Brown Seniors Help Popularize Local Brew

Remember the days when ginger beer was just a splash atop a mixed drink or used to settle an upset stomach? It came in handy, but never really had an intrinsic importance behind the bar or in the fridge. But those pigeonholes are disappearing. Ginger beer is making a name for itself as an alcoholic beverage nowadays, and thanks to a pair of Brown University students (both entering their senior year), Farmer Willie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer is growing popular throughout Cape Cod. 

Back in 2008, Willie Fenichel began home-brewing his own alcoholic ginger beer and selling it to beachgoers near his family’s farm. What started as a simple, home-brewed recipe eventually found its way onto the taste buds of Nico Enriquez and Max Easton, two Brown University students who immediately saw business potential in the beverage’s quality. They applied for a scholarship through Brown’s Venture Labs, an in-house business incubator for entrepreneurial students, and were awarded a small amount of seed money to get started. Fast forward two years and many days of hard work later and Farmer Willie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer is now being distributed to 40 different locations throughout the Cape. 

So it looks like Brown undergraduates have more up their sleeves than we think. The Farmer Willie’s team is currently working on a new twist on the original brew, complete with a higher alcohol content, and are looking to expand their distribution to New York and Boston. Bill Murray even endorsed them by saying, “It’s the greatest alcoholic ginger beer I’ve ever found.” If Bill Murray says so, it must be true.