BROOKLYN, NY — In the landscape of modern mixology, the "Jell-O shot" has long been relegated to the realm of frat house nostalgia—fluorescent, overly sweet, and served in plastic condiment cups. However, a Brooklyn-based venture is systematically dismantling that reputation. Solid Wiggles, the brainchild of pastry chef Jena Derman and mixologist Jack Schramm, has transformed the humble gelatin treat into a sophisticated medium for culinary art and high-end cocktail science.

Since its inception in 2020, Solid Wiggles has moved beyond the "pandemic pivot" phase to become a powerhouse in the niche market of edible spirits. By blending the precision of pastry arts with the complexity of modern bar techniques, the company is redefining what it means to "eat" a drink. From the VIP lounges of the LA Clippers to the backbars of Manhattan’s elite cocktail dens, these "solid" cocktails are making a significant splash.

Main Facts: A Fusion of Pastry and Proof

Solid Wiggles operates out of a specialized production facility in Brooklyn, where the team produces approximately 7,200 individual jelly shots and nearly 20 intricate boozy cakes every week. The company’s success is built upon a unique partnership: Jena Derman brings a background in high-level pastry production, while Jack Schramm offers a pedigree from legendary New York institutions like Booker & Dax and Existing Conditions—bars famous for their "technique-driven" approach to drinks.

The core of the business is its diverse revenue stream. Unlike traditional bars that rely solely on foot traffic, Solid Wiggles has a diversified portfolio: 45% of sales are generated through wholesale to bars and restaurants, 35% through high-end catering for corporate and luxury brands, and 20% via direct-to-consumer sales.

The products themselves are a far cry from the powdered-mix versions of the past. Using high-quality spirits, clarified juices, and botanical modifiers, Solid Wiggles creates layered, transparent masterpieces. These treats often feature internal "injections" of milk jelly, crafted by hand to resemble flowers, patterns, or even anatomical eyeballs for seasonal promotions.

Chronology: A Day in the Life of a Liquid-to-Solid Operation

The production cycle at Solid Wiggles is a three-day process condensed into a rigorous four-day work week. To understand the complexity of the operation, one must look at the meticulously timed daily schedule.

9:30 a.m. – Logistics and Strategic Planning

The day begins with a focus on fulfillment and inventory management. Before the first gram of gelatin is weighed, the team—consisting of the founders, two full-time employees, and a dedicated logistics driver—tackles the morning’s outgoing shipments.

Strategic planning is essential; the team looks two weeks ahead to forecast production needs. This foresight is critical, especially given their expanding footprint. A major milestone in their 2026 trajectory is their partnership with the LA Clippers. Providing craft jelly shots for the VIP areas of the arena has shifted the scale of their operations, necessitating a more industrial approach to their artisanal product.

11:00 a.m. – The Chemistry of the Base

By mid-morning, the facility transforms into a laboratory. Production occurs at three concurrent stations. The first is the "Base Maker" station. Here, the clear, structural layer of the shot is created.

This stage involves the clarification of liquids—a technique Schramm mastered in his days at Existing Conditions. For a Lychee Martini shot, this means combining clarified lemon, sugar, vodka, and gelatin into a perfectly transparent liquid. This clarity is not just for aesthetics; it provides the "canvas" for the artistic work that follows.

The menu currently features 13 rotating flavors, updated seasonally. The selection process is a balance of classic cocktail profiles (like the perennial favorite Margarita) and original creations that specifically suit the jelly format.

1:00 p.m. – R&D and Custom Collaborations

Early afternoon is reserved for research, development, and custom commissions. Solid Wiggles has become a go-to for luxury brands looking for experiential marketing. They have collaborated with everyone from liquor giants like Fernet-Branca to high-end perfume houses.

These collaborations often push the boundaries of what is possible in a gelatinous state. A notable example is the "Forghetti & Tonic." Traditionally, a Forghetti (Borghetti espresso liqueur and Fernet) does not translate well to jelly because the flavors are too dense and opaque. Through R&D, the team introduced tonic water and citrus, creating a "clear" base that maintained the spirit’s profile while achieving the necessary structural integrity and visual appeal.

3:00 p.m. – The Art of the Injection

The most labor-intensive part of the day occurs at the injection station. This is where the "art" in Solid Wiggles truly happens. Using X-Acto knives, rulers, and specialized syringe tips, the team hand-injects milk jelly into the set bases.

These syringes are shaped like petals or leaves, allowing the makers to create intricate, 3D floral patterns inside the clear shot. Following the decoration, a "secondary flavor layer" (the modifier) is poured. This layer contains the darker or more opaque ingredients, such as the cranberry and Faccia Brutto Aperitivo in their Cosmopolitan shot. The ratio is strictly maintained at roughly 2-to-1 (base to modifier) to ensure the flavor is balanced and the shot remains firm.

5:00 p.m. – Final Processing and Boxing

The day concludes with the unmolding and slicing of the previous day’s batches. Because the process requires different layers to set at different times, a single shot represents three days of work. The final products are sliced into precise cubes or shapes, boxed, and prepared for the next morning’s delivery.

Supporting Data: The Metrics of Success

The growth of Solid Wiggles reflects a broader trend in the beverage industry: the rise of "Premiumized RTDs" (Ready-to-Drink) and edible cocktails.

• Production Volume: 7,200 shots per week equates to approximately 374,400 units annually.
• Product Mix: While jelly shots drive the volume, the 15–20 boozy cakes produced weekly serve as the brand’s "halo" product, showcasing the highest level of artistic skill.
• Wholesale Dominance: The fact that 45% of sales go to bars and restaurants indicates a shift in the hospitality industry. Establishments are increasingly outsourcing "novelty" or "high-labor" items to specialized producers like Solid Wiggles to save on in-house labor costs.
• Ingredient Integrity: Unlike commercial gelatin products, these shots prioritize high-acid profiles. This is a key data point for their success; by mimicking the "zip" of a fresh cocktail, they appeal to a mature palate that finds traditional Jell-O shots cloying.

Official Responses: The Philosophy of the Founders

Jack Schramm and Jena Derman view their work as a solution to a long-standing culinary problem: how to make gelatin taste like a world-class cocktail.

"The first time we met up, I said, ‘We gotta add booze to these,’" recalls Schramm. However, he is quick to point out that not every cocktail can be "jellied." "The super high-ABV cocktails don’t work because the flavor is just booze. We can’t do things like an Old Fashioned or a Dry Gin Martini. People are always asking for Espresso Martinis, but the texture isn’t nice—rich creaminess doesn’t translate."

Derman’s influence is visible in the structural integrity and visual design. The use of local spirits, such as Faccia Brutto Aperitivo, is a conscious choice to support the Brooklyn ecosystem. "We love to support other local businesses," Schramm notes, highlighting that the "Aperitivo Spritz" is one of their most consistent sellers.

The founders also note that consumer perception is their biggest hurdle and their biggest reward. "I think most folks are surprised when they taste Solid Wiggles for the first time because they’re not used to Jell-O being high acid," says Schramm. "It’s usually so sweet. With ours, it’s a totally night and day experience."

Implications: The Future of "Solid" Hospitality

The success of Solid Wiggles has several implications for the future of the spirits and hospitality industries:

1. The Professionalization of "Novelty": Solid Wiggles has proven that there is a lucrative market for "fun" alcohol formats, provided the quality matches that of a high-end bar. This opens the door for other "novelty" formats—such as alcoholic ice creams or vapors—to be treated with professional culinary respect.
2. Operational Efficiency for Bars: By purchasing pre-made, high-quality jelly shots, bars can offer a unique, Instagram-friendly product without the labor-intensive process of clarification and layering. This "outsourced craft" model may become more common as labor costs rise.
3. Expansion of Brand Touchpoints: For liquor brands (like Fernet-Branca or various Gin producers), Solid Wiggles provides a new way to get their product in front of consumers. An edible cocktail at a corporate event or a basketball game is a tactile, memorable brand experience that a standard plastic cup of gin and tonic cannot match.
4. Seasonality as a Driver: The company’s ability to pivot from "eyeball shots" for Halloween to "warming winter spice" Cosmos for the holidays shows the versatility of the medium. Gelatin, once seen as a summer-only BBQ treat, is being successfully marketed as a year-round luxury item.

As Solid Wiggles enters its next phase—fueled by stadium deals and high-end retail demand—it stands as a testament to the power of the "cross-disciplinary" approach. By combining the rigor of a pastry kitchen with the soul of a cocktail bar, Derman and Schramm have created something that is, quite literally, the most stable thing in the spirits world today.