About

Drink Company, co-founded by industry veterans Derek Brown and Maria Bastasch, is a hospitality consulting and event company. With a mission to educate and entertain, we design exceptional beverage experiences that redefine the bar. Placing a special focus on mindful drinking, we have managed some of the most notable beverage programs in the world, including the award-winning Columbia Room, the globally inspired Maydan, and innovative Dōgon.

In addition to our own ventures, we have consulted for independent restaurants and hotels, such as Michel Richard Central and Hilton, helping to establish world-class beverage programs that combine operational excellence with creative vision. We are also proud to host the Mindful Drinking Fest, an event that celebrates the evolving culture of no- and low-alcohol beverages while fostering connection and education. Through our dedication to Shaping Modern Beverage Culture and commitment to innovation, we have solidified our reputation as a leader in hospitality and a pioneer in reimagining the role of drinks in our industry.

Our Team

  • Derek Brown

    Derek Brown is a beverage expert and pioneer in the mindful drinking space, redefining what it means to drink well, with or without alcohol. As founder of The Mindful Drinking Fest and Drink Company, Brown has helped expand the cultural conversation around alcohol, creating a more inclusive, intentional experience for legal drinking-age adults.

    A former bartender celebrated for his craft, Brown was named “Bartender of the Year” by Imbibe in 2015 and rose to national prominence with Columbia Room, his acclaimed Washington, D.C. bar, which was named “Best American Cocktail Bar” at the 2017 Spirited Awards. He also served as Chief Spirits Advisor to the National Archives Foundation, where he bridged mixology and American history through innovative public programming.

    Brown’s transition from award-winning bartender to mindful drinking advocate has made him one of the foremost voices in the industry. He has consulted on beverage programs across thwe U.S. including large-scale and prestige clients from Hilton to Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi, whose non-alcoholic cocktail list was named one of the best in the U.S. by VinePair magazine in 2025. He’s trained bartenders nationwide and helped shape beverage strategies that prioritize both excellence and optionality.

    A two-time author, Brown wrote Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World (2019), earning “Author of the Year” at the 2020 Nightclub & Bar Show Awards. His follow-up, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- And Low-Alcohol Cocktails (2022), was hailed as a vital contribution to the no- and low-alcohol category. His personal journey, captured in the Vox article “Becoming a ‘mindful drinker’ changed my life,” helped catalyze wider interest in mindful drinking.

    For his contributions, Brown was inducted into the Sans Bar Non-Alcoholic Hall of Fame in 2025 and honored with the “Industry Impact Award” at the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo. He’s been featured in Drinks International’s “Bar World 100” and Imbibe’s 75, called an “alcohol-free mixology wizard” by Bon Appétit, and described as “the face of mindful drinking in America” by The Business of Drinks podcast.

    Today, Brown advises venues, brands, and cultural institutions on expanding no- and low-alcohol offerings, enhancing social wellness, and designing experiences that center connection over consumption. He is the author of National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Mindful Drinking course, former host of The Mindful Drinking Podcast on the NASM Podcast Network, and an architect of hospitality gatherings that reimagine how we drink.

    In 2025, he was selected as a Presidential Leadership Scholar, joining a cohort of changemakers working across sectors to tackle society’s most pressing challenges.

  • Maria Bastasch

    Maria Bastasch is a hospitality leader, brand strategist, and wellness practitioner who designs experiences at the intersection of intentional consumption, social wellness, and cultural change. With over two decades in the industry, she has led award-winning programs rooted in social-justice wines, sustainable sourcing, and alcohol-optional innovation.

    Maria began her hospitality career in Los Angeles, where she was raised in her family’s organic bakery and developed an early appreciation for the connection between what we consume and how we feel. She went on to serve as operations director and wine buyer at the acclaimed Washington, D.C. restaurants Compass Rose and Michelin-starred Maydan, where she created globally inspired wine lists focused on biodynamic producers and underrepresented regions—from Georgia to Bolivia.

    In 2019, after being diagnosed with Lupus, Maria deepened her studies in herbalism and holistic wellness, incorporating plant-based remedies, adaptogens, and functional ingredients into her work. This evolution led to the creation of Disco Mary, a vibrant, alcohol-optional cocktail experience rooted in apothecary traditions and behaviorally informed design.

    Today, Maria is the co-founder of Mindful Drinking Fest and the Drink Company, where she partners with brands, venues, and cultural institutions to reimagine hospitality through the lens of wellness, equity, and celebration.

    Across every project, Maria brings a values-driven approach that empowers people to gather with intention, joy, and connection.