for anyone chasing success with resilience and precision.

🎙 In this Veteran Special, Jessie Ott interviews David about:

• Transitioning from Special Forces to finance
• How military leadership translates to elite investing
• Building Jedburg Advisors and what “staying nimble” means on Wall Street
• The power of mentorship, education, and managing risk like a Green Beret
• The real inflation story, disruptive innovation, and the future of robotics in warfare and industry

👊 This is for entrepreneurs, veterans, investors, and anyone who wants to build a bulletproof mindset.

📚 Get his book: Don’t Be Stupid — all proceeds go to the Green Beret Foundation.

🔗 Connect with David Walker:
📘 Book: Don’t Be Stupid (All proceeds to the Green Beret Foundation)
💼 LinkedIn: David J Walker

📧 Email: DaveJWalker11@gmail.com

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Ryan Malkin breaks down legal tips for launching alcohol, non-alcoholic, THC & CBD brands. Co-packing, DTC, trademarks, & more! 🎙️💼

Watch now on Thirsty Thursdays @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

https://youtu.be/l5uyOu7b4yA

"How to start an alcohol brand legally"

📘 Video Summary with Key Takeaways:

In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, host Jessie Ott sits down with Ryan Malkin, Principal Attorney at Malkin Law and creator of Set the Bar, to provide a comprehensive legal roadmap for launching any type of beverage brand — alcoholic, non-alcoholic, or cannabinoid-infused. 🍷🍹🍋🌿

💡 Key Takeaways:

• ✅ Co-packing vs. self-manufacturing
• 🧾 The truth about distribution contracts
• 🚫 Common legal pitfalls (and lawsuits!)
• 🏛️ DTC shipping laws by state
• 📦 Labeling and compliance mistakes
• 🔍 Why trademarks should be filed early
• 📱 Modified DTC and the truth about Flaviar, GoPuff, Drizly
• 🌿 Hemp vs. Marijuana-derived THC
• 🧠 ADA compliance & website lawsuits
• 💬 How to build a support network that keeps you protected

This is a must-watch for beverage entrepreneurs navigating today's regulatory minefield — with actionable advice, real-world examples, and a dose of wit. 🧠🥃💬

📣 CTA (Call To Action):

💥 Like this episode? Smash that like 👍, subscribe 🔔, and share with a founder who needs legal clarity!

📥 Download your free legal startup cheat sheet
Alc and Non Alc Hemp THC

📝 Reach out to Ryan via https://www.malkinlawfirm.com/ and follow us @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

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📢I talk🎙️with Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

When Costco canceled her order at the start of COVID, El Guapo CEO Christa Cotton was ready to close shop. Instead, she pivoted online — and sold out in weeks.

Now her New Orleans brand is in 3,000 stores and won Tory Burch & James Beard awards. Here’s how she turned crisis into cocktail success 🍸✨

From near bankruptcy to 882% growth 💥 Christa Cotton of El Guapo Bitters shares her journey from Georgia to New Orleans, mentorship, resilience & building a cocktail empire 🌿🥃 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

Engaging Summary + Key Takeaways:
In this Thirsty Thursdays episode, host Jessie Ott sits down with Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo Bitters, to explore her journey from small-town Georgia roots to leading one of America’s most respected non-alcoholic cocktail brands.

🍸 Key Takeaways:

• 🚀 Pivoted to 92% DTC sales during COVID → 882% growth in weeks
• 🏆 Earned the Tory Burch Foundation Founders Award & James Beard Fellowship
• 🌿 Built El Guapo on sourcing transparency, sustainability & bar inclusivity
• 💪 Mentorship & community power her journey from distillery to global distribution
• 💫 Launched canned NA bitters & sodas — now in 3,000 stores across 8 countries

🎧 Watch for inspiration on resilience, brand building & beverage innovation!

Call-to-Action:
👉 If you love stories of bold entrepreneurs reshaping the beverage industry, hit 👍 and subscribe to @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST.
💬 Which part of Christa’s story resonated most with you?

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📢I talk🎙️with Mike Fata, CPG Exit, Author of Grow and Investor and Mentor for many companies and individuals 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Watch the Full Episode Here

Professional Speaker, Best Selling Author, Founder and CEO, Chairman of the Board, Investor, Advisor, Ambassador, Host and Producer

Mike Fata went from a 10th grade dropout weighing 300 lbs to building and selling three CPG companies for NINE FIGURES. 🤯 On this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, Mike shares his incredible entrepreneurial journey, how he founded Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods, and the mindset that turned adversity into abundance.

💥 Topics Covered:

• Losing 100 lbs and turning it into a business
• Building the global leader in hemp foods 🌱
• Selling to private equity + exiting big 💰
• Mentorship, peer networks (YPO), and mass mentorship resources 📚
• The real grind of building a CPG brand—no shortcuts here

Why he's all-in on helping the next generation of founders through FataFleishman.org, 60 Second Pitch, and more 🎯

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

→ Free mentorship tools: https://fatafleishman.org

→ Mike’s book "Grow": https://mikefata.ca

→ Mike on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mikefata🙌

Follow ⁨@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST⁩ for more inspiring interviews from founders, makers, and brand builders!

entrepreneurship #cpgfounders #hemp #mentorship #thirstythursdays #mikefata #manitobaharvest #founderstory #cpgsuccess #growbook #jakekarls #60secondpitchEmbark on a transformative

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Precision ethanol reduction, low-alcohol wine, tech-driven beverage innovation, and AI insights collide in this epic chat with Altr CEO Richard Schatzberger! 🍷💡🔥 ⁨@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST⁩

🍷 Can wine still be wine without the ethanol? That’s the question Richard Schatzberger, CEO & Founder of Altr, set out to answer — and the answer just might flip the $1.7T global alcohol industry on its head.

In this week’s episode of Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST, I sat down with Richard to explore:

🚀 His incredible journey from building Motorola’s first camera phone to co-founding Siri and Viv (acquired by Apple and Samsung)

🍇 His personal path to sobriety and the realization that alcohol-free doesn’t mean experience-free

🧪 How Altr’s membrane technology differs radically from traditional ethanol reduction like spinning cone and reverse osmosis

🧠 The human-centered, flavor-first mindset behind "The Velvet Blade" tech

🛠️ Why Altr's first customers are winemakers — and how the tech is designed to retain terroir, mouthfeel, and aroma

💡 How a dream (yes, literally) became a global beverage startup backed by Beam Suntory and FTW Ventures

💬 "We're not here to kill ethanol," Richard explains, "we’re here to give people choice. Whether you want 14%, 4%, or 0% — it should still taste like wine."

🎯 Key Takeaways:

Altr’s tech is already outperforming other low-alc products on taste with early testers preferring Altr-processed wines over originals

Consumer behavior is changing fast — “zebra striping” and sober social rituals are rising, but the quality gap remains

Tech isn’t the enemy of craft — It’s a tool to preserve it

🔗 Learn more or join their beta program at: altrfilter.com

🧠 If you’re a heritage-forward winemaker or innovative brand looking for the next chapter in premium beverage — this episode is for you.

👉 Follow me for more beverage innovation, brand spotlights, and industry disruption from farm to shelf.

ThirstyThursdays #BeverageTech #WineInnovation #LowAlcohol #SoberCurious #MembraneTech #BeverageFounders #FutureOfWine

Mentors

Dag Kittlaus

Ken Grossman, the founder of Sierra Nevada.

Brian Frank,fantastic lead investor FTW Ventures

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From JAG to Gin – How One Veteran Couple is Disrupting Spirits Discovery

🕒 By Jessie Ott | Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST
🎙️ Featuring: Mike & Dolly Waskiewicz, Co-Founders of The Bar Book

What if your next favorite spirit wasn’t sitting on a shelf—but in your pocket? That’s the question Mike and Dolly Waskiewicz set out to answer when they created The Bar Book, a revolutionary app that matches people with spirits based on taste, not brand.

These two aren't your typical startup founders—they’re U.S. Army veterans with decades of service, including careers in JAG, global deployments, and legal leadership. Their pivot from the courtroom to the cocktail world is not only inspiring—it’s solving a real market problem.

💡 Why The Bar Book Matters

For consumers, choosing a spirit often means guessing based on a label, a friend’s recommendation, or blind luck. For brands, especially small or veteran-owned producers, getting discovered is an uphill battle.

The Bar Book bridges that gap—think “Dating App for Spirits” meets WSET-certified palate intelligence. It helps you:

• Discover new brands by flavor profile
• Save and track your favorites
• Explore cocktails and where to find them
• Connect with bars and bartenders in real-time
• Give smaller brands visibility based on taste, not budget

🔍 What Makes It Different?

Mike and Dolly are building The Bar Book as a family-run, veteran-powered venture, with real user needs in mind. It’s not about algorithms from Silicon Valley—it’s about the real flavor experience.

And in 2025, they’re opening up the platform to onboard brands, bars, and industry partners. The goal? To democratize discovery and create a community-first platform for the spirits world.

🥃 A Few Takeaways from the Episode:

✅ How their military mindset helps them lead with clarity and kindness
✅ Why flavor tech is the future of beverage discovery
✅ Their favorite spirits, bars, and cocktail must-haves
✅ Why data matters—but people matter more
✅ And how they’re helping veterans & craft distillers shine 🌟

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: [Thirsty Thursdays YouTube Playlist]
🔗 Explore The Bar Book: https://www.thebarbook.com

📲 Free for consumers. Brand onboarding opens 2025.

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📢I talk🎙️with Debbie Wildrick, Founder of Debbie Wildrick👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Watch the Premiere Here @ 3PM EST May 22!

In this Thirsty Thursdays episode, host Jessie Ott sits down with the legendary Debbie Wildrick—Founder of Debbie Wildrick Consulting and the “Queen of Beverages.” 🌟

Debbie takes us through her incredible journey from merchandising grocery aisles in Texas to leading the $4B beverage business at 7-Eleven, helping launch iconic brands like Vitamin Water, Honest Tea, and Fiji. 💧🔥

We discuss:

• How to scale brands in the modern retail world 🏪
• The startup hustle: launching FRS with Lance Armstrong 🚴‍♂️
• Her “10 Pillars of a Successful Company” program for founders 📈
• The power of mentorship and sponsorship 🙌
• Why today’s brands need differentiation and distribution to win 💡

If you’re in the CPG, food & bev, or startup world—this one’s a must-listen. 🎙️

🖱️ Connect with Debbie: https://www.debbiewildrick.com
📄 Download her free resource on market opportunity: https://free.debbiewildrick.com

👇 Drop your questions in the comments & don't forget to subscribe for more Thirsty Thursdays!

📢 Hashtags:
#BeverageIndustry #StartupLife #WomenInBusiness #ConsumerGoods #BrandBuilding #RetailStrategy #CPGFounders #ThirstyThursdaysPodcast #DebbieWildrick #MentorshipMatters

🔑 Tags:
Debbie Wildrick, Jessie Ott, Thirsty Thursdays, Beverage Consultant, 7-Eleven Executive, CPG Strategy, Functional Beverages, Fiji Water, Vitamin Water, Honest Tea, Startup Growth, FRS, Mentorship, Women in Beverage, Brand Launch

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From flatboats to today’s bourbon boom 🥃 Maggie Kimberl shares history, mentorship & industry challenges 🌍 Don’t miss this deep dive! 🎙️ @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, Jessie Ott sits down with Maggie Kimberl, content editor of American Whiskey Magazine. From bourbon’s roots in Louisville to the global whiskey boom, Maggie shares the fascinating journey of America’s native spirit — and her own rise as a respected writer and Kentucky Colonel.

🔑 Takeaways:
🥃 Bourbon’s origins: flatboats, Bourbon Street & barrel-aging myths
🌳 Sustainability challenges: glass, oak, and the emerald ash borer
🌾 Innovation: heirloom grains & experimental finishes
🤝 Mentorship: Fred Minnick, Michael Veach & industry collaboration
🌍 Beyond Kentucky: Texas, Colorado & California’s whiskey wave

👍 Like this video if bourbon is part of your story
💬 Comment your favorite bourbon (or NA whiskey alternative!)
🔔 Subscribe for weekly insider conversations on beverage innovation
🔗 Share with your network of spirits enthusiasts

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RTDs, THC drinks, NA growth, Gen Z’s return to alcohol, and the RNDC→Reyes CA shakeup—what’s next for 2025? Insights from Uncle Nearest, Booze Biz & Business of Drinks 🎙️ ⁨@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST⁩

Watch here on YouTube! https://youtu.be/NJwLcZqJ9Cs

This quarter’s Thirsty Thursdays roundtable brings Kate Jerkens (Uncle Nearest), Caitlyn LuBell (Booze Biz), and Erica Duecy (Business of Drinks) to decode what’s really moving the beverage market in 2025.

🔍 What we cover

Macro pressure vs. “non-essential” spend: Rising student/auto debt and delinquencies are squeezing discretionary purchases—especially for younger consumers.

Gen Z is drinking again: New IWSR Bevtrac data shows Gen Z alcohol participation rebounding toward other cohorts.

NA momentum (esp. beer): No-alcohol leads no/low with ~+7% volume CAGR through 2028; NA beer is surging globally.

THC beverages 101: Rapid retail growth (hemp-derived and dispensary channels), dosage strategy (2–5mg “sessionable” vs. 10mg “value”), and the Farm Bill/regulatory watch.

Distribution shakeup: RNDC exits California; Reyes and mid-tier distributors step in—opening doors for some brands and bottlenecking others.

Functionality as table stakes: Hydration, adaptogens, gut-health cues, and mood-positioning (“calm/energy/focus”) now drive trial—especially in NA/THC.

💡 Takeaways

Follow the consumer, not the category: RTDs, NA, and THC are winning because they fit occasions (casual, at-home, brunch, “zebra striping”).

Plan for compliance volatility: THC bevs = opportunity + regulatory risk. Track state rules and the Farm Bill timeline.

Rethink route-to-market: Mid-sized distributors can give brands real focus post-RNDC, but onboarding capacity is tight.
winebusiness.com

CTAs:
• 👍 Like if you value real-talk data.
• 💬 Comment: Where’s your 2025 bet—RTDs, NA, or THC?
• 🔔 Subscribe for quarterly roundtables and weekly briefs.
• 🔗 Share with your sales/marketing team.

Subscribe for data-driven beverage insights every Thursday @3pm ET, drop a comment with your 2025 category bet, and share this with a colleague who needs the update.

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Live tasting with 5 top Washington Syrah winemakers discussing terroir, clones, staves, high‑altitude vineyards & vintage trials 🍇 Watch with ⁨@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST⁩

Youtube: https://youtu.be/DDyejw2eqX8

📌 Summary:
In this episode, I hosted a Washington Syrah tasting featuring five winemaking legends: Bob Betz MW, David Rodriguez, Trey Busch, Rosie Signer‑Jenner & Caleb Foster. They poured their signature Syrahs and went deep into vine clones, site selection, barrel vs. stave aging, trellising influence, stem inclusion, Rocks District terroir, and why Washington Syrah still flies under the radar.

Takeaways:
🌍 WA Syrah blends altitude, sandy loess & cobble soils for unique savory, earthy, floral notes
🧾 Oak staves add flavor—but barrels remain essential for stabilizing wine
🌿 Whole cluster fermentation adds spice & freshness—mirroring Northern Rhône style
🚜 Vineyard choices (trellis, rootstock, block trials) deeply shape final flavor
🎯 WA winemakers are fearless experimenters—cloning, harvesting earlier, terroir expression

CTA:
🍷 Want to taste along? Grab these wines or barrel samples via show notes!
💬 Comment your dream Syrah pairing or favorite WA bottle

🔖#thirsty #thirstythursdays #fnbinnovation #WashingtonWine #Syrah #WallaWalla #RocksDistrict #WashingtonSyrah #WinemakersRoundtable #WineTasting #WineIndustry #WineEducation #WineInnovation #BetzWinery #Enodav #DichotomyVineyards #SleightOfHandCellars #GunpowderCreek #StonyVine #TerroirDriven #WholeClusterFermentation #OakStaves #WinemakingTechniques #VineyardTrials #WineYouTube #MasterOfWine #SyrahLovers #WAWinemakers #CannedWine #Viniculture #VineyardStories #CraftWine #SmallProduction #TastingRoomTalk #WineCommunity #VineyardDiversity #ExperimentalWine #WineStorytelling #ViralWineTasting #WineTrendsetters #Shorts #viral #viralshorts #shorts #foryou

Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays, where Jessie Ott explores wine tasting with experts from Washington! This episode features an in-depth look at wine flavors and winemaking, emphasizing the distinctive qualities of Washington wine. Discover insights into wine education and production straight from the vineyard.

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🍇 Meet Washington Syrah winemaking legends as they debate terroir, clone selection, barrel vs. stave aging & NA wines! Winemaker gold right here 🎯 ⁨@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST⁩ #Syrah #winetalk

🎙️✨ In this epic winemaker roundtable, Jessie Ott sits down with Washington Syrah royalty including David Rodriguez, Trey Busch, Caleb Foster, Bob Betz, and Dichotomy Wines.

🍷 The crew covers:
🔬 Clone selection & vineyard elevation tricks
🪵 Barrel aging vs. staves — winemaker hot takes!
🌍 Terroir & the soul of Syrah
🚫 Why NA wine still "misses the point"
🍇 Whole cluster fermentation & stem inclusion
🎧 Vinyl labels & vineyard storytelling

🔥 Top Takeaways:
The Rocks District Syrah is instantly recognizable 🪨
Clone and site matter more than most drinkers realize 📍
Winemakers are NOT sold on non-alcoholic wine 😬
Rootstock vs. own-rooted vines: a passionate debate 🌱
💬 "If you're using staves in stainless, you're just adding flavor—not transformation."

This episode is a must-watch for wine lovers, sommeliers, and industry insiders. 🎯

🍷 This is the Washington Syrah conversation you didn’t know you needed! Jessie Ott of @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST hosts a powerful LIVE roundtable with some of the GOATs of West Coast winemaking—David Rodriguez, Trey Busch, Bob Betz, Caleb Foster & Jarred & Rosie Signer-Jenner.

From clone selection and vineyard elevation to stave vs. barrel aging, and even the impact of rootstock and whole-cluster fermentation, this is winemaking geekery at its finest! 🤓💥

Plus: brutal honesty on non-alcoholic wines 😬, the secrets behind The Rocks District 🍇, and why Washington Syrah needs its own Sideways moment.

Whether you're a sommelier, wine nerd, or casual drinker—this episode delivers 🔥 insight, laughs, and storytelling gold. 🎙️🍷

Welcome to Thursday Thursdays at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time hosted by Jessie Ott where she talks about beverage innovation. She interviews pioneers from agriculture to glass and invites listeners to subscribe for new episodes. This podcast is all about the drink industry and explores subjects from farming to the finished product. Make sure to subscribe for more!

thirsty #thirstythursdays #fnbinnovation #WashingtonSyrah #SyrahInWashington #Winemaking2025 #WinePodcast #SyrahSecrets #TerroirExplained #AVADeepDive #WinemakerWisdom #WholeCluster #BarrelVsStave #PhelpsClone #OldVineSyrah #NextGenWinemakers #WineInnovation #WashingtonWine #WallaWallaSyrah #RattlesnakeHills #SnipesMountain #SyrahStory #WineAndClimate #GenZWine #WineEducation #PodcastWine #WineTrends #WineYouTube #WineTech #FoodAndBeverage #AVATales #WineInsights #SyrahRoundtable #Vinification #WineFuture #CraftWinemaking #ModernWine #WineDebate #WineryLife #WineCommunity #WineCulture #SyrahLovers #WineGeeks #WineMarketing #BeverageInnovation #GenZMarketing #WineCollaboration #LiquidOnTheLips

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📢, of VP of Beverages of Robobank and Host of Liquid Assets👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

“The Great Disconnect?”

📹 Or watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pkpWJLFHrd8

We’ve all heard the headline: “Gen Z is drinking less.” But beneath that clickbait is a more complex—and more urgent—story. On this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, I sat down with Bourcard Nesin, VP of Beverages Research at Rabobank, to ask: What’s actually driving this generational shift? His answers were eye-opening, data-backed, and refreshingly honest.

✅ Gen Z isn’t anti-alcohol—they’re just not showing up to the party.
Isolation, delayed independence, and over-parenting have disrupted the social environments where alcohol typically thrives.

✅ Health isn’t the full story.
Saying “I care about my health” doesn’t mean someone is healthy—it may mean they’re already experiencing issues.

✅ Cannabis is not the enemy. Loneliness is.
Bourcard argues that alcohol’s real competition isn’t THC—it’s a cultural shift away from shared experiences.

✅ The industry’s blind spot: Identity.
Young consumers today are more likely to be women or people of color, yet most marketing still targets legacy demographics.

✅ Advice for brands? Stop chasing volume. Start building meaning.
Whether it’s RTDs or wine, storytelling and cultural alignment matter more than SKU count.

Why It Matters:

The U.S. beverage alcohol industry is in its worst decline in decades—and it's not just cyclical. As Bourcard puts it, “The goal isn’t growth. It’s survival.” If your brand isn’t thinking differently (and inclusively), you're already behind.

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📢I talk🎙️with KC Hensley, of Momo's Michelada Mix👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Just in time for International Michelada Day on July 12th!!

From bootstrapped beginnings to statewide success, KC Hensley shares how a trip to Nicaragua inspired Momo’s Michelada Mix — a tomato-free, top-rated drink that’s shaking up bars across Texas. 💥

In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, Jessie Ott and KC talk:

• The origin story of Momo’s (and its “Stupid Rim Salt” 🤯)
• Why tajín can ruin a michelada
• What it’s like launching a CPG startup during a pandemic
• Tips for entrepreneurs, bartenders, and cocktail creators
• How Whole Foods came knocking
• KC’s early "business" renting his dad’s VHS tapes (yep, you read that right 😂)

🔗 Shop Momo’s: https://www.momosmicheladamix.com
📍 Find it near you: Store locator on the website
📅 Michelada Day is July 12th – celebrate with the good stuff!

—

🧃 Follow @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST for more bev-industry stories, tastings, and founders shaking up what we sip.

micheladamix #momosmichelada #bevindustry #drinktrends #founderstory

📌 Keyword Tags

Momo’s Michelada, KC Hensley, michelada mix, stupid rim salt, bartender startup story, tajin michelada, tomato-free michelada, craft cocktail trends, Austin beverage brands, beer cocktail, Thirsty Thursdays podcast, drink entrepreneur, Whole Foods beverage startup, Texas CPG founders, michelada tasting, rim salt alternatives, startup beverage story, drink mix innovation, Latina founder tribute, military to mixology

🔥 Hashtags

MicheladaMix #StupidRimSalt #DrinkBetter #TexasDrinks #AustinStartup #LatinoOwned #FemaleInspired #CPGStartup #DrinkDifferently #BartenderLife #MicheladaDay #TomatoFreeCocktail #FoundersPodcast #ThirstyThursdays #MicheladaMovement

“Michelada mix without tomato”

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📢I talk🎙️with Jeff Foss, of Suavecito Tequila👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Watch the Premiere Here @ 3PM EST May 22!

From agave farm to Total Wine top seller 🌱🥃 — discover how Suavecito Tequila went viral with zero additives, full sustainability & no celebrity hype! #FNBinnovation @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

Jeff Foss of Suavecito Tequila joins Jessie Ott on 🎙️ Thirsty Thursdays to share how a family-run tequila brand grew from a failed agave sale to a national bestseller—with zero shortcuts. 🌟

The momentum gamechanger was giving Suavecito to all 72 Emmy Award Winners in the volume started to double, triple, etc...and was picked up in all Total Wine Stores all over the US. Great exposure for an amazing brand.

🌟 Key Takeaways:
🌱 The origin story: from agave farm to tequila pivot during the 2008 recession
🔥 Why they use agave nectar (not sugar) to create a smoother, additive-free spirit
🧪 Aged longer than industry standards: 8-month Reposado, 2-year Añejo, 5-year Extra
🌍 Eco-friendly distilling: worm composting & zero-waste production
💼 Growth strategy: how Total Wine helped them scale to 32 states
🧠 No celebrity endorsements—just grassroots hustle & great tequila

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📢I talk🎙️with Christy Serrato, CEO and Founder of PairAnything👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Discover how Christy Serrato turned her love of Filipino cuisine into a tech-powered wine pairing startup 🍷🔥 Learn how PairAnything is changing the wine game with personalization!

In this Thirsty Thursdays episode, Jessie Ott sits down with Christy Serrato, founder of PairAnything 🍷💡 From delivering pizzas to launching AI-powered retail tech, Christy’s story is a masterclass in innovation, culture, and hustle.

🎯 Top Takeaways:
🚀 How a UC Davis pitch and Filipino dish inspired a tech startup
🍽️ Why personalization is the future of wine retail
🧠 AI, machine learning & wine: explained simply
🤝 Building tech with your customers, not for them
💥 Retailers + wineries win when you connect the dots

📣 Call to Action (CTA):
If you love wine, tech, and founder stories that actually matter, hit that subscribe button and drop a 🍷 in the comments!

🔔 Don’t miss more inspiring founders on @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST — Subscribe now!

PairAnything

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📢I talk🎙️with Jon Macaskill about his Navy and SEAL service and his transition to Mindfulness Coach, Dad, and Podcast Host! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁 You can have him as a personal coach or team leadership coach as well as learn Mindfulness on his Podcast ​ ⁨@mentalkingmindfulness⁩

Text Mindful to 33777 to reach Jon!

Or via his Website: https://frogmanmindfulness.com/

Join Navy SEAL-turned-leadership coach Jon Macaskill 🇺🇸 as we dive into emotional fitness, grit, and elite training 💪. Veteran stories, mindfulness & more! 🎙️ @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

In this powerful episode of Thirsty Thursdays, I sit down with former Navy SEAL Jon Macaskill 🎖️, now a leadership coach, mindfulness advocate, and podcast host. From underwater demolition to inner healing, Jon shares his inspiring path from elite operator to emotional educator.

🎯 Top Takeaways:
🎖️ What it really takes to become a Navy SEAL — from Hell Week to BUD/S
🧘 The role of mindfulness and emotional intelligence in high-stress careers
🧠 How to pivot from military life to entrepreneurship
🌍 Life lessons from Bahrain, deployments, and leadership
🎙️ Launching a successful podcast: Men Talking Mindfulness

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📢I talk🎙️with Ardashia Townsend about Food & Beverage Industry Trends! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁 She is the Content Director, SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal. Owned by Informa

📽️ Watch on YouTube! 🎞️ https://youtu.be/xookuXBgrjA

This week on Thirsty Thursdays, Jessie Ott welcomes Audarshia Townsend, Content Director at Supply Side Food and Beverage Journal, to unpack the biggest trends shaking up the F&B world in 2024! 🍽️💥

From the growth of cold-pressed RTDs and functional beverages 🧃, to the rise in women’s wellness and clean labels 🌿—this episode is a deep dive into what’s next in food & beverage 🧠✨.

🚨 Key Takeaways:

• 📉 Supply chain & regulatory shake-ups and their impact on product innovation
• 🍹 RTD 2.0: Cold-pressed cocktails + fresh ingredient formulations
• 🧃 Better-for-you beverage trends (gut health, low sugar, functional ingredients)
• 🌱 Women’s health driving demand for nutrient-dense snacks & protein-rich beverages
• 🔥 Chicago’s vibrant food & bev scene and how it influences national trends
• 🎧 Music, fashion & culture as part of the F&B experience (hello, clubstaurants!)

👉 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more insider convos with F&B leaders every week. Hit the 🔔 to stay updated with what’s shaking in food & drink innovation!

🎯 Drop your favorite 2024 F&B trend in the comments ⬇️

thirsty #thirstythursdays #fnbinnovation #foodandbeverage #beverageindustry #2024trends #foodtrends2024 #rtd #betterforyou #functionalbeverages #womenshealth #guthealth #cleaneating #lowcaloriesnacks

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📢I talk🎙️with Julie Milroy, Erica Duecy, Caitlyn LuBell and Katharine Jerkens about the Beverage Industry Recap of Q1! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

📽️ Watch on YouTube! 🎞️ https://youtu.be/TL7uKLkEb8s

🚀 Dive into the latest beverage industry trends from Q1 2025! Discover insights on non-alcoholic drinks, functional beverages, and market shifts. Stay ahead in the F&B world! 🍹📈 #BeverageTrends #ThirstyThursdays #FNBInnovation @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

🌟 In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays Podcast, we explore the pivotal developments in the beverage industry during Q1 2025. Key highlights include:​

📊 The rise of non-alcoholic beverages and the 'sober curious' movement​
🥤 Innovations in functional and health-focused drinks​
🌍 Impact of recent tariffs on imported beverages​
📈 Emerging consumer preferences shaping the market​
🍹 Nostalgic flavors making a comeback​

Gain valuable insights to navigate the evolving beverage landscape.​

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📢I talk🎙️with Patricia VasconcelosFounder-The Paire Agency- Crafting Brand Stories and Execution for Taste and Space. Wine and Spirits. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

From Jack Daniel’s in NYC to $167K luxury spirits, Patricia Vasconcelos spills the 🍸 on nightlife, brand building, & global travel. Must-watch for F&B pros!

Watch here on YouTube! @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

In this episode of Thirsty Thursdays, Jessie Ott sits down with industry powerhouse Patricia Vasconcelos, founder of The Paire Agency. Patricia shares her incredible journey from launching Corralejo Tequila at 27, to shaping luxury spirits portfolios at LVMH and William Grant.

📍 Key Takeaways:
🇸🇻 From El Salvador to Philly to global brand building
🥃 Sold her first spirits brand at 27
💃 Why Miami’s AM dance parties are changing nightlife
💼 Jack Daniel’s, Corralejo, LVMH, and launching her own agency
🎯 Her mission to merge sales, marketing, & hospitality
🔥 The rise of non-traditional distribution and the mid-tier brand opportunity
👩‍💼 The importance of mentorship, especially for women in bev-alc

👀 Expect stories, strategies, and laughs — from dodging gunshots on her first day of alcohol sales to clocking 2M airline miles for brand launches.

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📢I talk🎙️with Dr. Ken Thompson, Army Veteran & CEO of Trendsetter Spirits, shares his powerful journey from military service to launching a Veteran-supporting liquor brand! #Veterans #Spirits 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

100% OF PROFITS GO TO VETERANS!

@ThirstyThursdaysat3PMESTWatch on Thursday, March 27th! @3PM

💥 Dr. Ken Thompson’s Inspiring Journey: From combat in Iraq to a Ph.D. in education, proving resilience against all odds.
🥃 The Birth of Trendsetter Spirits: A Veteran-owned liquor brand giving back 100% of profits to support homeless veterans.
🛠️ Breaking into Total Wine: How Trendsetter Spirits got accepted into multiple Total Wine locations in record time!
🔥 Exclusive Tastings & New Flavors: A deep dive into their Spiced Rum, Mango Pineapple, and Platinum White Rum—crafted for smooth sipping!
📢 How You Can Support: Trendsetter Spirits is on a mission! Expanding into more states & military bases. Want to help? Let’s connect!

💬 COMMENT below: Which flavor are you excited to try?
👍 LIKE & SHARE this video to support Veteran-owned businesses!
🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more exclusive interviews with game-changers in the food & beverage industry!

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📢I talk🎙️with Jake Karls Owner of Mid-Day Squares! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

How did Midday Squares go from a condo kitchen to 9,000 stores? 🤯🔥 Jake Karls shares the power of authenticity, brand storytelling & social media marketing! 💡 WATCH NOW! 🎥 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

💥 The Power of Authenticity in Branding with Jake Karls 💥

What makes Midday Squares a standout brand in the food industry? Authenticity, storytelling, and human connection! 🏆 From dancing in grocery aisles 🕺 to building a $100M brand, Jake Karls spills all the secrets.

Key Takeaways

✅ Turn customers into friends – Build real emotional connections
✅ Show the REAL journey – Wins & struggles create brand loyalty
✅ Energy & positivity attract people – Brands need personality!
✅ Small wins = Big success – Growth is a process, not overnight
✅ Resilience is everything – Keep pushing forward, even in tough times

🚀 Want to grow your brand? Watch & learn from the best!

🔥 Want to build a brand that stands out? Meet Jake Karls, the high-energy co-founder of Midday Squares! 🤩 From hand-delivering bars to Costco success, this episode dives into:

🔹 Brand storytelling – Why sharing real moments builds customer loyalty
🔹 Authenticity & social media – How viral dancing videos helped drive sales
🔹 Scaling a business – From startup struggles to $100M vision
🔹 Retail strategy – Why Midday Squares chose the refrigerated section
🔹 Entrepreneurial mindset – How resilience & small wins lead to success

If you're in food & beverage, marketing, or entrepreneurship, this episode is for YOU! 💯 Subscribe for weekly insider tips on brand growth & innovation! 🎬

📢 Where to Buy Midday Squares: Target, Whole Foods, Amazon & more!
🔗 Website: www.middaysquares.com

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🎙️ In this episode, we sit down with Ian Perez, the visionary behind Brand Arc at MHW, who is helping beverage brands break into the U.S. market! 🍸✨

💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ How Ian went from Ireland to NYC 🌍
✅ Inside Brand Arc’s innovative approach 🚀
✅ What it takes to launch a successful alcohol brand 🍾
✅ Challenges & trends in the alcohol industry 🔥
✅ Marketing, sales & compliance secrets 🏆

🌟 If you're in the beverage space—or just love the behind-the-scenes of your favorite drinks—this episode is a must-watch! Subscribe for more! 🎧

🚀 How do brands successfully launch and scale in the alcohol industry? 🍸 Ian Perez, Head of Brand Arc at MHW, reveals the secrets behind building a successful beverage brand from scratch!

In this episode, we cover:
✔️ How Ian transitioned from Ireland to New York 🌍
✔️ The power of Brand Arc & its innovative approach 🚀
✔️ Challenges & solutions in beverage brand building 🍷
✔️ How digital transformation is reshaping alcohol sales 📲
✔️ Insider tips on launching a spirits brand 🏆

💡 Whether you're a startup, beverage enthusiast, or industry pro, this episode is packed with valuable insights! Hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & SHARE to stay updated with more beverage industry secrets! 🍾✨

📌 Watch now & follow @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST for new episodes every week! 🎙️🔥

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📢I talk🎙️with Isabelle Lesschaeve Owner of InnoVinum Academy! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

🍷 Unlocking the Secrets of Wine Sensory Science! 🔬 How to Train Your Palate & Decode Flavors Like a Pro! 🍇

Watch now! 🚀✨ @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

🍷 Ever wondered how to train your palate like a wine expert? 🍇 Discover the science of taste, aroma, & sensory analysis with Isabelle Lesschaeve! 🔬✨ Watch now & elevate your wine game! 🥂

🎙 Join us for an insightful chat with wine sensory expert Isabelle Lesschaeve! 🍷 Discover how sensory science helps winemakers, industry pros, and wine lovers understand and enhance flavors!

🔥 Key Takeaways:
✔ COVID-19 & Smell Loss: 🦠 How people regained their sense of taste & smell.
✔ Sensory Science Explained: 🔬 What it is and how it helps winemakers.
✔ Consumer Preferences: 📊 Why most drinkers prefer fruity wines & how trends are evolving.
✔ How to Train Your Palate: 🏋️‍♂️ Simple daily exercises to improve your wine-tasting skills.
✔ The Future of Wine Innovation: 🚀 Using data-driven insights to improve customer experience.

🔔 Don’t miss this episode! Subscribe & explore the fascinating world of sensory science!

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📢I talk🎙️withKen MacKenzie Founder & Owner of Fresh Victor! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Join Caleb Foster 🍇, winemaker at Gunpowder Creek Winery, as he shares his epic journey from Connecticut to Washington wine country 🍷. Innovation, Syrah secrets, & digital pivots await! @CalebFoster-Winemaker

Watch now! 🚀✨ @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

https://youtu.be/VaUy0fa-q6Y

🎥 In this video, you’ll learn:
✅ The story behind Fresh Victor and its founder, Ken MacKenzie.
✅ Why cold-pressed mixers are revolutionizing the beverage industry.
✅ Taste-testing 4 unique flavors: Pineapple Ginger, Three Citrus Mint, Grapefruit Sea Salt, and Cactus Pear Pomegranate.
✅ How to use Fresh Victor mixers for cocktails, mocktails, marinades, and more!
✅ Tips for entrepreneurs on building a brand and overcoming challenges.

🍹 Ready to elevate your drink game? In this video, we dive into the world of Fresh Victor, the revolutionary cold-pressed mixers that are changing the way we think about cocktails and mocktails. Join us as we sit down with Ken MacKenzie, the founder of Fresh Victor, to uncover his inspiring journey from tequila entrepreneur to creating one of the most innovative mixer brands in the industry.

From understanding how cold-pressed mixers are made to tasting four delicious flavors—Pineapple Ginger, Three Citrus Mint, Grapefruit Sea Salt, and Cactus Pear Pomegranate—this video is packed with insights for both cocktail enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. Ken also shares his tips for building a brand, overcoming challenges, and staying true to your passion.

Whether you're a home bartender or a seasoned pro, Fresh Victor is your go-to for fresh, high-quality ingredients. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at how Ken is revolutionizing the beverage industry, one mixer at a time. 🦙

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📢I talk🎙️withCaleb Foster Owner and Winemaker at Gunpowder Creek Winery! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Join Caleb Foster 🍇, winemaker at Gunpowder Creek Winery, as he shares his epic journey from Connecticut to Washington wine country 🍷. Innovation, Syrah secrets, & digital pivots await! @CalebFoster-Winemaker

Watch now! 🚀✨ @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

https://youtu.be/3edKZS0pK6k

🍷 Caleb Foster, the visionary winemaker behind Gunpowder Creek Winery, shares his incredible story in this Thirsty Thursdays episode! From growing up in Connecticut to becoming a pioneer in Washington’s wine industry, Caleb’s journey is packed with inspiration.

🌟 Learn about his passion for Syrah, overcoming rejection, the art of mentorship, and his innovative approach to digital marketing

📱. Dive into the challenges of climate change 🌍 and explore the rich history of Washington wine. Discover how Caleb is shaping the future of winemaking while honoring traditions.

If you’re a wine lover 🍇, entrepreneur, or fan of resilience, this episode is a must-watch! Stay tuned for insights, laughs, and bold ideas for the industry. Cheers! 🥂

Don't forget to subscribe to @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST for more exciting interviews!

Join host Jessie Ott for an insightful journey into the ever-evolving world of the beverage industry and food and beverage innovation! 🎙️ Discover cutting-edge beverage trends and beverage development strategies as we explore product development with pioneers who are shaping the future of drinks. Tune in for expert insights into consumer trends and subscribe to stay updated on the latest episodes! @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST 🚀

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📢I talk🎙️with Melissa Hoffman Co-Founder and CEO of Dauntless Performance Consulting! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

"Explore Melissa Hoffman's inspiring journey from NYC to St. Pete, launching Dauntless Performance Consulting 💼🌟. Insights on leadership, mindfulness, & business growth.

Watch now! 🚀✨ @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST"

💡 Key Takeaways:

• How Melissa transitioned from NYC to entrepreneurship in St. Pete 🌊
• The power of mindfulness & emotional intelligence in leadership 🧘‍♀️💼
• Lessons on resilience, adaptability, and embracing change 🚀✨
• Building high-performing teams and optimizing business strategies 📈💡
• Balancing wellness with a thriving career 🌞

🔥 Don’t miss Melissa’s insights on grit, personal growth, and building an impactful career.

✨ Dive into Melissa Hoffman’s incredible story on this week’s Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! From growing up in NYC 🗽 to launching her own consultancy, Dauntless Performance Consulting, in St. Pete 🌊, Melissa shares her journey of grit, growth, and transformation.

🚀 Learn about her career pivots from the wine industry 🍷 to leadership in SaaS and how she now empowers teams through mindfulness and emotional intelligence.

💡 Melissa breaks down:

• Building high-performing teams 📈
• Leveraging mindfulness in leadership 🧘‍♀️
• Insights into the beverage industry & tech solutions 🍹💻
• The importance of resilience and adaptability 🔥

🎙 Whether you're an entrepreneur, leader, or industry professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiring stories. Watch now and subscribe!

👉 Don’t forget to check out @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST for more amazing guests. 🌟

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📢I talk🎙️with Dr Pamela Hayes, M.D. Medical Oncologist at Texas Oncology in Dallas, TX. She specializes in Hematology and Medical Oncology! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

💬 "It's your journey. Don't compare it to anyone else." - Dr. Pamela Hayes

This summer, I was diagnosed with stage zero breast cancer (DCIS)—a mild case, but still life-changing. I sat down with my oncologist, Dr. Pamela Hayes, to share my experience and spread awareness about early detection, treatment, and recovery. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

Watch on YouTube! https://youtu.be/R9HIy93UP-0

🔬 Early Detection & Diagnosis

✔️ Mammograms matter! Many cases are caught early through routine screening.
✔️ Dense breast tissue = more screening (I had it & was called back for more tests).
✔️ DCIS is "stage zero" cancer, meaning the cells are abnormal but haven't spread.

💬 "Think of it like a tiger in a cage. Given enough time, it can break out." - Dr. Hayes on DCIS

🏥 Treatment Journey

📌 Biopsy & Lumpectomy: Surgery removed abnormal cells, but margins were close—so I had a second procedure.
📌 Radiation: Based on my risk score, radiation was recommended to prevent recurrence. I had 21 treatments. And I Rang the Bell!
📌 Hormone Therapy: I’m on low-dose tamoxifen for 5 years to reduce future risk.

💬 "Our goal is to make sure this NEVER comes back." - Dr. Hayes

🧬 What Increases Breast Cancer Risk?

🔸 Family history & genetics (BRCA gene mutations)
🔸 Early puberty or late menopause
🔸 Dense breast tissue (like mine!)
🔸 Obesity & lack of exercise
🔸 Alcohol consumption (moderation is key!)

💬 "Alcohol isn't the biggest risk factor, but excess can increase estrogen levels, which fuel some breast cancers." - Dr. Hayes

💪 Life After Treatment

🌿 Exercise helps! I’m walking 2-3 miles/day & doing weight training.
🍎 Balanced diet > extreme diets. No need to cut out everything!
🩺 Regular screenings & check-ups are a must.

💬 "Tiny changes make a big impact." - Dr. Hayes

💖 Final Thoughts
Breast cancer is emotionally and physically overwhelming, but having a strong support system, great doctors, and the right mindset makes all the difference. If you're going through this or know someone who is, you're not alone.

💬 "Your body is constantly working to protect you—trust it, take care of it, and stay proactive."

🎉 #GetYourBoobsSqueezed 🎉

👀 PSA, ladies! It’s time for your annual mammogram—because early detection saves lives!

💖 Mammos after 40 = Self-care & peace of mind!
💖 Takes just 20 minutes! (Faster than your Starbucks run ☕)
💖 Smash those boobs, not your chances!

👉 No excuses—schedule your mammogram to

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📢I talk🎙️with David Mandell Co-Founder and CEO of Whiskey House of Kentucky, the most Innovative Whiskey Distillery and largest via their 176-acre campus in the USA and beyond! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Sound Bites

• "We bootstrapped this business."
• "You have to create the entire ecosystem."
• "You're never gonna get perfection."
• "We focus everything on our customers."
• "There's always a black swan out there."
• "YPO has been extremely powerful for me."
• "2025 will be a challenging year."
• "The industry fundamentals are very strong."

📽️ Watch on YouTube! 🎞️ https://youtu.be/FsR5HYO13Lc

🔥 From Attorney to Whiskey Pioneer! 🥃✨

In this exciting episode, Jessie Ott sits down with David Mandell, co-founder and CEO of Whiskey House of Kentucky, to explore his incredible journey from the courtroom to the whiskey world. 🚀👨‍⚖️ ➡️ 🥃

David spills the tea (or whiskey!) on the highs and lows of his career, from the rise and fall of Pink Vodka to building Bardstown Bourbon Company and launching Whiskey House. 🍸📉✨ He shares valuable insights on leadership, empowering others, and creating a cohesive business ecosystem that drives success. 💪📊

This conversation dives deep into the evolution of the whiskey industry, highlighting the importance of mentorship, innovative production processes, and staying humble in the face of uncertainty. 🌎🔥 David opens up about navigating the impacts of COVID-19, adapting to market changes, and his optimism for the growing international whiskey market. 🌍✨

Expect key takeaways on networking through organizations like YPO, embracing challenges, and the rewarding yet tough road of entrepreneurship. 💼🙌 If you're a whiskey enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, this is your must-watch episode! 🥃🎧

🎉 Cheers to an inspiring journey filled with lessons, laughs, and a lot of whiskey wisdom! 🍻💡

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📢I talk🎙️with Erica Duecy about her foray into the beverage industry from a wonderful career at Conde Naste Publications. She now has The Business of Drinks Consulting and Podcast. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Sound Bites

"It's not just an email list anymore."
"We need to help raise up women leaders."
"Customization is a growing trend."

📽️ Watch on YouTube! 🎞️ https://youtu.be/lB65un5P0Sg

Highlights include:
🍷 Authentic storytelling and branding.
📊 Data-driven marketing strategies for drinks professionals.
🌟 How wine brands can engage millennials and Gen Z consumers.
🥤 Exploring functional beverages, RTDs, and non-alcoholic trends.

Summary

🍷✨ Let’s dive into the ever-changing world of drinks, where journalism, data, and consumer trends collide! 🎙️ Erica takes us on her journey from studying anthropology to shaping stories as a journalist. She spills the tea (or wine!) on her publishing adventures and how she created SevenFifty Daily, the go-to trade publication for the drinks biz. 📰🍾

Erica and Jessie dig into all the juicy details: why authentic storytelling matters, how the wine industry is tackling big challenges, and why brands must keep up with the tastes of younger generations. 🥂🍇

They also chat about the coolest trends shaking up the industry—like innovative packaging, beverages tailored to you, and the rise of premium non-alcoholic options. 🥤✨ Plus, they highlight the power of mentorship for women in wine 🍷💪 and peek into the crystal ball for 2025, sharing how brands can stay ahead by planning smart and staying adaptable. 💡🌟

This convo is a must-listen for anyone thirsty for insight into the future of wine and beverages! 🥳📈

Batonnage Forum Advising Young Women Leaders of Tomorrow!
https://www.batonnageforum.com/

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📢I talk🎙️with Stephanie Bricken about her foray into creating a Non-Alcoholic Wine Alternative, Seraphim Social Beverage. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Seraphim are celestial beings that appear in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic literature. They are often depicted as having wings and serving as guardians of God's throne.

📽️ Watch on YouTube! 🎞️ https://youtu.be/3Nxb4tWmX2g

🌟✨ Here's the Scoop! ✨🌟

🎤 I chat with Stephanie Bricken, founder & CEO of Seraphim Social Beverage, about her inspiring journey from fashion design to crafting non-alcoholic wine alternatives. 🍷❌ Stephanie spills the tea on meditation, travel, family, and trusting your instincts—showing how mindfulness connects to entrepreneurship. 🧘‍♀️🌍💡

🌿 Stephanie dives into her passion for holistic health and sustainability, highlighting the innovative ingredients in her blends and the energy behind her production process. 💚⚡ She uses a rare production process with crystals and music to add joy to each bottle. It's joy with every molecule and supported by science! She loves building a business that aligns with her values, and the rave reviews from customers keep her going! 🙌💬

🍹 We also explore the fun side of non-alcoholic beverages, with tasting tips, pairing ideas, and how these drinks elevate social experiences. Cheers to flavor, community, and a bright 2025 for their brand! 🥂✨

So much inspiration packed into one convo—worth a listen! 🎧🔥

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📢I talk🎙️with Julie Milroy, Erica Duecy, Caitlyn LuBell and Katharine Jerkens about the Beverage Industry Recap of 2024 in Part 2! We discuss 2024 Surprises and Outlook for 2025 in Part 2. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

📽️ Watch on YouTube! 🎞️ https://youtu.be/UmlhEfTYOTU

Beer Distribution is Evolving

1. Beer Distributors moving into Wine, Spirits, RTD's & Sake Sales
2. Younger Consumers the base doesn't matter: Liquor, Malt, Wine
3. Moved past the Post Base world in 2024
   • Consumers are not beer, wine or liquor drinker (RTD's) drove that
4. RTD's Taking share from beer, #1 RTD is Gallo's High Noon
5. Sake - It is closer to beer than wine as it's brewed.
6. Beer & RTD worlds continue to merge

Surprises of 2024

1. Companies Hiring Managers need to be open-minded and innovative about hiring
   • They say the #1 most important thing is people but have no hiring process
2. Marketing Opportunity for High Net-Worth Women
3. Wine RTD's Growing into 2030
4. How surprised we were no real forecasting in 2024 or into 2025
5. Alcohol companies haven't hit the mark in advertising to women
6. E-commerce only just a few years before COVID-19, and lots of growth
7. Compliance rules to know on DTC is challenging still figuring it out
8. Getting companies and brands into the Digital Game
9. 30% of the Marketing Budget should be on digital
10. Quick rise in CBD and THC's

Summary

We discussed a shift towards alternative distribution models, particularly the growing influence of ready-to-drink (RTD) products. We emphasized the need for realistic expectations and strategic planning in order to succeed in a competitive market.

We also discuss the importance of hiring practices, the potential of targeting high-net-worth women, and the necessity of digital transformation in the industry.

We emphasize the need for experiential marketing to engage consumers and the surprising insights gained from their experiences in the field. The conversation explores the evolving landscape of the beverage industry, focusing on emerging trends in e-commerce, the rise of non-alcoholic and functional beverages, and the impact of economic challenges.

In 2025, we emphasize the importance of health and wellness in consumer choices and the need for brands to adapt to changing market dynamics. Additionally, we highlight the empowerment of women in the industry and the collaborative efforts to support each other in navigating these changes.

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📢I talk🎙️with Julie Milroy, Erica Duecy, Caitlyn LuBell and Katharine Jerkens about the Beverage Industry Recap of 2024 in Part 1! Next week we will discuss 2024 Surprises and Outlook for 2025 in Part 2. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

📽️ Watch on YouTube! 🎞️ https://youtu.be/nIHS6gXmr_A

I love this conversation. There is so much valuable content in this podcast! I was super stoked to gather these C-Suite Ladies from all around the industry to discuss 2024 and how 2024 was a reset year and evolving consumer culture around alcohol.

We end this episode with a tribute to Icon and Entrepreneur Fawn Weaver. She and her team have charted a road untaken with Uncle Nearest and she received nods of respect from our panelists. Congratulations Fawn on all your success with Uncle Nearest!

Some Major Talking Points:

2024 "A Reset Year"
1) A Start to a Major Correction (much like the post-financial crisis)
2) Cultural Shift, Younger Consumers "Year of Flavors"
3) Price drop and margin but not seeing a volume increase
4) Too many Brands and not enough Distributors
5) In Younger generations alcohol is culturally less important

And So many more topics uncovered!
Raising Money Key to Starting a Brand
Need $3-$5Mill to start a brand
*Stay Away from California!

Summary

Industry experts reflected on the challenges and opportunities presented in 2024. They explore cultural shifts in alcohol consumption, the impact of celebrity brands, and the complexities of distribution in a competitive market.

The panelists share insights on consumer behavior, market trends, and the necessity for brands to adapt to changing dynamics. The conversation delves into the complexities of distribution in the spirits industry, highlighting the challenges faced by new brands and the evolving landscape post-pandemic.

We discuss the rise of entrepreneurship, the importance of adequate funding, and the shift towards alternative distribution models, particularly the growing influence of ready-to-drink (RTD) products. They emphasize the need for realistic expectations and strategic planning in order to succeed in a competitive market.

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📢Hello Thirsty Thursdays' Peeps!! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Happy Holiday Season. Yesterday was Christmas🎅 and today is the first day of Hanukkah✡️! New Years 🎇 is just around the corner!🥂

I wanted to say thank you to all that were on the podcast and all those we are still in process to get on the podcast!

I reflect on a personally tough year, despite it being the YEAR OF THE DRAGON🐉 of which I was told that is a very sought after sign and is associated with success. Let's hope that comes true in 2025! 🙏

My family had a rough year in 2024 so that was a challenge. However, the podcast is still continuing on strong and I have some great updates for 2025! 👏 😁

I'm also for the first time announcing CrossRoads Solutions Hub. You can check it out here! https://innovatecrs.com/

I have a Sales Division and a Hub Division!

Sales: Military, Export, Cruiselines and Duty Free
Hub: Central "Hub" for businesses to use all data points to make better decisions faster. It's super cool and I cannot wait to tell you all about it.

So much exciting news to come in 2025! 💥👍 😊

All The Best to You and Your Families & Have a Wonderful Holiday Season! 😘💫

Jessie Ott

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📢I talk🎙️with Ben Salisbury, President and Founder of Wine Sales Stimulator! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁 Watch on YouTube!

My very first guest nearly 2 years ago! I will always be so grateful! Thank you, Ben!

Ben and his team help small to mid-sized companies navigate these difficult times via new methodologies and technologies. He shares his lifelong journey starting in the restaurant industry through exponential growth at Glazers and then his supplier days as VP of National Accounts for both Ste Michelle Wine Estates and Constellation Brands. These experiences gave him the skillset to start his own company, Salisbury Creative Group and his Wine Sales Stimulator course.

Mentors
Don Pratt Glazers, Glen Yaffa, SMWE, Lattie Wise Seagrams & then VIBE
David Colmer (TGIFridays buyer), www.NancyFlorence.com

Paradigm Shift to Develop Scalable Skills for the Future of Growth
1. Digital Lead Generation, 2. Proper Use of Email Marketing, 3. Social Selling

Books Ben Recommends
Sales
Daniel Pink's To Sell is Human
Jeff Thull Mastering the Complex Sale
Tom Stanfill unReceptive
The Complete Guide to Accelerating Sales Force Performance

Time Management
Steven Covey The 7 Daily Habits
Tim Ferris The 4 Hour WorkWeek

Marketing
Donald Miller Building a Story Brand

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📢I talk🎙️with Mara Smith, Founder and CEO of Inspiro Tequila 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Mara is by far the most educated woman I've interviewed in our industry. She's not only a big Chicago law firm lawyer, she is also a CPA! 🎓🎓💃 🎇

She took the most amazing path from A to Z in building a tequila brand. If you want to build a brand, she's has an amazing path for you to follow!

She jumped all in from the beginning and entered and won WSWA's best tequila and mezcal category. She's well known in the Press, she even has afeature in Forbes. She's using PR to help promote her brand and has been on many TV news segments and podcasts. She's also very active in women-led initiatives helping other women.

We explore Mara's journey from a successful career in law and corporate strategy to entrepreneurship. We talk about the importance of adaptability, the entrepreneurial spirit, and the evolving landscape of the beverage industry. She highlights the importance of quality, research, and innovative production methods, including the unique aging process in rosé wine barrels.

Entrepreneurs wanting to start a new brand must know the importance of hitting the 4 P's in today's market: Positioning, Product, Packaging, and Purpose. Also of note is the significance of packaging and branding in a crowded market. You're tequila MUST STAND APART to gain attention.

She shares her experiences, challenges, and insights as she navigated her career transitions and the inspiration behind her tequila brand. She has a strong commitment to creating a product that authentically caters to female consumers as 54% of the tequila market are women.

We then delve into the world of tequila, exploring unique flavors, food pairings, and the challenges of navigating the spirits industry as a newcomer.

Mara shares the importance of community and mentorship, and the hurdles faced by women entrepreneurs in securing funding and distribution. We end our time discussing the future outlook for the spirits market and the balance of personal life and work as a founder.

I've never tasted anything like these tequilas. Plus they are Additive Free!

Luna Blanco
Rests in American Oak 1-2 weeks - very aromatic

Rosa Reposado
is the same blanco but goes straight into French rose barrels 2 to 3 months
Has herbal vs citrus and unique berries. It has a lot of character and drink on ice.
Lighter than an aged repo and has mixed ages in the bottle.

Special Reserve Anejo
Offered online - Perfect Holiday Gift!🎁
Double Wine Barrel Aged Overproof at 44% ABV
Rose

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📢I talk🎙️with Taylor Foxman, Founder and CEO of The Industry Collective. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

She is 40 UNDER 40 Beverage Alcohol VC Advisor, Rolling Stone Culture Committee Member and Entrepreneur Media Contributor.

Taylor takes us through her amazing journey about her career, why she didn’t get her MBA, her marriage, mentors and resources that have helped her get to where she is today. One mentor, in particular, helped her take the leap into the cannabis world as VP of Communications and Media, for Parallel, one of the largest privately-held cannabis companies in the US.

Taylor wakes up every morning and sets her intentions by writing down how thankful she is and the goals she wants in life. She manifests everything she wants and has found this process key to navigating her career and reaching her plans and purpose.

Currently, at The Industry Collective, she is a strategic advisor to CEOs of 40 beverage companies worldwide from the early stages through the late stage of growth. Her primary focus is working with beverage owners from underrepresented communities.

Taylor was an amazing guest with TONS of great advice and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Thank you for listening and be sure subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

Books

Mark Manson, The Settle Art of Not Giving a F*UK
Robin Sharma The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life.
Sheryl Sandberg Lean In
Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People
Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference

Other Recommended Resources

Calm for Medita

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📢I talk🎙️with Mika Shino Founder & CEO of Issei Mochi Gummies from Bethesda, MD. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

If you haven't tried these yet, you are missing out. She shares her amazing story how a Whole Foods buyers' instincts kick-started this brand and how Mika with her PR philosophy landed her on the cover of Inc Magazine within two years as Inc Female Founder 2024!

WATCH ON YOUTUBE! 📽 🎞
https://youtu.be/v-jW5OSs_sw

Summary

Mika Shino shares her journey from Kyoto, Japan, to becoming a successful entrepreneur with her brand, Issei Mochi Gummies.

She discusses her cultural influences, experiences at the UN in Paris, France, and the challenges of creating a healthier candy option for children. Mika emphasizes the importance of food in brain development, the philosophy of jazz in business, and her commitment to customer engagement through personal touches in her branding.

The conversation highlights her dedication to quality and the continuous evolution of her product. In this engaging conversation, Mika shares her journey of launching a product with Whole Foods, the challenges of manufacturing, and the importance of building relationships in the industry.

She discusses the pivotal moment at Expo West, her upcoming launches with Target, and the innovative flavors she is developing. Mika also opens up about the struggles of being a small business owner, the recognition she has received, and offers valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of starting without fear of failure.

AWARDS 2024
Inc. Magazine 2024 #2 Female Founders List
Most Innovative New Product 2024 Small Business Innovator
2024 Stevie Award Best Female Entrepreneur
World Food Innovation Award Best Snack 2024

IsseiMochiGummies #fnbinnovation #ThirstyThursdays

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📢 HAPPY VETERANS DAY!!! "Special Segment Launch: Military Veterans in Civilian Life!"

📢I talk🎙️with Eric Martindale Founder & CEO of Elite Commerce Group in the Greater Philly area. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Learn how to leverage Amazon to Sell Retail and Learn tricks for CPG on Instacart!

WATCH ON YOUTUBE! 📽 🎞
https://youtu.be/TMlJ2JeZ-Co

Learn how Eric transitioned from Executive Officer of the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion to Founder and CEO of a game-changing technology for CPG companies selling online.

We discussed his transition from military to civilian life, the impact of elections on military operations, and the importance of discipline.

Eric shares his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, his journey into entrepreneurship, and how he navigates the Amazon marketplace with his agency.

Eric discusses various aspects of retail media, focusing on strategies for increasing product turns in stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts. They explore the significance of digital marketing in the beverage industry, the role of demos, and the challenges of mistrust in retail media reporting.

Eric shares insights on the transition from military to civilian life, emphasizing the importance of creating a new identity and the realities of job searching for veterans. The discussion concludes with reflections on how military experience shapes leadership in business.

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📢I talk🎙️with Thomas Angel Co-Founder of Altitude Beverages in Bend, Oregon. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

NOW ON YOUTUBE! 📽 🎞
https://youtu.be/cWkac6fkdHs

[Originally Posted on April 5th, 2023.]

Thomas and his wife started Altitude Beverage because they wanted to create a coffee alternative for those that are in the CBD and Better-for-you beverage space. Their coffee alternative drinks are all Nitro cocktails that you actually shake before opening. They are smooth beverages mixed with Oatmilk, my favorite, 30mg of CBD, and Adaptogens which assist you in getting your day started. These are feel-good ingredients like Lion’s Mane for FOCUS, Chaga for immunity, and Reishi for gut health just to name a few.

They didn’t stop there. Next was all about the afternoon happy hour time you spend with your loved ones discussing your day. They were wanting a non-alcoholic option that helped you wind down. So, just like getting your day started, they wanted to help you wind down just the same.

They created three very different mocktails that have 20mg of CBD and are all based with white tea and a few bubbles. These adaptogens are for a nice recovery to the end of your day with Gaba, for calm, L-Thianine for relaxation and 5-HTP for serotonin.

Thomas had a very unusual journey into the beverage space and his story is one of kind. I don’t know a lot of Americans that speak Chinese, let alone one that ended up working for the President of Boeing living in Beijing, China. He tells his journey working at Boeing for 10 years and why he and his wife started Altitude Beverages.

https://www.westock.io/
Request to add this product to your favorite retailer

Be Sure to Watch Snack Attack!!
https://www.amazon.com/Snack-Attack-Season-1/dp/B092H3TFH7

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

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📢I talk🎙️with Chie, Chief Administrative Officer & Brooks Addington CEO of TOST. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁 YouTube: https://youtu.be/0zelyx78hH8

The word is out! Check out their PRESS page of everyone saying so!

As an ending to "Sober October" we have a wonderful couple on to talk about the brand they are managing now called TOST (pronounced TOAST) and in PROST or cheers in other languages.

This dynamic duo from Hiroshima, Osaka andTokyo, Japan and Chicago have a great perspective and experience that they each brought to the brand building of a popular non-alc bubbles alternative.

Conversations started as early as 2014 and since 2016, they have building this TOST brand from a plethora of cultural experiences living all around the world from Tokyo, London, Toronto and now Vermont.

ALthough they are not the founders, they have been majority owners and running it since 2017 back when there was not a plethora of premium non-alc options. And our culture was to eliminate going out period if you weren't drinking.

This brand has gone through at least 50 iterations since 2016 which was their soft launch. They quickly got distribution in 50 stores and asked Brooks to help from there.

TOAST fully launched in April 2017 and the why stems from the classic saying There's a problem, so how do we solve it?" question. They wanted to create a beverage that could be widely liked and great with or without food.

100% sourced and made in the USA and has a 2 year shelf life

This is a High-Quality brand!!!

Tasting:
TOST Original
A blend of white tea, white cranberry (mouthfeel stringency), some extracts: ginger, citrus plus a secret blend of 80-90 spices and flavors in it! Great acidity as my mouth produced a great amount of saliva. Sweetness with agave.

Good nose, mouth feel and relatively dry finish
Pairings with anything!

Rose
Dryer than the original and has elderberry vs cranberry. A bit less acidic and is softer with a longer finish. Sweetened with cane sugar.

I like them both for their different styles and they can be enjoyed for different occasions.

Product Offering:
Comes in Slim Cans - Limited to Arenas, Resorts, Pool Side, Cruise Lines
4pk Mini 250ML bottles $13.99
750ml Bottles $8.99 - $9.99 may be at $12.99

DSD wasn't interested. But the Athletic Brewing team helped make it more mainstream as they grew over the years. So, this widespread acceptance has evolved their distribution network.

They started with specialty grocery, mom and pop stores, and independents that gave early trial through 2020. Once we demoed it really took off.

Off-Premise
Now we are in Walmart, Albertsons, Total Wine, ABC, Bev MO, HEB, Sprouts, Fresh Ma

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📢I talk🎙️with Marco Maranothe Co-Founder of Prime Pave. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Now on YouTube! 📽️🎞️ https://youtu.be/qSWaxmfFX8I

I'm excited to feature Marco's Prima Pave for "Sober October!" We recorded the podcast earlier in the year, but I wanted to post it during its most impact.

Italy's Most Awarded Non-Alcoholic Wine

These were thought out, researched, and trialed until the exact balance was created. Marco's wife was pregnant and no non-alc wines tasted as good as their sophisticated Certified Specialists in Wine palates desired. So, they sought out their own that did.

They hit the nail on the head with this brand folks. It's real Italian wine with the alcohol removed.

Bubbles without the Booze!

• Use their proprietary, all-natural de-alc process
• No Sugar, Additives or Chemicals Added
• Showcase the terroir, character and depth of flavor expressed by hand-selected Italian grapes

First Evers!

• First Non-Alc Wine to be Sold in Williams-Sonoma
• First-Ever Non-Alc Wine in Eataly

Distribution

• 42+ States and Internationally
• Park Hyatt, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Eleven Madison Park
• Italy's Most Awarded Non-Alcoholic Wine

All four Won medals - Purchase Online Here!

San Francisco International Wine Competition, IWSC International Wine & Spirits Competition and Sommeliers Choice Awards.

All are made in Northern Italy

Rose Brut
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Pinot Grigio Sauv Blanc, Gewurz
IWSC: Silver (94 points)
San Francisco International WIne Competition: Silver
Sommeliers Choice: Silver

Rose Dolce
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Pinot Grigio Sauv Blanc, Gewurz
San Francisco International WIne Competition: Silver
Sommeliers Choice: Silver

Blanc de Blanc
Pinot Grigio, Sauv Blanc, Gewurz
San Francisco International WIne Competition: Silver

Grand Cuvee100% Chardonnay
San Francisco International Wine Competition: Silver

These non-alcoholic beverage bubbles are a wonderful gifting idea and the perfect alternative for those holiday celebrations.

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📢I talk🎙️with Bill Gamelli the Founder and CEO of Mocktails. He and two other families wanted an alternative to drinking over 10 years ago well before the trend has taken place over the last couple of years. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Now on YouTube! 📽️🎞️ https://youtu.be/twbmiWcVEuQ

Bill’s inspiration for creating Mocktails was a result of the struggle his wife endured while not only trying to get pregnant but also staying the course on becoming partner at her law firm.

Bill quickly realized this was also a problem his closest friends were trying to solve which resulted in Mocktails.

Their latest iteration of Mocktails included Tales of the Cocktails winner Ezra Star. They used Ezra’s expertise and sought to source the exact botanicals that make their flavors unique and well-balanced.

These uniquely named cocktails are low in sugar and calories, vegan friendly and 99% recyclable packaging. They are the highest-rated mocktails with Master, Double Gold, Golds and Silver in both The Spirits Business’ “The Low & No Masters” competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021 and 2022.

Bill is a very inspiring individual. Not only has he co-founded companies in his career he also co-founded the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Associationto increase awareness for this growing industry.

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

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📢I talk🎙️with Karla Flores Co-Founder of & General Manager andNatasha FeigerCo-Founder & VP, Marketing and Partnerships at Jobu Beverages and Madam Paleta Tequila. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁 Buy here!

Their naturally flavored tequilas have made a splash in our industry winning golds!

San Francisco Double Gold!
2023 Pr%%F Awards
Gold Awards John Barlycorn Awards best flavored Tequila (Tamarind)
Karla spent 17 years in beer and was a Natasha client for many years. They talked and dreamed of doing a project together; both are passionate about tequila.

Paleta, is a frozen treat made from fresh natural fruits such as strawberry or mango. They are a part of Mexican culture and have different authentic Mexican flavors. That's the authenticity that drove them to call their naturally flavored tequila Madam Paleta.

They knew there was an opportunity for flavored tequila, that didn't exist for the typical blanco, reposado and anejo tequilas.

They are unique in how they think of their bottles as a canvas and worked with 3 female artists to design the inside label of the bottle! They even have a glow in the dark message! Can you find it?

These ladies are amazing and we had so much fun on the podcast! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Link to their delicious cocktails!

Mentor
Quinn Kilbury, helped Natasha in her career and assisted them with their brand incubator program.

Karla Recommends Author Brene Brown's book Dare to Lead

Why Tamarind? It's trending! More info on Tamarind!
Tamarind

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📢I talk🎙️with Seth Benhaim, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. Seth is an innovator at his core. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

He is the quarterback of two very successful brands. The first, Infuse Spirits Group was the world’s first single-bottle infusion company. He infuses real fruits and spices in each bottle. Less than two years later at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the brand won Double-Gold and Best-In-Show. Seth was only 25 and was the youngest CEO to earn that award. In 2015, he won the “Entrepreneur of the Year” at Nightclub & Bar Show. His real fruit infusions have won several awards including a 90-pts rating in Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

He then turned to the world of whiskey where he broke more barriers by adding multiple barrel types of all-finishing aged bourbon in tandem with aging the liquid in barrels. It took time to find the right partner to see his vision but neither have ever looked back. It is distilled and sourced from Owensboro Distilling Company by 8th generation Master Distiller Jacob Call using 100% Kentucky corn sourced from local farmers.

The core four items range from $40-$55 and LTOs have sold for $120. We tasted four different SKU’s on the podcast and Cask Strength, the only SKU priced at $55, was truly an amazing experience from the nose to finish.

Whiskey Magazine’s Icons of Whisky America 2023 awarded the Cask Strength “Brand Innovator” winner and World Whiskies Awards 2023 under the World’s Best Finished Bourbon category received the “Best Kentucky Finished Bourbon”. It also received 94 points from Tasting Panel Magazine.

Seth and his team have really broken many barriers in our industry and will continue to push the boundaries to find that next great spirit.

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📢I talk🎙️with Ana Esquer, JP Diz & Vinicia Estrada of Margaret Cocktails! https://margaretcocktails.com/ 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁
Watch On YouTube!
https://youtu.be/d2LR-U2uu9U

These three come with a high pedigree in Corporate Law and Supply Chain management positions most recently for Partida Tequila in Mexico.

As Ana and Vinicia come from corporate law JP rounded out the team with his Masters in Finance and specializes in Supply Chain, Vendor Management and Developing New Products.

Ana joined the team after attending a focus group and fell in love with tequila and is a huge advocate of tequila as part of Mexican culture and wants to share it with the world.

What Makes Margaret Cocktails Unique?
Cold Pressed Alcohol & Fruit (Food)! High Quality best in Class and world-best RTD

Difficulty
It's hard to find manufacturers & co-packers to cold press alcohol and fruit or "food" together in Mexico because the process requires two licenses for both alcohol and food. They found one in Monterey, but we lost them due to COVID.

Found one in Querétaro
The packaging cannot use cans or glass or the cold-pressed pressure would explode. So knowing their environmental concerns they developed a bioplastic made with agave fibers. They developed it with a company in Guadalajara. And will create a biodegradable one once sales support the cost.

JP discusses the bottle design and how the triangular formation is "Shaped after the spike of leaves of the agave". They wanted a modern and playful look. Margaret is Margarita in Spanish and they wanted to play with this character.

What they Sell
Single-serve cocktails at 12.5% alcohol by volume

Price:
$6.25 per bottle 8-pack bundle or
Combo Pack of 4 Lime & 4 Spicy Mezcal $53.99

Spicy Mezcal & Cucumber

• Mezcal Blanco (Espadín)Tlacolula de Matamoros in Oaxaca.
• Cold-pressed juices (Cucumber, Lime & Jalapeño)
• Agave Nectar

$7.25 per bottle 8-pack bundle or
Combo Pack of 4 Lime & 4 Spicy Mezcal: $53.99

Tequila & Lime (Sour just like it was intended in Mexico)

• Tequila Blanco (Atotonilco region)
• Cold-pressed Lime juice
• Agave Nectar

Mezcal can only be exported by bottle, not in bulk. So make sure you check that the bottle has a specific hologram to be authentic from Mexico.

Cold-pressed cocktails are one of the most innovative RTD processes in the

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏 Let's celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month!

I have learned more about bourbon in the first 20 minutes of Maggie's interview than I had in 20 years due to the extensive information Maggie knows about Louisville (Luhvul), KY & bourbon's extensive historical background.

She sprinkles more and more history throughout as well as her journey and how she became one of America's most respected bourbon writers.

Maggie has had an amazing year being named Spirits Writer of the Year at the Bourbon Women WOW Awards for 2024. Congratulations Maggie!

The original audio was published on May 31st, 2023. Now on YouTube!

📢I talk🎙️with Maggie Kimberl, content editor of American Whiskey Magazine and co-chair of the World Whiskies Awardsamong others. Maggie lives and is from Louisville, (Luhvul) Kentucky, and feels blessed to be right in the epicenter of the bourbon world. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁
Watch On YouTube!
https://youtu.be/O5SGciu9LEU

Words of Wisdom: Drink Responsibly and "If you Shoot it, You Only Get to Drink it Once!"

As past president of the Bourbon Women Association, she started a blog series called “Meet the Makers” in which she featured a different woman in the global brown-water industry.

She has and still does write and contribute as a freelance spirits journalist who focuses on whiskey culture in the United States. If there’s a whiskey fest going on in the US you can be rest assured, she will be there to write about all that you missed, so you don’t miss a beat.

One aspect I love about this interview is Maggie’s dream of being a travel writer came full circle for her as she writes a travel blog and writes about all the great opportunities there are for family fun in the Louisville metro area.

I’ve met a lot of people in our industry including bourbon distillers and aficionados alike but no one tops Maggie’s all-in approach to bourbon and her extensive knowledge and passion of all bourbons.

Natchez Trace Trail - Where Bourbon and Thoroughbreds Meet
https://www.nps.gov/natr/learn/historyculture/index.htm

You can reach Maggie on Twitter @LouGirl502

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏

📢I talk🎙️with Michael Bowen, Co-founder and COO, and Josh Jacobs, Co-founder and CEO of the Speakeasy Company.👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁
Watch On YouTube!
https://youtu.be/fJTmh_o8YJU

We discuss their journey in the alcohol industry and the evolution of their business model. They started with a craft cocktail subscription box and later pivoted to a platform that empowers brands to sell their products online as well as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform for specialty and high-end spirits.

Their key competency is to create unique experiences for consumers.

The company focuses on premium spirits but works with various brands large and small in and out of the industry. Despite the challenges and risks involved, both founders are grateful for the decision to go all-in and enjoy the journey.

Their current model empowers brands with additional consumer access to their products which in turn, provides data, a crucial component to brand owners in a new channel. They control the fulfillment process and warehousing. They also work with distributor partners in the market.

They tell us about the motivation behind starting their own business and the challenges they faced in the alcohol industry. We explore the process of building a prototype and getting feedback and how crucial that is when pivoting and evolving to find the unique need in the market.

They also highlight the importance of mentors and the support they received from Goat Rodeo Capital https://www.goatrodeocapital.com/. They emphasize the value of building a network of resources and collaborating with peers in the industry as well as building their Speakeasy Community.

Finally, they share their passions outside of work and the importance of spreading the word and educating others about their business.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏

Original Podcast Released July 28, 2023

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.🥂

📢I talk🎙️with Lorenzo Zonin, Owner and Winemaker of Podere San Cristoforo Winery located in Tuscany, and Jaume Bages, a farmer located in the Priorat in the Catalonia area of Spain. Lorenzo uses biodynamic farming for his winery of 17 hectares or 42 acres mostly planted with Petit Verdot. And yes, he is a cousin of the famous Zonin family. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

A wine tasting brought these two together and they started talking about their interest in aging wine differently, in water! With loads of research and testing, they have discovered the best results are when they place their hand-made 750ml terracotta amphoras 30 meters or nearly 100 feet in an open water marine park located in the Mediterranean Sea where Roman amphoras have been found.

Given Lorenzo’s knowledge and love for Petit Verdot, this is the only varietal they will use commercially for now. The wine embodies some Mediterranean Sea influence as the vineyards are by the sea. They age the wine in French Oak barrels for 10 months before each is hand filled and sealed which makes this product even more rare.

Using manual harvested grapes that are selected specifically for this project and fermented in steal tanks. It then ages in French oak barrels for 10 months. They then carefully and manually fill each amphora by hand before making the trip out to their resting place at sea.

They place 600 amphoras per year for 9 months at 10 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Their first vintage was in 2019 and they just put 2021 under the water this June. They would make more if they could, but their manufacturer cannot make more amphoras.

Each bottle sells for 240 Euros and comes in a wooden box with a ceramic stand to display it in your home or office. It also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

If you know anyone who wants to learn about this for their own winery or if anyone from a university is interested in getting data and really dig into what they are doing they are happy to work with you.

Lorenzo and Jaume are very innovative, curious, and they love to learn. I feel lucky to have spent time with them and I look forward to their progress and any new innovative adventures that await them.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.🥂

📢I talk🎙️with Robert Haynes of Apologue Liqueurs and Hoste Cocktails! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Robert discusses the challenges and rewards of being a bartender and the importance of understanding the preferences of each guest. Robert also highlights the mentors and resources that have influenced his career. He shares the pain points in packaging and branding and provides insights into the future of the industry.

These cocktails and liqueurs are some of the best I have ever had and please think of them this holiday season. #BestGiftsEver!

We taste two of their selections of Apologue Liqueurs
Tasting of Persimmon Negroni

• 1 oz - Persimmon liqueur
• 1 oz - Gin
• 1 oz - Sweet vermouth
• 1 dash - Orange Bitters

Tasting of Saffron Sidecar

• ½ oz - Saffron Liqueur
• 1½ oz - Cognac
• ½ oz - Lemon Juice
• ¼ oz - Simple Syrup

And two Drinks from their Hoste Cocktails

Gold Fashioned 4,000 bottles per year Vintage and different each year
Kentucky Bourbon 10 year and Indiana Rye 6 year

Bitters Blend

1. Afghan Saffron
2. Tahitian Vanilla
3. Ecuadorian Cacao
4. Seville, Spain Orange Peel
5. Gentian from the French Alps
6. Malawi sourced Demarara

Spritz
Valencia, Italy Blood & Naval Orange

The Martini

Boxes Designed by Shruthi at FODA Design Studio http://fodastudio.com/

Resources
Dale Degroff Craft of the Cocktail
The Bartender's Manifesto
Charles Baker Jigger Beaker Glass

Organoleptic
Engaging all the senses

Rumi Spice B Corp
https://www.rumispice.com/
Started by Vets who spent time in Afghanistan to give back to the Region
They are the largest employer of women in the region (2000 approx)

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏 Watch on YouTube!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.🥂

📢I talk🎙️with Tony Abou-Gamin one of the pioneering and leading bar professionals in the world.

First and foremost, Tony is a genuine person and loves his craft more than most I’ve met. He’s a sincere and generous person and loves to give back through organizations he’s created and is still a part of today.

His career started out by learning the tradition of classic cocktails and professional barmanship from his cousin Helen David at the Brass Rail Bar in Port Huron, Michigan.

He moved to NYC in the early 1990s and Dale DeGroff presented him with the first menu of drinks at Rainbow Room. This is where a handful of icons in our industry began their passion for making cocktails with original and fresh ingredients, igniting the fire behind the modern-day cocktail culture.

Tony has had an amazing career over the years since then and has been a part of several iconic places and TV shows including Starlight Room in San Francisco, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Levy Restaurants as well as several arenas such as the Western Conference champions Vegas Golden Knights hockey team. He’s also won three Iron Chef America competitions and won the Bacardi Martini World Grand Prix in 2002.

He has written books, created DVD’s and his own brand of bar tools designed specifically for the art of making the best cocktails. His expertise has given him the opportunity to be on national TV including TODAY and Good Morning America to name a few.

He was part of a team that created the TAG Global Spirits Awards, is a National Ambassador of the U.S. Bartenders Guild, www.usbg.org , and Associate Member of the Museum of the American Cocktail, www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org.

Tony’s love for making cocktails is infectious, and inspiring to all he meets. We make two cocktails on the podcast. The first is the Pisco Sour made with La Madrina Pisco Torontel from Peru. It was truly delicious. Our second cocktail is Tony’s signature drink, the Negroni, made with Campari his preferred Ford’s Gin, which was my first time ever which was pretty cool and a very memorable experience.

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏 Watch on YouTube! https://youtu.be/SeNY5qttuvI

In Honor of http://internationalbeerday.com/ !! Aug 2! 🍺 🍻

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.🥂

📢I talk🎙️with John Walker and Bill Shufelt with Athletic Brewing. Bill, who was living a busy life within the finance sector, and who also loved working out became tired of drinking alcohol with all the after-effects that come along with it. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

So, in 2014 Bill started asking questions as to what’s available for Non-Alcoholic beer, which he ended up missing the most of any other alcoholic option. Well, nothing existed out there, and it was a clear and open market to find their voice.

Fast forward to 2017, Bill put out an advertisement on ProBrewer describing his idea as the most innovative sector in craft brewing. John responded to the advertisement and the rest they say is history!

These two individuals came together at the right time to discover the science behind how they brew great-tasting beer without alcohol which was a feat to conquer. Once that came together their likeminded vision came together and they created the fastest growing and now the largest non-alcoholic brewery in the US. It was named Brewery of the Year at VinePair in 2022. Upside Dawn Golden was placed on domestic flights on JetBlue and launched Geralt’s Gold, which was Helles-inspired in collaboration with Netflix and The Witcher.

They are a small business with very creative ideas and names for their brews and their e-commerce platform offers a chance to taste new brews developed by their brewing teams in both San Diego and Connecticut.

Bill & John are true outdoorsmen and love many activities in nature. So much so, they donate 2% of all sales up to $2 Million to their “Two for the Trails Program” to rehabilitate and protect trails and parks for generations to come.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The world belongs to the energetic.”

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

Resources:
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.🥂

📢I talk🎙️with Claire Warner, Tales of the Cocktails Foundation, Member Board of Directors, and co-founder of Seedlip’ssister company, Æcorn, non-alcoholic aperitifs based on Sussex wine grapes and bitter botanicals. Yes, you guessed it. The ingredients do include bitterness from acorns. Both brands have since been sold to Diageo. 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Claire is now Head of Advocacy and Head of Luxury Advocacy for Diageo, in London, Great Britain.

Claire has always been a bartender at heart but was able to use her skills in the corporate world during her tenure at LVMH, mostly working on the Belvedere Vodka brand. She started out as a brand ambassador. She then became the Head of Spirit Creation and Mixology where she introduced 13 new expressions including the Single Estate Rye series which landed the “Vodka Producer of the Year” three years in a row by the International Spirit Challenge.

She’s a tireless advocate of better health for the bartending community as well as championing the low and no movement.

Claire is one of a kind in our industry and what she has done for our hardest workers is second to none. I have a lot of admiration for her and all that she has accomplished by promoting a healthy-centric approach to the bartender's life. She’s also a very insightful and giving person. I know you will all agree once you hear her story.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 👏

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.🥂

📢I talk🎙️with Caitlyn Lubell Founder and Chief Connection Officer & Jennifer Meacham, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of Booze Biz LLC. They are celebrating their 1 year anniversary! 👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏🥂 😁

Booze Biz is a recruiting agency that specializes in the beverage alcohol industry. They provide staffing solutions for wine, spirits, beer, and sake companies, as well as non-alcoholic and CBD beverage brands.

Caitlyn & Jennifer discuss their journey in the business and how companies should embrace their services and the work they put in behind the scenes to get them their ideal candidate. They stress the importance of their clients making time to interview candidates and stay on track to eliminate losing their best potential employees.

Caitlyn started out bartending and worked her way up in the industry, while Jennifer began in nonprofits before transitioning to the wine industry.

They both found their way to recruiting and decided to start Booze Biz in July 2023. Caitlin had the idea and reached out to Jennifer, and they quickly realized how much they complemented each other, with Caitlin focusing on clients and Jennifer on recruiting.

They also discuss the difficulties of inconsistent job titles and the need for recruiters to understand the nuances of different roles. They touch on the issue of being pigeonholed in a specific role and the challenges of transitioning between different roles and industries in particular the impact of reorganizations on stagnant career growth.

They also talk about the importance of building relationships with clients and candidates and the benefits of long-term partnerships. Having clients long-term is a win win for both sides in that both understand the culture and needs almost before their client does. Both also hope to follow candidates throughout their careers and help place them as they grow their skillset.

They emphasize the need for companies to focus on the candidates themselves rather than short-term results. Most companies agree that employees are the #1 importance but then they must take the time to schedule interviews in a timely manner to not lose the right candidate.

They set out to get a new hire placed in 3 to 6 weeks, vs the 6 month norm I've been hearing about.

They also introduced their Brand Cultivator Program, which aims to match startup companies with independent contractors who can help them enter the market. They highlight the need for more affordable options for startups to access sales support and the benefits of cross-exposure in a portfolio of complementary products.

Caitlyn and Jennifer, have extensive experience in the industry and are passionate about helping companies find the right talent. They offer services such as executive search, job board postings, and a brand cultivator program. Booze Biz is focused on building long-term partnerships with t

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

📢I talk🎙️with Lisa Leventhal, former Chief Fire Stoker at The House of Somrus. 🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂 😁

She has an incredible journey that started with her career at Disney right here in Orlando, FL. She shares her experience in the World of Mickey before branching out to Bloomin’ Brands and Darden Restaurantswhere she focused on operations and opened new restaurants all over the US.

She then transitioned to a smaller family-run company that had 20-30 various concepts and was the GM and Beverage Director for Balboa Caféin San Francisco. This is when she first tried The House of Somrus and put it on their cocktail menu. Little did she know she would one day work for them.

Realizing she needed a change from San Francisco where real estate is overly expensive she looked into Chicago where she could get a two-bedroom, two bath for less than she was paying in rent per month.

She worked for the Alinea Group where she met the owner of The House of Somrus in her office building. It was an instant connection and well, the rest is history!

Lisa is now the Chief Fire Stoker at The Kurvball Whiskey Company.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Chris Scott, Co-Owner of ThirtyFifty with his wife Jane Scott.

They started their wine 🍷venture in 2002 in London starting with wine tastings 😋 which grew into corporate events. By 2013, they became an Approved Program Provider for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. (WSET)

The name ThirtyFiftyrepresents the latitudes where wine is grown, between 30 and 50 degrees North and South of the equator. They recently were awarded the International Wine Challenge Consumer Educator of the Year in 2022 for the 3rd time. 🎇👏 🥂🍾

Not only do they teach the wine WSET classes they also have loads of content available to use to study 📖for your exam, whether you are in their class or elsewhere.

Their educational platform includes Study Packs, Flash Cards, 🎴and Sample Exam 📝 Questions which are very detailed and directed toward passing each level. Chris even has a podcast 🎙️ to learn even more.

I am personally thankful 🙏they have these materials available as I used them tirelessly while studying for my WSET Level 3 in wine in 2021. I passed both the tasting and written exam with merit. 👏🥂 I would not have passed this exam without these tools and I highly recommend them to anyone who's taking any level of WSET exams.

wine #winetastings #fnbinnovation

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📢I talk🎙️with Peter Iglesias, CEO, and Scott Savage, COO of Bespoken Spirits, a portfolio of brands made from the latest technology in aging and creating new flavors.
🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂 😁

These two are the perfect match for this venture and I cannot wait until you hear all the really amazing things they are doing at Bespoken Spirits. I wish them all the best and will continue to follow their journey over the coming years.

I couldn't ask for nicer gentlemen who are on cusp of something different and are inspirational in their journey and beyond. I hope you enjoy their interview as much as I did recording it.

YouTube Video
https://youtu.be/7FvWKMU4Bdo

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📢I talk🎙️with Susan Coss, Founder of Mezcalistas and North of the Border Adventures. Mezcalistas started as a blog and has become their media arm and number one resource for info on the world of mezcal and the expanding world of Mexican spirits. 🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂 😁

North of the Border Adventures is a media, events, and consulting company dedicated to promoting and celebrating the world of Mexican craft spirits and all things Mexican at their “Mexico in a Bottle” events in 6 cities across the US. Her team also hosts private events including virtual gatherings. They also consult on brand launches, business development, and events.

Susan has 30-plus years of marketing, communications, and event planning in the food, beverage retail, tech, financial and news sectors.

She became enamored by mezcal on a trip to Oaxaca. After meeting those who produce it in a careful and crafty way with less production, she was hooked on educating the industry and consumers to try and love mezcal. I’m uncertain of her impact on the popularity of mezcal, but since she’s been educating us in America for nearly 13 years, it puts her up against anyone teaching from the ground up.

Congratulations to you and your team Susan for a job well done! 🎇👏

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📢I talk🎙️with Frank Klein, CEO & Founder of Post Road Hospitality started in June 2023, which is a hospitality management firm and the parent company for a growing list of high-quality restaurant and beverage brands. These brands include FK Restaurants & Hospitality, Inc., Fairfields Rum of The Americas & Asian Box to name a few. 🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂 😁

Most recently, they announced the launch of Fairfields Rum of the Americas. Classic Dry White, Sherry Cask Finished Reserve. Zero sugar, Zero additives. 100% Taste. This is the (R)Evolution of Rum!

Frank has 35 years of experience advising start-up and growth-oriented restaurants, bars, nightclubs and hospitality venues. He specializes in creating a differentiated edge against competitors and making every effort count. He's very skilled at using creative solutions to propel businesses forward quicker than the industry standard.

His company mission revolves around the intersection of culinary art and exceptional service. As they focus on innovation in the hospitality industry, they've developed a portfolio of high-quality restaurant and beverage brands that champion sustainable operations and purpose-driven experiences. Their team excels in creating memorable moments for our guests, thanks to a strong foundation in prioritizing customer relationships and new business development.

StartingFairfields Rum of The Americas, he's cultivated a unique approach to beverage offerings that respects the terroir and embraces the diversity of our clientele.

Zero sugar, Zero additives.

This ethos is reflected in their silver rums and ready-to-drink beverages, which caters to a broad audience without compromising on quality. By prioritizing quality and transparency we're establishing high standards where every drinker feels valued and every sip tells a story.

He and his partners also founded Asian Box, a more healthful Vietnamese fast casual with brick-and-mortar locations, airports, museums, and food halls in California. Our food is sustainably sourced and we adhere to a never-ever policy on antibiotics and pesticides.

Instagram

rum #restaurants #fnbinnovation #thirstythursdays

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📢I talk🎙️with Nicolas Guillant, a Frenchman who spent his first 5 years in Cameroon, Africa, and grew up in Paris, France. I met Nicolas working together at Remy Cointreau, my first job in the beverage industry and his second. 🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂 😁

After graduating with his MBA he was hired by Seagram’s to assess the value of their champagne brands, which included Mummand Perrier Jouet. 🥂🍾 Once those brands were sold to Pernod Ricard, Nicolas found himself at Remy Cointreau in NYC and managed all the brands there except Remy Martin.

He jumped out of the biz with an amazing opportunity in Las Vegas working with Ceasars Holdings, Inc. on the Harrah’s brand. Missing the Supplier Beverage world, he started at William Grant & Sonsin marketing then ran their portfolio of business in both Canada and the Nordic countries totaling just over 7 years.

He then took leadership roles as President of the Americas forMarie Brizard Wine & Spirits Group 🍷and EVP at Gerard Bertrand Wines before taking the Global Chief Commercial Officer at Alexandrion Groupbased in Romania.

Nicolas has had a truly global leadership career working for some of the world's top brands and understands our US three-tiered system and the opportunities that remain.

I’m excited for Nicolas's next steps as he navigates these gaps in the market to create his own business.

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📢I talk🎙️with Sarah Feeney, Partner and Brand Developer, Kevin Beyer, Partner and Director of Marketing, and Founder and CEO Larry McGearty who soft-launched Sweet Gwendoline French Gin🍸in NYC in November 2021.🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂 😁
The Brand - $39.99 Sweet Gwendoline French Gin🍸
is sourced and distilled in the South of France and bottled in New Orleans. It is infused with botanicals 🌿🪴juniper, angelica seed, coriander, cardamom, sweet orange, 🍊lemon,🍋 lime, and finished with French white wine.

With a plethora of experience on the beverage alcohol side, this team was destined to create a unique and special brand. When you combine all their creative talents into one brand, you have a formula that's written for success.

They worked on brands from Suppliers such as Proximo, Casa Lumbre, Campari Group, and William Grant and Sons. They were part of the team that created and launched Sailor Jerry worldwide as well as worked on the global expansion of Hendrick's Gin.

The Intersection of Fashion and Fetish!The brand design is influenced by John Willey, a mid-century fetish illustrator known for creating the "Sweet Gwendoline" character, blending fetish and fashion. Willie founded Bizarre Magazine post-World War II, merging fashion and fetish, aligning with the gin's branding. His glamorous style depicted women in high heels, long gloves, sashes, and corsets.

Why a French Gin?
John Willey magazine showcases various erotic stories in which you can find various scenes within the bottle, so you have to find and buy them all! :) The best part is you have to look through the peephole on the back label to discover them!

Where to Purchase it?
Online in 32 states on their website and distribution in 19 States. They be branching out from NYC, Chicago, Las Vegas, and LA to Austin, Atlanta, etc... even in the UK!

Another partner on the brand is Dita Von Teese "Queen of Burlesque"
Has A Las Vegas Show at the Horseshoe Bringing back Old School Vegas
https://www.instagram.com/ditavonteese/

I loved sitting down with these amazing innovators and hearing about each of their journeys but the most rewarding piece for me is when Larry comments at the end of the podcast about how he learned a lot about his Sweet Gwendoline cohorts and that means a lot.

Congratulations on winning Gold in the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition!! 🎇 🎉🍾

Sweet Gwendoline Gin
Instagram
Facebook

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📢I talk🎙️with Pável Martínez, Sommelier 🍷 atHotel La Casa de la Playa by Grupo Xcaret in Playa del Carmen.🍷 . 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂

Pável has been in the restaurant 🍽️ business his whole career starting out as a Restaurant Supervisor at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in Riveria Maya. Here, he met his mentor and got the wine bug which he carried through the rest of his career. He then managed restaurants and continued his sommelier work along the way.

He also became a professor 🍎 teaching other wine 🍷enthusiasts 😃 for 10 years and passed Level 2 Wine & Spirits from WSET.

I received some great insight into the Mexican beverage market and where they stand on Low & No Alc. I’m excited to follow the new types of agave spirits as they become more accessible in the US and to follow the progress of their wines as more and more investment is put behind these endeavors.

I enjoyed talking to Pavel and learning about his journey throughout the beverage industry. I also really enjoyed learning about the Mexican beverage market and I know you will too!

#wine#sommelier#fnbinnovation

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📢I talk🎙️with Yanick Arakelov Co-Owner of Silk Road Wines 🍷 and Keaton Maddox, Director of Communications! They stop by and discuss Silk Road WInes and Yanick's journey from being born in the country of Georgia to opening Silk Road Wines in Orlando, FL. 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂

"Part 2" focuses on the History of the "Silk Road" and why it was important to name their winery after this important part of history. We also taste through 4 wines:

Yanick and his team created all their own brands and labels. They source from family wineries that are experts in the varietals they produce.

The Silk Road Wine name represents the "Silk Road" which was part of a network of trade routes that connected the world with goods including wine and many other goods.

Wines Tasted 🍷 😋 🎉
Manavi $14.99 Dry White from Kakheti
Khikhvi Qvevri $25.99 Amber 6 months in qvevri from Kakheti
Saperavi Reserve$45 Dry Red from Kakheti
Alazani$13.99 Semi-sweet red wine from Kakheti
https://silkroadwines.com/

Check out this amazing Wine Pairing Wheel that shows tasting notes of each wine and what varietal they most taste like that you know.

Georgia Winemaking
Winemaking tradition dating to 6000 BCE (8,000+ Years)
500+ Indigenous Grape Varietals
100,000 family wineries (2,400 produce commercially)
Kakheti Region is responsible for 95% of Georgia's output, eastern, mountainous
Ferment grapes on their skins in qvevri for years resulting in amber colored wine

• 60 Minutes's Segment on Georgian Winemakers 🍷
• New York Times feature on Silk Road Wines
• Wine-Searcher article on modern winemaking styles in Georgia featuring Yanick
• Blog on pairing Georgian wines with traditional holiday foods
• Blog on Modern Georgian winemaking
• Free Education Resource all about Wines of Georgia
• Konstantin BNOW ON YOUTUBE!!! Thank you for Listening! Join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! Or join the Food & Beverage Innovation FB Group!

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This week is all about agave spirits from Mexico in honor of Cinco de Mayo!
📢I talk🎙️with Shad Kvetko Co-Owner of Las Almas Rotas, which in the beginning, started with mezcal enthusiasts in the friend circle. 🎇 🎉 🍸✨ 👏

This conversation is about the love for agave spirits and how their amazing margarita (and cocktails because they truly are amazing) helped put their landmark spot in the record books. Shad has an unbelievable amount of knowledge on agave spirits made in Mexico. He's traveled there several times over several years and has this unwavering love for it.

The most memorable feeling you leave after having a conversation with Shad is his love, appreciation, and loyalty to brands that have family production and the purity of a blanco tequila, the puritan of all tequilas. He only has 2 or 3 NOM's in his inventory. Yes, it's really that important and the certified additive free is a real thing and it means so much to so many.

I love that they have dug their heals into frozen margaritas because we all know it's cheap tequilas with a lot, a lot, of sugar. Well, not here my friend. It's high-quality tequila in their amazing frozen margaritas. Just so you know, I'd never ever ask for a frozen margarita, mostly because of the sugar and the unknown ingredients.

Also, we discuss current events happening in the industry as well as the history and background of every agave spirit exported to the US.

Shad's knowledge blew Sam and I away and we've been in the industryour entire careers. I'd put Shad up against anyone who claims they know everything when it comes to agave spirits because if he didn't win the fight he'd be very, very close.

Please check out Shad's article on Arizona and it's agave spirits history**.

mezcal #LasAlmasRotas #fnbinnovation**

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Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST on 📽 YouTube! Subscribe and Watch Here! 😁💃https://www.youtube.com/ @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

📢I talk🎙️with Brian Rosen, Chairman of Growth Beveragewhich owns 4 entities helping innovative brands accelerate through funding, incubation, and points of distribution in 6 states. 🎇 🎉 🍸✨ 👏

Brian’s father was tuned into the Chicago market before prohibition and was awarded the first alcohol retail license after prohibition ended. These Rosen gentlemen learned and understood how to perfect retail and did so for decades and developed Sam’s over time. They encapsulated innovation as part of their growth strategy.

They knew if a customer stayed more than 17 minutes, they would add $100 to their cart. They also knew if they could get them to have a glass of wine or two with maybe a cheese plate, they would increase their margin and customers would stay for 38 minutes.

Brian, a highly educated individual, grew up running the largest, most innovative retail store in Chicago, and the biggest in the country. If you were to put Specs, Total Wine, and a wine bar together you would get a closer picture of the concept he and his brother and father built together. Yes, they were the precursor to your shopping experience as you know it today.

Brian then applied these skills to his passion for helping smaller innovative brands. The business has given him so much he wants to give back the 2nd half of his career.

His skilled team helps brands develop faster with capital, sales, and marketing at all the right times for optimum growth.

What Brian and his team are doing fits right in my wheelhouse and I look forward to watching their continued success.

1) BevStrat multimillion company and sold to MHW
2) InvestBev ($300 Million AUM private equity in bev alc) (5th fund)
3) Sprout Beverage - win $100k for your brand
4) Algoma Capital
($100 Mill separate fund distilleries and brand owners that need credit but do not give up equity)

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

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📢I talk🎙️with Yanick Arakelov Co-Owner of Silk Road Winesand Keaton Maddox, Director of Communications! They stop by and discuss Silk Road WInes and Yanick's journey from being born in the country of Georgia to opening Silk Road Wines in Orlando, FL. 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋🥂

60 Minutes's Segment on Georgian Winemakers

Born in Tbilisi the capital of Georgia, Yanick migrated to the United States and has served in our military and continues to serve today. In 2009, he joined the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army and has continued to serve via Florida Army National Guard, US Army Reserves and currently working part-time at the Defense Logistics Agency.

Yanick and his team created all their own brands and labels. They source the various varietals from family wineries that are experts in the varietals they produce.

The Silk Road Wine name represents the "Silk Road" that was part of a network of trade routes that connected the world with goods including wine and many other goods.

Georgia Winemaking
Winemaking tradition dating to 6000 BCE (8,000+ Years)
500+ Indigenous Grape Varietals
100,000 family wineries (2,400 produce commercially)
Kakheti Region is responsible for 95% of Georgia's output, eastern, mountainous
Ferment grapes on their skins in qvevri for years resulting in amber colored wine

• Georgian Wine Pairing Wheel
• New York Times feature on Silk Road Wines
• Wine-Searcher article on modern winemaking styles in Georgia featuring Yanick
• Blog on pairing Georgian wines with traditional holiday foods
• Blog on Modern Georgian winemaking
• Free Education Resource all about Wines of Georgia
• Konstantin Baum - Master of Wine Explains Georgian Wine

wine #GeorgianWines #fnbinnovation #thirstythursdays

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Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST on YouTube! Subscribe and Watch Here!
📽 Now on YouTube! 😁💃https://youtu.be/H0VYRwUPItE

📢I talk🎙️with Rick Hewitt Founder & CEO at Unicorn Distillery! They make a vodka and a tequila with butterfly pea flowers, which when poured is a deep beautiful purple color.

When mixed in cocktails with various ingredients the colors can change to purple and pink! We made three cocktails showcasing this effect, as well as, layering with ginger ale to show the layering effect of these fun spirits. 🎇 🎉 🍸✨ 👏

Rick discusses his journey of creating their unique vodka and tequila brands using butterfly pea flowers. The conversation covers the discovery of the flower, FDA approval, and the decision to focus on tequila and vodka. Rick shares his background in the craft beer and tech industries and the lessons he learned. The discussion also touches on the experience trend in the beverage industry and the distribution plans for Unicorn Distilling. The conversation concludes with a transition to the tasting portion of the episode. 😋🥂 🍻

Rick then shares his journey in the beverage industry and the challenges of building a brand. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on quality and pricing, as well as, building a minimum viable audience.

Rick Hewitt from Unicorn Distilling discusses the journey of creating their unique vodka and tequila brands using butterfly pea flower. The conversation covers the discovery of the flower, FDA approval, and the decision to focus on tequila and vodka. Rick shares his background in the craft beer and tech industries and the lessons he learned. The discussion also touches on the experience trend in the beverage industry and the distribution plans for Unicorn Distilling. The conversation concludes with a transition to the tasting portion of the episode.

Rick discusses the trends in the industry, such as the rise of RTDs and low/no alcohol options. He also highlights the value of mentors and resources in the industry. Outside of work, Rick enjoys hockey and boating. He shares his outlook for 2024, including plans to expand into new markets and attend industry events.

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

Unicorn Distillery started the year with an article in Forbes :

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanettehurt/2024/02/23/unicorn-distillery-delightfully-disrupts-the-vodka-tequila-categories/?sh=6e744fdb4530

Ending with a press release about our WSWA Gold Medal, San Diego & Scottsdale launches, and fleetwide expansion with Princess Cruises :

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unicorn-distillery-sets-sail-partnerships-133800824.html?guccounter=1

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Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST on YouTube! Subscribe and Watch Here!
Kelley Jones 📽 Now on YouTube! 😁💃https://youtu.be/H0VYRwUPItE

📢I talk🎙️with Kelley Jones Principal of Kelley Jones Hospitality, which focuses on F&B operations for on-premise venues, and President and CEO of Hospitality Alliance, a hospitality management, development, and consulting firm for the on-premise world from start to finish. 🎇 🎉 🍸✨ 👏

He started out at Pussers Rum 😋and helped grow and open several locations which was the precursor to his career in the restaurant business. He had just opened his 106th restaurant at our recording in September 2023! He then jumped over to China Grill Management for nearly 5 years as Director of Development and Operations.

He has many experiences in the on-premise world, including being President of Light Group, where he dipped his toe into nightlife establishments.🥂 🍻

Kelley is so engrained in the business and operations side that if I were to open a new concept, he’d be my first phone call. He’s buttoned up on every level from conception, to funding, and understanding the brick and motor development to operations. When it comes to cocktails on their menu, he lets the bartender create one for each spirit, but they must be made within 30 seconds. Wow! 😲

For those of you looking for advice on restaurant 🍽 management, you don’t want to miss this episode!

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

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Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST on YouTube! Subscribe and Watch Here!
📢I talk🎙️with Laura Becraft and Lauren Ward 🎇 Co-Founders of Brazen Imports & Consulting! 🎉 🍸✨ 👏

I feel honored they chose the Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST podcast to talk about their new venture for the first time from a media-based perspective.

We are a bit less formal with the opening so we are discussing what we are drinking as Laura has a delicious bloody mary made with The Original Pickle 🥒 Shotand then we just flow right into the conversation. I would love your feedback on your thoughts.

Laura and Lauren have a client called John KingCo-Founder & Owner of The Original Pickle 🥒 Shot. They refer to him throughout the episode so I wanted to make sure you are familiar with whom they are referencing. I interviewed John on November 9th, 2023. Or catch it on YouTube! 📽 🎉

Also super exciting is their announcement of their Brazen Trails Foundation on the Thirsty Thursdays podcast just in time for Women's International Day on March 8th! Check out their website for additional details! You could be selected to be the next candidate for their foundation. https://www.brazenimports.com/trails We talk about how they started their new venture and why they named it Brazen Imports & Consulting, as well as, many industry insights. They both have such a well-rounded experience and advise others to try as many different positions in our industry to maximize your potential and be ready for whichever may come your way!

These ladies have experience in every corner of our business and have so much to offer their clients. I'm very excited for these talented ladies and wish them both continued success.

Be sure to catch our Live Happy Hour celebrating women in our industry around the world on March 21st! Join our event posted on LinkedIn! You can call in and speak with us and celebrate 🍻 together with your favorite cocktail! 🥂 🍻

You also need to check out the way we ended the podcast. I've been wanting a fun catchy way to finish the episode and Laura suggested Rapid Fire Questions,❓so we did with great success. Please do not miss out on this part! It's super fun.

womenownedbusiness #beverageindustry #killingit #fnbinnovation

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📢I talk🎙️with Simon Ford 🎇 CoFounder ofFord's Gin 😋🍸✨ 👏

Happy 12th Birthday today, February, 29th, 2024!! Ford's Gin and I both turn 12! :)

Simon shares the story of how the gin was created, from the initial idea on a napkin to the final recipe. The journey took two and a half years of product development, testing different botanicals and refining the flavors. 😋🎉

The gin is a London Dry Gin 🍸that is designed to work well in mixed drinks and cocktails. The recipe includes nine botanicals, with juniper as the backbone and other ingredients like coriander, angelica, cassia, grapefruit, lemon,🍋 orange, 🍊jasmine flower, and oris. 😋 😀 😁🎇👏 🌿

The goal was to create a gin that could be a versatile and reliable choice for bartenders and consumers alike. In this part of the conversation, Simon discusses the process of creating the perfect gin recipe and the importance of taste and flavor.

He also shares his favorite cocktails to make with ginger gin and the impact of adding water to gin. Simon talks about the complexity of gin flavors and the rise of gin in the UK.🎇👏

Simon shares his journey from working in wine shops to discovering cocktail culture and transitioning to a marketing role in the spirits industry. He highlights the importance of mentors and inspirations in his career and the impact they have had on his professional growth.

Simon also discusses the pain points in the industry, such as the lack of support for hospitality workers, and the positive outlook for the future, including the evolution of hospitality and the increasing open-mindedness in the industry. He shares his passion for travel and experiencing different cultures, as well as his love for live music and living in Nashville, TN.

Brown Forman🥃 Acquired Ford's Gin in June 2019 through their purchase ofThe 86 Company.

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📢 Now Available on YouTube! 📽 Please see Jonathan Neff's recording 🎙 Podcast. If you haven't had a chance to listen yet, do it now! NanoTech turned gluten-free brewer!

📽YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ThirstyThursdays3PMEST
📻 Audio or any podcast app or platform.
https://thirstythursdaysat3pmest.buzzsprout.com/2105344/13747355-jonathan-neff-co-founder-managing-owner-of-neff-brewing-tulsa-ok

Previously Posted on November 2nd, 2023

📢 I’m speaking with Jonathan Neff Co-Founder, Managing Owner, and Master Brewer of NEFF Brewing located in Tulsa, OK.

Jonathan is a NANO – Technologist and research scientist turned Fermentation expert, due to his diagnosis of Celiac Disease*. If you have heard of it or know anyone with it, it’s an excruciating way of life if undiagnosed. But given that was back in 2012, not too many gluten-free brews existed then so he turned to home brewing.

Jonathan has a big brain for science at a micro level but his calling was brewing beer from the start. His first beer brewing contest wins were from regular beer he couldn’t even taste. How nano times a billion awesome is that?

In 2017, Jonathan founded Oklahoma’s first and only dedicated gluten-free brewery and pub and they opened a year later. I was in Tulsa last Fall for a few weeks and enjoyed every bit of eating fried chicken sandwiches and fried pickles with delicious pain-free beers. I do not have Celiac disease but I cannot eat gluten.

Jonathan is a very impressive and brilliant guy and I’m excited about his future expansion, selfishly because he may be making his way to Dallas soon. Yes, his beers are gluten-free but were brewed for the craft beer enthusiast as each bear is “Brewed for Everyone.”

Tune in next Thursday and have a great week!

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Hello 📢 Thirsty Thursdays Community!🎙Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST with Co-Hosts Jessie Ott &Samuel Anderson's Live Happy Hour! 😁 😍 🎇 🍻 🥂 "CBD" vs "THC" and the use of Adaptogens in the Beverage Industry! 🚀

We have Guests Thomas Angeland Leigh Gallon to talk about both of their CBD &THC brands: Altitude Beverages &Happi 😋 🤗 👏We talk about the landscape of this segment, how to navigate it, and why it's so important to the beverage industry.

CBD #THC #BeverageIndustry #innovation #fnbinnovation

Altitude BeveragesInstagramFacebookLinkedIn Twitter-X HappiInstagramFacebookLinkedIn

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Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST on YouTube! Subscribe and Watch Here!
📢I talk🎙️with Jason Vego🎇👏 CEO & Co-Founder of BEVZ, an inventory & delivery 🚚 app 📝 for independent convenience store 🏪 owners!😁🍻 🥐 🍕 🌭 🍿 🌯 🍩

📽 Watch a Quick Video!
My main focus at BEVZ is setting and executing the company strategy ✨and vision, 👀 building a strong culture, maintaining consistent and scalable company growth, and recruiting, retaining, and coaching a superstar ✨team.

In this leadership role, I helped grow the business by 506% YoY and raise over $4M in funding. On a day-to-day basis, I oversee strategy and planning, business operations, financial planning and analysis, company budget and spend, and analytics. Within this role, I also focus heavily on all things HR and legal, including onboarding, contract development, compensation and benefits, and employee career development.

I also own all fundraising efforts and investor relations, including pitch decks, one-pagers, and presentations. I'm also on the road (virtually and in-person) talking with and pitching current and future potential investors. 💲

Jason Vego
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jvego/

"I'm an entrepreneur and startup expert focused on building strong teams, fixing the toughest problems I can find, and growing early-stage companies. I specialize in startup operations and finance, growth marketing, team management, and culture building. I've spent time in big tech, nonprofits, and startups...but I really love startups."

✨ Investor Pitch: https://www.thepitch.show/120-bevz-a-tech-bro-walks-into-a-corner-store/

😁 😍 🎇 🍺🍻 🥂 🤗 👏🧡🍷🚀

PR Newswire articles Funding Great Start

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Intro to Max and Annoucing this is the First FOOD INNOVATION PODCAST!!!

I'm super excited to announce this is the first segment for Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST's FOOD INNOVATION! Very exciting so if you are or you know anyone that would be a great fit please be sure and let me know.

Check out Max's Spices Perfect for Your Super Bowl Feast!

Watch Max's Podcast on YouTube!

Catch Max, his mom Pam and I cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs!
Find Max on Instagram

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Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST
Subscribe On YouTube!
See our Updated KC Chiefs Cheer!

Food Innovation Segment Announcement and Intro to Max

Help Max, founder and entrepreneur, who happens to have Down syndrome, live an independent life by buying Max's three various spice mixes at www.themaxmix.com !!!

From The Max Mix Team
"Creating spice rubs as gifts for family and friends turned into a mission to live an independent life. Max is a young man with big passions and dreams who happens to have Down syndrome. In addition to wanting a fun and meaningful job he loves sports, music and earned a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do."

Master Chef Max's Dirty Dip Recipe
https://themaxmix.com/blogs/news/maxs-dirty-dip-recipe

Max's podcast is my first "Food Innovation" released during a "Special Segment" as part of the Thirsty Thursdays @ 3PM EST Podcast! And will be released on February 1, 2024,!

Shop now! and Follow Max on Instagram

TheMaxMix #Inspiration #DownSyndrome #triumph #founder #entrepreneur #independentliving #fnbinnovation

ThirstyThursdays #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurmindset #entrepreneurmotivation @entrepreneur #entrepreneurjourney @Youngentrepreneursforum #entrepreneurcommunity #inspiration @creatorinsider #instagood #inspirationalquotes #inspirationalvideo #inspirationalstory #inspirationalstories @Inspir #inspirationalstoriesofsuccess #inspirationalvideos #inspirationdaily #MaxMixAdventure @spicyycam @SpiceEats #SpiceUpYourLife #ChefMaxCrawford #SuperBowlCheer #SupportMaxMix #FoodInnovationPodcast #food #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #foodlover @PeopleVsFood @BestEverFoodReviewShow @VillageFoodChannelOfficial #foodblogger #2024 #MaxsDirtyDip #MaxMixJourney #SubscribeAndCelebrate #ThursdaysWithMax #SuperBowlSnacks #SpiceMixDelight #MaxMixCommunity #CheersToMax #MaxMixInspiration #downsyndrome #downsyndrom #downsyndromeawarenessmonth #downsyndromelove #downsyndromeawareness #chiefs #kansascitychiefs #kansascity #mahomes #kelce #kelcebrothers #kelceswift #patrickmahomes #traviskelce #traviskelcetaylorswift @NonAlcoholRider @KansasCityChiefs @hbtCH

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📢I talk🎙️with Karen Hertz 🎇👏 Chief Brewista and Founder at Holidaily Brewing Company;🍺100% gluten-free and the only certified 🍻 women-owned 👩 brewery in the US, distributed in Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Texas, and California. It is currently the largest gluten-free brewery. 🍻 😋

As a two-time cancer survivor, she had to give up many foods but she wasn’t ready to give up beer. 😋 Since nothing in the market hit her tastebuds😋 she opened her brewery 🍺 in February 2016. She was the 5th gluten-free brewery to open its doors.

In their Golden, CO location, the brewery has food trucks and at the Denver Tech Center, they share space with Just Be Kitchenwhich serversgluten-free items and beyond.

We tasted 4 beers 🍺on the podcast.

1) Favorite Blond Ale
2) Riva Stout
3) Fat Randy IPA (the name comes from Randy's Wipeout at Jackson Hole🎿)
4) Big Henry Hazy IPA

Resources
Craft Brewers Conference
Pink Boots Society - started by Terry FerindorfWBENC- Women's Business Enterprise National Council
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Traction EOS System (how you review people) Feeling Organized and Running your business

WebsiteOnline storeTwitterInstagramFacebookLinkedInYouTube **#Beer #GlutenFree #fnbInnovation

Articles*USA Todaycolorado biz*The Denver Post(24 Medals at World Beer Cup '23)

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Hello Thirsty Thursdays Community!🎙Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST with Co-Hosts Jessie Ott & Samuel Anderson will have our first Live Happy Hour! 😁 😍 🎇 🍻 🥂 "Orange Wine" or "Amber Wine"

We will discuss Orange & Amber Wine with Guests Andrew Nelson, of WarRoom Cellars& Keaton Maddox with Silk Road Wines,and Industry expert our favorite Brian Rosen with InvestBev! 🤗 👏

Wines Tasted
Bonny Doon Vineyard Le Cigare Volant
Silk Road Wines tastedKakheti Amber Sec & Khikhvi Qvevri

wine #innovation #fnbinnovation

The future is bright, Orange 🧡🍷🚀

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📢I talk🎙️with Meagen Anderson who has had a significant and transformative journey, both personally and professionally.

Her initiative in founding the AFicioNAdo Certification Program, focusing on Alcohol-Free and Non-Alcoholic (AFNA) beverages, reflects the growing demand for alternatives in the beverage industry.

Her involvement with🌿 Hop Forward Consulting, which specializes in sustainable business solutions in brewing, non-alcoholic beer, hops, hemp, and cannabis applications showcases a commitment to diverse and innovative areas within the industry.

The personal aspect of her journey, separating from alcohol and embracing a "journey to creativity and heightened consciousness," adds a unique dimension to her story.

Meagen's journey is a testament to adaptation, resilience, and innovation in an evolving industry. Her experiences could provide valuable insights for others navigating similar paths or looking to explore new opportunities within the beverage sector.

MentorsJim Koch, John Geist, Leigh Gall, Grant Wood, Dr Bill Simpson, Dr Keith Villa, his wife Jodi, and daughter Catherine, Lisa Hurwitz and Joe Reynolds

ResourcesThis Naked Mind by Annie Grace, Good Beer Hunting, One Year No Beer,
Transcendental Meditation, Enneagram

MeditationJourney #AlcoholFreeLife #CreativityUnleashed

zeroproof #moderationmovement #fnbinnovation

YT @ThirstyThursdays3PMEST

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Hello everyone and Happy New Year! In my last podcast release, I spoke about the changes in 2024.

The first episode is considered a "Special Weekly Release". I spent time with experts in our industry in a roundtable format. They each chose a question to share with startup brand owners such as the CEOs and brand owners I have interviewed throughout the year.

We are all big supporters and want to help see new brands succeed. These panelists are the experts, and each has some great advice as we start the new year.

The Panelists & their Questions are:

Brian Rosen, Chairman of Growth Beverage #1. Did you, your team, or even the beverage industry overcome any significant challenges this year? It could be supply chain related, packaging, etc...

Gary Schneidkraut, VP of Business Development, Wine + Spirits of Protis Global#2. Did you have any key revelations that arose from your 2023 company reflections?

Matt Giese, COO of Funny Water#3. Were there any unexpected developments that diverged from what you thought were your anticipated outcomes?

Taylor Foxman, Founder and CEO of The Industry Collective#4. What valuable insight did you gain in 2023, and how can it inform and benefit your strategies in 2024?

Ben Salisbury, President & Founder, of Salisbury Creative Group, & Wine Sales Stimulator#5. What does the adult beverage industry need to stop doing immediately, in your opinion?

Ben Salisbury's Advice:
Read Books to Understand How Products are Sold & How People Buy
Daniel Pink How to Sell is Human
Donald Miller Building a Story Brand Audible Book

Get ready as we jump right into the questions.

StartUp #fnbinnovation

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Happy Holidays & Find out All the Updates for Thirsty Thursdays in 2024! Thank you all for making 2023 an amazing year!

Lots of great updates to look forward to in 2024!

Watch on YouTube! @ThirstyThursdays3PMEST

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Sam Anderson, Jessie Ott, and Heather Ransom discuss the growing importance of the No & Lo space in the beverage industry.

We explore the shift in consumer attitudes towards mindful drinking and the rise of initiatives like Dry January. The conversation highlights the need for hospitality venues and big brands to respond to this sea change and provide inclusive options for non-drinkers.

We also discuss the potential threat from big soda companies entering the No & Lo market. They emphasize the importance of creating experiences and differentiating craft beer to stay relevant in a crowded market.
Overall, the conversation explores the opportunities and challenges in the evolving beverage industry. The conversation explores various aspects of the No & Lo (No and Low Alcohol) movement and its impact on the wine industry. It delves into the future of wine, the challenges of creating non-alcoholic red wine, and the changing experience of drinking.

The conversation also discusses the need for restaurants to adapt to customer preferences and the rise of THC cocktails. Additionally, it highlights the competition from cannabis companies and the importance of building a network and community in the startup world. The conversation concludes with reflections on the personal journey and wishes for the new year.

January 11th, 2024 Happy Hour Happy for All Crawl!

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This week, I’m speaking with Mary Collineau & Bryce Wiatrak at Vinalia Wine. This dynamic duo is creating one of the coolest businesses in the industry. I’m hooked.

Mary, a financier turned wine lover, and Bryce, a wine writer, met in grad school and decided to take the entrepreneurial road with their love of wines from all corners of the world.

They meet the most interesting people at these wineries through existing contacts or travel there themselves, which is amazing. They find exceptional value wines we do not normally have access to, all for great prices. The most expensive wine is $35!

We tasted three wines on the Podcast that knocked it out of the park both in the flavor profile and the stories behind them, making each one of them special.

Please visit vinaliawine.com and check out these amazing deals you cannot get anywhere else in our industry. If you are looking for a wine club to blow your mind, look no further. Mary and Bryce have done it like no other.

Wines tasted on the Podcast:

Vinalia x Tóth Ferenc, Egri Bikavér Selection DRINK IF YOU LIKE: Syrah, Châuteauneuf-du-Pape, Merlot, Bordeaux

Vinalia x Domaine Poiron-Dabin, Berligou, France, 2019 $32
DRINK IF YOU LIKE: Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Valpolicella, Bierzo

Vinalia x Marof, Belo, Slovienia, 2018 $34 DRINK IF YOU LIKE: Chardonnay, California Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

Tune in next Thursday and have a great week!

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I’m speaking with Todd Bellomy Founder & Brewer at Farthest Star Sake based in Medfield, MA located in the Boston area.

Todd has spent a great deal of time in Japan where his love for sake began. He was a sword-making apprentice turned intern at Asahi Shuzo Sake Brewing Company before working for Boston Beer Company for 8 years.

He then jumped over to sake again in 2014 and has never looked back. He now owns a warehouse where he brews two types of sake and serves them at the taproom.

In A Strange Land their flagship Junmai sake is made with Yamada Nishki rice grown by Isbell Farms in Arkansas. It has fruit flavors and a peppery, medium-dry finish.

Mountains On The Moon their flagship nigori or unfiltered sake is made from the same rice and is fruity and sweet with clean acidity.

I love learning about SAKE and the new world of sake brewers outside of Japan and Todd, well, he knows many of them. I’ll be leaning in on sake next year and look forward to building my relationship with Todd and beyond.

Kanpai!

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I’m speaking🎙️ with Deborah Brenner, Social Entrepreneur - Founder & CEO, Women of the Vine & Spirits and Diverse Powered Brands.

Deborah spent 20 years in TV and technology and on a trip to Napa and Sonoma she became enamored with the women winemakers excelling in a male-dominated field. She was so taken by their stories she wrote a book about them called “Women of the Vine: Inside the World of Women Who Make, Taste and Enjoy Wine”, which Wine Spectator named a Critical Read.

Little did she know it would become the precursor to the two organizations she has today.

To further foster education and increase pathways for more women to enter or excel in the industry, Deborah launched the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation 501(c)3 in 2017 to great success industry-wide.

Launched in April of 2023 at Access Live, Diverse Powered Brands is the premier centralized B2B global marketplace connecting diverse-owned, diverse-led, and diverse-made brands to buyers, wholesalers, and supplier diversity managers across the beverage alcohol and hospitality industry.

I’m so thankful for Deborah’s contribution to women and now her DEI initiatives for our industry. What one person in a room can do for so many people is amazing.

Questions we didn't get to in the Podcast:
What is your outlook for the industry in 2024?
Outlook for Diverse Powered Brands, greater B2B interaction

1. Gartner predicts that 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur through digital channels by 2025, making digital product catalogs necessary to deliver the digital options buyers demand.
2. Continued emphasis on socially conscious consumerism
   • In 2021, 58% of American consumers considered themselves socially conscious consumers. I expect this number to grow.

Passions Outside of Work?
My husband and I love to sail. We spend the summers out on the Long Island Sound exploring the Northeast. I am a science geek, and I love to read non-fiction.

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I’m speaking 🎙️ with Andrew Nelson, Managing Partner of WarRoom Cellars. 🍷 We had a blast on this podcast. We talk about big business ideas and strategies but have fun with storytelling, a couple of jokes, and even a funny tall tale. We tasted four amazing, I mean amazing, wines!

He is from Ojai, CA and his background is deep in the viticulture side of the business before he started WarRoom Cellars, he worked for Diageo as a Vineyard Manager as well as procurement and sourcing grapes through his Grower Relations Manager role.

He started WarRoom Cellars to acquire declining legacy wine brands that may need a little attention or rebranding and turn them around for growth. WarRoom has a unique, repeatable, and proven process to revitalize and restore heritage wine brands.

Their slogan is "All For Wine. Wine For All".

Andrew is all in on Bonny Doon’s Le Cigar Orange Wine, which he is up for sending out samples to taste. You can reach him at Andrew@WarRoomCellars.com.

Trends/Predictions
Orange Wine (the future is bright, orange!)
Chillable Red wine (you keep in the fridge) Beaujolais style
Chenin Blanc
Cabernet Franc

Wines Tasted
1) #Bonny Doon Orange Wine $15 (Andrew@WarRoomCellars.com for a free sample)
2) #Skyfall Merlot #WashingtonStateMerlot $17-$19
3) #Lapis Lunas Wines Cabernet Franc $18-$19
50% from Lake County #David Rosenthal's Vineyard! He was on the podcast earlier this year! Listen here!25% Napa, 25% Paso & Lodi
4) #The Big Red Monster Paso Robles

Unique Work Experience
In Greece making #Retsina Pine Sap in White Wine (made for 2,000 yrs)
Worked with Dimitris Georgas and loved it

Started WarRoom Cellars 1.2.2018
The first brand Acquired was Lapis Luna Wines WarRoomCellars Brands#BonnyDoonVineyard#ToadHollowVineyards#EppaOrganicSangria #Ruta22

HallmarkChannelWines #WildlifeWineClub

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I’m speaking with Heather Ransome, Founder and CEO of Zero Proof Go, an online directory and website dedicated to connecting people and venues with nonalcoholic options available to order.

Heather is an industry veteran of the restaurant industry and has loved it since starting as a waitress and moved up throughout all levels of the industry including owning her own restaurant and bar of 20 years, which she sold this year.

She’s very active in representing restaurant owners and operators by being present in city and state-level organizations that assist them. She’s Chapter President of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association and contributes to the Workforce Development and Membership Committees at the state level.

Heather is also a consultant and restaurant tech leader and has honed in on those skills with her passion for nonalcoholic beverages to be considered in all establishments. It’s imperative to have inclusion of all people, without any judgement or stigma into the reasons one would ask for one. Everyone should feel comfortable and included as they spend time at their local restaurant.

You may see nonalc options on a menu in your local restaurant or see an item in your favorite retail store; however, there are many more hills to climb. With the countrywide local efforts of Heather and her team at Zero Proof Go, I’m certain the message of profits and inclusion will be a part of an everyday discussion for all very soon.

Mark your calendars now, as Zero Proof Go is sponsoring a “Happy Hour Happy for All Crawl” on January, 11th, 2024. As a consumer or retailer, you can join the fun in cities around the country! Participating venues will have specialty nonalcoholic drinks and cocktails for all to enjoy.

For more information, please visit zeroproofgo.com/hhh4all/

Recommended Books
The Creative Act by Rick Ruben
The Naken Mind by Annie Grace

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

Tune in next Thursday and have a great week!

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I’m speaking 🎙️with Stephanie Houston, President and Co-founder, of Island Getaway Rum, 🥃 which are Island 🏖 Inspired and Texas Made down in Dripping Springs, TX.

Stephanie’s family came from the Canary Islands 🏖 by way of Mexico to Texas over 100-plus years ago. She’s the first Latina rum producer in the state of Texas and beyond. We discuss how to ask for help as you embark on any new adventure and in her case how they jump into brand building and distribution as a new brand picked up from RNDC Texas by way of LibDib! Congratulations team! 👏 Woohoo!!! 🎇

She’s built and sold businesses as big as nearly 700 people and owned and run a music 🎶 venue to help revive Deep Ellum, in Dallas, TX. She then moved to Austin to recharge and think about her new venture. Soon after, she found her place as an owner with Island Getaway Rums, and she never looked back.

Stephanie is a strong 💪 entrepreneur, dedicated to not only her brand but also an activist in celebrating 🎇 and lifting up other women and Latina-owned companies. She truly believes when you help one grow you help them all rise up together.

The rums 🍹are extremely high quality. The liquid is packaged in beautiful bottles and the branding and labels are fun and remind you to relax and enjoy great cocktails by the beach. 🍹 🏖 For the price, it's one of if not the best deal in the market.

Do not miss this opportunity to try these rums or invest in one of the best products and certainly the best rums in the world. 🌎

entrepreneur #rum #startup

fnbinnovation

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This week, I’m speaking 🎙️with Kate Dingwall, a Canadian from Toronto, a very successful freelance writer ✍ who has written for Forbes.com, The Toronto Star, Maxim, Serious Eats, 🍽 Elle, Liquor.com, Wine Enthusiast, 📔 and more.

Like all entrepreneurs, Kate started out doing what we all do: hustle, email, call, and partner with those in the industry who see the potential we know is there to offer to many. Kate knew she wanted to learn the business side of our industry, so she received her Master's Degree in Luxury Brand Management from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and learned all about luxury goods, fashion, wine, 🍷 and spirits, 🍸 which has helped her immensely in her writing ✍ career.

She has a unique lens into the world through her younger sister and how they view the world growing up in the midst of climate change. 🌎 This generation is putting more money🤑 and thought 🤔 into the brands they choose as the environment is vital to them. They, as we know, are drinking less and looking for alternatives as they strive for a healthy lifestyle. 🏃‍♀️ 🏊‍♂️ 🏋‍♀️ 🚴‍♂️

A couple of facts about Gen Z

1. Ratings are not important (move over Robert Parker) who's next?
2. Despite what Silicon Valley Bank's report says Gen Z's are drinking wine
3. Buy by company values and interest in the environment, over ratings & price
4. Finding gems in all corners of the world due to high quality to price ratio
5. Currently get recommendations from friends

Who is or will be the future wine leader of GenZ?

Kate is a world 🌎traveler and has been to amazing places like Armenia and most recently a trip to Japan to report on shochu.

We also talk about the Low & No movement happening in Canada and her favorite brands in the segment.

Kate has a lot of great insight and thought behind the future of our industry. This is one you do not want to miss!

entrepreneur #wine #writer #traveller

fnbinnovation

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This week I'm speaking with John King Co-Founder & Owner of The Original Pickle 🥒 Shot. John’s journey started out as an athlete, coach, and fitness guru. He was in the right place at the right time and is now a very successful entrepreneur and beverage innovator.

Originally from Pennsylvania, he moved to Ocean City, MD upon graduating college and found his way into the restaurant industry, leading him to this venture.

It all started with the popularity of pickle 🥒 shots at Pickle’s Pub 20 years ago. John and the team say it was invented before the pickleback, a whisky shot followed by pickle juice. These innovative pickle shots were so popular, that staff recruited leftover pickle juice from restaurants around town in Ocean City, MD. By popular, I mean making 100,000 pickle shots a year by themselves at the bar! Crazy!

Realizing they had an opportunity, they packaged their first run in 2018 and sold it in Ocean City, MD, and are currently in 24 states, not including Texas or California, which could mean a ton of volume for this brand.

John and his team have created such a demand from this brand, that expansion is currently on hold while they ramp up for additional production in 2024. As an outsider to our industry John had to learn the business from the ground up, no easy task but his endurance, determination, and vision of this tasty delight have paid off tremendously.

With his strong partnership with Brazen Imports with the best of the best industry veterans Laura Becraft and Lauren Ward, there is no limit to what this brand will do. This is certainly a brand to watch in 2024.

National Pickle Day is November 14th!
The Big Dill- World's Largest Pickle Party Nov 11th and 12th Click here for TICKETS
at Power Plant Livein Baltimore, MD

Mentors:
Hoop Tea owner Danny Robinson
Carbliss RTDowner Adam Kroner

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I’m speaking with Jonathan Neff Co-Founder, Managing Owner and Master Brewer of NEFF Brewing located in Tulsa, OK.

Jonathan is a NANO – Technologist and research scientist turned Fermentation expert, in part due to his diagnosis of Celiac Disease*. If you have heard of it or know anyone with it, it’s a very painful way of life if undiagnosed. But given that was back in 2012, not too many gluten-free brews existed then so he turned to home brewing.

Jonathan has a big brain for science at a micro level but his calling was brewing beer from the start. His first beer brewing contest wins were from regular beer he couldn’t even taste. How nano times a billion awesome is that?

In 2017, Jonathan founded Oklahoma’s first and only dedicated gluten-free brewery and pub and they opened a year later. I was in Tulsa last Fall for a few weeks and enjoyed every bit of eating fried chicken sandwiches and fried pickles with delicious pain-free beers. I do not have Celiac disease but I cannot eat gluten.

Jonathan is a very impressive and brilliant guy and I’m excited about his future expansion, selfishly because he may be making his way to Dallas soon. Yes, his beers are gluten-free but were brewed for the craft beer enthusiast as each bear is “Brewed for Everyone.”

Tune in next Thursday and have a great week!

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This week, I’m speaking 🎙️ with Josh Sapienza, my first food and beverage Tech company! Whoohoo! Look out everybody Thirsty Thursdays @ 3PM EST is branching out! The segment is called Tech Bites!

Josh, has a varied and vast experience of 30-plus years in the restaurant industry. From managing restaurants to finding the perfect location via real estate to all types of consulting from concept to expansion.

Josh jumped feet-first into the tech world a few years ago and is leveraging AI to revolutionize restaurant ratings and reviews. His app uses AI to match people with restaurants based on their personal taste profile.

Your restaurant list and ratings are private on the platform but you can share lists of restaurants you make with the Spotify-like list maker. You can also share lists others have created. For example, if you were planning a trip to another city you can download or follow someone else's list of favorite restaurants in that city with similar taste preferences and find restaurants perfect for you.

It has been described as a "dating app for your mouth". Josh’s team has revolutionized a new “private” way to rate your favorite restaurants in cities all around the world. It’s designed to support independent restaurants and the diverse communities they serve by democratizing great restaurant recommendations.

You’re going to love this app and I encourage you to try it right now. Head to www.trycourseapp.com and start making your own AI restaurant-generated list.

innovation #technology #startups #restaurant #fnbinnovation

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This week, I’m speaking with Susan Coss, Founder of Mezcalistas and North of the Border Adventures. Mezcalistas started as a blog and has become their media arm and number one resource for info on the world of mezcal and the expanding world of Mexican spirits.

North of the Border Adventures is a media, events, and consulting company dedicated to promoting and celebrating the world of Mexican craft spirits and all things Mexican at their “Mexico in a Bottle” events in 6 cities across the US. Her team also hosts private events including virtual gatherings. They also consult on brand launches, business development, and events.

Susan has 30-plus years of marketing, communications, and event planning in the food, beverage retail, tech, financial and news sectors.

She became enamored by mezcal on a trip to Oaxaca. After meeting those who produce it in a careful and crafty way with less production, she was hooked on educating the industry and consumers to try and love mezcal. I’m uncertain of her impact on the popularity of mezcal, but since she’s been educating us in America for nearly 13 years, it puts her up against anyone teaching from the ground up.

Congratulations to you and your team Susan for a job well done! 🎇👏

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking 🎙️ Brian Rosen, Chairman of Growth Beverage which owns 4 entities helping innovative brands accelerate through funding, incubation, and points of distribution in 6 states.

Brian’s father was tuned into the Chicago market before prohibition and was awarded the first alcohol retail license after prohibition ended. These Rosen gentlemen learned and understood how to perfect retail and did so for decades and developed Sam’s over time. They encapsulated innovation as part of their growth strategy.

They knew if a customer stayed more than 17 minutes, they would add $100 to their cart. They also knew if they could get them to have a glass of wine or two with maybe a cheese plate, they would increase their margin and customers would stay for 38 minutes.

Brian, a highly educated individual, grew up running the largest, most innovative retail store in Chicago, the biggest in the country. If you were to put Specs, Total Wine, and a wine bar together you would get a closer picture of the concept he his brother and father built together. Yes, they were the precursor to your shopping experience as you know it today.

Brian then applied these skills to his passion for helping smaller innovative brands. The business has given him so much he wants to give back the 2nd half of his career.

His skilled team helps brands develop faster with capital, sales, and marketing at all the right times for optimum growth.

What Brian and his team are doing fits right in my wheelhouse and I look forward to watching their continued success.

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! 😋 My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast 🎙️ which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture 🌾 🍇 to Glass. 🍷🍻 🍸

This week, I’m speaking with Ben Berman, Co-Founder and CEO of Tomorrow Farms. Ben, born and raised in Portland, Maine, has always been a food 🥘entrepreneur.

In middle school, 🎒 he convinced his high school to pay him $2,500 a year to recruit chefs to cook meals once a month at his high school. At 18, he started Mainely Burgers and ended up with three trucks and 16 employees, which landed his first celebrity appearance on The Food Network.

Ben shifted to consulting at Deloitte where he learned valuable insight into various business models before attending Wharton where he received his MBA. It happened during COVID and Ben turned to his roots and started Good Pizza and gave away 20 pizzas a week for 9 months and raised $100k which he donated to a culinary training program for low- and no-income individuals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was so popular he hit the media circuit again.

Instead of returning to consulting, he decided to look to the future of food with Tomorrow Farms. Their first project, Bored Cow, 🐄 is a dairy alternative to milk 🥛. It’s the world’s first fermentation-derived dairy milk. 👩‍🔬

They are feeding the DNA sequence 🔬 of cow’s milk to yeast, to microflora and letting the microflora ferment like beer. 🍺 The result of this process is identical to dairy but animal-free, lactose-free, and 97% fewer carbon emissions. It’s not a new process as it has been used to make insulin for a long time.

Given the constraints on land and the growing number of people on the planet, he wants to use technology to make dairy and beef in healthier, more efficient ways. There is more to come from Ben’s team, and I look forward to what’s next.

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This week, I’m speaking with Kelley Jones Principal of Kelley Jones Hospitality, which focuses on F&B operations for on-premise venues, and President and CEO of Hospitality Alliance, a hospitality management, development, and consulting firm for the on-premise world from start to finish.

He started out at Pussers Rum and helped grow and open several locations which was the precursor to his career in the restaurant business. He had just opened his 106th restaurant at our recording in September 2023! He then jumped over to China Grill Management for nearly 5 years as Director of Development and Operations.

He has many experiences in the on-premise world, including being President of Light Group, where he dipped his toe into nightlife establishments.

Kelley is so engrained in the business and operations side that if I were to open a new concept, he’d be my first phone call. He’s buttoned up on every level from conception, to funding, and understanding the brick and motor development to operations. When it comes to cocktails on their menu, he lets the bartender create one for each spirit, but they must be made within 30 seconds. Wow!

Those of you looking for advice on restaurant management, you don’t want to miss this episode!

Thank you for listening and be sure to subscribe to be notified of all new episodes!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Pável Martínez, Sommelier 🍷 atHotel La Casa de la Playa by Grupo Xcaret in Playa del Carmen.

Pável has been in the restaurant 🍽️ business his whole career starting out as a Restaurant Supervisor at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in Riveria Maya. Here he met his mentor and got the wine bug which he carried through the rest of his career. He then managed restaurants and continued his sommelier work along the way.

He also became a professor 🍎 teaching other wine 🍷enthusiasts 😃 for 10 years and has his Level 2 Wine & Spirits from WSET.

I received some great insight into the Mexican beverage market and where they stand on Low & No Alc. I’m excited to follow the new types of agave spirits as they become more accessible in the US and to follow the progress of their wines as more and more investment is put behind these endeavors.

I enjoyed talking to Pavel and learning about his journey throughout the beverage industry. I also really enjoyed learning about the Mexican beverage market and I know you will too!

#wine#sommelier#fnbinnovation

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass. 😁

This week, I’m speaking withNicolas Guillant, a Frenchman who spent his first 5 years in Cameroon, Africa, and grew up in Paris, France. I met Nicolas working together at Remy Cointreau, my first job in the beverage industry and his second.

After graduating with his MBA he was hired by Seagram’s to assess the value of their champagne brands which included Mummand Perrier Jouet. 🥂🍾 Once those brands were sold to Pernod Ricard, Nicolas found himself at Remy Cointreau in NYC and managed all the brands there except Remy Martin.

He jumped out of the biz with an amazing opportunity in Las Vegas working with Ceasars Holdings, Inc. on the Harrah’s brand. Missing the beverage world, he started at William Grant & Sonsin marketing but ran their portfolio of business in both Canada and the Nordic countries totaling just over 7 years.

He then took leadership roles as President of the Americas forMarie Brizard Wine & Spirits Group 🍷and EVP at Gerard Bertrand Wines before taking the Global Chief Commercial Officer at Alexandrion Groupbased in Romania.

Nicolas has had a truly global leadership career working for some of the world's top brands and understands our US three-tiered system and the opportunities that remain.

I’m excited for Nicolas's next steps as he navigates these gaps in the market to create his own business.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Chris Scott of ThirtyFiftyfor part two of our podcast. We get into AI, and deep dive into being a student of WSET exams as well as how to become an Approved Program Provider to teach the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. (WSET) level classes🍷

We also discuss the loads of materialshe has created for his students of ThirtyFifty available online. He has fine-tuned this process so much that they know how many hours you need to study 📖 in order to pass or they pay for the next exam!📝

We swing into low and no and I discovered the UK and EU do not classify a non-alc wine as a wine at all. It’s named by the varietal. This allows more freedom to use various ingredients to replace “the hole” left when the alcohol is removed. He isn’t too keen on the quality now but is excited to see what happens in the next year or so.

We had so much fun on this podcast that we have great content for you two weeks in a row! 🎇👏 🥂🍾

Thank you Chris! 🙏I learned a lot and had a blast speaking with you.

wine #winetastings 😋#fnbinnovation

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with John Walker and Bill Shufelt with Athletic Brewing. Bill, who was living a busy life within the finance sector, who also loved working out became tired of drinking alcohol with all the after affects that come along with it.

So, in 2014 he started asking questions as to what’s available for Non-Alcoholic beer, which he ended up missing the most of any other alcoholic option. Well, nothing existed out there and was a clear and open market to find their voice.

Fast forward to 2017, Bill put out an advertisement on ProBrewer describing his idea as the most innovative sector in craft brewing. John responded to the advertisement and the rest they say is history!

These two individuals came together at the right time to discover the science behind how they brew great-tasting beer without alcohol which was a feat to conquer. Once that came together their likeminded vision came together and they created the fastest growing and now the largest non-alcoholic brewery in the US. It was named brewery of the year at VinePair in 2022. Upside Dawn Golden was placed on domestic flights on JetBlue as well as launching Geralt’s Gold, which was Helles inspired in a collaboration with Netflix and The Witcher.

They are a small business with very creative ideas and names for their brews and their e-commerce platform offers a chance to taste new brews developed by their brewing teams in both San Diego and Connecticut.

Bill & John are true outdoorsmen and love many activities in nature. So much so, they donate 2% of all sales up to $2 Million to their “Two for the Trails Program” to rehabilitate and protect trails and parks for generations to come.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The world belongs to the energetic.”

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Resources:
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

I’m speaking with Claire Warner, Tales of the Cocktails Foundation, Member Board of Directors, and co-founder of Seedlip’ssister company, Æcorn, non-alcoholic aperitifs based on Sussex wine grapes and bitter botanicals. Yes, you guessed it. The ingredients do include bitterness from acorns. Both brands have since been sold to Diageo.

Claire has always been a bartender at heart but was able to use her skills in the corporate world during her tenure at LVMH, mostly working on the Belvedere Vodka brand. She started out as a brand ambassador. She then became the Head of Spirit Creation and Mixology where she introduced 13 new expressions including the Single Estate Rye series which landed the “Vodka Producer of the Year” three years in a row by the International Spirit Challenge.

She’s a tireless advocate of better health for the bartending community as well as championing the low and no movement.

Claire is one of a kind in our industry and what she has done for our hardest workers is second to none. I have a lot of admiration for her and all that she has accomplished by promoting a healthy-centric approach to the bartender's life. She’s also a very insightful and giving person. I know you will all agree once you hear her story.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with John Glaser, founder and owner of Compass Box Scotch Whisky. He's a Midwesterner and a Scotch Whisky innovator, who originally wanted a career in wine. He started out in retail and worked a harvest season in France before moving on to get his MBA instead of UC Davis to pursue winemaking.

Life took a turn as his first job after was with Johnnie Walker Red Label, an opportunity which turned out to be one of a lifetime. He eventually moved to England to join the blending team, which is where he saw the gap in new blending ideas pushing the Scotch Whisky industries boundaries.

He wanted to make the highest quality most interesting whiskys possible by thinking differently about cask maturation and blending. For example, using 100% grain whisky no one was doing at the time. Turnbull Hutton, a legend who worked at Diageo said the idea was great for the industry but not right for the company at this time.

The Compass Box brand began and became not only a trendsetting one but with John’s vision a brand that started a movement to stand up to the old rules.

For example, John put the percentages of different blends and ages on the label. Well, you are required to only put the youngest age on the bottle even if there’s a 20-year-old product in the blend.

John Glaser has found unconventional ways to blend the two types of whisky, Malt, and Grain in Scotland and continues to stand up to old rules that need changing. He proudly claims he’s running a 23-year-old startup so they as a team can discuss ideas and continue to make decisions quickly just like he started out.

John’s role in the scotch industry has been a well-needed voice for the industry over the past two decades and if you ever get a chance to try any of his expressions they are truly among the best Scotland has to offer.

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Do you love #coffee? Well, you're going to love this podcast!

This Thursday I’m speaking with Co-Founders of STEM Tom Clark and Professor Dr. Chahan Yeretzian. What these two gentlemen are embarking on is way past my understanding of science but I had to interview them to gain a better understanding of their process and end goal of bridging the coffee demand gap in the near future.

Tom, now a Parisian who owns Coutume Cafe, is from Australia and owns a coffee roastery in the Paris area. He’s been around coffee his whole life. He grew up in a family of foodies, coffee and wine lovers that enjoyed a high-quality cup of java as part of their daily lives. He was a regular café visitor with his mom since the age of 2!

Chahan is an Armenian born in Syria but moved to Switzerland at the age of 7. He now resides in Zurich. He studied chemistry and right after his studies, began working on RTD coffee drinks for Nestle and then moved over to instant coffee where he learned how factories worked in the coffee industry all around the world. He's a professor as well most recently created the Coffee Excellence Center at the University of Applied Sciences in Zurich.

Did you know that by 2050 we will not have enough coffee to supply the world? Hum, yeah neither did I, and quite frankly was a bit startling to read. Apparently due to several factors including climate change, which has major effects on agriculture around the world. Scientific journal Plos One’s study resulted in several models resulting in less suitable cultivation in current producing regions.

I cannot imagine living in a world without my wife and her two cups of coffee every day let alone those that live outside our household. It’s an everyday commodity many depend on to start their day.

Well, Tom, Dr Chahan, and a third Co-Founder Henri Kunz, started on a journey to change that for the foreseeable future. See this great article written by Elaine Watson for additional information.

These are amazing people doing amazing things that will blow your mind!

innovation #creativity #futurism

coffee #fnbinnovation

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This week, I’m speaking with Lorenzo Zonin, Owner and Winemaker of Podere San Cristoforo Winery located in Tuscany, and Jaume Bages, a farmer located in the Priorat in the Catalonia area of Spain. Lorenzo uses biodynamic farming for his winery of 17 hectares or 42 acres mostly planted with Petit Verdot. And yes, he is a cousin of the famous Zonin family.

A wine tasting brought these two together and they started talking about their interest in aging wine differently, in water! With loads of research and testing, they have discovered the best results are when they place their hand-made 750ml terracotta amphoras 30 meters or nearly 100 feet in an open water marine park located in the Mediterranean Sea where Roman amphoras have been found.

Given Lorenzo’s knowledge and love for Petit Verdot, this is the only varietal they will use commercially for now. The wine embodies some Mediterranean Sea influence as the vineyards are by the sea. They age the wine in French Oak barrels for 10 months before each is hand filled and sealed which makes this product even more rare.

They place 600 amphoras per year for 9 months at 10 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Their first vintage was in 2019 and they just put 2021 under the water this June. They would make more if they could, but their manufacturer cannot make more amphoras.

Each bottle sells for 240 Euros and comes in a wooden box with a ceramic stand to display it in your home or office. It also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

If you know anyone that wants to learn about this for their own winery or if anyone from a university is interested in getting data and really dig into what they are doing they are happy to work with you.

Lorenzo and Jaume are very innovative, curious, and they love to learn. I feel lucky to have spent time with them and I look forward to their progress and any new innovative adventures that await them.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Jack Seifrick Founder & Proprietor of CAST Wines. You know those people you meet that can change careers and be successful at all of them? That’s Jack. A curious entrepreneur at heart, Jack has never been shy about entering a new endeavor, feet first, and exploring ways to achieve his dreams.

This trained accountant jumped into seafood importing and marketing at the start of his career, crossed over to commercial real estate services, then dabbled in architectural design, and lastly created and sold a community banking business before starting CAST Wines.

He and his wife fell in love with Sonoma on a vacation and live there part-time and their home Dallas part-time. The winery was built from the ground up which is now 5 acres of Zinfandel and Petit Syrah grapes. They are a winery destination so most of their sales come from the tasting room and direct to consumer to sell their 4-5,000 cases per year.

We taste two wines on the podcast both made with Zinfandel. The first was a brut rose and the second was created in its truest form and was by far the best Zinfandel I’ve ever had.

Jack’s passion for the wine business is obvious and by the way, this team is making darn good wines. Be sure to check them out.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Tim Dennis & Brian Hewitt Co-Hosts of Beer Guys Radio from Atlanta, GA. Beer Guys Radio started out covering the craft beer industry in the state of Georgia and has grown to other states as different events or government laws come to light.

Their now Podcast started out on the radio and was syndicated on over 60 radio stations. They are a live Podcast and only about 10% of all podcasts are actually live.

Tim was first introduced to craft beer by co-workers from the UK who were happy to find Samuel Adams among the relative craft beer desert of Mississippi in the early 1990s. After relocating to Atlanta in 2000 he enjoyed the variety of beers available from local brewers as well as the options available from other breweries across the country. He was a moderator of a popular Georgia beer forum, Reddit ATLBeerand championed several beer law changes throughout the years.

Brian, discovered craft beer back home in Portland, OR when it was still called microbrew. His passion for beer has led him on a mission to try as many as possible, and he’s doing a pretty good job of it. Brian is an equal-opportunity beer drinker and can appreciate a well-made beer of almost any style. In addition to drinking beer, Brian is also a homebrewer and has brewed a variety of styles and won several awards in homebrew competitions. He also enjoys cigars and is a founding contributor of StogieReview.com

This dynamic duo are craft brew champions both for brews and brew laws and has some of the best beer knowledge of anyone I’ve ever met. I really enjoyed getting to know them and I know you will too!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking withDavid Rosenthal, owner of Partnership Wine Consulting, who most recently spent nearly 16 years as a winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, WA. It’s bittersweet as it’s an end of an era not only for David but everyone that worked at the winery, 300,000 visitors a year plus those that have attended the Summer Concert Series since 1984 are all but gone.

Private equity firm SycamorePartners who purchased Ste Michelle Wine Estates in Oct 2021 moved the white winemaking to Eastern Washington, where the grapes are sourced to save costs, which makes economic sense, and oh yeah, they put the 110-acre property in Woodinville up for sale. (Cry Face Emoji)

Emotionally there is certainly a disconnect for those of us affected by how special it was but economically makes sense and the beginning of something new. We certainly must embrace change these days.

David’s path in his career and for his family didn’t fit the move to Eastern Washington, so he’s branched out on his own.

He’s leaving behind an impressive pedigree of more than 60 90+ ratings during his tenure and worked for and with some of the best talent in the world all while making 3M cases of white wine. His team even scored 100 points on the 2012 Eroica, which is a partnership with the Godfather of German Riesling Ernie Loosen, a German winemaker known for his high-quality Rieslings from theMosel region.

Chateau Ste Michelle is the largest Riesling producer in the world. One conversation with David and you know his affection for the varietal quickly and his passion and pride to be a part of a continuous and successful team all while maintaining respect and comradery for each other year in and year out.

We talk more about how misunderstood the varietal of Riesling is in the world and its opportunity gap for more consumption.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Wim Bens, President and Founder of Lakewood Brewing Company. For me now, he’s also one of my favorite radio voices out there. Just wait for it. Born in Antwerp, Belgium, his family moved to Dallas when he was a youngster and he grew up in Mansfield in the Dallas Fort Worth area or as we locals call it DFW. LBC was among the first five local brewing companies to open in DFW back in 2012.

Wim graduated from SMU in advertising where he worked for the next 10 years. His love for making beer and drinking it with his buddies started out as just a hobby. As time went on, he got better and better and decided to enter and won awards at competitions. He then went to the American Brewers Guild to study commercial beer making and apprenticed at Rahr & Sons Brewing Company before starting his own.

Lakewood Brewing Company is well known in DFW, particularly for their Temptress Brand. It is widely distributed in the area and beyond but only sold in the great state of Texas. It is an Imperial Milk Stout and we taste their smores flavor on the show.

Wim and his team innovate constantly, and test new flavors and concepts served only on premise at their bar. For example, for their low alcohol option, they created Hydro which is just water and hops. No alcohol, gluten or calories.

They are a highly awarded company on a national and global stage. We tasted four beers on the podcast and they were delicious and very well made beers. At their core, they believe in giving back to their community and have supported over 300 amazing organizations throughout the years.

I do apologize, my skills as a podcaster filming on location suffered a bit due my microphone capturing Wim perfectly and me not so much. I talk more than the podcast than you are going to hear but Wim and his stunning radio voice carried us both!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Seth Benhaim, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. Seth is an innovator at his core.

He is the quarterback of two very successful brands. The first, Infuse Spirits Group was the world’s first single-bottle infusion company. He infuses real fruits and spices in each bottle. Less than two years later at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the brand won Double-Gold and Best-In-Show. Seth was only 25 and was the youngest CEO to earn that award. In 2015, he won the “Entrepreneur of the Year” at Nightclub & Bar Show. His real fruit infusions have won several awards including a 90-pts rating in Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

He then turned to the world of whiskey where he broke more barriers by adding multiple barrel types of all-finishing aged bourbon in tandem with aging the liquid in barrels. It took time to find the right partner to see his vision but neither have ever looked back. It is distilled and sourced from Owensboro Distilling Company by 8th generation Master Distiller Jacob Call using 100% Kentucky corn sourced from local farmers.

The core four items range from $40-$55 and LTOs have sold for $120. We tasted four different SKU’s on the podcast and Cask Strength, the only SKU priced at $55, was truly an amazing experience from the nose to finish.

Whiskey Magazine’s Icons of Whisky America 2023 awarded the Cask Strength “Brand Innovator” winner and World Whiskies Awards 2023 under the World’s Best Finished Bourbon category received the “Best Kentucky Finished Bourbon”. It also received 94 points from Tasting Panel Magazine.

Seth and his team have really broken many barriers in our industry and will continue to push the boundaries to find that next great spirit.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST! My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Tony Abou-Gamin one of the pioneering and leading bar professionals in the world.

First and foremost, Tony is a genuine person and loves his craft more than most I’ve met. He’s a sincere and generous person and loves to give back through organizations he’s created and is still a part of today.

His career started out by learning the tradition of classic cocktails and professional barmanship from his cousin Helen David at the Brass Rail Bar in Port Huron, Michigan.

He moved to NYC in the early 1990s and Dale DeGroff presented him with the first menu of drinks at Rainbow Room. This is where a handful of icons in our industry began their passion for making cocktails with original and fresh ingredients, igniting the fire behind the modern-day cocktail culture.

Tony has had an amazing career over the years since then and has been a part of several iconic places and TV shows including Starlight Room in San Francisco, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Levy Restaurants as well as several arenas such as the Western Conference champions Vegas Golden Knights hockey team. He’s also won three Iron Chef America competitions and won the Bacardi Martini World Grand Prix in 2002.

He has written books, created DVD’s and his own brand of bar tools designed specifically for the art of making the best cocktails. His expertise has given him the opportunity to be on national TV including TODAY and Good Morning America to name a few.

He was part of a team that created the TAG Global Spirits Awards, is a National Ambassador of the U.S. Bartenders Guild, www.usbg.org , and Associate Member of the Museum of the American Cocktail, www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org.

Tony’s love for making cocktails is infectious, and inspiring to all he meets. We make two cocktails on the podcast. The first is the Pisco Sour made with La Madrina Pisco Torontel from Peru. It was truly delicious. Our second cocktail is Tony’s signature drink, the Negroni, made with Campari his preferred Ford’s Gin, which was my first time ever which was pretty cool and a very memorable experience.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I’m speaking with Maggie Kimberl, content editor of American Whiskey Magazine and co-chair of the World Whiskies Awardsamong others. Maggie lives and is from Louisville, Kentucky, and feels blessed to be right in the epicenter of the bourbon world.

As past president of the Bourbon Women Association, she started a blog series called “Meet the Makers” in which she featured a different woman in the global brown-water industry.

She has and still does write and contribute as a freelance spirits journalist who focuses on whiskey culture in the United States. If there’s a whiskey fest going on in the US you can be rest assured, she will be there to write about all that you missed, so you don’t miss a beat.

One aspect I love about this interview is Maggie’s dream of being a travel writer came full circle for her as she writes a travel blog and writes about all the great opportunities there are for family fun in the Louisville metro area.

I’ve met a lot of people in our industry including bourbon distillers and aficionados alike but no one tops Maggie’s all-in approach to bourbon and her extensive knowledge and passion of all bourbons.

You can reach Maggie on Twitter @LouGirl502

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I’m approaching the ½ year mark and would like to ask my audience to please review each episode and let me know of any feedback to improve the podcast. Your opinion matters!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week, I spoke with Cheryl Durzy, CEO at Liberation Distribution otherwise known as LibDib, founded in June of 2016. LibDib has reimagined distribution from the old brick-and-mortar way of selling your products to the distributor directly.

Cheryl started her career working in PR with high-tech clients at Alexander Ogilvy, which was a premonition of her starting LibDib, a technology platform. She then transitioned to sales and marketing for her parent’s winery, Clos LaChance Winery, for nearly 18 years.

Within that time, Cheryl explored her entrepreneurial spirit by creating products and one was a wine brand called MommyJuice Wines. This is a fascinating story to hear, plus she learned so much from this experience including trademark law.

With so much innovation exploding everywhere and distributor consolidation, even though they are an 80,000-case winery, it’s viewed as small and the challenge of getting distribution was increasingly difficult.

Cheryl, with her entrepreneurial spirit, took control of the winery’s own destiny and became a pioneer and beverage industry disruptor. Within only two years, she had built the technology whereby the CEO of Republic National Distributor Company (RNDC) who at the time was Tom Cole reached out to establish a partnership.

She talks about the ins and outs of how LibDib works for each side of the business and discusses her mentor, Tom Cole, and his vision and people skills as well as her goals to reach as CEO.

I can’t thank Cheryl enough for joining me on my podcast and sharing her journey with us all. I’m a huge admirer of hers and wish her and her team continued breakthrough success.

Shout out to @BenSalisbury and @JulieMilroy as Cheryl and I discussed our mutual respect for you both!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Nico Martini, born and raised in the DFW area, is a best-selling author of Texas Cocktails, Texas Whiskey as well as the Co-Founder of Grayson Whiskey. He is also a regular contributor to American Whiskey Magazine. He is the Co-Founder of Bar Draught, a draft cocktails solutions company.

Nico is my second guest that started out in theatre before getting the cocktail bug. He started out at Shakespeare Dallas which led to his interest in Social Media. He was so interested in it that he received a master’s degree in Emerging Media & Communications from the University of Texas at Dallas, where he was a Guest Lecturer, and taught Digital Marketing Design and Self-Branding Through Social Media.

Nico, with his theatre background, has a very outgoing personality and isn’t afraid to connect with anyone. He’s a very connected individual within our industry and has become a thought leader and innovator within the spirits industry. He has presented at numerous events, including Tales of the Cocktail and Bar & Restaurant Expo (aka Nightclub & Bar Show) to name a few.

My bestie here in Dallas has been trying to introduce me to Nico for some time now so I’m so glad I finally got to meet him and even more excited to share his story with you all.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Jeni Bonorino, Director, Business Innovation and Brand Strategies at Bono Brands.

eni has one of the most unique experiences of anyone I’ve interviewed so far on my podcast. Jeni spent time in London and a stint at Cost Plus World Market learning about wine in San Francisco before moving to Adelaide, Australia to get her MBA as well as an understudy in international wine marketing.

Coming back to the US she started working at Total Wine & More and was one of the first team of buyers and they only had about 9 stores! She specialized in sourcing wines from the southern hemisphere, Spain, Portugal and the Champagne Region in France.

Her and her husband, who is Brazilian moved to Rio where she learned about the wine industry in Brazil and of course learned the Portuguese language. Did you know great sparkling is made in southern Brazil? I sure didn’t. Even Chandon makes sparkling there.

She experienced being in Carnival and then headed back to the US sourcing private labels for a Canadian based retailer that had shops in both Canada and the US.

They then moved to Miami and now own Bono Brands and distill their own gin products in unique packaging to the Brazilian market. Why gin? Well it sells like tequila in the US, so basically like hotcakes. Smart.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Klaas de Jong Film Producer at Wine Masters. He and his team have created a premium wine channel with four very different shows that center around wine education, terroir, taste and tradition.

Based north of Amsterdam, he and his team travel all over Europe for the docuseries looking for specific wineries that stand out from the rest. For example, his most recent project was about a wine in Bordeaux that cost 30,000 EUROs. The winemaker is experimenting with pre-phylloxera rootstocks with cabernet sauvignon, resulting in a more powerful expression of the varietal.

Wine Master’s Class is a series of 48 episodes featuring Masters of Wine and Champion Sommeliers teaching about all wine regions, 96 food & wine pairings, 96 blind tastings and more. The Wild Side of Wine where Peter Richards MW explores cultures and countries from around the world. He dives into history, culture, politics and gastronomy.

Last but not least is the fourth show called The Sauce is in the Glass, which is a Wine & Food pairing show with chef and Champion Sommelier Andreas Larsson and famous winemakers from all over the world.

Wine Masters is a premium wine channel you do not want to miss. You can watch it online at WineMasters.TV or download their app on any TV app of your choice.

I wanted to say a couple of things about this interview. Klaas is my first international guest, and we go a bit off-topic on gardening, eating 50 different foods a week to all his projects as well as his journey to get where he is today. It was a very unique experience for me and like every time we forget we are recording. It’s longer than most but as I listened to it a few times I loved it so much I couldn’t cut anything.

I hope you enjoy it.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Bruce Schneider, co-founder of the Gotham Project is a globally recognized innovator in reusable packaging with 20 years of innovative leadership in the wine industry. They celebrated their 13th-anniversary last week, the same week as Earth Day!

The Gotham Project started in 2010 and was a pioneer project that set the standards for wines on tap in 100% reusable stainless steel kegs. They have eliminated more than 6 million wine bottles, positively impacting the environment.

Bruce has served as the Co-Director of Wines of Germany USA for 15 years and is a third-generation wine industry professional with a background in grape growing and winemaking.

Bruce tells us his journey from starting in the family business to living and going to school in France, falling in love with Cab Franc from the Loire Valley to planting it in New York in his vineyards.

He’s an entrepreneur at heart and was a real beverage pioneer and paved the way for restaurant owners and consumers to drink high-quality wine from a keg, or what I love to call now “the mini tank”!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Ana Lopez CEO & Founder and Juan Pablo Mercado COO & Founder at Raicilla La Reina based in Atenguillo, in Jalisco, México.

Ana grew up in a community where raicilla was common among the locals. She loved it so much that she shared it with friends at college where she met Juan Pablo. This amazing couple started out teaching others about it, where it’s made, and how important it is to Mexican culture to now owning their own brand La Reina.

Raicilla, is a spirit made from agave but it must be made with the Maximiliana type of agave (or other local wild varieties), which separates it from tequila. It is of two different styles de la Costa(from the coast) and de la Sierra(from the mountains). De la Sierra is where La Reina is produced and they use Maximiliana agave and clay ovens.

Raicilla, otherwise known as “spiritual beverage”, dates back to the 1600s but was outlawed by the Spanish to sell their own hooch in Mexico. But just like prohibition, production never stopped. About 20 years ago, the tourism industry began trying it out of curiosity, and in the last 5-6 years it has really exploded around the world, in particular Sweden, France, and the US. It even received its own Denomination of Origin in 2019.

The La Reina family is dedicated to producing pure organic sustainable products with an emphasis on biodiversity, and inclusion and supporting old traditions with a special love for their land. Raicilla is a spirit of the land and reflects the flora and fauna in which it is grown.

drinklareina

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Lisa Leventhal, Chief Fire Stoker at The House of Somrus.

She has an incredible journey that started with her career at Disney right here in Orlando, FL. She shares her experience in the World of Mickey before branching out to Bloomin’ Brands and Darden Restaurants where she focused on operations and opened new restaurants all over the US.

She then transitioned to a smaller family-run company that had 20-30 various concepts and was the GM and Beverage Director for Balboa Café in San Francisco. This is when she first tried The House of Somrus and put it on their cocktail menu. Little did she know she would one day work for them.

Realizing she needed a change from San Francisco where real estate is overly expensive she looked into Chicago where she could get a two-bedroom, two bath for less than she was paying in rent per month.

She worked for the Alinea Group where she met the owner of The House of Somrus in her office building. It was an instant connection and well, the rest is history!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Thomas Angel Co-Founder of Altitude Beverages in Bend, Oregon.

Thomas and his wife started Altitude Beverages because they wanted to create a coffee alternative for those that are in the CBD and Better-for-you beverage space. Their coffee alternative drinks are all Nitro cocktails that you actually shake before opening. They are smooth beverages mixed with Oatmilk, my favorite, 30mg of CBD, and Adaptogens which assist you in getting your day started. These are feel-good ingredients like Lion’s Mane for FOCUS, Chaga for immunity, and Reishi for gut health just to name a few.

They didn’t stop there. Next was all about the afternoon happy hour time you spend with your loved ones discussing your day. They were wanting a non-alcoholic option that helped you wind down. So, just like getting your day started, they wanted to help you wind down just the same.

They created three very different mocktails that have 20mg of CBD and are all based with white tea and a few bubbles. These adaptogens are for a nice recovery to the end of your day with Gaba, for calm, L-Thianine for relaxation and 5-HTP for serotonin.

Thomas had a very unusual journey into the beverage space and his story is one of kind. I don’t know a lot of Americans that speak Chinese, let alone one that ended up working for the President of Boeing living in Beijing, China. He tells his journey working at Boeing for 10 years and why he and his wife started Altitude Beverages.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Andrew Fitzgerald, who is from Cork, Ireland. He and his wife Jane won the American Diversity Visa lottery otherwise known as the “Green Card Lottery” and was granted a 10-year resident card.

He and his wife had traveled to the US a few times and fell in love with San Diego, California. So, that’s where they started their journey.

Andrew had already started his beverage career in Ireland with Heineken and was able to transfer to San Diego. I really like Andrew’s background because he started out learning the importance of shelf placements with his mother’s baked goods as a kid. He learned how to ask for it and how to build relationships at a very young age.

He started out at Cadbury where his knowledge of merchandising and building relationships really flourished. He was promoted quickly and ended up at Diageo Ireland merchandising their beer portfolio before pivoting to Heineken.

There is a lot more to Andrew’s story including traveling through the US for over a year and even took a stab at the PGA Tour. He was part of the first team that launched White Claw Hard Seltzer in Southern California in June of 2016, where it all began. He has a success story to share as being part of a brand that would shake up our industry forever.

Andrew is also the author of “How Did I Get Here? Traveling the Road to Resilience”. It’s an excellent book and I recommend it. It’s fascinating to learn the paths they took to be where they are today.

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You can buy Andrew's book here on Amazon.

Email: fitzgerald_andrew@yahoo.com

Website: www.AndrewFitzgeraldAuthor.com

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Gary Schneidkraut, Vice President of Business Development and Client Relations for Wine, Spirits & Adult Beverage at Protis Global. Gary has a wide and varied range of skills in his background. He received a B.S. in Hotel Management to now getting a Master’s In Law at U Penn with marketing, sales and promotional experience in between.

Gary has had some amazing experiences. While attending Cornell University he was the lucky guy that managed the guests in the green room before they went on stage. He met Stephen Colbert, the late Bob Saget and tells us the story about smoking a cigarette with Whoopi Goldberg. He had Howie Mandel watch his standup before he went on stage and if he’d known Gary could have opened for him.

He worked at The Pierre New York hotel after a $100 Million dollar renovation as the Catering Coordinator and Assistant Sales Manager. He spearheaded the property’s Sustainability Committee where they achieved a Green Globe certification for the first hotel in New York City’s luxury segment, which was a major accomplishment.

He then found his true passion in the Wine & Spirits industry as a sales consultant at Empire Merchants, where he was named "Salesperson Of The Year". He had an amazing experience connecting the right brands to the right concepts and managed several personalities and relationships along the way. He then found his way to the recruiting aspect of our industry and never looked back. He started his recruiting career at ForceBrands and is now at Protis Global.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Dylan Stolley, General Manager of Becket’s Restaurant in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Dylan talks about his transition from his creative life to managing a staff of 60 people. He talks about how his staff must be ready for a bus or a wedding party to show up wanting shots for up to 60 people at any time. That’s a lot of volume!

Dylan was everything I could imagine in a guest and his mixology skills are top notch. He had two amazing cocktails to share and they were absolutely to die for. Starting the episode, we mixed the state’s signature cocktail the brandy Old Fashioned. Dylan calls their version the “Oshkosh Old Fashioned”. He used a local brandy called Central Standard Craft Distillery’s North Wisconsin Brandy made in Milwaukee and I used Mastrogiannis Distillery’s Barton label and it was absolutely delicious.

As a bonus, I learned about the people of Wisconsin. Did you know that brandy is consumed 12 times more in Wisconsin than any other state in America? Apparently, Wisconsin drinks nearly 50% of Korbel brandy made in California. Not only do they drink brandy, come to find out, they really do drink a lot in Wisconsin. This state, also known for its love affair with cheese, ties with Alaska as the number #6th state with the most alcohol consumed per capita. As an Iowan, we knew a lot of fun happened in Wisconsin, of course which included a lot of drinking, but I never knew those stats! (vinepair)

The second cocktail is named after the architect who designed the building the Beckets Restaurant resides named Welton David Becket. He built one of the largest architectural offices in the world by 1969 and is known for several buildings around the world. The “Welton Becket Martini” is made with Absolut Citron, lemonade, lemons, Cointreau, sugar and basil topped off with a secret ingredient!

Last but not least, he and I both made cheese curds to taste with both cocktails and each was equally an excellent combination for different reasons.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Julie Milroy, VP of Supplier Development and Marketing at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. She is also a Founding Member of Chief Miami, a Volunteer of 8 organizations has 13 licenses and certifications. She also has her own Podcast with Bridget Albert called Served Up – The Podcast.

Julie and I met through Donna Buoscio, another great lady, at Opici last July via email. The first time we actually meet is on the podcast, but speaking with her was so easy and relaxing and it seemed like we had known each other for a long time. In true transparency, we did start the podcast by opening a Bubbly Rose crémant from the Alsace area in France called Lucien Albrecht which may have a bit to do with it.

Julie a giving, nurturing person and she has made her own contributions to our industry as a Council Member of Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America and Women Leadership Program at SGW&S. She’s a huge advocate for women empowerment at all ages from CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees and a mentor for Girls Inc of Greater Miami to being a Co-Founder of Chief Miami.

Julie is an American & South Korean, who promotes diversity and served on AAPI or Asian American and Pacific Islander panels and co-founded the first National Employee Resource Group and Caregivers C.A.N., supporting those who provide care for others.

Julie has a varied background and she’s able to use her authentic leadership gifts to rally the troops to come together on a single mission.

Julie has a lot of grit and spark and has an unbelievably amazing start within our industry by standing up for herself and overcoming major hurdles.

I cannot wait until you hear her story.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Ilias Mastrogiannis, owner of Washington State’s Mastrogiannis Distillery. They produce four high end brandy SKUs, a Vermouth and two Rose for Cure wines, in which they donate 10% to a family of a child with a life-threatening illness.

They are curators of the finest small batch brandy made state side. They distill Riesling and French Colombard grapes after fermenting them slow and at a low temperature.

They use both column and pot still distillation creating an intense and flavorful brandy. They age their wine exclusively in French wine barrels.

They are a family-owned winery and distillery and is the continuation of a great man, Constantine AKA (Kostas) Mastrogiannis, late father of owner and distiller Ilias Mastrogiannis. His late father was a mason turned winemaker that inherited wine making equipment from his father. He in turn took it to another level from just a hobby.

His father, a man of few words, used the term “Meraki” which in my translation is his word to describe his happy place. Kostas would shout it out with a smile on his face. I just love that. Everyone deserves a word for their happy place. The Greek word loosely translates in English as the soul, creative and love you put into everything you do regardless of the task at hand. Yep, a happy place.

Therefore, “Made with Meraki” is now printed on each label which is a great tribute to a man with talent and vision his son was able to showcase to the world.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Taylor Foxman, Founder and CEO of The Industry Collective. She is 40 UNDER 40 Beverage Alcohol VC Advisor, Rolling Stone Culture Committee Member and Entrepreneur Media Contributor.

Taylor takes us through her amazing journey about her career, why she didn’t get her MBA, her marriage, mentors and resources that have helped her get to where she is today. One mentor, in particular, helped her take the leap into the cannabis world as VP of Communications and Media, for Parallel, one of the largest privately-held cannabis companies in the US.

Taylor wakes up every morning and sets her intensions by writing down how thankful she is and the goals she wants in life. She manifests everything she wants and has found this process to be key to navigating her career and reaching her plans and purpose.

She currently, at The Industry Collective, is a strategic advisor of CEO’s of 40 beverage company’s from around the world from the early stages through the late stage of growth. Her primary focus is working with beverage owners from underrepresented communities.

Taylor was an amazing guest with a lot of great advice and I hope you enjoy it as much I do.

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Books

Mark Manson, The Settle Art of Not Giving a F*UK
Robin Sharma The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life.
Sheryl Sandberg Lean In
Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People
Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference

Other Recommended Resources

Calm for Meditation. Evernote to write down everything or you’ll forget!

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Bill Gamelli, the Founder and CEO of Mocktails. He and two other families wanted an alternative to drinking over 10 years ago well before the trend has taken place over the last couple of years.

Bill’s inspiration for creating Mocktails was a result of the struggle his wife endured while not only trying to get pregnant but also staying the course on becoming partner at her law firm.

Bill quickly realized this was also a problem his closest friends were trying to solve which resulted in Mocktails.

Their latest iteration of Mocktails included Tales of the Cocktails winner Ezra Star. They used Ezra’s expertise and sought to source the exact botanicals that make their flavors unique and well balanced.

These uniquely named cocktails are low in sugar and calories, vegan friendly and 99% recyclable packaging. They are the highest rated mocktails with Master, Double Gold, Golds and Silver in both The Spirits Business’ “The Low & No Masters” competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021 and 2022.

Bill is a very inspiring individual. Not only has he co-founded companies in his career he also co-founded the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association to increase awareness for this growing industry.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with owner Kevin Zepf of Bandbox in Orlando, FL and his manager & bartender Victoria Van Winkle. Bandbox is Orlando’s first and highly rated NA beverage cocktail bar. They opened last June and have an amazing rating of 4.9 stars on Google.

This happening spot is only 500 sq ft which magnifies the immersive and engaging experience, and the decor was inspired by the lavish art deco designs from the 1920’s and 30’s.

Kevin has a rich history in theatre so there are live performances throughout the evenings as you sip one of their amazingly good NA cocktails or jump in and try a NA aperitif, a bitters flight, beer, wine, or CBD RTD. They certainly offer all the non-alcoholic choices available today.

Due to space constraints and their popularity, you must make reservations for indoor table service but you can get a cocktail to go or buy full bottles any time. Everything in this hip spot is on sale and if you do come in and buy a cocktail or two you get to step into their specially made art-deco photo booth for a night to remember.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Gustavo Aristizabal, owner of Cucina Maya Mexican Grill & Mezcaleria. He is located right here in Lake Mary, FL.

Gustavo moved to Orlando from Columbia only 8 years ago. He studied business before coming to the US and began his new life here working in a restaurant kitchen. He loved the business so much his mentors moved him quickly around the restaurant learning all aspects of the business.

He now owns one of the highest rated restaurants in the Orlando area. He and his wife opened this restaurant just over 1 year ago and have an amazing 4.9 stars on Google with 655 reviews.

To separate Cucina Maya from other traditional Mexican restaurants Gustavo wanted more traditional Mexican dishes from the Yucatan area and has a passion for Mezcal. He currently has 20 mezcals and 25 tequilas and wants to add another 30 mezcals to his menu.

I interview Gustavo and we have a delicious Mezcal and taco pairing which he intends to offer to his customers soon.

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Welcome to Thirsty Thursday @3PM EST!

My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Max Green the Owner of Leader Brewing. He has created his own proprietary techniques to keep the alcohol level <5% ABV and as a perfectionist makes a very well-made NA brew.

Max began his beer brewing interest 17 years ago when he started learning to brew from books his father had as he was a home brewerer as well. 

He and his wife served in the military and once they settled in Palm Bay, FL he gave up drinking. After 4 to 5 years, he really missed drinking a well-made beer. He discovered Athletic Brewing had broke the mold on how to brew NA beer so he began his quest to make the style of beers he missed with no alcohol. 

Max has a great story to tell and I hope you enjoy it as much I do! 

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My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. I talk with Innovation Pioneers from Agriculture to Glass.

This week I spoke with Matt Giese, the COO of Funny Water.

Matt has an extensive background in the Beverage Industry starting as an Area manager with Brown-Forman, then switched to the wine division at Diageo and was a Market Manager and Director. He then moved to Constellation Brands as a Regional Sales Director and finished as Surge Team Lead in 2021.

The last couple of years Matt has enjoyed working as a consultant helping various start-up RTD brands such as Ohza, Lisco Spirits and now currently Funny Water. 

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I am visiting Oscar Bowen and SKY Conley at Alestone Brewing in downtown Historic Longwood, FL.

Sky, a self-taught brewer, opened the first brewery called Hourglass in Seminole County, FL located just north of Orlando in 2012. Ten years later, he now owns his own location and has around 14 brews on tap. He’s known for his eclectic flavors and passion for sour beers and last but not least, freshly cooked pizza. They have a large space and bar with a big sized patio filled with games. Oscar keeps people flowing in with different specials and activities throughout the week. The train stop is just behind the brewery so come on in and stop by!

Sky is the limit with this dynamic duo.

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My name is Jessie Ott, the Host of this Podcast which is all about Beverage Innovation. Our industry is experiencing exponential growth with an outburst of new and innovative brands in an exceedingly difficult three-tiered environment. 

My first guest, Ben Salisbury, helps these small to mid-sized companies navigate through these difficult times via new methodologies and technologies. He shares his lifelong journey through starting in the restaurant industry all the way through his exponential growth at Glazers and supplier days during which he was VP of National Accounts at both Ste Michelle Wine Estates and Constellation Brands. These experiences gave him the skillset to start his own company, Salisbury Creative Group and now through his Wine Sales Stimulator course. 

We discuss books that were and remain game changers for his career, his mentors, his "Wish" for the wine and spirits industry ending with his outlook for 2023. 

Ben was and will always be my favorite boss and mentor. He knows an incredible amount of information in this industry. I hope you all enjoy the interview.