Maria Littlefield (left) and Jennie Ripps (right) are the co-founders of Owl's Brew Boozy Tea + Tea Cocktails, a ready-to-drink cocktail brand that features real ingredients and botanicals.
RTD: Jennie and Maria, thank you so much for talking with us today. Please tell our readers more about you and your brand, Owl’s Brew.
Jennie: Owl’s Brew started because we couldn’t find a boozy beverage we actually wanted to drink. Most “natural” products were full of flavorings and artificial ingredients, and none tasted like real fruit or botanicals. My journey with tea and botanicals began long before Owl’s Brew though—while caring for my father during his cancer treatment, I started hand-blending teas to support his healing. That’s when I discovered the power of real, clean ingredients—not just for wellness, but for flavor. Over the years, I became a certified tea sommelier, learning how to balance flavors and botanicals, which directly informs every Owl’s Brew product.
Maria: Jennie and I met in 2009 at a marketing firm (it was actually my first week living in NYC!). It was a very social industry and we spent a lot of time hosting clients for cocktails, and during that time we really started to wonder why we always felt so horrible after a drink or two… and why did everything taste so fake? Why was our margarita neon green? Why was our “raspberry hard seltzer” clear?
We were shocked to learn that all these canned cocktails and hard seltzers were made with chemicals, fake sugars and additives. This started us on our journey to founding Owl’s Brew. We believed that there was a better way to drink. Jennie utilized her expertise as a tea sommelier and we started making cocktails (in buckets!) with tea and botanicals for friends after work. They were light, refreshing and delicious, without any of that weird chemical after taste. In 2020, we launched Owl’s Brew Boozy Tea, hand-crafting each flavor from organic teas, botanicals, and fruit. Our mission is simple: Drink Wise—enjoy a cocktail made with real ingredients.
RTD: You certainly emphasize better for you clean ingredients and are clearly a brand with a purpose, but what are some other things that set Owl’s Brew apart from other products on the market?
Jennie: Every flavor base is hand-blended in my kitchen using real fruit juice, botanicals, teas and no shortcuts, no lab-created flavorings. Years of experience developing tea programs for restaurants and hotels taught me how to layer flavor naturally, and that expertise is baked into every can.
Maria: Another key difference is variety. Owl’s Brew spans Hand-Crafted Boozy Teas, Spirits-Based RTDs, with more in the works. We innovate based on what our consumers want, so every product feels intentional and thoughtfully created.
RTD: Was creating better-for-you beverages what motivated you to enter the highly competitive RTD beverage business?
Jennie: Yes, our belief that people deserve better cocktails is what led us here. We wanted to create drinks that were convenient, delicious, and made with ingredients people could actually recognize and trust. So many RTDs are full of sugar, artificial flavors, and additives, and we thought the consumer deserved better than this (as did we!!), and we knew we had the expertise to make it.
Maria: And our Brew Lab experience taught us that tea paired beautifully with spirits. That insight, combined with the gap in the market for clean, flavorful RTDs, made launching Owl’s Brew RTDs an obvious next step.
RTD: What challenges did you face while creating Owl's Brew and entering the ready-to-drink cocktail business?
Jennie: Educating consumers was a big one. Many people assume “natural” flavors are actually natural, so explaining why real, brewed ingredients make such a difference takes time.
Maria: Competing against big beverage companies with massive marketing budgets means we’ve had to be scrappy, strategic, and thoughtful in how we grow. But it’s been worth it—we’re proud to offer something different in a crowded market.
RTD: Following up on the last question, what would you consider Owl’s Brew’s greatest achievements so far?
Maria: Seeing our products in Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Total Wine, and online in 40+ states, has been amazing.
Jennie: Getting into venues like Yankee Stadium, SoFi Stadium, Highmark Stadium, & TD Garden, plus winning over 40 tasting awards including multiple gold and platinum Sip Awards, has been hugely validating. And we love having supporters like Chelsea Handler and Jeannie Mai join us in our mission.
RTD: Many entrepreneurs entering a new industry typically have mentors or trusted people they can lean on along the way. Did this apply to you as well?
Jennie: Yes! We’ve had mentors across beverage and wellness. Some guided us through production and distribution logistics; others encouraged us to stay patient and focused on our vision. Their guidance has been invaluable.
RTD: What excites you the most about the RTD industry as a whole?
Maria: Consumers are becoming more sophisticated, they want transparency, quality, and bold flavors. That shift aligns perfectly with what we’re doing at Owl’s Brew.
Jennie: I love seeing people discover drinks they actually enjoy without compromising on ingredients. It’s a space ripe for innovation, and tea and botanicals open up so many possibilities.
RTD: Do you see any particular trends starting to take shape or that currently stand out in the industry?
Maria: Better-for-you options, real, recognizable ingredients are key. Consumers also want more adventurous flavors inspired by global cuisine and wellness.
Jennie: RTDs will continue moving forward, with more complex flavor profiles, functional benefits, and creative pairings that go beyond basic cocktails.
RTD: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourselves about the RTD cocktail business?
Jennie: Patience is everything. Building a beverage brand is a marathon, not a sprint. Trust the process and stay focused on your mission.
Maria: And don’t be afraid to take risks - our most memorable wins came from trusting our instincts.
RTD: Sage advice. And if you could do it all over again, what, if anything, would you do differently with Owl's Brew?
Jennie: We always generated a lot of consumer excitement, and we’ve had trouble keeping shelves filled in a way that matches all the people looking for it! One early learning was when we were on the Today Show in our first year (after launch) & received so many disappointed emails when people couldn’t find it because a few retailers hadn’t “set”. Distribution is everything in this business, and even thought I thought I knew that then….I really know it now!
Maria: I’d also change… the number of hours of sleep we lost in the early days! (Kidding… kind of). Honestly, every twist and turn taught us something, but these two things I would do differently:
- I would go bigger, louder, earlier.
- I would keep our marketing simple and fun - our early communications tried to tie in a lot, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, simple is best (but also you need the fun…because we’re all having a drink together after all).
RTD: In your opinion, what does the future of the ready-to-drink cocktail industry look like to you?
Maria: The category will continue to grow and evolve toward transparency, clean ingredients, and premium, innovative flavors. Consumers aren’t going back to artificial or overly sweet options.
Jennie: RTDs are becoming a daily choice, not just for special occasions. It’s an exciting time for the industry, and there’s so much room for creativity.
RTD: And what does the future look like for you and Owl’s Brew?
Jennie: We’re excited to keep expanding our lineup, including Chelsea Handler’s Lemonade, our Sun Tea & Vodka line, with more exciting launches to come.
Maria: At the same time, we’ll continue innovating with tea and botanicals, growing our community, and making clean, delicious cocktails accessible to everyone. Our mission remains the same: Drink Wise—enjoy a cocktail made with real ingredients, thoughtfully crafted.
RTD: Jennie and Maria, thank you so much again for sharing your thoughts with us today and telling us more about your experience launching Owl's Brew. Before we go, is there anything else you'd like to tell our readers about the brand?
Jennie: One thing people don’t always know about Owl’s Brew is that we’ve always wanted to be more than just a beverage brand. Our drinks are our passion, but so is building community and creating meaningful experiences around them. That’s part of why we started the Boozy Book Club. We wanted a space where literature and cocktails could meet, where people could connect over stories, discuss ideas with authors, and enjoy our drinks together. It’s been amazing to see a community form around something as simple as sharing a book and a can of Owl’s Brew.
Maria: And through our Wise Women Collective, we get to celebrate and support incredible women. We highlight their achievements, support initiatives that empower women, and foster conversations that inspire. It’s really rewarding to see our brand create a positive impact beyond the drinks themselves.
Jennie: At the end of the day, Owl’s Brew is about connection, whether that’s through tea, cocktails, books, or community. We want people to enjoy our drinks, feel part of something authentic, and maybe even be inspired along the way.
