Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST Jessie Ott

Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST Now on YouTube!📽 Subscribe and Watch Here!😁💃

📢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 Baum - Master of Wine Explains Georgian Wine

#wine #GeorgianWines #fnbinnovation #thirstythursdays


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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 industry our 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 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, 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!
NOW ON YOUTUBE!!! Thank you for Listening! Join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! Or join the Food & Beverage Innovation FB Group!

Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST Now on YouTube!📽 Subscribe and Watch Here!😁💃

📢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. 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏😋 🥂

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
NOW ON YOUTUBE!!! Thank you for Listening! Join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! Or join the Food & Beverage Innovation FB Group!

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


NOW ON YOUTUBE!!! Thank you for Listening! Join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! Or join the Food & Beverage Innovation FB Group!

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!


NOW ON YOUTUBE!!! Thank you for Listening! Join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! Or join the Food & Beverage Innovation FB Group!