Get to know Kate Brankin, Chief Beverage Office for Juice Runners.
Kate, tell us a little bit about you, where you’re from and how you got here?
Wow. How did I get here? It definitely wasn’t a direct path.
I grew up on the southside of Chicago, where beverages, specifically beer, are deeply ingrained in the culture. I was never really interested in fermented beverages until I learned they were alive! Suddenly brewing a beer felt like gardening where you’re creating the perfect culture for specific traits to thrive—I thought that was very cool.
Brewing is also a very culinary process. I have always loved cooking so creating a composition of balanced flavors for the perfect sip was right up my alley.
It was a whole host of interests aligning that led me down the nerdy path of homebrewing, and eventually becoming a brewer with Pipeworks Brewing Co in Chicago in 2012. There weren’t many (I’d say less than 5) women working as brewers in Chicago at the time but I loved it and was determined. The craft beer scene, as it’s known today, was also just getting started. It all felt very punk rock and fun.
Eventually, I stepped into different roles/challenges at Pipeworks like spearheading the development of beers and Creative Direction. I orchestrated the buildout of an (amazing If I do say so) RTJ x Pipeworks pop-up in Chicago during Lollapalooza to celebrate a collab beer. I was really excited by the offer to work with RTJ to develop their craft beer initiatives and now the spirits-focused beverage brand!
Is there one moment that galvanized your passion to enter the beverage biz, or was it a series of events?
It all felt like a hobby until suddenly I realized oh wow! I’ve been doing this professionally for awhile now! This is a career! I’m practically old guard!
Do you have a role model or example of someone in the beverage biz (or beyond) you really admire? Who’s your inspiration?
Lately I’ve been very inspired by brands in the non-alcoholic space. Brands like Ghia and Casamara Club are doing a fantastic job of making interesting and delicious non-alc beverages feel special and “adult”. Great branding too!
What makes a good drink good to you?
I’m a sucker for smack-you-in-the-face bitterness (amaros, digestifs), but mostly, I look for complexity, balance, thoughtfulness and creativity. For me, the appeal of many beverages is their role in social rituals (celebrating with friends... commiserating with friends...) and a good drink must feel elevated to meet that moment and more special than the everyday. I’m really selective about the alcoholic beverages I consume these days, so thoughtfulness is also key! I look for well-sourced and well-composed beverages with good ingredients.
Was it weird when RTJ asked if you’d be interested in working together?
I don’t know about "weird", but definitely cool! I remember some early conversations and feeling very aligned with RTJ’s and their co-manager Amaechi’s intentions, mission, and determination to break into the beverage scene in an authentic way.
The beverage industry, and all its sectors, is still monolithic in its perspective. I was excited by RTJ looking to shake up and add to the voices propelling the industry.
I wouldn’t have been interested if it was just marketing or branding—but it’s not. It’s a whole brand and high-quality product built by RTJ from the ground up!
Maybe because it’s a beverage brand by rappers, people’s expectations are all over the board. If they didn’t already know that RTJ stands for quality always, they might have low expectations. I enjoy hearing that when people try the latest Juice Runners RTD Paloma REMIX, they’re like “Oh. This is actually good.”
How does it feel being part of a new beverage brand launched by rappers? Why does this make sense for you?
I’m excited to be part of the team executing this amazing vision! I love a challenge and I love subverting the status quo in a way that makes sense and offers something new and of quality. Maybe because it’s a beverage brand by rappers, people’s expectations are all over the board. If they didn’t already know that RTJ stands for quality always, they might have low expectations. I enjoy hearing that when people try the latest Juice Runners RTD Paloma REMIX, they’re like “Oh. This is actually good.” I’m proud to be part of a crew ushering in new perspectives and even elevating the brands and ideas of others.
You led the charge for the Juice Runners push into the canned cocktail space. How would you view the results so far?
I was really proud of bringing all the many moving parts together to have the first Juice Runners canned cocktail available at the epic RTJX tour at 4 venues. It was beyond cool to see the canned cocktails being enjoyed by RTJ fans at those shows.
Anything fans & folks out there should be looking forward to?
I think Juice Runners is going to surprise a lot of people. We’re gearing up to follow up Paloma Remix with something equally as special... Stay tuned!
As a rare woman in this biz who’s in a leadership position, what are some of the challenges, and opportunities, most salient & important to you?
Especially when I was just starting out, many people told me to flat out get out of the brewing scene. Industry-wide, women were consistently being underestimated and shut out. I’m hesitant to speak about this in the past tense! Being an outsider of any kind can be a sort of super power—you can bring a perspective to the table that is all your own. I’m thrilled to see more women pulling the strings and guiding their own innovative brands to new heights. It’s incredibly inspiring and motivating.
Favorite cocktail of the moment?
Penicillin Cocktail—I love the balance of Scotch and ginger. It's a great drink for the change in seasons.
Rumor has it you’re involved in quite a unique YouTube show which has nothing to do with spirits, at least not the earthly kind. And it’s kind of blowing up right now. Tell us more please?!
Ha! Yes! This might actually be the weirdest hobby... It’s called “Alien Super Show” and it’s an animated political comedy show on Youtube that I co-created with Ryan Middleton and Matt Negrin (who are both producers for ‘The Daily Show’). Each episode follows three aliens making jokes and riffing on political news clips pulled from the week. It’s a lot of fun and is a little something like group therapy as we all endure this election cycle. We’ve beamed some great guests onto the spaceship like Congressman Jared Moskowitz, Bradley Whitford, Beth Stelling and Thorgy Thor! Maybe one day... RTJ?