ABOUT

 

The Story of Dry Wit

Megan and Peder connected in the summer of 2020 around their shared vision of bringing exceptional non-alcoholic products to market. Both non-drinkers, they recognized a significant gap for food-friendly beverages that were free from added sugar, clean label, caffeine-free, and focused on flavor. Rather than waiting for someone else to fill this void, they joined forces to leverage their respective expertise and create Dry Wit. They launched in January 2023 and are currently available throughout the Twin Cities metro region, with thoughtful plans for expansion.

Megan's Journey

Megan studied, taught, and practiced architectural design earlier in her career. Through raising two children, receiving diagnoses of multiple sclerosis and breast cancer, and losing her beloved husband, Megan realized she needed to permanently end her relationship with alcohol. She understood that alcohol posed a genuine threat to her survival and quit drinking entirely in 2017. Having stepped away from alcohol, she discovered she cared as much about what was served in the glass as what appeared on the plate at dinner. The existing options for sophisticated non-alcoholic pairings were disappointing—unimaginative, sugar-heavy, often containing residual alcohol that was dangerous for her, and frankly, terrible tasting. So she founded Dry Wit with a compelling name and logo, but no actual recipes—just an unwavering commitment to quality.

Peder's Background

Around the same time, Peder was serving as General Manager and Spirits Director at the innovative Marvel Bar in Minneapolis. His extensive background included working in Michelin 3-star kitchens like Alinea when it held the title of America's top restaurant, a producer on Top Chef, mastering all aspects of fine dining from butchering to cooking to bartending, and ultimately leading the internationally acclaimed Marvel Bar. Like Megan, Peder was reevaluating his relationship with alcohol. This presented challenges running a world class cocktail bar, but also was the source for a bold move. Under his leadership, Marvel Bar reimagined a focus on non-alcoholic beverages by removing all alcohol from the back bar and championing a non-alcoholic drink menu in a first of its kind experiment. This bold move proved wildly successful and deepened his understanding of what truly exceptional non-alcoholic beverages could achieve.

The Collaboration

When the pandemic forced Marvel Bar to close, along with countless other hospitality venues, Peder and Megan began collaborating on what would become Dry Wit. This period became an inspiring time of defining the company's guiding principles, with quality as the paramount concern. Dry Wit would be served in wine bottles to maximize sharing potential and honor the ritual of opening a bottle for dinner. The beverages contain no added sugar or caffeine and contain clean ingredients, particularly meaningful as Peder and his partner were expecting their first child. They envisioned three distinct expressions to follow the coursing of a meal: one as a light offering to pair with a champagne toast or lighter fare (Pippi), a second to cover the middle of the meal as a white wine does (Salinger), and a robust third to cover the braises, grilled fare, and dessert served at the end of a meal (Bruce).

The Craft

Their proprietary production process reflects their obsession with quality, drawing techniques from beer, wine, and tea production while avoiding in house fermentation to eliminate any risk of residual alcohol. They forage for select ingredients and build their flavor profiles around memories of a place or experience, then develop extraordinary complexity by extracting every possible nuance from simple, carefully chosen ingredients. What makes Dry Wit truly revolutionary is their flavor architecture—they build complexity through tannins, salinity, acidity, and carbonation instead of relying on sugar or alcohol for weight and presence, creating a sharper, more focused balance than traditional wines while keeping calories minimal. This meticulous approach ensures each bottle delivers the sophistication and depth that non-drinkers yearn for without trying to replicate wine to a T.

The Launch

Pippi, Salinger, and Bruce were born! Dry Wit launched during Dry January, 2023. The team produces, bottles, labels, and packages Dry Wit in a workspace in Minneapolis, maintaining their uncompromising standards at every step. Their goal is thoughtful growth while preserving their mission of inclusive hospitality—providing complex, delicious non-alcoholic wine alternatives meant to be shared with exceptional food and meaningful company.