Meet Mercedes O’Brien: Business Owner & Cocktail Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mercedes O’Brien and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mercedes, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
ippN at Home is a cocktail fueled business specializing in at-home cocktail kits, virtual classes or online happy hours, and private event catering. Created by Mercedes O’Brien, voted Atlanta Magazine’s Best Bartender of 2019 and former bar manager for Kevin Gillespie’s Cold Beer and Gunshow, SippN at Home was constructed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the shutdown of bars and restaurants across the world, imbibers were left with wanting something more than what their home bar had to offer. SippN was born to bring all the supporting ingredients and knowledge of craft cocktail design into the homes of many. Now anyone can mix carefully crafted cocktail kits or learn to shake up something new with colleagues, friends, or family through SippN at Home.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Growing up, I never felt like I had a passion or calling in anything until I found the professional culinary world in my late teens. I consumed cook books, television, and magazines like some would pop culture. After trying, and failing, many times in the kitchen, I knew I wanted to be a chef. The price tag of culinary school limited my skills to an “at-home” practice, but I pursued my knowledge while attending college. It was when I was hired at a premiere Atlanta cocktail bar that I found I could apply my culinary knowledge in a whole new light. The crafting of cocktails held the discipline and excitement I loved in the kitchen and I was hooked. My opportunity to step out came when Kevin Gillespie’s restaurant Gunshow offering me the position to build their bar program in 2014. It’s open, and complete transparent exchange from the kitchen, allowed me to create freely and interactively with guests from a mere cocktail cart. In 2019, I was promoted to bar manager at Gillespie’s new Beltline concept Cold Beer. Ultimately, Covid took a hold of my industry in the spring of 2020 and my practice was almost washed away. After sitting in my house for what felt like an eternity, SippN at Home was born. I wanted to keep my industry alive, albeit in a safe and fun way. We began with approachable cocktail videos, but soon blossomed to more. With businesses and guests wishing to entertain and connect, Virtual Happy Hours took space. With lock downs in full effect, cocktail kits were created so SippRs could enjoy a delicious cocktail in their own kitchen. I would say I am ultimately proud of creating in a time where it seemed so very hard to do so. Covid has had a such a profound impact on my industry, and I am most thankful for the chance to be able to shape and grow within the times. It was not easy, and I don’t imagine it ever will be. While I have grown and achieved a great deal, I have also messed up in a lot of ways. Luckily, I have been gifted with probably the most amazing clientele imaginable and have learned to hold grace in my mistakes. I would rather fail a million times than stand still waiting for perfection to come along. I would like the world to know that SippN at Home is a space to create cocktails with curiosity and confidence. While each recipe is designed for to bring you to a delicious beverage through your own creation, it also created through principles of culinary exploration and low-waste practices.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Pre CovidI would take them to the Colonnade on a Sunday afternoon for martinis by the best woman bartenders in Atlanta. That place is an inspiration of how to sustain a life in the industry through a welcoming community with buckets of Southern charm. I would also take them to Kimball House for cocktails and a beautiful focus of Southern oysters. I would also love to take them to Little Bear for a playful but stellar execution of local vegetables. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shout out to the Atlanta community. To those who give themselves selflessly to carry this city into a brighter future. I created this business because I loved being surrounded and creating for them. Cheers to you! I would also love to give credit to my fiance Bryan Bankovich. His support gave me the courage to pursue this dream and his editing skills for our cocktail video series makes me the whole experience come to life.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sippnathome/?hl=en

Image Credits
Melissa Houston (black dress headshot)