Nothing’s better on a cold winter night than enjoying a hot cocktail, and Michigan-based Apres Beverages is making it easier to get one. Working in partnership with Temperance Distilling, and using traditional liquid spirits and concentrated liquid flavorings, it’s developed two single-serve pods—Irish coffee (76 proof) and spiced cider (50 proof)—that are compatible with home brewing systems.
“We have a single-serve brewing machine at the office, and we were joking about how we could leverage it to deliver our favorite adult-friendly hot drinks,” explains Lucinda Wright, cofounder and general manager of Apres Beverages.
“I probably should say that we were super analytical about assessing the ‘white space’ in the category, etc. But the idea was really born out of a small group of colleagues teasing each other about our drinking habits.”
Available under the Cask & Kettle brand at Safeway, Mollie Stone’s, and Raley’s in Northern California and a variety of independent groceries in Michigan and Missouri, Wright says, “We’re aggressively growing our sales footprint. Our aspiration is to create a totally new segment within the current spirits category.”
It’s just another innovation in the single-serve beverage category.
