We had the great pleasure of sitting down with Jenny & Bree, the legends behind Sip'Er, for a drink and a chat. If you haven't heard of Sip'Er, they are an online bottle shop that is not only female-led itself but sells only female-led alcohol brands as well. As a female-led business ourselves, we love supporting and partnering with other female-led brands.

We are super pumped to be working with the two to provide all the booze for our Provider workshops! Make sure to check them out and grab a bottle or two and keep reading to learn more about Jenny and Bree, the alcohol biz and, of course, a cheeky cocktail too.

Can you give us a quick introduction and tell us what SIP’ER is all about?

Hi! Jenny and Bree here, Co-Founders of SIP’ER: an online platform to discover, shop and sip women-led beverages. We focus on sips that are small-batch, including natural wines, boutique spirits, craft beers and speciality non-alc drinks. We also love a good story - so we like to highlight any interesting stories and history behind the labels that we stock. Our online bottle-o is a place where we encourage you to try something new: Whether you’ve never tried an orange wine, or you’d like to read more about a certain female wine producer; we aim to make it an open space to discover and explore!

How did you two meet?

Not really a riveting answer…but we met at work in a PR & Digital Marketing Agency. Our desks were right across from each other, and we quickly discovered that we shared a love for the latest and greatest restaurants around Sydney, as well as a shared interest in trying funky bevs out there (hello dill pickle martinis, pet nats, etc…)

What inspired you both to start SIP’ER and did you have any experience in the alcohol industry or small business world before you launched?

There’s two parts to how we were inspired to create SIP’ER: Firstly, our mutual interest in drinking interesting bevs. And secondly, our passion for supporting women in any and every industry - every single day of the year. So we thought, why not combine these two passions, to create something we wished existed for ourselves, as consumers?

Through a lot of Googling, we discovered that no one had created an online bottle shop dedicated to women-led beverages. That set off light bulbs for us. We had zero experience in the alcohol or small business industry before we started - which was super daunting (and tbh, it still is!). While we don’t have a background in the alcohol/hospo industry, we have a heap of experience in marketing between us. Plus, as beverage enthusiasts, we know what the consumer is looking for - or what they’re challenged by in today’s alcohol buying experience - which gives us the advantage when knowing how to present SIP’ER to consumers.

The alcohol space has traditionally been predominantly male led, how have you found it entering this space as a female led businesses promoting female led alcohol brands?

To be perfectly honest, we were really intimidated, especially not having a background in the alcohol industry. However, as soon as we started reaching out to different labels (some of which are husband/wife, brother/sister duos), we were overwhelmed with the positive response from everyone, including men. It’s been really reassuring to hear that males working in the industry also feel like there needs to be greater focus and representation for women. In general, the alcohol industry is one that feels very welcoming and inclusive, so we love being here!

Why was it important to you to promote female led? And how do you think people can better support women in business?

As you mentioned, the alcohol industry is historically a very male-dominated one. While we definitely are seeing a shift in the conversation, there is still a lot of room for women in the industry to be celebrated. Through our research for brands to stock on SIP’ER, we found a lot of brands we already loved had a strong female lead driving the business; whether that was leading the viticulture, winemaking, operations or marketing and distribution. While we could find this information (through some serious digging), the brands that were made up of male/female duos often only had profile pieces on the male lead featured on retailer sites and in media interviews. That was really why it became so important for us to shine a brighter light on the women involved and their roles in driving the business forward, not to take away from anyone else involved, but to add to it.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve found running SIP’ER and what have you learnt? Who or what inspires you the most?

There have been lots of challenges - which is just what comes with doing something you’ve never done before! The hardest thing has probably been managing cash flow (shudder) and the fact that this truly is a ‘side’ hustle; where we both still work our 9-5’s, travel for work, try and exercise a few times a week, eat clean (mostly) and still have time for ourselves and our partners/friends/family. I think a lot of women can relate to doing the most, but still loving every moment of it.

Jenny: As for what inspires me, getting a little soppy over here - but truly, I don’t think I could do this without Bree! She constantly inspires me (i.e. talking me off the ledge) to persevere through managing multiple life things and she’s there to pick up the slack if I’m having an intense week at work, or if I need to head up to my coastal escape for a few days.

Bree: Jenny beat me to it but I would say the same about her. I know some people say not to go into business with friends but having a partner that is so creative and driven is honestly the biggest inspiration. (So I would argue DO go into business with a friend because I don’t think an angel investor would make me a stunning margarita and give me a hug after a tough day?!)

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Jenny: In the initial stages of setting up SIP’ER, I was complaining to my mum about how it’s really hard to know the steps on how to actually ‘set up’ a business. She basically just said, “Why don’t you just Google ‘How to start a business’?” … Weirdly I didn’t even think of that. So, the best advice we’ve gotten is: Google. Everything. Even stuff that you think is dumb (for me, searching ‘How to load a tape gun’ has come in very handy).

Bree: Also mum advice but hey, they do know best. My mum has always told me from a young age to “trust my gut”, even if other people are questioning it, if you feel like it’s right and your gut instincts are telling you something, then listen!

How did you come up with the cocktail you made for us? Why do you love it and how did the name of the cocktail come about?

Jenny: Like most great ideas (and cocktails), this cocktail was born as a result of the 2020/2021 lockdowns. We both have a deep, deep love for tequila and of course, I was going insane by about 4pm everyday so I began making different margs as my ‘daily knock off’ drink. I had perfected making all the margs: Classic, Tommy’s, Spicy, Mango (this one was on hard repeat for a few weeks). One day, I was inspired to combine my love for a spicy marg and a paloma - which was so delicious and vibrant that it had to be world famous. Therefore, we named it “Jen’s World Famous Grapefruit Spicy Marg”. And because that’s a bloody mouthful to say, we abbreviated it to JWFGSM.

Quick Fire Q’s

If you could have a drink with any person (famous or otherwise, dead or alive) who would it be and why?

Jenny: It would have to be Alison Roman. She is my ride or die food author and I probably make one of her recipes once or twice a week. I'm convinced we’d be best pals if given the chance (joking, but also not joking…). She also loves a dirty martini, but I think she prefers vodka whereas I prefer gin. So over said drink (a martini, duh), I’d love to chat about our different perspectives on martinis.

Bree: I’m going to add to Jenny’s answer and turn this into a dinner party - Molly Baz is another amazing food author who knows her way around an anchovy. So I think the four of us would have a great ol’ time, sipping marts and eating gildas.

What is your guilty pleasure song?

Bree: Jenny and I would do this thing where we’d go to a drive-in car wash and sing along (scream?!) the “Happier than Ever” chorus by Billie Eilish. It was very therapeutic, so probably that (if you’re having a day, highly recommend).

Jenny: What Bree said above - this never gets old.

What are you reading or watching at the moment?

Bree: Reading - Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and Watching - Parks & Recreation (for the first time, unsure how I went so long before watching it but I’m almost at the end and I have a low key crush on Ron Swanson)

Jenny: Currently very into Aussie authors (eagerly awaiting the next Liane Moriarty book to come out!) - reading ‘The Liars’ by Petronella McGovern, it’s a thriller set in regional NSW and I am dying to know what happens. My absolute guiltiest pleasure is watching trash reality. I've just started Vanderpump Rules from Season 1 and it is pure brain-rotting bliss.

Do you have a secret talent and if so what is it?

Our combined secret talents would be 1) martini making and 2) Having somehow found the sweet spot to do our *best* work when we’re a few drinks deep - That’s honestly how we have come up with our most creative ideas for SIP’ER.

Favourite place to eat?

Bree: We will likely have the same answers for this but Bar Copains and Cafe Paci are my two favourites.

Jenny: Would have to agree with Bree on that one. 10/10 every single time.

What is your go-to drink on a Friday night?

Bree: Likely another double up but a dirty gin martini, extra dirty with 3 olives or a mezcal marg.

Jenny: Bree and I are definitely cut from the same cloth… Dirty gin martini, or lately I’ve been loving an Amaro Spritz.

What female-led brands (booze or otherwise) do you think everyone should know about?

There are so many incredible female-led brands out there so that is a tough question as we would be here for days! While we do currently focus on Australian brands, we have made an exception for tequila (because we personally love it and any excuse really). La Gritona is a really cool distillery in Jalisco, run by a woman called Melly Barajas. Her whole team is made up of local women (yep, all of them!) and the bottles are made out of recycled Mexican coke bottles. It’s an amazing story and even better tequila, so we’re just super fans to be honest!

Jen's World Famous Spicy Grapefruit Margarita (a.k.a JWFSGM) Recipe:

Ingredients 

01. 

90ml La Gritona Tequila Reposado 

02. 

60ml Listo Tommy's Margarita Mix 

03. 

60ml Grapefruit juice 

04. 

Hot Sauce

05.

Plenty of ice 

06. 

Tajin or sea salt mixed with a little paprika for the rim of the glass

Method:

01. 

Rim your glass with Tajin or sea salt mixed with Paprika. (Use a bit of lime to rim the glass first  to help it stick)

02. 

Juice your grapefruit

03. 

In a shaker combine: 

90ml La Gritona Tequila Reposado (3 shots)

60ml Listo Tommy's Margarita Mix (2 shots)

60ml fresh grapefruit juice (2 shots)

Heaps of hot sauce (to your desired spice level, we say go crazy) 

04. 

Shake it all up with lots of ice

05. 

Strain into a coupe stemmed glass or directly over ice. Garnish with some dehydrated lime or cut up jalapeños if you desire. Now, sip!

Check out Sip'Er online here, make sure to follow them on instagram @sip.er.drinks or join us for a workshop at Provider Studio for a little taste test of their delicious wines.