Minn. Distillery Founder Mixing Up Beverage-Focused Thirst Network

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Why isn't there a beverage network?

Lee Egbert, one of the forces behind Dashfire Bitters and 11 Wells Spirits in St. Paul, has thought about this question quite a bit.

"I mean, I make booze but I don't just drink it," he says, laughing. "In the morning I start with coffee, and at lunch maybe I have a soda."

So, with a self-produced documentary on the history of spirits and the crafting of cocktails called "Finding Fire" as the basis, Egbert decided to start the Thirst Network.

After partnering with Keith Kirby (now the company's CIO) and Matthew Hainley (the company's CMO), the team started to develop the right mix of features.

The concept, according to Kirby, has something for everyone.

"From tea, beer, soda, wine, spirits, coffee, water, whatever it is ... that you like to drink, viewers will be able to see shows about that beverage," he said.

As an online video network, what plays is highly customizable.

If viewers like a certain show, they can give it a good review and that will ensure they see more shows like it in their video feed.

Viewers who just want to veg in front of a 24/7 live stream, like a traditional TV network, can choose the "Spin the Bottle" option.

"Think Pandora, but for television," Egbert said. "So, in this ratings system, you can decide you don't like this show anymore, and it will take it out of your Spin the Bottle stream."

Ads and sponsorships will make up some of the revenue...but, to get off the ground, Egbert hopes to be one of the first startups funded by the newly created MNVest program.

"It's a crowd-sourced funding system that's equity based, which is different than Kickstarter, per se, which is rewards based," Egbert said.

It's funding for Minnesota business by Minnesotans, and those who invest become shareholders.

"Even though the shows are locally based, you'll find the content valuable in a broader way," Hainley asid. "And as we expand to other cities, we're gonna go find those places in other cities that also have really great local stories to be told."

The Thirst network will debut this fall on web-based video platforms. With the help of investors, the owners hope to create apps for mobile streaming, as well as for AppleTV, Roku, and Chromecast in 2016.