My
name is Michael. I have bartended for over 20 years in New York City
and San Francisco. I make great cocktails, but unless you are in
San Francisco there is no chance for you to enjoy them.
My
solution: I put them in a bottle and sell them across the country.
Most bottled cocktails are low flavor, low
quality, low calorie. It’s high time that everyone had access to handcrafted,
inventive cocktails made by an expert.
The
craft cocktail movement strives to treat the art of the drink with
the same care for taste, quality and presentation that a chef brings
to meals. I've been working with professional chefs for decades to
improve my own tasting palate, and I've learned the nuances of
complex ingredients. I've received many honors for my dedication to
the art of the cocktail. My work has been featured by taste-makers in a variety of media. I have presented my cocktails on The Today Show,
and I've been chosen by the San Francisco Chronicle as an “SF Bar Star.” I have taught thousands of people how to make
better drinks, and
how
to drink better. I
want to bottle that experience and send it out into the world.
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With
your help I can set up a licensed manufacturing space, and my
dream of bottling great cocktails can be your reality of drinking great bottled cocktails in the convenience of your living room.
My company's premiere concoctions will infuse classic cocktails with
hand-made ingredients:
Harvest Manhattan
This
is a cocktail that begins with roasted pumpkins, pureed and strained
with a host of locally-sourced spices to make our own pumpkin
liqueur. The final drink adds notes of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove to the classic Manhattan.
The
Dark Knight
A
thoughtfully-balanced update to the classic Negroni cocktail, the
Dark Knight features my own homemade vermouth, perfectly balanced
with Campari, Aperol, and gin. The sour of vinegar and pink peppercorn is tempered by the sweetness of brown sugar and bing cherries.
Chamomile Old Fashioned
In
a 72-hour process, I infuse bourbon with loose-leaf chamomile tea.
This is carefully combined with an assortment of bitters and
locally-sourced honey.
Authenticity, Not Artificiality
By focusing on craftsmanship and flavor, I can offer tasty cocktails
with dramatically more flavor than the current market offering. To be clear, MCM cocktails will contain:
All natural ingredients
No artificial colors or flavors
No preservatives
No MSG or corn syrup
Through
endless tinkering and rigorous testing, I've perfected the complexity
and character of these drinks, and now I want to you to be able to
enjoy them, in the comfort of your home.
What MCM Needs...and What You Get
I need $50,000 to bottle my first bulk batch of The Dark Knight, Chamomile Old Fashioned, and Harvest Manhattan.
I will need:
- Manufacturing space and all necessary licensing
- This space will be built out as both a commercial kitchen and a bottling line
- First orders for bottles, labels, spirits, and ingredients
Then I will have the materials I need to get these cocktails on the shelves at liquor, grocery, and convenience stores.
For helping me out, I have great perks available:
Naturally, vouchers will be available for the actual bottled cocktails, priced $50-$200.
But I am most excited about creating a personalized cocktail for you at the $25 contribution, as well as an original recipe included at the $100/$200 level. These recipes are a direct way for me to empower craft cocktail creation and enjoyment at the grassroots level.
I have been teaching for over a decade. At the $500 & $1000 levels you will get a class, taught by me and featuring some of my favorite cocktails, and a chance to ask a seasoned professional anything you'd like.
There is a reason my Instagram is themobilemixologist—I love to travel. At the $2000 level I will fly to you, and teach you a class in the location of your choosing.
The Impact
MCM is a chance to spread the gospel of a well-made drink to everyone, everywhere, on their own terms. The bottled cocktail market is currently filled with processed, pale imitations of good drinks. MCM looks to fight back with creativity and integrity so that a delightful cocktail is available to everyone.
Bartending and teaching mixology is a time-honored interaction from bartender/teacher to guest/student. I look to extend this tradition by spreading my message throughout the land. I will work tirelessly to spread the good word of a great drink through tastings, classes, videos... however I can reach people. And when I leave, my cocktails shall remain.
Challenges
The
ready-to-drink
cocktail market is growing. And though young, it is growing all ways
at once. Not all of the ways will last, but one avenue that is
underrepresented and has potential for long-term growth is the
bespoke, high-flavor sector.
California
has the perfect licensing system to allow for great bottled
cocktails.
I
have partnered with Mikha Diaz, owner and operator of Two Sisters Bar
& Books. I was her first bartender. We have worked in the
trenches since 2012, and have made Two Sisters a destination bar in
the San Francisco drink scene. Between
the two of us we have forty years of industry experience.
Other Ways You Can Help
Money
isn't the only way to contribute! Do
you know someone who loves a good cocktail? Share
this campaign with your friends, family, co-workers, or strangers who
love the art of mixed
drinks. Thanks in advance, we can't succeed without your help!
