Spork and Martini, owners of Slightly Furry, sit down with the guys to talk about the business and the delicious ciders they make. They have a drive to support and lift the furry, queer, and underrepresented communities that need a louder voice. You can find where their products are sold under Tap Map on their website listed in the links below. They just opened membership opportunities, are launching Kickstarter on Jan 2nd, and have their grand opening in Seattle scheduled to happen on Feb 16th, 2024.
02:10 – Brogan talks about what led to the guests come on, shares how he found out about the Furry Cider, and how much cider outsells beer. Martini talks about what got him started in making cider, kicking the business off, and what drew them to the Pacific Northwest. Brogan talks about the types of cider he sells at Cosmic Bottles, Spork talks about the difference between the cider community in Chicago vs the community in Seattle, and Martini talks about the alcohol law differences between Washington and Illinois.
17:08 – Martini talks about the different distribution models between the states, Spork talks about the ingredients they use in their ciders, and Martini explains the regulations on ciders from the FDA. Brogan talks about the “To Go Model” used at his shop, making legal documents via ChatGPT, and Martini talks about bringing the Chicago aesthetics to their shop in Seattle.
34:08 – Martini expresses their love of making really bold flavored cider, importing ginger from Figi, and Spork talks about finding the holes in the market and their willingness to take the risk to fill the gaps. He shares where people can find their ciders, Martini explains the artwork behind the products, and their conscious decision to hire artists and let them bring their own ideas to the art.
52:03 – Martini talks about their upcoming plans, Spork talks about moving to Seattle, and they talk about the hurdles around finding a business location in the area. They talk about when the grand opening is going to happen, Spork explains how their membership program will work, and the membership levels they’ll have available.
Thank you both for the great conversation and info on what you all have coming up in 2024! Special Guest: Slightly Furry.