Derek Brown is a beverage expert, author and educator whose career spans award-winning cocktail bars, hospitality consulting and the development of no- and low-alcohol drinks. He co-founded Drink Company and Mindful Drinking Fest, helping bars, restaurants and brands create thoughtful beverage experiences for guests with a wide range of drinking preferences.

Brown previously owned Columbia Room in Washington, D.C., which earned the title of Best American Cocktail Bar at the 2017 Spirited Awards. Named Bartender of the Year by Imbibe in 2015, he also served as Chief Spirits Advisor to the National Archives Foundation. His consulting and training work includes beverage programs for Hilton and Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s Dōgon.

He is the author of Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World and Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails. His contributions to the industry earned him the Industry Impact Award at the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo and induction into the Sans Bar Non-Alcoholic Hall of Fame in 2025.

As a judge at the 2027 Bartender Spirits Awards, Brown brings this experience in cocktail development, beverage education and hospitality to the panel, alongside a specialist perspective on mindful drinking and no- and low-alcohol beverages.