Mocktails Or Messy
Mocktails Or Messy
#41: Soberish & Social: Redefining Drinking with Amethyst’s Jane
Do you know what it means to truly embrace a "soberish" lifestyle? Join us as we chat with Jane, the dynamic brand ambassador for Amethyst, who shares her journey from the bustling liquor industry to becoming a passionate advocate for non-alcoholic alternatives. Discover how Amethyst, with its new watermelon lime flavor, is reshaping social gatherings with its botanical charm. Jane opens up about her personal evolution towards mindful drinking, weighing in on how a balanced approach to alcohol can transform energy levels and wellness.
Our conversation takes a reflective turn as we recount personal stories of past drinking escapades that highlighted the need for a change. You'll hear about a birthday weekend that served as a catalyst for embracing moderation, leading to the discovery of alcohol-free options like Amethyst that offer confidence and inclusivity in social settings. Tune in to explore the broader trend of mindful drinking and how redefining your relationship with alcohol can lead to a more fulfilling social life. This episode promises to inspire those curious about the benefits of mindful consumption and the freedom found in choosing when and how to indulge.
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This is Ryan Frankofsky, and.
Speaker 2:Kelly Musgorski.
Speaker 1:And we are with Amethyst brand ambassador Jane. How's it going, Jane, it's good. How are you guys? We're doing better than we deserve. Today we got so much opportunity to just dive into amethyst, our favorite non-alcoholic liquor alternative. Jane, thank you so much for sending us some samples.
Speaker 2:Of course you got to try it before you buy it, yeah, so we tried the lemon cucumber serrano last time and I don't know if we can beat it yeah, but today we have the watermelon lime. Know if we can beat it yeah, but today we have the watermelon lime that we're going to try, yes.
Speaker 1:And tell us your favorite mocktail with amethyst right now. You said it's something about watermelon.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm really into the watermelon lime right now. It's our newest flavor and I love it as a mojito.
Speaker 1:You know something about this alternative liquor, if you will. I mean, is that what you would call it?
Speaker 3:Yeah it's. I just say it's a non-alcoholic, botanical spirit. And a lot of times people will be like, well, what is it? Is it like a vodka or is it like a gin? And I'm like, no, not really. We don't want to refer to it as that because it's so versatile. And then I'll go into the spiel of you know what you can do with it, like I just told you the mojito, but you can make margaritas with this, you can make a martini with these, you can make mules with these. So it's so versatile that you can make any cocktail that's out there and use it as the replacement for whatever liquor you're trying to replace.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I just love the design, the bottle, the mission statement is so in line with our message, which is mindful, non-alcoholic with the drinkers, because you can incorporate this Even if you wanted to, you could mix it with alcohol but obviously we are trying to be more balanced and mindful with the mocktails. We love that you incorporate in your mission. It's balance, wellness and inclusion. That's it.
Speaker 2:That's it. Yeah, that's our mission too. So what I love about that it says no refrigeration needed. Enjoy up to six months after opening. You can savor it over ice or combine it with soda water, which is what we're going to do today, and you can also build a cocktail from it. It's very versatile. Do you typically do like equal parts?
Speaker 3:Jane, I actually do. I go a little heavier with the amethyst just because I want to get more of that. Yeah, the flavor's so good, so usually I'll do about two ounces of it and then just top it. So we're going to try this one.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited. Cheers, Jane, Cheers.
Speaker 1:Jane from amethyst. Okay, wow, you got a little kick. Wow, it does give you that little kick, like that's what I said to Kelly last time, like sometimes, when you don't have the kick, you could just guzzle it and that defeats the purpose of having that mocktail experience of sipping it like our counterparts, or our drinker friends, the messies.
Speaker 1:We call them messies, jane. We love our little messy friends. I used to be one. I'm a retired party animal and kelly. Right now she is off the booze for a week so far, yeah, just taking a little pause.
Speaker 2:I think that's the cool thing to do now yeah, yeah, yeah, totally.
Speaker 3:How about yourself? Every person's different. I am not sober, but I kind of refer to myself as soberish. Yeah, because I'll go a couple months at a time and not have a single drink. But then this weekend I had a high school reunion and so I had a couple beers, but then I had an amethyst drink at the end and then I had water.
Speaker 3:So you know, I'm being mindful, conscious about what I'm doing. Number one because I have to drive and I'm an adamant believer in no drinking and driving. I've, you know, put that in my son's brain. I have the Uber app on his phone with my credit card, like don't ever do it, you know, right. So, but that's kind of how I am. I'm just more mindful about it. I mean, hangovers suck when you get older and you know who wants to feel like you know major anxiety the next day, and then you're worthless and you're like laying around and you get nothing done. So that's kind of where I am. I just I choose when I want it and I know myself when I start drinking it's not always that I stop.
Speaker 3:So then you know, I go over the hill, you know, and then I'm in trouble. So I try to be. I'm very conscious about it now, which is cool, and but hey, I don't mind, you know, everybody's to each his own. I think it's awesome we have this product, these kind of products out there for us to do this and make the choice.
Speaker 2:Jane, we're so happy to have you. We're going to get into some questions that we have for you. Can you share your journey with us? What interests or quirky hobbies did you have that kind of led you to the world of non-alcoholic spirits?
Speaker 3:Well, I got here because I was actually in the liquor industry before and 2020,. I was at another distillery and lost my job because of COVID and fell into this new job, and I was actually just working in the retail store of the distillery and then they said, hey, we've got an opening for brand ambassador for amethyst, our non-alcoholic product. Would you like to take it on? Yes, and so, um, I knew nothing about NA. You know nothing. All I knew was, yeah, there's O'Doul's. I drank that when I was pregnant and it was gross. It's so bad.
Speaker 3:And so I just started, like, really honestly, just searching the web, social and just learning so many things. I started making friends in the NA space and my biggest mentor is Chris Marshall. We did a lot of fun pop-ups for a couple of years all over the country and just had a blast, and so that's kind of how I got to where I am now. And quirky hobbies probably the quirkiest hobby for me is I've learned how to make some great and this isn't really quirky, I guess but great, great cocktails that are zero proof. So, um, I literally have probably a hundred um recipes uh, that I've made with our products, yeah, awesome.
Speaker 3:And so at some point I would like to do a little recipe book of amethyst drinks we're gonna stay tuned for that, yeah yeah, so that's kind of like what I've done, and because of that, I ended up with a lot of like cocktail books, because there's not a ton of mocktail books out there, but but there are some more, you know they're coming around, so but yeah, that's kind of where I am now.
Speaker 1:Well, I love to hear that, because I do have a ton of cocktail books. When I was studying mixology in New York and I just realized that like I always wanted to have that fancy shaken beverage it like I always wanted to have that fancy shaken beverage and I really think, like with the amethyst you can do that, but like it is delicious on its own, with just sparkling water.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, totally it really is you're right now.
Speaker 1:I'm curious from your messy days before children, do you have any embarrassing or cringe worthy stories like we talk about our messy past from college? I don't know if you have like an interesting funny story that you're like oh shit, I am never going to do that again.
Speaker 3:I am a Gen Xer, that you know. Oh boy, did we know how to party in college? Yeah, there's a lot of college ones, but I'll be honest, I had a really messy one a couple years ago.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And that's the one that you know. I kind of laugh about it now, but it also was kind of serious and a little bit embarrassing, but it was. It was my birthday weekend and I decided to head down to the bar downstairs and the distillery and start happy hour, and so I had a couple of friends there and we started that and, like a big dummy, I was drinking rye whiskey and a cocktail, which was fabulous, and I had no food in me. So, long story short, my friend at work had to take me home and woke up the next morning had a bruise on my ass, a bruise on my lip, and I was like, oh my God, you know what happened to me.
Speaker 3:And so my husband then tells me the stories and my friend that brought me home tells me the stories and I was like, oh my gosh, did I act like I was drunk? Was I embarrassing? You know what happened? No, no, you were fine. Embarrassing. You know what happened? No, no, you were fine. But literally that was like my. That was the light bulb for me two years ago. I was like that's it. Never doing that again, because you know, you're you're too old to act like this. It's embarrassing and, oh my god, you could have died. I don't even know what I fell on to get these bruises, you know, but it was in my closet somehow, but um probably taking off your shoes or something that was kind of my messy uh moment.
Speaker 3:Um, that's not so far in the past yeah, no.
Speaker 1:What year? So two years ago? That would have been um 2022 yes yeah, I had that at 2021. I was like big wake-up call, like after like we were getting out of the pandemic and I feel you like I was just like I can't do this again, you know, yeah yeah it's, it's scary you know, when you get, when you get to that it's different.
Speaker 3:If you just get a little buzz and then you're like I had a buzz, but when you're truly blacked out and don't know what happened, that's scary, embarrassing, just a big concern. So I don't do that anymore and I've learned a lot from that.
Speaker 2:Well, we can say that we've had plenty of moments like that, and that's what led us to like where we're at now too, have you had any like hilarious or messy stories that led to like unexpected lessons?
Speaker 3:well, um, the biggest lesson, honestly, that I've learned by getting into this kind of soberish mindset is that I'm not gaining weight, I'm losing weight. I'm I'm actually on how I eat and that has felt really good. Um, cause just just this year I've lost um 12 pounds, very slowly, but it was 12 pounds and now you know you feel good and you're like, yeah, you get a little more energy. So, um, that's another thing that's from the messy side. That's kind of helped me move forward and, um, be more conscious about when I take it, when I'm taking an alcohol, because you know, the drinks are like, a lot of times and you're having a fancy cocktail unless it's a, you know, more dirty martini or something, you're getting a lot of sugars and things like that in there and that's just going straight to the belly. I mean, for real, I haven't had a drink in eight days. Lot of sugars and things like that in there and that's just going straight to the belly.
Speaker 2:So I mean, for real, I don't. I haven't had a drink in eight days, and normally I would have had like two nights by now that I would have drank like, yeah, and I've already lost like three pounds, exactly what. And then when he got sober, how much did you lose?
Speaker 1:I lost 20 pounds yeah from like being completely sober. Now, I don't think I ever had that like where you guys can like have a little bit of like moderation involved. I was like all or nothing. It would be like, okay, if it's Friday or Saturday, I'm drinking like the whole you know, the whole night out. It would just be like, and so that does add up to empty calories, even when you are really doing the dirty martinis, even though they might not have the sugar.
Speaker 1:It's empty calories because you're still getting them in there. And then you're also wanting to eat like fried food cookies whatever it is Exactly you make all those bad decisions. And then, like you said said before, the anxiety kicks in. You're like I should work out, but I feel dehydrated the next day and I feel like shit and as I get older I'm like I don't want to do this cycle yeah, yeah, yeah, it's not worth it.
Speaker 1:No, no, I think that amethyst, like the N-A spirit, like if it was a person at a party. How would you describe them? I do feel like in some ways, I'm not giving you what I would say necessarily, but it is such an elevated mocktail. So I'm curious, like if you had to like characterize it like you know. You know Jack Daniels, you know who that person is. Or you know who the like martini, like James Bond gin martini guy is, who is the amethyst and a spirit at the party.
Speaker 3:He is the beautiful goddess that has so many friends and can make everybody laugh and enjoy themselves. I can taste that, I can feel that.
Speaker 2:Oh fuck, jay, I'm taking another sip. You just like.
Speaker 1:You just like said, like my, that's who I wanted, that's who I want to be, I think 10 months of like learning, like I don't need to be the drunk guy that's trying so hard, I can just be amethyst, the cool girl, or cool cool guy, we don't have exactly whichever god goddess yes, yes, I'll be a goddess for all intensive purposes but you're right like making everybody feel like included because I know that, like I don't need to be around, only don't know most.
Speaker 1:But I think a lot of people can have that healthy moderation. The other people that can't. Now we have multiple options, like amethyst, that you cannot feel like oh, I'm like an odd man out, I can feel like I fit in.
Speaker 3:Right, and that's the big thing. And and whether anybody understands it or not, it doesn't matter. If it works for you, that's all that matters, in my opinion. And and having the availability of non-alcoholic options when you go out, that's what matters.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now do you notice, like you're on certain menus in like your specific location, like do you guys pitch that to bars and restaurants to be on their menu?
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, yeah, In our area we are on quite a bit of menus. There's a couple of restaurant groups in Hilton Head that have us on their menus. We've got a lot of menus in Savannah, because Savannah is really close to us, like 40 minutes Charleston, some in North Carolina, and then there's other places too, because I actually have um kind of near you guys, um and um, well, not that near, but in Philly, um, there's quite a few restaurants that have it, uh, have have us on the menus, and, um, there's a couple of non-out bars that are out there that have us. So it's definitely growing.
Speaker 2:I used to live in um Beaufort, south Carolina actually, for I was there for three years, so it's definitely growing. I used to live in Beaufort, south Carolina, actually, for I was there for three years, so I'm familiar with all those areas and I miss it so much Except the hurricanes that was stressful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. What do you find Like? Do you think there will be a point where we will be even when it comes to profitability of these two different you know, non-alcoholic beverage and alcoholic beverage? Or do you find like you're always going to be more profitable with an alcoholic beverage company?
Speaker 3:Um, for company revenue wise right now, yes, alcohol is going to make more, but, um, over the past, let's see, because it's really start started kicking in in 2020. And the innate industry is growing by leaps and just bounds. So, you know, we're talking 2026, 2027, it's definitely going to be that trillion dollar industry, which is huge. Um, and for the cost of a drink or the cost of the product, if you walk into the liquor store or the bottle shop or whatever, um, it actually can hang with the pricing. So, uh, like amethyst is, you know, $29.99 retail.
Speaker 3:So, because we feel that it is a craft non-alcoholic spirit and on most of the menus, I suggest to the restaurants don't sell this for $8, sell it for, you know, $11 or $12. Because, depending on how much you're elevating the drink, it's no different than you elevating the alcohol drink, you know, the bartender still having to make that, still having to create it, still having to add those homemade ingredients to it. So I think we're, you know, I'd say, give it a few more years and it'll be just like everybody turning vegan. You know we don't think anything about that now, you know. So it'll be maybe the same thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, let's talk about you, Jane. What inspires you daily? I?
Speaker 3:love knowing that people enjoy and love amethyst, because I could not sell it if I didn't like it myself, and I do, and honestly, I love meeting everybody. I mean, you know I've met you guys. Now it's like I've met so many people from all over the country, whether it's in person or via Zoom. In person or via zoom, um, I just love that. You know so, and it's like you can just make these great connections with people and I just love what I'm doing. You know, of course sometimes it's stressful but, um, at the end of the day, I'm proud to be working for the company, I'm proud to be the face behind the brand and I'm proud that I've made a lot of awesome friendships through it. So you know, that's kind of the day, my day, and then at night I actually don't turn off. I'm on social, talking to people, so it's part of my life now Because you definitely like speak the brand.
Speaker 1:you don't turn it off. It's kind of like who you are. You would almost think like you're one of the founders.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And it's like I think they definitely secured the best person for that position, because we've worked with a lot of brand representatives of other non-alcoholic beverage companies and even alcoholic ones, and you know you could tell that, like, when it's such a large corporation, they get kind of get lost in the mix and you know, I think this is like a unique brand which, like, really has an uncovered message behind it, not just to be profitable but to really, like, have that mindset that we do.
Speaker 3:There's a story behind it, exactly, exactly, now looking ahead what's your wildest dream for Amethyst and A Spirits?
Speaker 1:Do you think that there's any surprise collaborations?
Speaker 3:we should keep our eye out for the biggest thing that I want to happen is I want Amethyst to be a household name. Ding, ding ding.
Speaker 2:However, it has to happen.
Speaker 3:I'm going to do my best to make that happen. You know I want the Amethyst effect, kind of like the Tito's effect. You know, everybody walks into a bar and they want Tito's Um. So I want that. I want the amethyst effect, the household name for the NA world.
Speaker 1:And we want to be the lead podcasters of amethyst. We really want to appreciate and thank you, jane, for believing in us, as we really are inspired by your message. Your brand, your product is not only amazing to taste, this is so good, it looks just beautiful, and that's part of it. So thank you for coming on. Mocktails are Messy. Jane, we are excited to meet you in person.
Speaker 2:Thank you, jane, we appreciate your time.
Speaker 3:I can't wait to meet you guys and thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Next time we are getting that muddled mint watermelon mojito with you, yes, you have to. It's a mouthful.
Speaker 3:Awesome. Thank you guys. Have a good one. Have the best night, jane Bye.
Speaker 1:This is Ryan Frankowski and Kelly Musgorski. Thank you, jane from Amethyst, for coming on. Mocktails are Messy. We will see you in the new year. Bye.
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