A Bar Above
A Bar Above is a founder-owned, Carlsbad-based brand that designs and sells premium custom barware and digital mixology courses to craft cocktail enthusiasts, professional bartenders, and bar/restaurant buyers via DTC, wholesale, and corporate gifting channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersCarlsbad, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What A Bar Above does
A Bar Above operates as a founder-owned (Hillside Ventures, LLC) consumer brand and education platform serving the craft cocktail community. Founded in 2013 by husband-wife team Chris and Julia Tunstall in Carlsbad, California, the company began as a YouTube channel and blog and transitioned into physical products in 2016 with the launch of its first barware SKU (a Boston shaker). The company sells custom-designed premium barware — including cocktail shakers, strainers, jiggers, mixing glasses, muddlers, bar mats, and specialty tools — alongside a 2021-launched industry-first dishwasher-safe gold barware line and a 2026 glassware line. Notable proprietary product features include a Hawthorne strainer designed in partnership with Julia's father and a custom-bar mat positioned as best-in-class for durability.
The business is monetized across four streams: (1) DTC e-commerce via a Shopify storefront (shop.abarabove.com) with free US shipping over $98 and tiered anniversary-sale discounts; (2) B2B wholesale through the Faire marketplace with net 60 terms; (3) direct B2B sales to bars and restaurants and corporate gifting/brand activation sales with custom engraving; and (4) digital mixology training courses (Bar Basics, Bartender Fundamentals, Mixology Certification, Syrup Infusion). The catalog exceeds 80 SKUs, supported by 1,000+ five-star reviews.
The GTM motion is content-led and community-led, anchored by the Mixology Talk Podcast (200+ episodes), a YouTube channel, a blog and recipe archive, and two segmented Facebook communities (Craft Bartender Community and Craft Cocktail Club) with 6,000+ combined members. The company is fully founder-funded with no external investors, maintains a small team (first full-time hire in January 2020), and operates under a 30-hour work week policy, indicating a lifestyle-scale SMB rather than a venture-backed growth business. Geographic focus is the United States, with the corporate/wholesale channel reaching globally.
A Bar Above firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A Bar Above
- Legal name
- Hillside Ventures, LLC
- Website
- https://abarabove.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- A Bar Above is a founder-owned, Carlsbad-based brand that designs and sells premium custom barware and digital mixology courses to craft cocktail enthusiasts, professional bartenders, and bar/restaurant buyers via DTC, wholesale, and corporate gifting channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A Bar Above industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Barware / Cocktail Tools
- NAICS
- Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic) (CRADAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Beverage & Mixology (Coffee, Tea, Wine, Cocktails) (EDAAAGAH)
Keywords
Where A Bar Above is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carlsbad
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
A Bar Above business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Barware Product Sales: Sale of custom-designed premium barware including shakers, strainers, jiggers, mixing glasses, muddlers, bar mats, pour spouts, citrus juicers, and glassware. Products are sold through their Shopify storefront and wholesale channels.
- Digital Training Courses: Online mixology courses including Bar Basics Course, Bartender Fundamentals, Mixology Certification, and Crafting Cocktail Syrups Course. Courses are self-paced digital content.
- B2B Wholesale: Wholesale barware sales to bars, restaurants, and retailers through their partnership with Faire. Also direct B2B relationships for corporate gifting and brand activations.
- Engraving Services: Custom engraving services for barware for corporate gifts and branded items.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free shipping threshold |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Anniversary sale tiered discounts |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital training courses |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Wholesale pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
A Bar Above product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A Bar Above designs, manufactures, and sells a custom line of premium barware tools (cocktail shakers, strainers, jiggers, mixing glasses, muddlers, bar mats, glassware, and specialty tools) directly to consumers and wholesale buyers. The company also operates a mixology education platform offering online courses, the Mixology Talk Podcast, free cocktail recipes, and active Facebook communities serving professional bartenders and home cocktail enthusiasts.
Product overview
A Bar Above is a family-owned barware and mixology education company founded in 2013 by husband-wife team Chris and Julia Tunstall. The company operates two main business lines: (1) a custom-designed line of premium barware tools launched in 2016, including cocktail shakers, strainers, jiggers, mixing glasses, muddlers, bar mats, and specialty tools, with notable products like the Gold Barware Line (2021) and Glassware Line (2026); and (2) a digital mixology education platform comprising online courses (Bartender Fundamentals, Mixology Certification), the Mixology Talk Podcast (200+ episodes), and free cocktail recipe content. The company also maintains online communities for professional bartenders and home enthusiasts. The product ecosystem centers on enabling craft cocktail creation through both tools and education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Premium Barware / Bar Tools Custom-designed line of premium barware including Boston and Cobbler cocktail shakers, Hawthorne, Julep, and Fine Mesh strainers, Japanese style and Bell jiggers, mixing glasses, wood and plastic muddlers, bar mats, pour spouts, bitters bottles, citrus juicers, channel knives, peelers, cocktail picks, straws, atomizers, and bar spoons. Designed for durability, high quality, and long-lasting performance.
- Gold Barware Line First-in-the-industry line of gold-colored barware including various tools that are dishwasher safe, launched in 2021 as a premium product line.
- Cocktail Glassware Line New line of cocktail glassware including Martini glass, coupe glass, highball glass, and rocks glass, expanding the barware product category in 2026.
- Cobbler Shaker Premium cobbler shaker designed to address quality issues commonly found with typical cobbler shakers.
- Cocktail Recipe Cards Physical flashcard deck featuring classic cocktail recipes designed as a training tool for aspiring bartenders to learn essential recipes quickly.
- Mixology Courses Digital training courses including Bar Basics Course, Bartender Fundamentals, Mixology Certification, and Syrup Infusion/Crafting Cocktail Syrups Course, providing expert-led mixology education for beginners through advanced craft bartenders.
- Custom Engraving Services Custom engraving services for barware for corporate gifts and branded items, offered as part of corporate and brand activation partnerships.
Companies that use A Bar Above
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
A Bar Above technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
A Bar Above partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- FairecoreWholesale distribution partnership through Faire marketplace, offering free returns and net 60 terms for retailers. New Faire customers receive $100 off first order and free shipping for a year.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights11 records
A Bar Above competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- CocktailStuff.com: CocktailStuff.com is an online cocktail supplies retailer offering barware, mixers, and educational content to enthusiasts. Comparable as an emerging DTC competitor focused specifically on the home cocktail maker, though smaller and less brand-driven than A Bar Above.
Broad incumbents
- OXO: OXO is a major mainstream kitchen tools brand with a growing assortment of cocktail jiggers, strainers, and bar tools. While it competes on bar tools, it is a much broader kitchenware incumbent rather than a cocktail-specialist.
- Sur La Table: Sur La Table is a kitchen-focused retailer offering bar tools, mixology accessories, and cocktail classes. Comparable as a competing destination for home cocktail enthusiasts but operates as a broader cooking and kitchenware incumbent.
- Crate & Barrel: Crate & Barrel is a national home goods retailer carrying barware, cocktail tools, and glassware. Comparable as an alternative shopping channel for home bar setup, but as a broad home retailer rather than a craft cocktail specialist.
- Williams Sonoma: Williams Sonoma is a premium home and kitchen retailer with a curated barware and cocktail tools assortment. It is comparable as a competing retail destination for premium barware purchases but is far broader in category scope than A Bar Above.
- Riedel: Riedel is a premium glassware manufacturer best known for wine glasses, with an expanding cocktail glassware assortment. Highly comparable to A Bar Above's 2026 glassware launch as a premium glassware competitor in the cocktail occasion.
Direct peers
- Cocktail Kingdom: Cocktail Kingdom is a premium barware and bartending tools brand selling directly to professional bartenders and enthusiasts via its own e-commerce site. It is the closest direct competitor to A Bar Above in the premium pro-grade bar tools category.
- Barfly Mixology Gear: Barfly is a professional barware line by Mercer Industries targeting bar operators and cocktail enthusiasts with mixology tools, shakers, and bar accessories. Comparable business model of serving both on-trade professionals and the home enthusiast through B2B and DTC channels.
- Viski: Viski is a premium barware brand offering professional-grade cocktail tools, glassware, and bar accessories aimed at enthusiasts and bartenders. It competes head-to-head with A Bar Above on premium design positioning and gift-set purchasing occasions.
- Crafthouse by Fortessa: Crafthouse by Fortessa is a premium barware brand built around craft cocktail preparation tools and glassware. Directly comparable as a design-forward barware brand selling through both retail and food-service channels to cocktail enthusiasts.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
A Bar Above social profiles
Digital presenceA Bar Above financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A Bar Above leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
A Bar Above funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A Bar Above M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about A Bar Above
What does A Bar Above do?
A Bar Above designs, manufactures, and sells a custom line of premium barware tools (cocktail shakers, strainers, jiggers, mixing glasses, muddlers, bar mats, glassware, and specialty tools) directly to consumers and wholesale buyers. The company also operates a mixology education platform offering online courses, the Mixology Talk Podcast, free cocktail recipes, and active Facebook communities serving professional bartenders and home cocktail enthusiasts.
Is A Bar Above a public or private company?
A Bar Above is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was A Bar Above founded?
A Bar Above was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is A Bar Above based?
A Bar Above is headquartered in Carlsbad, United States, in the North America region.
How does A Bar Above make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Barware Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Training Courses, B2B Wholesale and engraving Services.
Who are A Bar Above's main competitors?
CocktailStuff.com is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are OXO, Sur La Table, Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma and Riedel. Direct peers are Cocktail Kingdom, Barfly Mixology Gear, Viski and Crafthouse by Fortessa.
Does A Bar Above have an API?
No public API is recorded for A Bar Above.
What industry is A Bar Above in?
A Bar Above's product category is Premium Barware / Cocktail Tools. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAH, Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic), with a secondary code of EDAAAGAH, Beverage & Mixology (Coffee, Tea, Wine, Cocktails). Its NAICS code is 3121 and its SIC code is 2080.