If you’ve ever walked into a bar and felt that awkward thud in your chest—the one that says you don’t belong here just because you’re not drinking—you’re not alone. In fact, that exact experience planted the seed for one of the most joyful, colorful, and wildly inclusive brands in today’s beverage scene: Cheeky Cocktails, created by bartender-turned-educator-turned-founder April Wachtel.
But this isn’t just a story about mixers.
It’s a story about belonging.
Because while the world debates whether alcohol culture is dying, evolving, or simply being rebranded, April is quietly (and cheekily) building something that transcends all of it—a product line designed for connection first, and consumption second.
The Spark: When a Bar Becomes a Gatekeeper
For someone who spent two decades in the beverage industry—bartending, teaching, consulting, and training hospitality pros—April didn’t expect to find herself feeling out of place in the very world she had helped shape. But that’s exactly what happened.
When she wasn’t drinking, the atmosphere shifted. Suddenly the room she worked in didn’t feel like a room she was welcome in.
“I always felt excluded from the occasion… it makes you feel like you can’t be in that environment and still live your social life to its full potential,” she explained .
That experience hit harder than a badly made margarita.
Because it wasn’t about alcohol—it was about access.
So she asked herself a bigger question:
What if premium, bar-quality drinks weren’t reserved for people drinking booze? What if the mixer itself could be the great equalizer?
From Bartender to Teacher to Founder
April’s career arc reads like the origin story of someone destined to shake things up (pun intended).
She started working in hospitality at thirteen years old, bussing tables at a family friend’s bed & breakfast. Shy and observant, she found confidence in the ritual of serving others, naming hospitality as “so important to people… every celebration has food and beverage” .
Years later, teaching became her superpower.
Her first class at NYC’s Astor Center led to 12,000+ students learning how to shake, stir, and actually understand what their ingredients tasted like before mixing them (a detail that would later save her from a truly catastrophic event).
Teaching exposed her to a universal truth:
People want to make good drinks—they just need the right tools, and they don’t want to feel stupid doing it.
Enter: Cheeky Cocktails.
Cheeky: Minimalist Meets Saved by the Bell
If Cheeky Cocktails were a ’90s TV show, April says it would be Saved by the Bell—bright, fun, clean vibes, and accessible to everyone without trying too hard about it .
And honestly? The aesthetic makes total sense.
When COVID hit just as Cheeky’s launch was approaching, April did what many entrepreneurs did in early 2020:
She panicked for about five seconds—and then she built everything herself.
Color palette? DIY.
Website? DIY.
Photography? DIY.
Label design? Also DIY (at least at first).
“I did all the colors and the minimalist format… in, I don’t know, an hour and a half,” she says, casually redefining what the rest of us consider “productive” .
Eventually she hired an agency to refine the logo, but the brand DNA?
That was all instinct, urgency, and April’s belief that premium should still feel playful, and beautiful things should still feel usable.
The 818 Moment: When Validation Hits Different
In 2022, April got the kind of email most founders dream about:
Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila team wanted to collaborate.
Not only did the Jenners feature Cheeky in their content—they used it on camera, integrated it into a hero video, and treated April with a level of professionalism that both surprised and impressed her.
“They were the most gracious team I’ve worked with,” she notes, describing thoughtful touches like holiday gifts and genuine relationship-building .
But the significance runs deeper than celebrity sparkle.
Cheeky was founded on the belief that mixer quality matters—that people want to participate in the ritual of making something, not just consuming it. And here was a global brand validating that vision.
“That was huge validation,” April admits. “Most mixers are low-quality… we’re meeting an actual need” .
The Oil Mojito Incident (Yes, You Read That Right)
Every founder has a horror story.
April’s just happens to involve almost serving 400 people mojitos made with oil.
While prepping for an art gallery event, a kitchen staff accidentally swapped a vat of simple syrup with a vat of cooking oil. April—ever the educator—was in the middle of telling the staff they should always taste ingredients first.
Then she dipped the straw, tasted it, and nearly discovered the world’s first petroleum cocktail.
“It looked exactly like simple syrup… had I not tasted it, the whole place would’ve been drinking oil mojitos,” she laughs now, grateful for the near miss and the poetic timing of that teaching moment .
Why Cheeky Matters in a Sober-Curious Era
In a culture where alcohol-free alternatives are often seen as “less than,” April is building a brand that refuses to play by those rules.
Cheeky isn’t about abstinence.
It’s about accessibility.
It’s about flavor, craft, and connection—without the hierarchy.
“I see cocktails the way I see food,” April explains. “It’s about flavor pairings, experimenting, and being able to share what you love with other people”.
Whether your drink has vodka or doesn’t, the goal is the same:
Feel good. Feel included. Feel part of the moment.
And frankly, in a world trying to reinvent socializing, that feels revolutionary.
A Cheeky Future
April’s story is proof that entrepreneurship doesn’t start with disruption—it starts with noticing who’s being left out of the room. It starts with the moment you realize the world is missing something that seems obvious to you. It starts with the boldness to do it badly at first, quickly second, and brilliantly over time.
Cheeky Cocktails isn’t a trend.
It’s a blueprint for what the future of drinking—alcoholic or otherwise—can look like.
Inclusive.
Playful.
Grounded in connection.
And yes… a little cheeky.
Getting sober is one thing—but staying sober? That’s where the real adventure begins.
This show is for you if you’ve ever wondered:
– Where can I find inspiring sober podcasts, apps, and creators?
– How do I give back or stay plugged into the sober community
– What are the best sober-friendly drinks and travel tips?
– Where do I find the good NA drinks that don’t taste like regret?
The Sober Curator is your go-to for sober pop culture, booze-free travel, apps, creators, and community.
We’re not here to help you get sober.
We’re here to help you live sober—and love it.
This week, Alysse sits down with cocktail queen, educator, and entrepreneur April Wachtel, founder & CEO of Cheeky Cocktails—the bold, minimalist, flavor-forward mixer brand changing how we drink (with or without booze). From 20 years behind the bar to launching a brand designed to make everyone feel included, April shares stories of creativity, visibility, Saved By the Bell aesthetics, brand-building in a sober-curious era, and that time she heroically saved an event from serving mojitos made with actual oil (yes, really) . Whether you love a zero-proof marg or just want better options at the bar, this convo is deliciously inspiring.
Takeaways:
Inclusion drives innovation. Cheeky was created after April repeatedly felt excluded in bar environments while not drinking—so she built mixers that work for everyone .
Cocktails = connection. For April, flavor, hospitality, and celebration matter more than alcohol content.
Constraints spark creativity. When COVID hit, she DIY’d her brand design in hours, then later refined it via agency work—scrappiness meets strategy.
Pop culture always shows up. Cheeky’s bright vibe? Think Saved by the Bell meets premium minimalism.
Taste everything first. Her wildest mishap? Discovering a kitchen had prepped oil instead of simple syrup at a major event—right before 400 guests were served. Hero status unlocked.
Key Timestamps:
[00:01:34] — Meet April Wachtel: founder, educator, and flavor-obsessed mixer magician
[00:04:27] — April’s entrepreneurial spark + early beverage industry days
[00:07:18] — Teaching 12,000+ students to craft balanced, beautiful drinks
[00:08:00] — Being sober/NA in bar culture + why inclusivity matters
[00:17:14] — The Cheeky brand aesthetic: color, culture, and DIY hustle
[00:22:00] — The 818 Tequila partnership + surprising professionalism
[00:27:08] — Cocktail catastrophes: the “oil mojito” close call
Resources & Links:
Cheeky Cocktails – https://cheekycocktails.co
Follow Cheeky on Instagram: @cheekycocktails
Alysse’s reference: BEATS WORKING podcast
Pop culture mentions: Saved by the Bell, Gucci “The Tiger” short film
–Alcohol + Substance Use Disorder Guide
–Recovery Nonprofit Resource Guide
–LBGTQ+ Recovery Resource Guide
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Sobriety isn’t the end of the party—it’s just the start of a better one. Hosted by Alysse Bryson, media powerhouse and sobriety’s ultimate hype woman, and joined by Sober Curator contributors, The Sober Curator Podcast* delivers bold convos, pop culture deep dives, and zero-proof living that doesn’t suck. Whether you're sober, sober-curious, or just looking for good vibes without the hangover, we’ve got you covered. Subscribe now—because getting sober matters, staying sober matters more.
*The Sober Curator Podcast is a space for open and honest conversations about sobriety, recovery, and alcohol-free living. While we celebrate all paths to a sober lifestyle, some topics discussed may be sensitive or triggering for certain listeners. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. If you’re in recovery or exploring sobriety, please take care while listening and seek support from trusted professionals as needed.
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Welcome to HAPPY EVERY HOUR, your go-to hub for all things NA (non-alcoholic). We review alcohol-free beers, ciders, wines, spirits, RTDs (ready-to-drink), and share NA cocktail recipes that taste just as good—if not better—than the boozy originals. Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just taking a break, this is where great taste meets zero proof.
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