Cheap booze wins over voters at Angel Alley

James Bond liked his martinis shaken, not stirred, but he never specified his favorite brand of vodka. If he had, and if he was a member of DrinkCity, he would have the opportunity to get up to 50 percent off his bar tab. Not that James Bond has to pay for drinks.

DrinkCity won Angel Alley at DEMO. It operates on a simple premise: People like to drink with their friends on the cheap.

The startup puts alcohol brands in direct contact with their fans on its “Happy Hour Any Hour” platform. Booze hounds, or the more temperate who enjoy a glass of wine every now and then, go to the site and fill out their personal information and alcohol preferences, like their favorite kinds of liquor and favorite types of bars. They then have may purchase a certificate that puts them on an electronic guest list at a bar. All they have to do is show up, give their name to the bartender, and the rest is … hazy.

“This is an unprecedented solution for the alcohol space,” said founder Perry Kalmus “A whiskey company can get in front of a large group of whiskey drinkers.”

DrinkCity is starting in San Diego and hopes to expand from there. Whether or not this startup has revolutionary technology or breathtaking design, offering people cheap drinks practically guarantees popularity.