On June 9th and 10th the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts will be hosting it’s 6th Annual Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest. Those of you who are gluten-free are probably thinking, “I can’t drink beer!” I know! The Brewfest is not only about beer, though. Over the years it has grown to include a number of cider and artisan beverage companies, and this year there are quite a few gluten free beverages available at the Brewfest for you to try!
This year there will be an abundance of cider at the festival, which just so happens to be one of my favorite drinks. From cider to cold brew, there is plenty for the non-gluten drinkers to sample.
Green Bee hand crafted beverages are made with real ingredients, real flavor and the natural sweetness of honey. Green Bee beverages harness the power of local bees to offer a healthier alternative to mass produced beverages (think soda but healthier).
Say Hello To The Green Bee Way:
- Only use fresh squeezed juices and real ingredients.
- Ingredient lists are short and clean.
- You will never find refined sugars. Just pure honey.
- Made without chemicals and preservatives.
I love that I can drink soda that tastes real and doesn’t make me feel bad after drinking it. The flavors are strong – in a good way – and so fresh tasting! Green Bee Craft Beverages can be found in natural food stores, fine restaurants, leading supermarkets, gourmet shops and fine pubs, including Boston-area Whole Foods, Cambridge Naturals, Allandale Farm, and Luke’s Lobster restaurants. Green Bee Craft Beverages is handcrafted and bottled in Brunswick, Maine.
Prospect Ciderworks was founded in 2015 as Harvard Cider Company, located in Harvard, Massachusetts. One of the founders, Mark Finnegan, grew up in the area which has a plethora of orchards–fairly common for Central Mass. The idea at the start was to do something different and to push the boundaries of craft cider while still using and showcasing local apples, and in the first full year of business they launched three flagship ciders as well as a summer seasonal. The drive of their ciders is to experiment with new flavor profiles that haven’t typically been used in traditional cider-making.
Last fall, Prospect Ciderworks moved to a 6,500 sqft facility just south of the South End in Newmarket Square. With the move they decided to change the name to respect the fresh start: Prospect Ciderworks is an homage both to Prospect Hill in Harvard, which has a beautiful view of the Nashua River Valley, and to the street that the three founders lived on in high school. Prospect Ciderworks will be on shelves come the end of May-early June.
DrinkMaple was founded by two dedicated triathletes in May 2014, DRINKmaple Organic Maple Water is a premium, plant-based hydration beverage containing one single ingredient: maple sap. Boasting 46 naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, antioxidants and prebiotics, the functional beverage is naturally low in calories and sugar, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, organic, Kosher and non-GMO, as well as being naturally subtly sweet and refreshing with a hint of maple. DrinkMaple is available all over Boston including, Whole Foods, CVS, Wegmans, Stop & Shop.
Other gluten free beverages to look out for at the festival:
Commonwealth Coffee Co.‘s craft cold brew coffee is micro-roasted, micro-brewed, and fairly traded specialty coffee from the best coffee farmers in the world.
ParTea Infuse the Booze is made in Somerville, MA. Their infusers are made from dried fruits, herbs, and spices packed into paper tea bags. Add any spirit of 80 proof or higher and get delicious results. Each kit comes with flavor-specific recommendations, and you can have fun experimenting!
Stowe Cider is handcrafted and made in small batches from local apples in Stowe, VT.
Artifact Cider is a brewery based in Everett, MA that crafts ciders of distinction from the superb apples of New England. Unfortunately they don’t have a tasting room but you can find their ciders at various locations in and around Boston!
Lookout Farm Cider is a true craft cidery. They use modern fermentation and traditional aging techniques to produce a uniquely refreshing hard cider since 1651. Lookout Farm is located in South Natick, MA, and is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in the U.S.
Bantam Cider is a modern, craft cider made locally in Massachusetts from fresh pressed apples and all natural ingredients. The brewery is located in Somerville, MA.
A handful of beer vendors will also have gluten-free beer, such as Farmer Willie’s Craft Ginger Beer, among others.
Time & Dates:
- Session 1 – Friday, June 9th (6:30 – 9:30 PM)
- Session 2 – Saturday, June 10th (3:00 – 6:00 PM)
- Session 3 – Saturday, June 10th (7:00 – 10:00 PM)
The event will be held at The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA. Tickets are $48.00 for general admission and $89.00 for a pair. The Brewfest will gather nearly one thousand local craft brew fans to celebrate together with dozens of vendors over two days, and three sessions, of unlimited drink samples, food, and fun!
To learn more or get your tickets, click here. (Tickets are limited and expected to sell out!)
This post was brought to you by Jessica Derman of Gluten Free Boston and Beyond, go check her out!
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