#141 Cocktails with Love, Not Alcohol - Shelley Elkovich, For Bitter For Worse

Meaningful Marketplace Podcast

Shelley Elkovich and husband Jeff were always entertaining people, with Shelley taking the role of bartender. Then, the couple took a whale watching trip on the Salish Sea where Shelley developed an extremely rare neurological reaction to the boat trip. It affected her equilibrium and cause her “break up with booze”, as she puts it. Shelley soon became aware of how people can feel marginalized when they don’t join in with a drinking crowd and it bothered her. A self-described food nerdie, Shelley looked for, but couldn’t find, alcohol free drinks that met both her palate standards and her ingredient standards. And as happens so often in the entrepreneur world, when you can find what you want, start making it yourself, and that’s just what the couple did. In spring of 2020 they launched For Bitter For Worse. A playful pun on their wedding vows, yes. But more, a heads up to the consumer that Shelley, the Taste Maven of the company, likes cocktails with spark, with zest and drinks that create a memory, this from her years behind the bar. Her experience also determined the line, offering two sparkling drinks currently, which are great as aperitifs or spritzers. One still beverage is a red beverage basically an alcohol free red wine. The other still is a potent, smoky nightcap, so the entire entertainment evening is covered from AF aperitifs to AF nightcaps. The couple also has taken their AF red wine and added single servings in cans, keeping up with consumer preferences. The process to create these elixirs is quite fascinating. Jeff’s the Reverse Bootlegger. For Bitter For Worse uses all botanical ingredients for their beverages. They macerate this proprietary blend of herbs and botanicals in neutral alcohol and water to extract the flavors. Using a still, the remove the alcohol (“reverse bootlegging”). This creates their robust, bitter spirit base. Jeff invented the patent-pending process and converted Shelley’s recipes to scalable formulas, no easy fete. This is how the couple is fulfilling their mission: To provide sober folks and those who are simply cutting back on booze a way to embrace occasion and community, inviting opportunity for richer relationships. They aim to create a healthier, more inclusive culture. For Bitter For Worse beverages are available in major groceries stores in Oregon, select grocers across the US and online at http://forbitterforworse.com/. Social media at @forbitterforworse and Twitter @drinkFBFW. Our hosts: Twitter - @sarahmasoni and @spicymarshall, Instagram - @masoniandmarshall.