:: BIG HUGE AWESOME GINORMOUS NEWS ::

Project Code Name: The Ultimate Adventure

About six months ago, we began a pretty exciting adventure.

Not a physical, hiking down a trail adventure, but more of a “growthventure”, geared towards bringing our mixes into the hands of our target users - YOU!

After months and months of paperwork, hustling, more paperwork, regulations, red tape, new labels, hardship, laughter, even more paperwork, and copious amounts of cocktails…we are proud to announce the “BIG THING” we’ve been alluding to in so many of our social media posts.

So here it goes…drum roll please…

Leisuremann’s Cocktail Mixes are now part of the REI Co-Op!!!

Hooray! - Cheers! - Applause! - Bravo!

Someone said “Speech” - Thank you to everyone who has supported us thus far. We appreciate each and everyone of you and hope you keep drinking cocktails with us for years to come.

Back @ it.

You may be asking yourself now, “As a loyal patron of Leisuremann’s, what does this actually mean?”

Outstanding question.

For starters, effective today, you can order our mixes directly from REI.com, allowing you to reap the benefits of their awesome dividend program and members coupon codes from every jar purchased.

Secondly and probably most important, our mixes will be in an REI store near you. Seriously, you can actually buy a jar of Leisuremann’s Cocktail Mix at an REI brick and mortar location. Wow, right?!

Forecasted to be in the major flagship locations (Denver, Seattle, Washington D.C., Bloomington, & SoHo) starting 10/15 through the end of 2018, we are excited to see what adventures you take with a jar of our mix. By purchasing from your local REI or REI Co-Op online you don’t just support local businesses, you also support outdoor adventure culture.

If you don’t live near one of the flagship stores, no worries, simply go to your local REI and request our mixes for your location. This is a simple way to help REI know what you guys are into, want, and would like to see on the shelves.

If you do live by a flagship location, stop in, buy a jar or four, take some selfies, and post those bad boys to social media, showing the world how much you love cocktails!

Lastly, give us a review on REI.com - find your favorite flavor and tell the other adventurers out there why you love a good Leisuremann’s cocktail.

Overall, getting our mixes into your hands so you can use it for your next trip, adventure, tailgate, backyard party, or just a Netflix and chill night, is and will always be our #1 priority.

So…pretty big news right?

Cheers // Cliff

WE LOVE EVENTS!!!!!!!!

**HOT OFF THE PRESS**

OUR EVENTS PAGE IS FULLY UPDATED AND READY TO GRACE A WEEKEND CALENDAR NEAR YOU!!!**

You might be saying to yourself right now "HELL YEAH" or even "Why is this such a big deal?"

To most people this might just be an average page update but to us and a select few, it's much more.

See, events are the life blood of our business. If we could, we would do an event everyday, everyplace, everywhere on Planet Earth. That would be a little hard but we could manage...right? Think of the jet lag - OUCH!

All joking aside we truly, unequivocally, 100% love, Love, LOVE interacting with our current patrons and new patrons alike. It gets us going. It is like a gift that keeps giving.

Everything from finding out where you went with our mixes to a trip you are planning, we relish in every minute of it and give you a cocktail while we talk.

Like our tagline says - "We go where you go" - No matter if it's camping, hiking, fishing, rocking, space, caravanning, horseback riding, or grandma's house, we want to know and we want to see pictures, either in person on social media, @leisuremanns YEAH!!

To keep this blog short as I could ramble all day, we have a jammed packed 2018 with events spanning everywhere from Lafayette to Baton Rouge and even New Orleans. So add a few to your calendar, come out, stop by, talk, and we promise there will always be enough cocktail mixes and samples to go around.

Cheers till our next event!

//Cliff

P.S. If you know of an event, big or small, near or far that you think we should attend, feel free to drop us a line on social media or via our contact page. Who knows, if everything works out you might even get a little finders fee!

Callin' Baton Rouge

"Callin' Baton Rouge", for those who don't know,  is a 1993 smash single made famous by none other than the great, Chris Gaines. Wait... sorry, error on our part! We mean country superstar, Garth Brooks. LOL! 

Unlike Garth, who is brought back to Baton Rouge because of the lovely Samantha, we make the pilgrimage to our capital city each month because of an ever growing network of talented, creative, and enthusiastic makers. Every second Saturday you will find these makers gathering on the corner of Eugene and Govt. street at the MidCity Makers Market to show off their newest leather bag or their new jewelry line or in our case a new classic cocktail mix flavor.

Now pushing close to 50+ makers, our market is the must attend event for the MidCity area of Baton Rouge. Not only rejuvenating but boosting this area and its community as well.

You may be asking yourself "How can I get involved?" or more specifically "I'm a maker and how can I sell my product?". The answer is as simple as 5 easy steps. Honestly, there are more but we at Leisuremann's like to keep things simple. Capisce? 

1) Find a Market - For us Baton Rouge was a short drive and made the most sense. For you, start with a quick and thorough Google, Facebook, or Instagram search. Use key terms like, "market", "pop-up", "festival", "shop", "event" + "your area" to garner results. Finalize the search by reaching out via email or phone to your perspective event. Searching will pay off. Trust us!

2) Face to Face - It's true, people do buy product site unseen but our experience has shown that people also heavily buy you and your team. Live, love and enjoy the product you sell. Wear it, eat it, use it, flaunt it, post it, snap it, have your brand reflected in you.

3) Quality Product - Make sure your product is up to snuff. Natural ingredients, sustainable, handmade, unique, organic, playful, creative, are just a few traits off the top of our heads. People can see through the bull$h&% from a mile away. Don't skimp.

4) Be Yourself - Just be you. Don't be overly professional or pushy when selling your product or service. Keep it casual, keep it calm, keep it real, and for damn sure keep it business bohemian. Chillax baby!!

5) Transparent - Like a window, if someone doesn't like your product or has an issues with your service ask them why and how would they change it. Honesty is the best policy. Starting and ending each event with a positive customer centric attitude is key.

Not everyone is going to have a "Baton Rouge" but everyone sure can find a community of makers and like minded individuals they rally around and in our case have cocktails with on a monthly basis.

#midcitymakersgonnamake

Cheers // Cliff

For more information about our market visit MidCity Makers Market

To help grow your business get with Paul @ Southern Collaborative

For more information on how you can enjoy cocktail anywhere SHOP TODAY!!!!!

Why isn't Happy Hour every hour?

Happy Hour as defined by dictionary.com is "a cocktail hour or longer period at a bar, during which drinks are served at reduced prices..."

Simply put - Who doesn't need a drink after a hard day at the office?

Most sources point to "Happy Hour" originating in the early 1900's with it becoming more mainstream in the late 1950's. Through the decades, Happy Hour, as we know it today, exploded in popularity. Most if not all bars and even some restaurants have Happy Hour drink specials. Some places even have live music or entertainment to help ease the stress of being cooped up in the office all day. It's a true liberating experience. 

Though liberating, Happy Hour, like all good things, has to comes to an end. Saddened by this proposition we asked ourselves the age old questions - Why isn't Happy Hour every hour?

With some quick thinking and ingenuity, we realized our mixes could solve the world Happy Hour conundrum, extending Happy Hour to every, any, and even ALL hours of the day!!!

Using our mixes there are no lines at a bar, no crowds, no complex mixing steps, no extra bar ingredients, just combine WATER + MIX + SPIRIT  and you have a COCKTAIL! 

It's just that simple. We promise.

Don't believe us? Try it for yourself - OUR MIX SHOP

To wrap it up, next time you find yourself in a bar or restaurant during Happy Hour think for a minute about how with Leisuremann's every hour is Happy Hour.

Cheers!

- Cliff #leisurehour

Know What You're Ordering?

"Don't be afraid, it's just a cocktails"... Should be what most people say to themselves before placing an order for a drink at a bar, right?

Honestly, when asked, most individuals have limited knowledge of what they are actually ordering or the terminology behind drink orders. Though cocktail history is deeply rooted, having just an general knowledge of key terms and practices can not only aid but make your overall cocktail experience that much more enjoyable.

When ordering utilize the spirit first chaser second rule unless the cocktail/drink of your choice has an official name (ex. Old Fashioned or Dark & Stormy) or you prefer a single spirit, which we will get into later. Instead of telling your bartender you would like a cranberry vodka, use your confident voice and state "I would like a vodka cranberry". Also, don't be afraid to be specific. I would like a Ketel One and cranberry or an Absolut and cranberry. This shows your bartender that you didn't get off the 21 train yesterday and affords you the grand opportunity to make the "call" on your own cocktail. Hence the term "call" brands vs "well" liquors, but thats for a different blog.

In conjunction with proper ordering, knowing how you like your spirits served, is crucial. Though terminology varies from bar to bar, city to city, spirit to spirit, and even bartender to bartender, a few cocktail serving methods hold true.

Neat - A single spirit that is unmixed as well as not chilled. This is usually reserved for spirits that by their nature are best served and enjoyed at room temperature.

On the Rocks - A single spirit that is served on or over ice. This is usually reserved for drinks or spirits that are enjoyed cold and with the addition of melting ice brings flavor profiles not achieved neat.

Up or Straight Up - A libation that is shaken or stirred with ice, strained and served sans ice. This is usually reserved for specific spirits and cocktails and is either at the discretion of the bartender or the patron.

Cocktail or Mixed Drinks - An alcoholic beverage crafted of varying ingredients and spirits not limited to flavor or amount that is uniquely its own. Most are named. Refer to them by name and trust your bartender as they usually are the experts. Let your pallet for cocktails roam free!

At Leisuremann's we want you to have an excellent cocktail experience no matter where you go. We sample our mix on the rocks, as we find the slightly cold and mellow melting of an ice cube lends subtle flavor profiles not achieved when consumed neat. With that said, enjoy how you please. The beauty of our mix, as well as most cocktails, is that you can make them your own. Try new things, new spirits, new ratios and overall have the cocktail adventure you desire.

Remember Keep Calm and Cocktail On!

Cheers.

Cliff

One hell of a year!

From its inception, we knew we had something big, not just a product but an authentically honest and no-nonsense brand that is truly experienced by its users. 

2016, in retrospect, has been one hell of a year! Filled with unique places, chance encounters, grand adventures, and even the occasional festival or 3.

To our patrons and supporters, thanks for an awesome 2016. We look forward to even greater things to come in 2017.

To those seeing us for the first time, welcome! Take a look around, let us know what you think, and maybe even order a tin or two. Shop here now!

Have a great NYE and till 2017 - Drink up, be safe and Cheers from the gents @ Leisuremann's!

OF 16091 ###

That number you see above tells me two things:

First, I should improve my penmanship. 

Second, we actually made a viable product.

The latter, is absolutely amazing. My business partner and I are both graduates of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Industrial Design Program. which is just a fancy way of saying "product design". Official graduation totals put the class of 2009 at a whopping 8 students.  This sure made for a nice, tight knit community. Luckily for us, not only did our career aspiration generally overlap, but a handful of our small graduating class found ourselves enjoying each others' company outside of the professional realm.  

One of our group's favorites, an annual hiking adventure which we dubbed - MEN vs WILD.

The gravity we assign to this event is immense and the preparations ever so meticulous. Out there on the Backbone Trail, arguably one of Louisiana's finest hikes, our crew would unnecessarily dominate that environment. The bite of winter winds halted against our 800 fill power dry down jackets.  Wet and muddy trails were a laughable matter versus our GoreTEX mountaineering boots. Need a hot meal, coffee, or tea? No problem. Just ask any one of us; we ALL brought our isobutane stoves. For an 8 mile trail a good friend of mine has done in loafers, this was extreme overkill.

No matter. It was events like Men vs Wild that brought out some of our most creative ideas; ideas that we would later discover had already been invented, marketed, and subsequently, failed. This would only temporarily discourage us. Our next outing was always just around the corner.

Now we have that product. Now we have something tangible to share with our community. 

We couldn't be more excited.

- Matt