It is always great to support the local producers any which way that I can, we are fortunate to live in a city where we benefit from the bounty of food and drink choices. Here are some local companies producing some refreshing bottled beverages.
Paul Kõvamees – Brewer
Kombucha made by O5 Tea is a non-alcoholic fermentation of tea and sugar. Micro brewed, non-pasteurized, handcrafted, unfiltered, 4 different types, bottled locally, one of my favourites is the Cask Aged Ghorka. You can find their Kombucha by the bottle in their tea lounge as well as the occasional Hawkers Market.
O5 Tea Kimbucha – 2208 West 4th Ave, on twitter @O5Tea
Dickies Ginger Beer
Dickie’s Ginger Beer
Ginger beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage naturally brewed with ginger, fresh lemons and cane sugar. Dickie’s Ginger was founded by Stephen Tufts in early 2014, you can find bottles of this delicious quenching brew at Harvest Community Foods, some bars and at many of the farmers markets around the city as well as most of the Hawkers Markets.
Dickie’s Ginger Beer on twitter @DickiesGinger and on Instagram
Jamaican Blue Cold Brew
Jamaican Blue Cold Brew
Jam Blue Cold Brew was founded by Chris McKenzie in 2014, this cold brew coffee is distinctively bold & exceptionally smooth handmade with their special blend of Certified Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.
The concentrate is made using a special blend of Certified Jamaican Blue Mountain® coffee beans roasted, brewed and bottled in Vancouver, BC. Each batch is handmade steeping their freshly roasted coffee for 24 hours and removing the coffee grounds using their unique dual cold filtration process. The result is a distinctively bold, exceptionally smooth liquid concentrate rich in flavor containing 70% less acidity than regular coffee making it easier to digest.
You can find their bottles at Meinhardt Fine Foods and soon at Whole Foods.
Jamaican Blue Cold Brew on twitter @jambluecoldbrew and Instagram
Notch Coffee
Notch Coffee
Notch Coffee cold brew uses Bows & Arrows coffee bottled in small batches and sold at stores around the city. Founded by Mike Rocksborough-Smith and his partner Devin Lilly in 2014.
You can find their bottles at various stores and cafes around the city including 33 Acres Brewing Company, Pazzo Chow, Harvest Community Foods, Nourish Market, Le Marché St. George, The Juicery Co, as well as Hawkers Market.
Notch Coffee on twitter @notchcoffee and Instagram
By: Richard Wolak