Counter-Intuitive

A moment of liquid clarity 

In 2015, the Roman bar scene was vibrant, but Emanuele Broccatelli was already thinking beyond the rim of the glass, reimagining how, where and by whom the glass gets filled. With a career forged in the high-pressure environments of luxury hotels and elite cocktail bars between Rome and London, Broccatelli possessed more than just a technical skill—he had "court vision." He recognized an approaching opportunity in the industry: the gap between rising demand for complex pours and the operational challenge of maintaining consistency across high-volume venues. More than a trend, an anticipatory service. He understood that an area of the cocktail world that is facing expansion, is an engineered, consistent solution that could travel anywhere without compromising on quality. Thus minimizing the variable of who is behind the stick on a given night in venues that don't always have the specific expertise on-site. 

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Innovation was born of necessity, craftsmanship made it persistent

The arrival of the pandemic acted as a global catalyst for the Ready-to-Drink (RTD) category. When DrinkIT began its journey, it started with a foundational line of products - bespoke line of bitters, amaro, and bottled cocktails. During a recent visit to their new production site, Megumi and I had the rare opportunity to look back at these formative years and—more importantly—to taste them.

Sampling early bottlings of their Negroni was a revelation. Far from losing their edge, these aged expressions had developed an extraordinary depth; they were complex, persistent, and freakishly balanced. We were gutted to hear that there were only three bottles of this beautiful juice left, but were nonetheless enamored by the evolution of the cocktail in the bottle. As restaurants and luxury hotels in Rome began to reopen, DrinkIT became their beverage specialist. By supplying bottled cocktails to anywhere between luxurious hotel rooms and high-profile restaurants , they allowed venues to focus entirely on hospitality, with the certainty that the liquid in the glass was indistinguishable from a freshly stirred drink.

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A brew of creativity and flexibility

What was truly evident about DrinkIT was relentless out-of-the-box thinking and their flexibility in the creation process. During our visit to their laboratory, we conversed with Danilo Cipolini (R&D and Production at DrinkIT), who told us all about the brand’s flavor-first philosophy: if a specific ingredient is unavailable, they don't compromise—they reconstruct it.

The most striking example occurred during a global Tequila supply chain crisis. Faced with a challenge to find a Tequila they truly liked, the team didn't stall production. Instead, they embarked on a long series of tests to create their own "Blue agave spirit." By layering ingredients to mimic the exact molecular flavor profile of agave, they reached a winning recipe through sheer technical know-how. This ability to pivot—using chemistry to overcome logistical hurdles—is one of the core elements that make DrinkIT a distinguished force in the Ready-to-drink market.

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From bottle to keg — The next evolution

Innovation is often born of a need. The most recent evolution marks a definitive turning point: the move from the bottle to the keg. This shift was born from a synergy of expertise, merging the owners strongpoints; Emanuele’s mixology expertise with Danilo’s deep-rooted knowledge of beer systems and chemistry.

Recognizing the global bubbling demand—the craving for refreshing, carbonated, and high-velocity serves—the duo developed a line of cocktails on tap. From Gin Tonics and Spritzes to the Americano and Moscow Mule, the keg format has unlocked a new horizon for the brand. "We learned very quickly that this is where plenty of potential lies," the owners note. "It allows our products to reach places we didn’t imagine at start and where we think they have a lot of room to grow, without compromising on creativity and quality”.

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Scaling the dream 

The growth of their boutique operation is signaled by moving their production site. Transitioning from their original 20-square-meter room—a space where research, production, packaging, and administration were squeezed into a singular, frantic hub—to a production site six times as large is a physical expression and an enabler of their success.

Looking forward, we heard about the plans for the future from Claudio Lo Tufo (PR at DrinkIT). Their objective is to expand further in the artisanal cocktails on tap sector. By targeting airport terminals and train stations, as well as massive festivals and dance clubs, they aim to prove that volume does not have to come at the expense of the cocktail’s soul. Whether it is a bespoke spirit born of a crisis or a perfectly carbonated spritz in a crowded airport lounge, DrinkIT ensures that the perfect pour is no longer a matter of luck, but a matter of engineering.

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