Few people have shaped the mindful drinking movement more than Derek Brown. He's the Co-Founder/President of Drink Company and the Mindful Drinking Fest, the latter being the largest event of its kind in the country. A celebrated bartender and sommelier turned NA pioneer, Derek has since consulted on high-profile non-alcoholic programs for Dōgon and Hilton, and judged some of the world's most prestigious food and beverage competitions.

Key Topics:

• Derek's path from bartender and sommelier to becoming a leading voice in mindful drinking.
• The most common excuse operators give for not taking NA seriously, and why he thinks many restaurants still struggle with their zero proof menus.
• What makes a world-class non-alcoholic drink, from a veteran competition judge's perspective (hint: it's not just what tastes good to him).
• How the industry can hold space for both moderators and the fully sober without collapsing the distinction.
• The rise of "proxy" brands redefining the cocktail rather than imitating it.
• How we can fully "normalize" ordering zero proof options, and become an established part of the mainstream.

Mentioned in this episode:

Drink Company

Mindful Drinking Fest

Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide To No-and-Low Cocktails (Derek's book)

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Today's guest on The Quiet Pour is Vicente Ruiz, whose relationship with alcohol was shaped early by family gatherings well before he realized it had stopped serving him. Those experiences caused him to decide to stop drinking alcohol entirely.

In this episode, Vicente talks about what led him to sobriety, and how that shift sparked an unexpected career move — first helping NA beverage brands with distribution, then co-founding his own kava beverage company with a close friend.

Mentioned in this episode:

Lacuna Kava Bar (Phoenix, AZ)

Better Days Kava Bevs

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Unless something changes, a looming November 12th deadline threatens to upend the entire industry surrounding psychoactive hemp. With such an existential threat on the horizon, we asked Dani Baranowski, Executive Director of the Florida Hemp Beverage Coalition and founder of Highspitality, to join us and break down the high-stakes legislative battle that will ultimately decide the future of hemp-derived THC drinks.

We explore the reality of a federal "total THC" cap, what lawmakers get wrong about hemp, and how these shifts threaten the rising crossover between non-alcoholic and functional wellness beverages.

Key Topics:

• The 0.4mg Cliff: The federal push that could decimate the category and whether an eleventh-hour fix is realistic.
• Educating Lawmakers: The biggest misconceptions legislators have about hemp versus traditional cannabis.
• The Three-Tier Debate: Whether regulating hemp beverages like alcohol protects consumers or simply hands control to a frequent adversary.
• The NA & Hemp Convergence: How a hemp ban directly impacts the wider non-alcoholic and mindful drinking movement.

Mentioned in this episode:

Florida Hemp Beverage Coalition

Highspitality

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