ROMAN HOLIDAY
A vibrant Italian-style spritz with berries, citrus, and bubbles—bittersweet and refreshing—best enjoyed on a yacht off the Amalfi Coast or steps from the Trevi Fountain.
IT STARTED AS A CRAZY IDEA
What if a spirit didn’t imitate alcohol—but transcended it?
Easy to dream. Brutally hard to make.
We spent five years chasing that idea. Ingredient after ingredient. Trial after trial. Over 300 iterations later, we had something bold, complex, and unapologetically layered.
But no one would touch it.
Co-packers said the process took too long—and politely showed us the door.
SO WE BUILT OUR OWN DAMN FACTORY
From scratch. During a global pandemic and a supply chain collapse.
We salvaged stainless tanks from shuttered dairies, pulled parts from decommissioned military equipment, and partnered with renegade engineers descended from bourbon legends and bootleggers.
Together, we invented a closed-loop percolation system to extract maximum flavor from teas, botanicals, spices, and vinegars.
Plaid Circus is the result
a collection of spirits that defy easy definition. Not just non-alcoholic. Not a replica. These are liberated spirits, made to be sipped, mixed, and celebrated on their own terms.
If you've ever craved something different — something with bite, complexity, story, and soul — welcome. You're one of us now.
The curtain's up.
The lights are on.
Welcome to the Circus.
Our founders
BRIAN NIERMEYER
Brian didn’t set out to reinvent drinking—just to escape advertising. What began as a pandemic hobby in his tiny New York apartment quickly turned into an obsession: crafting teas, herbs, and botanicals from around the world, one batch at a time.
By Batch #317, he wasn’t just brewing—he was inventing. So he moved to Kentucky to build what no one else could: a spirit that didn’t mimic alcohol, but transcended it.
Brian is the architect of Plaid Circus’s flavor profiles—layered, precise, and always unexpected.
Dan Hodgdon
a serial entrepreneur and wellness innovator, dan’s background spans everything from setting up sustainable supply chains in africa to creating global beauty brands. his passion for reinvention and holistic living brought a bold vision to the spirits world - to reimagine what social drinking could be. together, he and brian created plaid circus: a third option for drinkers seeking presence, complexity, and connection—without the alcohol.
recipes
PINK HUFFY
A nostalgic nod wrapped in a satin ribbon of citrus and sparkle. This cheeky twist on the modern Cosmo balances candy-shop charm with grown-up flair.
KIMONOJITO
A moody blend of citrus, spice, and forest botanicals. Lime, ginger, yuzu, and tonic over crushed ice, kissed with cinnamon and secrets.
THE PLAIDHATTAN
A smoky, seductive twist on the classic Manhattan. Rich cherry, citrus, and botanicals meet Islay peat in a cocktail where old-school cool goes rogue.