About
What is pikklepuss?
Quite literally, picklepuss means sour face. “Don’t be such a picklepuss”, chastened mom if we woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Naturally a word that elicits a pucker and a smile leaped to mind when naming a beverage that delights the tastebuds with both sweet and tart sensations.
Our Story
The foundation for pikklepuss started in my childhood, where I enjoyed a rural upbringing rich with experiences. Early memories include brewing home-made root beer in grandma’s root cellar, and “putting up” row after row of preserves alongside my mom and sisters.
Cultivated in an acre-sized garden and prepared in a scratch-kitchen, meals at home were truly a farm-to-table experience.
From these beginnings a desire to nourish, host, and entertain was born.
During the Covid pandemic, an introduction to shrubs and was love at first sip. My appreciation for the craft of preservation was reborn, and I set forth concocting myriad flavors in my home kitchen cum science lab. A socially distant landscape would not deter my desire to share this discovery! I packed a shrub cocktail kit to-go, and set up tasting experiences in the back yards of surrounding friends and neighbors with high praise.
Now, my mission as a self-appointed shrub ambassador is to share a love of shrubs across the country and around the globe. Enjoy!
Juli
What is a Shrub?
The enigma of beverages, it’s part hip craft cocktail mixer and granny’s preserves rolled up in one. Creating shrubs is simply macerating sugar with fruit, then combining the extracted juice with vinegar to aid the preservation process. The resulting concentrate is traditionally mixed with water to create a refreshing drink that is simultaneously tart and sweet.
Great shrubs, and the basis for pikklepuss mixers, find that delicate balance of acidic bite and fruity brightness. From there, we build complexity with mid and top flavor notes in the form of tonics, cordials, tinctures and bitters for that perfect flavor combination!
More on Shrubs
History
Shrubs have a rich history a rich history throughout the ages, and can be traced back to Babylonian times as an
additive to make drinking water safe. The word “shrub” is derived from the Arabic word sharāb,
to drink. Beyond the Middle East, shrubs appeared in Medieval Europe as a medicinal elixir,
and were revived in 17th and 18th century England to mask the flavor of smuggled spirits and prevent scurvy.
Shrubs became popular in America during the Colonial Era as a way to preserve fruit,
and were also the basis for alcoholic punches enjoyed by high society.
Recently, shrubs have enjoyed renewed status with a role in the craft cocktail movement.
Vinegar-based drinks appear in many different cultures- Korean, Indian, Ukrainian, Armenian – which
we have discovered in conversations with friends (over cocktails, of course!). We love that this
beverage spans across time, geography and a shared appreciation by all.
Our Mission
To create a craft cocktail experience that requires less mixology and more socializing with friends. Pikklepuss is a social sipping drink that can be enjoyed either with your favorite spirit or as a stand-alone beverage served with sparkling water over ice.
We aspire to be the go-to premium mixer that delivers a fruit forward and complex taste sensation. Our focus is farm-to-glass, sourcing local produce in the height of season to ensure bright flavors.
We believe in connecting people for great conversation over cocktails. pikklepuss is part of that experience anywhere the mood takes you, no bartender required.
So kick back, relax and spend more time with your favorite people!
Values
Integral to the long term values and success of pikklepuss:
Flavor
It must taste spectacular! Delicious flavors that tickle your tastebuds.
Farm-to-Glass
Locally sourced, organic, non-GMO
ingredients. All natural fruit solids are either upcycled or composted.
Social Connection and Community
We encourage a community of socializing, sharing and making more time for the important things in life.
Have Fun!
While gaining visibility to a new product category and international brand.
Encourage Curiosity
Culinary, cultural, current – adapting our product and company and appreciate what is
happening in the world around us.
FAQ
We know, sometimes you have all the right tools. Because you’re an aficionado and bona fide food mechanic and for that we applaud you. Fun fact - pikklepuss tools also make a great gift! For that special someone in your life who could use a little love. Or a citrus squeezer.
When vetting our proof of concept, we found most potential customers had their favorite spirits on hand. So, we decided to leave the airplane sized bottles for our travel companions.
Click here to shop our Mix & Match mixers. Keep in mind our mixers are seasonal, so stock up on the ones you love!