Meet The Maker. Your non-alcoholic drinks podcast: Recent Episodes
Amy Armstrong
Meet the Maker, a series of conversations with the clever folks who are breaking new ground by creating incredible tasting adult non-alcoholic beverages. This is less about the HOW and more about the WHY. We’re getting to know the makers behind the brands, discovering their motivations & hopefully replicating a little of the storytelling were so familiar with from the wine industry.
In the final episode of Series 1 of Dry but Wet's meet the maker, we meet Loz & Jo, the 2 incredible powerhouse women behind the brand Smug AF. Smug is a range of 2 ready to drink cocktails in a can. A Margarita and a Mojito.
In this chat we take a dive into the origins of Smug AF, the girls' experience with sobriety and the journey of the brand so far. There have been some SERIOUS learnings over the past 12 months and the road has been far from linear.
It's a real peel back the curtain kind of chat at what it takes to create something from scratch.
Today on the podcast I am joined by Aaron Trotman, founder of NON. NON isa Melbourne made range of 7 alcohol free drink alternatives that seek to really redefine the wine occasion. With challenging flavour profiles such as Tomato Water and Basil and Beetroot and Sancho, NON’s range is anything but ordinary. NON are the non-alcoholic darlings of the Melbourne fine dining scene, turning up on Non-alc pairing menus and on lists at the best establishments like Supernormal, Nomad and of course the Victoria Hotel, Footscray.
NON is bold and unlike anything you have ever tried before.
We learn what exactly goes into a bottle of Non and how Aaron landed on such a unique offer. From humble origins on a kitchen stove in a 20L pot and a kitchen grade dehydrator to world domination.
NON on Dry but Wet
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/non-1-salted-raspberry-chamomile-8-10/
In this chat we meet David Andrew, founder and CEO of Naked Life Spirits. Naked Life Spirits are a range of ELEVEN ready to drink non-alcoholic cocktails that you will find on the shelves of most supermarkets around the country.
With a background in sugar free icy poles and soft drinks, David's focus has always been on delivering quality tasting products whilst trying to lessen our sugar intake. The sugar stats he delivers here are mind-blowing and what Naked Life have already accomplished, just incredible.
Listen in and find out what exciting things are next for Naked Life Spirits.
Find Naked Life on Dry but Wet:
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/naked-life-negroni-spritz-7-10/
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/naked-life-english-garden-spritz-9-10/
In this chat with Pete Brennan, co-founder of Heaps Normal we learn so much about the brand that is very quickly taking over Australia, one pub at a time.
There are some pearls in here, from Pete's personal journey, to Heaps Normal's 80 year old super fan, to some exciting growth on the horizon for the epic beer brand (may or may not be a brewery!)
So crack a tin and settle in to a great discussion about your favourite beer and the lads behind it!
Find Heaps Normal on Dry but Wet:
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/heaps-normal-another-lager-10-10/
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/heaps-normal-10-10/
In this week's episode we meet Amanda Thomson, rock star founder and CEO of Noughty.
Noughty is the sparkling wine brand that set an INCREDIBLY high bar in the non-alc industry. Noughty was one of the first NA sparkling's I tried and I'd be hard pressed to top it. And I am not alone! Noughty is available around the world and stocked in some of the best restaurants and event facilities going.
In this chat we delve into what drive's Amanda, why Noughty sit's where it does at the top of the NA food chain and there's some exciting tidbits about the future and some much anticipated new releases on the way.
Read more about Noughty on Dry but Wet:
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/thomson-scott-noughty-rose-10-10/
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/thomson-scott-noughty-10-10/
In this episode I chat to Jaz Wearin. Founder of Newcastle based Nort non-alcoholic brewing company. Jaz is somewhat of a passionate beer expert, having cut her teeth with her family business Modus Operandi Brewing.
With her years of industry experience, Jaz and her husband wanted to create something that could deliver on taste, but be enjoyed by everyone, drinkers and non-drinkers alike.
Nort's rise has been meteoric, growth quick and a range has expanded to four in a very short space of time. Join us for a deep dive into Jaz's story and the evolution of Nort.
- Fun fact NORT is a play on NOUGHT as in ZERO percent! Mind blown at the mid point of this recording!
In this episode I chat to Catie Fry, founder and master distiller of Australia's first female owned and operated distilling company, Clovendoe. Clovendoe are a Queensland based distillery that create beautifully and ethically distilled no and low alcohol spirits.
Catie is incredibly passionate about what she does, and is truly committed to bringing us product that is pure, clean and transparently crafted. There are no nasties here. Only unique blends of stunning native botanicals.
Join us for a deep dive into the evolution of the brand, the product and Catie's learnings along the way.
"Inspired by Nature. Curated for You"
Clovendoe on Dry but Wet:
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/product/clovendoe-seed-zero-8-10/
Catie's ultimate serving recommendations are Seed & Ginger Beer, Sprout & Tonic and Stem & sparkling coconut water with a dash of pineapple 🍍
In this episode I talk to Moa Gürbüzer, founder and CEO of Oddbird, a Swedish based non-alcoholic wine brand that brings us some of the best dealcoholized wines on the planet. If you have not yet tried their Blanc de Blancs or Spumante, you MUST!
Moa’s story of social worker to wine maker is truly inspirational, as is the brand's focus and genuine commitment to creating the best quality products, Liberated from Alcohol.
Moa is a woman on a mission. Her big goal is for an alcohol free society by 2097. And Moa is tackling that goal one step at a time. We get some hot takes on what's to come from Odd Bird in 2022 and why we should all be sick of ethanol after rubbing it on our hands for the last 2 years.
"We should be Odd Birds, all of us!"
Odd Bird on Dry but Wet
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/non-alcoholic-odd-bird-low-intervention-organic-white-no1
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/non-alcoholic-odd-bird-low-intervention-organic-red-no1
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/richard-juhlin-blanc-de-blancs
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/odd-bird-spumante-veneto-prosecco
In this episode, I chat to Samantha Manning, Founder of Monday Distillery and Lunae Sparkling. Sam and I go way back, and Monday has been a pivotal part of my sober journey, the Paloma and G&T featuring on high rotation in the Dry but Wet drinks fridge.
We chat through Sam's motivations behind creating two such unique drinks brands, what's so important to her and why. We hear about her humble beginnings brewing tea on her kitchen stove top.
Thanks to Sam, we can enjoy guilt free, alcohol free, sugar free but flavour FULL non-alcoholic cocktails that are ready to pour over ice. This is a really fun chat and a great beginning to our Meet the Maker storytelling journey.
Monday Distillery on Dry but Wet:
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/monday-distillery-classic-gt
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/monday-distillery-paloma
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/monday-distillery-dark-stormy
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/monday-distillery-dram-sour
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/monday-distillery-dram-dry
https://www.drybutwet.com.au/monday-distillery-mezcalita