30 Mar The Mobile Bar Is On The Rise, Or – How Mobile Bars Support Your Local Craft Festival
by Mark E. Lasbury for Indiana On Tap
It’s no secret that keeping a craft brewery staffed is becoming harder and harder. The problem extends itself to doing events – issues with gas prices, product prices, and staffing result in fewer breweries being able to justify pouring at many craft beverage festivals.
And yet, breweries do like getting their beer out into the public in as many forums and spaces as possible. This sets up an interesting situation, trying to get beer to an event and have it poured, while not having the brewery there to discuss their product and talk up their business.
At the same time that this circumstance is playing itself out, there has been the completely unrelated rise in another business model within craft beverages. Mobile bars have exploded on the scene in the last 2-3 years. Mobile bartending businesses take many forms, from a group of individual bartenders that can be hired out for private events to modified trucks or trailers that have a décor theme, can travel to non-standard event sites, and can haul glassware as well as product for the event.
image credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D10DwdtAVLQ
There are reasons that these businesses/side gigs have been successful, including the fact that they are adaptable and can customize both drinks and décor to a client’s theme. They provide an intimate atmosphere, placing a client’s bar directly within the event, and since they are working for the client and not the caterer or venue, they are geared to maximum hospitality for the guests.
Hiring a mobile bar that can provide infrastructure, expertise, (perhaps) product, and permitting/insurance often results in a cost-efficient alternative to renting a venue and relying on their preferred vendors or staff. In total, mobile bars can offer clients a customized experience for the price.
The economy certainly had something to do with the rise of mobile bartending. Side gigs became more important to many people in the early 2020s, and as a side gig, they do offer flexibility and autonomy. Money issues, staffing in bars and restaurants, and the trend toward more private events have also led to an increase in success of mobile bartending and therefore in the number of mobile bartender businesses.
In central Indiana, I can count no fewer than two dozen different mobile bartender services, and they run the gamut from low key operations of just bartenders for rent to massive operations with dozens of bartenders, set-ups, glassware options and décor choices. The Backdraft Tap Truck is run by Missy Helm around Indianapolis. It’s a 1962 firetruck from Atlanta, Indiana that has been renovated and beer taps added on the side. But they do more than just beer, they can bring a unique experience that includes spirits and custom cocktails as well.
image credit: Backdraft Tap Truck
Heather Sparks is the force behind Bourbons and Brews Mobile Bartending in Shelbyville. They are a larger organization, with dozens of bartenders and enough tables and set-ups to staff half a dozen events on any given day, from casual to extra fancy. Sunny Daze Mobile Bar and Martina’s Traveling Cocktail Bar are both located closer to Columbus, and they both do many private events each year, while Indy Beer Taps has been around for several years in Indy.
However, the mobile bartenders with which Indiana On Tap is most familiar is The Pour Pair (thepourpair@gmail.com); Marissa Woschitz and Rachel Williams from Anderson. The Pour Pair has helped out at several Indiana On Tap events in the last couple of years, and this is where the rise in mobile bartending and the issues with craft breweries attending festivals cross paths. Rachel and Marissa have used the festival opportunities to reach out to potential clients for their mobile bartending business – these are alcohol events after all, and they bring in The Pour Pair’s target audience. In exchange, Indiana On Tap gets a pair of bartenders who are permitted, licensed, insured, and knowledgeable, to represent a brewery that wants to participate, but for any of several reasons, just can’t make it to the event.
In order to learn more about the history and behinds the scenes information of mobile bars, I asked Marissa and Rachel to tell me more about their business. Here’s our conversation:
Indiana On Tap (IOT): How/why did you start the business?
The Pour Pair (TPP): We worked at the same bar together as our second jobs for years. We typically worked the same shifts and customers would ask us to bartend their private events together every now and then. We had the best time working at these private parties and weddings and we thought we could turn it into a small business venture!
image credit: The Pour Pair
IOT: Name all the people involved and their backgrounds.
TPP: Our names are Marissa Woschitz and Rachel Williams. We are both elementary school teachers and have always been behind a bar a couple nights a week. Marissa is a Special Education teacher in Anderson and Rachel teaches first grade in Pendleton. Teaching is our true passion and our mobile bartending business has been the most fun addition to our lives.
IOT: How did you decide on the trailer?
TPP: We were bartending a wedding for some friends who had created something similar specifically for their event. We just knew we had to buy one and begin renovations to create a functional and cute addition to the parties and events that we wanted to be a part of.
IOT: What kinds of events do you work with?
TPP: We will bartend ANY event! We have worked festivals, weddings, birthday parties, celebrations of life, retirement parties, and more.
image credit: The Pour Pair
IOT: What is your favorite part of the job?
TPP: The most fun part about The Pour Pair has been creating unforgettable experiences for people. We love seeing people’s faces light up when they try a custom cocktail or are just simply enjoying the unique atmosphere we bring to each event. Meeting so many different people, networking, and being a part of special celebrations makes every event so much fun. On the business side of things, we love the challenge of adapting to different venues and finding creative ways to make each setup seamless. Plus, we’re best friends. Who wouldn’t want to work with their best friend?!
IOT: Have you ever considered making this your full-time job, or expanding to a second trailer?
TPP: Since our business has taken off this past year we have been able to hire on some additional bartenders, who happen to be our closest friends! A second trailer is definitely in our future and has been on our radar as our schedule continues to fill up more and more. The dream is a team of bartenders and several trailers!
IOT: How many gigs do you do a year, and how many do you think you could handle?
TPP: We have about 30 events planned in 2025 so far. We are so grateful that we have been able to connect with so many people already. We can and will handle as much business as possible!
IOT: You’re well known around Anderson, do you often end up serving friends and acquaintances?
TPP: Our first year or so we mainly worked gigs for people we knew. It has been amazing how quickly word has spread to different areas and this year we are getting to travel all over Indiana.
IOT: How do you handle glassware when you do private events, it seems like it would be heavy, hard to store in the trailer, and would get stolen.
TPP: We have a storage unit that we store all Pour Pair supplies in between events. Merch, glassware, decor, etc.. We plan accordingly and have a pretty decent system perfected.
IOT: What else would you like people to know about The Pour Pair that I haven’t asked you about?
TPP: The Pour Pair is more than just a “side gig” for us. Our priority is to create a full experience for our clients from planning, to ordering, to serving. Our goal is to take as much off of our client’s hands as possible while simultaneously providing a fun and high energy atmosphere for everyone at an affordable rate. We genuinely just LOVE people, along with the craft of bartending, and we feel honored that we get to be a part of some really special days and events.
It seems to be the perfect situation but this is definitely a business, with all the headaches and time and money sucking tasks/regulations that every business has (insurance, permitting, paperwork, physical labor, etc.). Don’t dive into something like this unless you’re aware of all the different aspects that must be addressed. It makes it even more amazing that so many are popping it up.
I would encourage you to talk to The Pour Pair (and other mobile Bartending services) when at our events, they are doing craft beer fans a favor by participating and they deserve your consideration when planning an event. Indiana On Tap is very appreciative of The Pour Pair’s help at events and hopes you will support them.
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