Forward Beverage Co. Crafts Sophisticated Non-Alcoholic Cocktails
There’s a taproom in North Central Wisconsin. At the back of it is a workshop where a scientist with wide-ranging professional expertise in toxicology, research, development, and Big Pharma crafts functional beverages for a target audience of sober/sober-curious adults. Can you guess the story behind this business? It’s as intriguing as you might imagine.
Paul Yanzer is the scientist. If you were to stop by the taproom, located in downtown Wausau, you’d no doubt be greeted by his wife and co-owner, Amy Yanzer. She operates the front end of things. Together, they’re growing their business, Forward Beverage Co., with a product line offering sophisticated alternatives to alcohol. Along with their elegant and nuanced taste, the drinks—all Paul’s original recipes—provide mood elevation, some stress reduction, a bit of clarity, and a little help with health aspirations.
According to Amy, it’s “Paul’s genius as a chemist” and his knowledge of plant compounds (THC*, CBD**, and adaptogens such as Ashwagandha) that make Forward Beverage the social drink of choice for those who want to experience a gentle, relaxed state without the downsides of alcohol. She added that it’s “a passion of his to understand what these plants do to our bodies.” It’s easy to believe, therefore, that each beverage is meticulously crafted and helps align with their customers’ wellness goals.
From the beginning, both Paul and Amy knew to whom they’d market their social seltzers and soft cocktails—people like themselves who, as Amy says, “don’t want to be drinking as much alcohol, but still like everything about it. We like the glass. We like the feel. We like the taste. We just don’t want the booze in it.” Amy further described their target audience as “people who are eating clean food, care about what they put in their bodies, and can appreciate the complexity of the flavors.”
Driving the Forward Beverage brand is the Yanzers’ desire to provide adults with choices that allow them to “still fit in,” as Amy says, in social settings, “but not have alcohol if [they’re] choosing not to drink.” She adds, “We are not trying to replace Wisconsin’s drinking culture. We grew up in it. We know it. It’s a part of how we identify and who we are. We just want options so that everybody can be included and nobody has to feel left out.”
That’s an important selling point as Forward Beverage looks to place their product in bars and restaurants throughout Wisconsin and beyond. It’s a win for everybody. Diners have elevated options other than heavily-sugared sodas and water; restaurateurs have a pre-blended mocktail to sell at a higher price point; the bartender, Amy explains, simply has to “pour this in a glass with a little garnish and people are so satisfied.”
As for the drinks, Amy describes them like this, “The aroma. I mean, you pour an In-Fashioned and you can smell the bitters and the cherry in it, just like you have a muddled drink in front of you.” Forward Beverages are hydrating, contain more electrolytes than Gatorade, don’t use high fructose corn syrup or dyes, and are just slightly carbonated. The drinks are tested by Badger Labs and the results are posted on Forward Beverage’s website.
They’re serving up four fresh flavors this summer: Orange Crush Social Seltzer, Purple Haze Seltzer, Salted Guava Sour Social Seltzer, and the In-Fashioned. Other beverages include Citrosa Social Seltzer, In-Fashioned Soft Cocktail, Lavender Haze Sleep Elixir, and Lemon Drop Nitro Canna Cocktail.
Nine months after the Yanzers opened their taproom, they signed with a statewide distributor who now has Forward Beverage stocked in many venues around Wisconsin (https://www.forwardbev.com/visitus). “We want to be the NA [non-alcoholic] brand of Wisconsin,” says Amy. Currently, they’re working with Forward Beverage’s first brand ambassador and think their next step might include local influencers. Their product is available wholesale and they have a flat rate for shipping nationwide.
Samples are provided in the Wausau taproom. As Amy explains it, “Instead of going to a grocery store and being committed to a four pack, you can try it before you buy it.” The taproom itself is sleek with a modern vibe. Pictures by local artists adorn the walls; children are welcome; and Forward Beverage has a loyalty program. Visitors frequently comment with, “I’m so glad you’re here. I can’t believe there’s a place that doesn’t serve alcohol up in Wisconsin,” says Amy. She adds, “That kind of gratitude for a place like ours has been surprising. I didn’t expect that.”
While Amy thinks “it’s so fun and cool to be a small, local husband-and-a-wife-run downtown business,” they do have huge goals. “We want to be big,” she shares. Paul has a whole notebook of ideas, connections are evolving (with help from customers), and investors are interested in their brand—all factors to weigh as the Yanzers consider how fast they want to grow.
The taproom is located in the Third Street Lifestyle Center—owned by Compass Properties—at 303 N. 3rd St. in Wausau, Wisconsin. Forward Beverage Co. also has an online shop. Amy can be reached at amy@forwardbev.com.
Special Notes:
* THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
**CBD (Cannabidiol)
The business name is a nod to Wisconsin’s state motto, “Forward.”