McClary Bros. entered the Shark Tank to pitch their Drinking Vinegars, traditionally known as ‘shrubs,’ which are Colonial-era cocktail and soda mixers. We interviewed founder Jessica McClary and here is what she told us about…
Buy Drinking Vinegars here.
To read all of Heavy’s Shark Tank coverage, click here.
How the Idea Came About
I was in culinary school and had a strong passion for local food. I’d been researching old-fashioned preservation techniques and when I came across Drinking Vinegars, I had a light bulb moment.
Working With Her Husband
He joined the McClary Bros. team a year into it and he brought his strong background and 15 plus years of experience in sales. Within months, our sales were skyrocketing as he introduced the Vinegars to new establishments and new customers. We don’t always see eye to eye, but neither do I and the rest of the staff. He’s an invaluable part of the team and I’m glad I have someone that I can trust in such a key role.
Their Bestsellers & Interesting Recipes
Apple Pie and Beet & Carrot, hands down! Apple Pie is our signature flavor and Beet & Carrot is an earthy, smooth mixer and you can’t find anything like it. I like to keep it simple, vinegar, spirit of choice, sparkling water-maybe a dash of bitters. But I’ve seen bartenders use our vinegars in cocktails with egg whites, with hot peppers, I seen it turned into foam, I’ve had it turned into boozy ice pops. I love seeing the creativity of our fans!
New Flavors
We will be introducing some exciting new micro-batch flavors and as we expand into our second production location, in New Orleans, we’ll be releasing some very cool (though still secret) flavors using Louisiana-grown ingredients.
