bottles of bitters
Bittercube, the local company which helped boost the cocktail culture of our towns has split up. Founders Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz have decided to part ways.
According to a statement, it's an amicable split that allows them both to move forward in their own chosen directions, while still working together on special projects. "Koplowitz has bought out Kosevich’s shares in Bittercube and their liqueur company, Heirloom, while Kosevich has taken control of their upstart Garden Variety, and On the Fly Elixir brands, uniting them under his new company, Drinks Apothecary. Koplowitz will continue to consult on and open projects in his home state of Oklahoma and in the Milwaukee area, including the upcoming North Avenue Market, while Kosevich will consult on projects in his home of Minneapolis and around the country including the upcoming Malcolm Yards Food Hall and Mr. Paul’s Supper Club."
two men standing
Koplowitz and Kosevich
The two have been a driving force in our bar industry, creating menus at many local restaurants including Cafe Alma, Eat Street Social, and Can Can Wonderland just to name a few. Bittercube has grown from a company producing one-gallon jars of bitters in 2009 to a company producing more than 12 million cocktails worth of bitters in 2020. And many of our local bartenders learned the ropes in their employ. But when they moved most production to Milwaukee a few years ago, with Koplowitz holding down the fort there while Kosevich traveled back and forth from Minneapolis between national gigs, you had to wonder how long they could stay together.
“This decision was not an easy one," says Ira Koplowitz in the statement. "We spent 10+ years concepting and building some amazing brands, consulting on unique projects, and continuously pushing each other to be better. Nick will always be a founder of Bittercube and Heirloom and I’m excited to see where our other brands go under his leadership.”
When I was touring the Mr. Paul's space with Kosevich, he mentioned how hard it was on his family to have him on the road so much. With this split, it allows him to focus on the Drinks Apothecary brand, which has partnered with Earl Giles Bottling Co. to produce these more than 75 flavors of elixirs, citrates, and essences right here in town.
In fact, Earl Giles and Drinks Apothecary will be working together to open the new distillery on Quincy Street in Northeast Minneapolis before the end of the year.
