Some people are passionate about their beer of choice. But when Syracuse University alumni Brittany Berry and Logan Bonney realized others were just drinking beer to fit in, they established the “Anything But Beer” company.

“I would ask people if they liked beer and would get a lot of no’s, so I started to wonder, well, why are you drinking it?” Bonney said.

Anything But Beer, a grain-free brewery, first began selling its product in January 2018 and Bonney is in the process of establishing a taproom in downtown Syracuse, with an anticipated opening in April, Berry said. Today, the brewery is located in Syracuse’s Westside neighborhood, about half a mile from Armory Square.

Through his market research and personal interviews, Bonney said he realized most people drank beer to keep up at social events and connect with friends, all while hating the taste.

“I feel that in order to enjoy socializing with your friends you shouldn’t have to acquire a taste,” Bonney said. “It should just taste good from the beginning.”

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The brewery sells both kegs and bottles to local eateries and bars.

“We love what we do because we get to work with so many great businesses,” Berry said. “We help them by giving their customers an alternative to beer.”

The brewery prides itself on being completely grain-free, catering to the needs of both people who don’t like the taste of beer and who don’t consume gluten products.

“We understand that many people have gluten sensitivities or have just cut grains out of their diets, so a lot of times it’s not just that people don’t like the taste of beer,” Berry said.

Berry said they have plans to continue as a grain-free brand, setting them apart from competitors that advertise as alternative beer with malt beverages, which are not necessarily gluten free.

Setting itself apart even further, Anything But Beer is an agriculture-based brewery. Through its strong relationships with local, organic farms such as Grindstone Farm, the brewery has been able to use New York state products and seasonal ingredients.

The fall beverage lineup is set to appear in the coming weeks. Customer favorites include “The Root Less Travelled,” a spiced sweet potato ale blended with apple, caramel, cinnamon and vanilla. The brewery is also prototyping a coffee-inspired flavor that will be release this fall, Berry said.

The brewery has a fruit forward process, using fruits and vegetables as the base for its ales. Some ales are spiced or oaked as well, but most have a citrus twist. Brewery staples include the “Son Of James,” an Irish whiskey apple ale that includes apple aged on Irish whiskey oak chips, and “Blue-Calyptus,” a blueberry mojito ale made of organic blueberries, ginger, eucalyptus and lime.

“Our ‘Blue-Calyptus’ has a kind of a cult following now,” said Berry, laughing.

“We took it back to the chemistry of making a product that people are really going to love,” Bonney added. “It’s all about making a product for people as opposed to just following recipes.”

Anything But Beer has been trying to carve out a new niche in the market by experimenting with the ways they create products, Berry and Bonney said. Through relationships with local farms, and catering toward grain-free living, Anything But Beer is expanding its audience while redefining social norms.

“We just want people to feel a little bit more connected to the products they consume and especially the agriculture all around us, keeping us fed,” Berry said.

“I want people to enjoy being social with friends without compromising,” Bonney said. “That’s why we do what we do.”

Published on October 14, 2018 at 9:30 pm

Contact Leah: ltoney@syr.edu