The Party, Redefined by Sarah Lawrence
Some businesses are built to make money. Sarah Lawrence built hers to raise the standard.
Born in Perth, Western Australia and now based in California, Sarah launched Cali Craft Cocktails in 2015 after noticing how often the bar was treated as an afterthought at events. Folding tables, slow service, basic drinks — it wasn’t good enough. She set out to create a mobile bartending service that delivered efficiency, elegance, and cocktails worth remembering.
For nearly a decade, Cali Craft Cocktails has been the traveling bar that hosts trust to make their weddings, parties, and activations shine. Full setups. Tailored menus. Bartenders who move with purpose. The kind of details that make people talk about the bar long after the night is over.
Then came Cali Craft Concoctions. Born from Sarah’s own shift away from alcohol, it’s the same bar experience with a new twist: zero-proof cocktails crafted with the same care, style, and flavor as their spirited counterparts. Or as Sarah puts it: Same bar. Different consequences.
We sat down with Cali Craft Founder Sarah Lawerence to talk about how her business came to life, why sober-curious options matter, and what it takes to make a bar the most memorable part of the party.
RAISING THE BAR
Q: Tell us about Cali Craft Cocktails?
Sarah Lawerence: Cali Craft Cocktails is my pride and joy. It was created in 2015 after a quick discussion about the lack of up-scale, efficient bars within the event industry and we went on to averaging well over 100 events per year for the next ten years :)
We are a company who cares. We are thoughtful. We are much more concerned with the turnout and efficiency of your event than even you do and want to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch and is immaculate and something guests talk about for years to come (they still do!).
Q: Tell us about Cali Craft Concoctions?
Sarah Lawerence: Cali Craft Concoctions was created after I was no longer feeling ‘aligned’ with alcohol. I went on a deep spiritual quest for two years and at the other end of it, this venture was a no-brainer and the natural next step.
Q; What do you do?
Sarah Lawerence: Same Bar. Different Consequences.
That is the tagline of Cali Craft Concoctions. I wanted to make it very clear that you are getting the EXACT same service and setup as you have with Cali Craft Cocktails or a traditional bar service. Everything is included, the attention to detail is exactly the same, you’re still getting the entirety of the setup - and more!
Q: Who are you customers?
Sarah Lawerence: My clients are people just like me. They don’t have to be sober or ‘non-drinkers’, they can be anyone who is looking for a new experience, someone who is looking for alternatives, someone who is bored of getting blackout and needs an IV the next day, someone who doesn’t want to spend a fortune on Ubers.
They are people who still want to party without the stigma of “not drinking”, they are people who are confident in themselves and know they don’t have to be hammered to get on the dance floor.
Q: Tell us about the importance of options for everyone.
Sarah Lawerence: Recently we have been including at least one mocktail on our menus or making it clear at the top that “most cocktails can be made non-alcoholic”. The stigma of “not drinking” needs to stop and we want people who have made the choice to stop drinking feel welcome when they approach the bar and to be able to get something more fun than a sparkling water or Coke.
WHY THE BRAND EXISTS
Q: What gap did you see in the events and bartending world that no one was filling?
Sarah Lawerence: I have yet to see a non-alcoholic bar to the level that we do it. Or a general alcoholic bar to the level that we do it. I literally work on my businesses around the clock and never stop thinking of ways to grow and excel. I am so attentive and responsive to my client’s needs and the majority of them book me after a couple of text messages because simply no one else responds. In a day of infinite options at your fingertips it’s important to be responsive and some people just aren’t. You need to feel confident and comfortable that your vendor is going to show up on the day and responding once a week isn’t going to give you that peace of mind.
Q: Why do you think parties and gatherings need non-alcoholic/adaptogen cocktails made with this level of craft?
Sarah Lawerence: There is a very low bar when it comes to service at events and I don’t want people to think that because it’s “just mocktails” that it’s a subpar experience. On the contrary: It’s super easy to make a Margarita. However, to make an alcohol-free drink that is not just filler ingredients and taking into account taste, while also making it functional and with purpose is infinitely harder. Instead of relying on classic cocktails that already have distinct tastes and accepted specifications on how to build them vs creating an entirely different, never-been-done-before menu with powders that have their own specific tastes, is much harder and requires dedication and passion toward the subject.
Q: What do you say to people who think “a party isn’t a party without alcohol”?
Sarah Lawerence: Honestly to each their own. If that’s what they think, then that’s great. This is a judgement-free zone. That’s the point - we shouldn't be shaming EITHER side. The people who don’t drink shouldn’t be condemning or looking down on the people who do and the people who do drink shouldn’t be confused when other people aren’t and force them to drink or question their choices.
I went out recently to dinner with some friends and they would NOT stop pressuring me to drink when I told them that I simply didn’t want to. Even after I told them cold, hard reasons as to why; (I still have work to do when I get home, I’m behind on sleep, I have to get up early, I’m drinking tomorrow), none of those reasons were “good enough” and the pressure did not stop. I honestly thought about just going home, it was really awful.
Q: Who did you have in mind when you created your first zero-proof menu?
Sarah Lawerence: Humanity at large. There has been a big shift recently and alcohol is on the down spiral. I wanted to get ahead of the trend and figured if I start nice and early and with my huge knowledge already in the events industry, I can set the standard moving forward.
Q; Was there a personal moment when you realized we need better spirited alternatives at events?
Sarah Lawerence: Actually, no. I was always trying to do the bare minimum for people who asked for mocktails (as I’m sure most bartenders are) and just use sodas and juices as usual. It wasn’t until the Cali Craft Concoctions launch LAST WEEK, where a guest said “oh my god, this is so good, i’m so sick of just mocktails that are juices, I usually just don’t even order anything.” That’s kind of when it all clicked.
Someone’s bar experience shouldn’t differ just because they don’t drink. You should put just as much effort into the product you’re placing in front of them and make them feel special too.
BRAND & ORIGIN STORY
Q: What was the “aha!” moment that made you launch this mobile bartending concept?
Sarah Lawerence: I went through a horrible breakup in 2023 that led me down the spiritual path. I healed a lot within myself and the more you heal the less you look to alcohol as a necessity.
I was literally at an ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica and mentioned in-passing my feelings toward alcohol to one of the mentors who we did the workshops with. He essentially likened me to a “heroin dealer” as I said something like “well if I don’t do the parties and serve the alcohol, someone else will.” He said that this is also what a drug dealer would say to justify their reasoning. Whilst this is obviously super critical and insane, but it was the start of a very much needed mental breakdown and ego death that allowed me the space to create this alternate avenue. Through this journey, I realized that Cali Craft Cocktails is actually hugely important to me, despite my somewhat “disengagement” with alcohol.
Q: If you had to describe your style of cocktails in three words—none of which can be “healthy” or “delicious”—what would they be?
Sarah Lawerence: Functional, thoughtful, original.
Q: What problem were you set on solving that traditional bartending services weren’t touching?
Sarah Lawerence: Nobody seems to give a shit these days. It’s so wild to me, I could do the bare minimum and it would still blow everyone out of the water. But I don’t. Because I CARE. This company is my EVERYTHING, so how are other people letting emails slide, making shitty artificial drinks, just coasting by and not really wanting to give a top notch experience. I am forever tweaking and updating my processes and setups and staff requirements so the client can have the best experience ever.
THE FUN STUFF
Q: What’s the most unexpected feedback you’ve ever gotten from a guest at an event?
Sarah Lawerence: It’s not really “feedback” but a guy the other week was watching me making multiple drinks at a time and serving 10 people at a time. He genuinely asked me “how come other bartenders only make one drink at a time?” I was like THAT’S WHAT I’M SAYING.
Q: If you could guarantee one feeling guests walk away with after visiting your bar, what would it be?
Sarah Lawerence: Comfortable, content, elated that we care and gave them a great product.
I want people to say, “Finally I went into a space where the person greeted me when I approached and I didn’t have to stand there awkwardly waiting for someone to say something.”
FUTURE & VISION
Q: Where do you see the functional and non-alcoholic cocktail world heading in the next five years?
Sarah Lawerence: I think this is the next trend. It’s hard to guess because everything is so cyclical. Who’s to say that alcohol is not on the decline and then comes back harder than baggy jeans? We just don’t know. I know for sure something like this in LOs Angeles especially where everyone is health conscious and all about longevity, this will surely break through and become the norm. I just want to make sure that people are aware that they can celebrate birthday’s and still have a bar and not have to pivot completely from the traditional route.
Q: What’s one thing you think most people get wrong about THC/CBD/adaptogens in cocktails?
Sarah Lawerence: That they will taste bad. But I wouldn't blame them. I bought about 100 of these types of drinks when I was doing research and they ALL tasted SO BAD.
Q: If you had an unlimited budget and zero rules, what’s the next experience or service you’d launch?
Sarah Lawerence: Actually a friend of mine who started as a client is embarking on something huge for next year - a completely alcohol-free music festival in DTLA. It’s called reb:earth and will bring together 25,000 people as a cultural catalyst and creative blueprint for planetary regeneration. If I had an unlimited budget I would literally help fund this entire event :)
Q: How do you want people to remember your brand in 20 years?
Sarah Lawerence: “My god they actually gave a f*ck. Do you remember those days?”
Q: What’s the legacy moment you want to leave behind at every event?
Sarah Lawerence: “Wow is this what’s out there? How come at Dave's wedding the bartender was only making one drink at a time?”
THE CASE FOR SPIRITED ALTERNATIVES
Q: How do you keep that same sense of ceremony and celebration at the bar without the buzz?
Sarah Lawerence: That’s the whole point - that’s a misconception. You WILL have a buzz. The non alcoholic spirits we use have B vitamins which make you feel naturally buzzed, plus ** (peppers) to mimic that burning sensation of actual liquor.
We also use adaptogens and nootropics which leave you feeling naturally high without that foggy feeling.
Q: Why should the sober-curious or mindful drinker have options that are just as complex as a top-shelf cocktail?
Sarah Lawerence: Because why not? Why is one person or thing or stance more valuable than the other?
Q: What can the non-alcoholic world do better than traditional spirits in a social setting?
Sarah Lawerence: Make a higher quality drink because it’s not relying on the filler spirit ingredient.
Q: How do you win over a die-hard cocktail drinker at an event?
Sarah Lawerence: The best thing about a drink is its flavor, not merely because “there’s alcohol in it.” The most frustrating thing that happens when i order a cocktail at a bar is that the drink is not balanced, or the flavor
Q: Do you see yourself as competing with alcohol bars—or redefining the event bar entirely?
Sarah Lawerence: If I am competing with alcohol bars, then I'd be competing with myself. I still own and run Cali Craft Cocktails so
IMPACT AND CULTURE
Q: How does your service fit into the larger movement toward mindful drinking and wellness?
Sarah Lawerence: It goes without saying. We already did a completely alcohol free event for an activation that Oner Active did in Los Angeles. All the girls came in, got their swag, came to the bar for a quick pick-me-up before their workout and a recovery beverage afterwards :) It was dreamy and perfect!
Q: What types of events do your cocktails make better than alcohol ever could?
Sarah Lawerence: I think any event can be made better with tailored drinks for every guest attending. I don't want people to feel alienated when they approach the bar and have to search for something they can drink.
Q: How do you want guests to feel while they’re holding one of your drinks?
Sarah Lawerence: Important and that they are special and worthy.
Q: What role do you see spirited alternatives playing in the next generation’s party culture?
Sarah Lawerence: I think there is a huge shift toward plant medicine. People are seeing how ignored generational trauma has ripped families apart and left people empty and confused as to why they’re so sad. The generations to come are no longer interested in burying feelings in alcohol or partying and want to have more meaningful experiences that enrich their lives and their brains.
Q: If your bar experience were a statement to the world, what would it be saying?
Sarah Lawerence: SAME BAR. DIFFERENT CONSEQUENCES.
Raise the Bar. Keep the Memories.
Big thanks to Sarah Lawrence for sharing the story of Cali Craft with us. If you want to learn more—or book Cali Craft for your own event—head over to her site: Cali Craft Cocktails & Concoctions.
Same bar. Different consequences. And now, your turn to raise a glass.