Meet Montana's Premiere Mobile Mocktail Bar: Hold My Bar
We interviewed the pioneering mobile mocktail bar, "Hold My Bar"- to learn how they're shaking up the N/A industry. Read to the bottom for two recipes!
First, a brief introduction!
Hi everyone. We are Uriah Rosenzweig and Mary Cortesi and we are the co-owners and operators of "Hold My Bar" which is Montana's very first fully NA bar and bottle shop. We run a mobile unit out of a horse trailer and travel throughout the state doing pop ups and collaborating with other businesses to bring a unique, all inclusive drinking experience to communities.
1. What inspired you to start a mobile N/A beverage bar business, and how has the industry evolved since you launched?
We were inspired in the year 2022 when Uriah was tired of the same old bland and boring NA alternatives that seemed to be available everywhere (i.e. soda water, cola, tea, etc.) and wanted something different. The research began in 2022, we created the LLC in 2023, and we launched earlier this year. Since our first launch in Feb, we have seen more and more people coming to us out of curiosity and also excitement. The NA industry is the fastest growing industry in beverage....period. That shows in the amount of traffic we no see at the events we attend.
2. Non-alcoholic beverages are growing in popularity—why do you think more people are choosing N/A drinks today?
The number one reason why people are choosing NA beverages these days, in my opinion and according to research, is people are more and more health conscious. People also have a lot more resources in our hands than ever before. That has allowed us, as a whole, to not be continuously blinded by the alcohol industry. The notion that "a glass of wine a day is good for you" is absolutely absurd and strictly marketing. Young people, especially, are hip to what's cool....and not drinking alcohol is more and more cool by the day.
3. What are your favorite non-alcoholic drinks and/or recipes to serve?
I love coming up with our own concoctions and trying them at home before bringing them to market. Some of our recipes are simply NA versions of popular cocktails and some are completely unique to our bar. I would say my favorite overall would be the "Witch Doctor" which is something we came up with using a zero proof dark cane spirit, pineapple juice, and a botanical spirit called Black Ginger. Or anything I can add colorful glitter to....thise are my favorites. I love being creative behind the bar and watching people's eyes light up over a shimmery drink.
4. Can you share a memorable event or celebration where your mobile bar made a significant impact?
I would like to share two events where I feel we made an impact and for sure these people made a huge impact on us. In September, we had the honor and pleasure of working with Ronald Mcdonald House Charities of Western Montana for their biggest fundraiser of the year. It was truly a gift to be there. That is an amazing organization with amazing people, and I feel like we both made a huge mark on each other. The other event was our first wedding in October. It was a completely dry wedding and we had the honor of being the only outside beverage vendor. We had never been part of something like that and the love we felt was definitely in the air...a true blessing and honor.
5. How do you see non-alcoholic drinks fitting into the broader health and wellness trend?
The fact that you can now find NA spirits at Home Goods is a huge swing in the right direction. As more and more people become aware of what's going on in the NA world and how its not just your grandpa's O'Douls anymore, I think people will start seeing the benefits of some of these spirits. A lot of the NA spirits coming out now have great health benefits and are loaded with adaptogens, botanicals, and nootropics and are great for the mind and body.
6. Are there any surprising benefits of N/A drinks that people might not know about?
There are a ton of surprising health benefits in a lot of the spirits coming out these days. For instance, The Pathfinder is a hemp derived distilled NA spirit that contains wormwood, angelica root, ginger, sage, saffron, and wild crafted douglas fir, all of which have unique benefits. And that's just one of many brands doing great things.
8. What are some of the best pairing ideas for non-alcoholic drinks at events, like food or snacks that complement your drinks?
Our drinks are so good they pair with everything from chewing gum to a tomahawk steak! In all seriousness though, I think our margarita has paired well with everything. Its a pretty versatile drink so whether you have a burger, chicken, fish, or just veggie options, a good NA marg seems to hit the spot.
9. For people who are new to non-alcoholic drinks, what would you recommend as a good place to start?
For people that are new to the NA industry and are curious, I would recommend starting with a canned ready to drink (RTD) beverage, or if they can find somewhere that has mocktails using actual NA spirits rather than just juice and soda water, guve it a try. I think people will be surprised at the quality of the stuff coming out these days. And obviously if someone is curious, we hope they come find us and try us out or stop in your store and grab a bottle of Kava Haven to go...you can't go wrong with kava.
Whether people are sober, sober curious, or a full fledged daily drinker we welcome everyone to join in the fun.
Just remember... "It's Nobody's Buzz-ness But Your Own!"
