Brandon Holzhueter and Brad Merten — Narwhal's Crafted

On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Brandon Holzhueter and Brad Merten, the best friends (since eighth grade) behind Narwhal's Crafted — the St. Louis bar that's spent the last decade changing what a frozen cocktail can be. Fresh off their 10-year anniversary, they explain why everything is made from scratch in a full in-house kitchen: real strawberries, real basil, house purees, syrups, and infusions. Brandon and Brad trace their path from franchising Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe to sketching out a new idea in a basement: take classic cocktails like the Manhattan, Negroni, and Old Fashioned and do them frozen — not a slushy, but an actual cocktail. Since then, Narwhal's has grown into draft cocktails, craft beer, and an award-winning mocktail program, all built around consistency and the guest experience. The conversation also covers Loaded: Elevated Nachos — the "Narwhal's of nachos," home of crab rangoon and toasted ravioli nachos — and the plan to bring its menu into future Narwhal's locations. Plus, the birthday cake cocktail that became an instant fan favorite, this year's fall menu, and the Missouri law behind those to-go pretzels. Brandon and Brad also share what life looks like off the clock, their go-to spots like Mai Lee and Corner 17, and what's next: franchising, Edwardsville, and a new Des Moines location with a full food program. In this episode:  - From Pickleman's franchisees to frozen cocktail pioneers  - Ten years of Narwhal's: draft cocktails, mocktails, and the guest experience  - Loaded: Elevated Nachos and bringing food to Narwhal's  - Franchising, Edwardsville, and the move into Des Moines Not a slushy — an actual cocktail. 🧊🍹 Thank you to our sponsors SWADE Dispensary and LHM. 🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major podcast platforms. 📅 New episodes drop every Tuesday.