Cold weather can often keep otherwise socially active people indoors but it doesn’t have to keep you away from your friends. Jen and Jason join us today to talk about the importance of community during this time of year!

Photos provided by Twin Spire Photography.

Jen Morales and Jason Stitt are Cincinnati entrepreneurs and owners of the fun at-home cocktail cubes called Mixicles! They were longtime colleagues and friends who saw a need for convenient and natural handcrafted cocktail mixers, and created them in the form of fun frozen cubes now available for purchase!

An interview with Jen and Jason about the importance of creating social opportunities even when the weather isn’t favorable:

We all know that the weather can have an effect on your overall mood, do you find it hard to get out and be social in these colder months?

Jason: It certainly can be! When you’re faced with bad weather you generally have less motivation. There is a natural sort of energy that comes from summer months that isn’t really present in the winter.

What role does socializing play in your life and why do you find it important?

Jen: Well, for people like Jason and me who juggle more than one job, it can be a challenge to make time to get together with people and maintain a balanced lifestyle. It can take effort at times to stay connected with those outside of your closest circles like home and work. It’s important for me to grow and maintain our network and I really enjoy meeting new people and introducing them to others with whom I feel they would click well.

Jason: Absolutely, we all have demanding jobs and families and it’s important to take some time to unwind in order to find that balance and I have found that we’re often better employees and supportive family members when that balance is struck. Our product was actually designed with the idea in mind that you don’t want the work or process of making social gatherings happen to interfere with your ability to enjoy them!

Do you find that your Mixicles pair well with date night and in-home parties?

Jason: We think Mixicles pair perfectly. They take the stress out of preparing and hosting fun get-togethers, and help elevate your experience beyond the usual beer or wine!

Jen: Mixicles are a way to “play mixologist” at home and get creative with flavors without making more work for yourself or worrying about having a large array of fresh ingredients on hand! One of my favorite things from this journey has been hearing what people have tried combining with Mixicles. Some flavors even have the ability of giving leftover wine new life that otherwise would fall flat or be thrown away.

Now I know you have started pairing your product with other beverages, what are some things you like to put Mixicles in?

Jen: One of my favorites has been pairing our Jalapeño Citrus cube with also local brand Karrikin Keylime Sparkling Spirit and sometimes it’s nice to add their Blaze Agave Spirit for more punch. Also, our Orange Blossom Pomegranate cube has passion fruit in it so it pairs really well with Passion Fruit CBD seltzer made by Queen City Hemp (I usually add a shot of rum!). Jason and I both like Fever-Tree Tonic Water, which is from the UK. They have an Elderflower flavor that is really nice. It has a bit of a sweet finish whereas some tonic waters can taste a little bitter. So, we pair that with our Cucumber Lime Sage cubes and it is really refreshing! Besides alcoholic beverages, I like to drink green smoothies and try to have the kids do the same; when you add some Watermelon Lime or Blueberry Lemon Basil, it makes the smoothies more enjoyable for the kids! They also work well as a healthy popsicle or as the foundation for mocktails. Mixicles are all-natural, 25 calories or less, under 5 grams of sugar per cube, and contain no artificial flavors or preservatives.

Jason: What is great about Mixicles is you can take the drink you already enjoy and elevate it to something new and different. Smoked Black Cherry is a favorite for bourbon lovers such as myself. And we love hearing about new recipes people have created by simply adding Mixicles to some of their favorite beverages.

Obviously now we all want to know, where can we find Mixicles?

Jen: You can now purchase Mixicles at Findlay Market from Madison’s, ETC Produce & Provisions, and Dean’s Mediterranean Imports. You can also order Mixicles online for pick up at Findlay Kitchen by filling out a form on our website: Mixicles.com/order.

Jason: Also, if you’d like to meet us (we’d love to meet you!) we are having a special “Roaring 20s” happy hour event on Friday, February 21st at our Findlay Kitchen location from 5 pm - 7 pm and tickets for that exclusive event can be purchased here! Along with being able to taste all of our products and crafted cocktail recipes, hors d’oeuvres will be provided by The Passion Plate!

A huge thank you to Jen and Jason for taking the time to share their insight on this very important topic! If you want to meet Jason and Jen be sure to join them at their fun “Roaring 20’s” happy hour event Friday, February 21st! To secure your spot click here.