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Precision ethanol reduction, low-alcohol wine, tech-driven beverage innovation, and AI insights collide in this epic chat with Altr CEO Richard Schatzberger! 🍷💡🔥 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST
🍷 Can wine still be wine without the ethanol? That’s the question Richard Schatzberger, CEO & Founder of Altr, set out to answer — and the answer just might flip the $1.7T global alcohol industry on its head.
In this week’s episode of Thirsty Thursdays @3PM EST, I sat down with Richard to explore:
🚀 His incredible journey from building Motorola’s first camera phone to co-founding Siri and Viv (acquired by Apple and Samsung)
🍇 His personal path to sobriety and the realization that alcohol-free doesn’t mean experience-free
🧪 How Altr’s membrane technology differs radically from traditional ethanol reduction like spinning cone and reverse osmosis
🧠 The human-centered, flavor-first mindset behind "The Velvet Blade" tech
🛠️ Why Altr's first customers are winemakers — and how the tech is designed to retain terroir, mouthfeel, and aroma
💡 How a dream (yes, literally) became a global beverage startup backed by Beam Suntory and FTW Ventures
💬 "We're not here to kill ethanol," Richard explains, "we’re here to give people choice. Whether you want 14%, 4%, or 0% — it should still taste like wine."
🎯 Key Takeaways:
Altr’s tech is already outperforming other low-alc products on taste with early testers preferring Altr-processed wines over originals
Consumer behavior is changing fast — “zebra striping” and sober social rituals are rising, but the quality gap remains
Tech isn’t the enemy of craft — It’s a tool to preserve it
🔗 Learn more or join their beta program at: altrfilter.com
🧠 If you’re a heritage-forward winemaker or innovative brand looking for the next chapter in premium beverage — this episode is for you.
👉 Follow me for more beverage innovation, brand spotlights, and industry disruption from farm to shelf.
#ThirstyThursdays #BeverageTech #WineInnovation #LowAlcohol #SoberCurious #MembraneTech #BeverageFounders #FutureOfWine
Mentors
Ken Grossman, the founder of Sierra Nevada.
Brian Frank,fantastic lead investor FTW Ventures
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