It started in college when I discovered the huge variety of beers coming out of the Midwest. At one point, I was so obsessed that I rode my bike 150 miles from Chicago to Kalamazoo to get a pint of my then favorite beer, Expedition Stout, straight from its source at Bell’s Brewery.

Next was tea. From earthy pu-erhs to light and floral oolongs, I spent hours learning about each variety’s unique history and production methods. I even traveled to the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains and spent time on the organic Darjeeling tea estate Makaibari.

I also gained some insight into the big business side of drinks from my last job as a management consultant. My consulting work was focused on beverages and sent me everywhere from 5 a.m. beverage deliveries in Reno, Nevada to soda factory tours in Cairo, Egypt.

For the past five years, my passion has been Cocktails. Fascinating and colorful histories, hidden bars, innovative ingredients, I became hooked on it all. Devouring every book I could find on mixology, I began experimenting at home with my own drink recipes and Cocktail Crate was born.