JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

Episode 510: Michael Fors of Liquid Jazz - Gloucester, MA. The Wine Decanter That Rocks Your Senses and Your Tastebuds. Rockin' Wine instead of Rocking Chairs for This [FORMER] Retiree. ON THE ROCKS!

Michael Fors · December 8, 2025

Entrepreneurin

Interview with Michael Fors

Episode 510: Michael Fors of Liquid Jazz - Gloucester, MA. The Wine Decanter That Rocks Your Senses and Your Tastebuds. Rockin' Wine instead of Rocking Chairs for This [FORMER] Retiree. ON THE ROCKS!

Podcast: JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

December 8, 2025 · 1 hr 21 min

Listen to Michael Fors on JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS.

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Episode 510: Michael Fors of Liquid Jazz - Gloucester, MA. The Wine Decanter That Rocks Your Senses and Your Tastebuds. Rockin' Wine instead of Rocking Chairs for This [FORMER] Retiree. ON THE ROCKS!
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JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

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Key topicsWhat it really takes to turn a homemade prototype into a patented productFrom sketching ideas inspired by ocean waves to working with a local metal shop, Michael walks through the gritty reality of prototyping, refining, and eventually securing a patent. He shares lessons on persistence, testing, and timing that apply to anyone navigating the uncertain road from concept to launch. Why Wine Belongs to the Moments Between UsWine culture gets trapped in tasting notes while the real stakes are human: connection either happens around a bottle-or it doesn’t. Michael A. Fors has spent two decades hosting Thursday wine nights, learning that a pour is more like choreography than chemistry: the right rhythm turns strangers into friends and an ordinary Thursday into a story. When harsh, tight reds kept stalling that magic, he solved it at his own table-taking a cue from waves breaking over the Gloucester shoreline and inventing Liquid Jazz, a patented decanter that opens a wine’s character in four minutes without killing the ceremony. His lens is practical and personal: design should protect ritual, help sommeliers spotlight overlooked bottles, and give home hosts a centerpiece that starts conversation before the first sip. This talk isn’t gadget worship; it’s a case for treating wine as a social technology-one that, with the right design, reliably creates moments people actually remember. How a Thursday wine night tradition sparked a new way to honor wine and communityMichael shares stories from more than two decades of weekly wine nights-gatherings that sometimes drew a handful of friends and other times filled his yard with fifty people, guitars, and food. He explains how those evenings, rooted in tradition and connection, inspired him to rethink decanting so that everyone at the table could enjoy wine at its best. The conversation explores how innovation can grow out of community rituals and why honoring tradition often leads to the most meaningful new ideas. View all topics →

About Michael Fors

Michael Fors, podcast guest

Winemaker, Inventor and Creator of Liquid Jazz®

26 years Weekly wine-night tradition4 minutes To bring wine to life1 U.S. patent Rocking Wave decanter systemProduct creator Liquid Jazz

Michael A. Fors didn’t set out to build a business, he set out to solve a problem at his own table. For more than two decades, he’s gathered friends for “wine night,” a Thursday ritual that has seen everything from two people sharing a bottle by the fire to fifty guests filling his yard with music, food, and conversation. Those nights brought joy, but also had a sticking point: red wines often tasted harsh when first opened, and waiting hours for a decanter was impractical when cars kept pulling into the driveway.

The turning point came by the Gloucester shoreline, where Michael watched waves roll over rocks, breaking open the air with sea salt and seaweed aromas. He imagined wine flowing the same way, over contours that would open it naturally. A prototype made with a local metalworker proved the idea right: wine softened in minutes. That sketch of an idea became Liquid Jazz, the first patented decanter designed to bring out a bottle’s best character in four minutes.

Today, Michael speaks less as an inventor and more as a host.

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About this episode

How does a retiree, after a 30-year career running a paint store, end up inventing a patented device that is disrupting the traditional wine world?

In this relaxing and insightful episode of the JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS Show, host Justin Bizzarro sits down withMichael Fors, the inventor and founder of Liquid Jazz. This is a story about observation, second acts, and the pursuit of a better sensory experience.

Michael shares his unique origin story, which began not in a boardroom, but on the rocky shores of Gloucester, Massachusetts. While watching the ocean crash against the rocks and smelling the salt air released by the agitation, he had an epiphany: could wine be opened up in the same way? This led to the creation of the Liquid Jazz Decanter, a patented vessel designed with internal "steps" that allows wine to gently rock back and forth, increasing surface area and aerating a bottle in just four minutes—a process that traditionally takes hours.

This episode offers a fascinating look at the nuts and bolts of bringing a physical product to life. Michael details the hurdles of manufacturing, from navigating high mold costs in the US to managing supply chains in China, and the "faith" required to invest retirement funds into a dream. He discusses his old-school, boots-on-the-ground sales strategy—walking into vineyards and restaurants to give live demonstrations—and the challenges of aligning inventory with modern influencer marketing.

Beyond the mechanics of business, this conversation delves into the psychology of the consumer experience. Justin and Michael explore how the rhythmic motion of the decanter offers a moment of tranquility and mindfulness in a chaotic world, turning the act of drinking wine into a soothing ritual.

Tune in for a story that proves innovation has no age limit. It’s an inspiring look at how a simple observation of nature can lead to a product that enhances connection, flavor, and peace of mind.

Key Takeaways

The Power of Observation: How watching nature (ocean waves and river rapids) inspired a mechanical solution for wine aeration.

The "Rocking" Technology: How the patented steps inside the decanter soften tannins and release aromatics in minutes rather than hours.

Second Act Entrepreneurship: The reality of starting a global product business in retirement, including the financial and logistical risks.

The Human Element: Why the product is about more than taste—it’s about creating a calming, shared experience that brings people together.

Strategic Growth: Michael’s vision for partnering with larger distributors or wineries to scale the business while he focuses on the face-to-face demonstrations he loves.

IG: @liquidjazzexperience

Address: www.liquidjazzezperience.com

Entrepreneur interested in being on the show: https://calendly.com/justin-bizzarro/podcast

Hosted By: Justin Ryan Bizzarro (IG: @justinbizzarro and LinkedIn: FOLLOW ME )

Who is Justin Ryan Bizzarro? – Justin Bizzarro is a serial food, restaurant, technology, media and marketing entrepreneur, who helped build a 24-year-old group of food and restaurant related businesses, he created with his father and business partners out of his family’s basement, in 1998. He is a highly desired business management, personal and athlete growth, free market, food diversity, and entrepreneurial leadership speaker. Justin’s expertise are in human growth, motivation, leadership and management development, health foods and beverages, global lean manufacturing facilities, vertically integrating businesses, food marketing and advertising, supply chain creation and management, direct to consumer fulfillment, transportation and distribution, personal brand building, restaurant development and construction, and entrepreneur acceleration. Justin received his BA in International Business and Management from Dickinson College, in 2002, and his MBA from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity in Leadership from Denver Seminary. His leadership and entrepreneur podcasts have positively impacted millions of people across the globe.

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Free Podcast.  No Advertisements.  The stories of Food, Beverage, Farming, Hospitality, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs and how their failures led to the successes in their lives and in their business.  What does the future have in store for the food, beverage, and nutrition entrepreneur?

JUSTIN AND THE [FOOD] ENTREPRENEURS

Email: justin.bizzarro@gmail.com

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All music is scored by host or royalty free.

Guest: Michael Fors

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