In the late 2000's, Michael and Brandon, the founders of Brilliant Elixirs, found themselves desiring healthy drinking experiences. Both enjoyed the social lubrication of alcohol yet both felt the negative effects of drinking.
At 25, Brandon developed the dangerous disease pancreatitis from consistent alcohol use. Cherishing his life, he quit drinking immediately. Over the next few years, Brandon studied why he missed alcohol. He realized that we socialize over alcoholic beverages because they produce a tangible feeling that we share and through which, we relate. Brandon began to envision that sensations, or a buzz beyond booze, could be sought in plants. When Brandon met Michael, this vision became reality.
A founder of the famous Concentric Collective in San Francisco, Michael was working with a master herbalist to brew potent alcohol-alternative beverages for their events. One Sunday evening, following a huge weekend of San Francisco events, Michael handed an exhausted Brandon an early version of Chocolate Lover. Hours later, Brandon emerged sweaty from the dance-floor to declare, "We're starting a business." The rest is Brilliant.