Pembroke has a new business in town! Farmstead Cheesehouse opened their doors this week just in time for the warm weather.

This beautiful building is now home to a café featuring a large selection of delicious local cheeses, homemade gelato, baked goods, coffee, tea, kombucha and various locally sourced products. A family run business, Farmhouse Cheesehouse is located on the outskirts of Pembroke at 2545 Greenwood Road, near the Quebec turnoff.

Customers can take their treats to go, or stay and eat in (note the beautiful front patio!). Owners Nick and Steph Petermann are thrilled to be in business and are looking forward to a wonderful first season. We highly recommend their gelato! The pistachio and cantaloupe flavours were out of this world. 

Congratulations Farmstead Cheesehouse! We look forward to our next visit.

You may notice a new bottle alongside the Great Eight! 

That's because we've officially launched our Nude Jun!! Landing on the shelves today, our Jun is now available in 500 ml bottles, making it one of the only commercial, fully-labeled and lab-tested Juns in Canada!

But just what is JUN? (pronounced like gin but replace the "i" with an "uh" sound)
Jun is a fermented tea similar to kombucha only it uses a raw honey as its nutrient rather than cane sugar. Kombucha culture cannot use raw honey as the antibacterial properties of the honey compete with the bacteria in the kombucha, destroying the culture. Jun culture has been adapted over time to use the raw honey without issue, making it even more valuable with the known benefits of raw honey. 

We've kept our first flavour of Jun as simple as can be, using only organic sencha green tea, unpasteurized kosher Canadian honey, and naturally-occurring live cultures of bacteria and yeast. In essence it is "nude", unflavoured, with no frills, leaving the subtle taste of honey and green tea shine through a natural fermentation process. Honey lovers, this one's for you!

Aside from the numerous health benefits of both honey and fermentation, our Jun is also low in overall sugar with only 6 grams of sugar per 250 ml serving. Raw honey is only used at the beginning of the process in order for the fermentation to occur. No sugar or honey is added afterwards, giving you and your belly another reason to sip, smile, and enjoy. 

Since the Spring our Jun has only been available on tap at events and in one refill location.

We're happy to announce that our Nude Jun is now available in five stores including:
Jan's Valu-Mart
The Olive Tree in Deep River
Hyska's Your Independent Grocer
Little Things Canning Company
Pura Vida Nutrition Store

As we increase production, you will see Nude Jun popping up at more retail locations. Let us know where you'd like to see it!

We are pleased to be among the first to bring this rare, delicious beverage to the area and look forward to having you try our Nude Jun.

NEW Seasonal Flavour!

We've made a batch of Mulled Cranberry Citrus for the holidays!

We began this festive booch by mulling pure cranberry juice with sliced orange, mandarine, fresh Ontario cranberries, cinnamon bark, clove, and dried orange peel. Once cooled, we added more cranberry juice AND freshly juiced clementine and orange. The perfect Christmas blend. 

Jazz it up by pouring over ice, cranberries and an orange slice. Also makes a great sangria addition or a delicious cocktail mix. 

Find it on tap at Blendz Smoothie Shop & Healthy Eatery in Pembroke and The Olive Tree in Deep River. 
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Hurry in! Limited supply!

The Ottawa Valley has more access to fresh, raw, local kombucha on tap!

Blendz Smoothie Shop in Pembroke now pours two flavours of kombucha in addition to carrying our line of 500 ml bottles. The more eco-friendly, cost-efficient way to fill up on fresh booch, Blendz is the latest business to jump on board with our refill program. 

Purchase a 1L glass bottle and fill it full of kombucha for $12.50, drink, (smile), return the bottle for an exchange and a fill up at the refill price of $9.50! A full litre of booch for $9.50, keeping Mama Earth AND your belly happy!? Triple Win!

Special blends and seasonal flavours will be featured on tap, giving you access to even more delicious varieties.
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​Currently Blendz hours are:
8am - 7pm Tuesday to Saturday
8am - 3pm Sunday

Stop in for a drink, stay for the healthy food and atmosphere.

Blendz Smoothie Shop and Healthy Eatery has a new home!

Now located on Pembroke Street, Blendz has been busy moving into their newly renovated space in the heart of the Ottawa Valley. Exposed brick and high ceilings gave this space a massive facelift and we can't help but admire the new look at the latest restaurant in Pembroke. 

*Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, October 20th from 11am until 5pm*

Whoever said vegan food was lacking in taste never tried anything at Blendz. This vegan eatery takes you all the way to Flavour Town (ya.. that's right.. Guy Fieri needs to eat here!) with a great selection of dairy-free, gluten-free, taste-FULL options including their signature smoothies, soup of the day, and fan-faves like rice wraps, and banana bread waffles. 

Although we'll miss having Blendz as our neighbour in the plaza, we wish Dale and her team all the best in her new location (you can't keep us away, we've been there twice already!). We look forward to what's on the menu next and will see you on delivery day! Yesssssss, of course Blendz carries our booch!

Congrats!!

Hey Ottawa Valley! Thanks for coming out to the Valley Inspired Vendor Show.

A great turnout for the event held on Sunday, September 9th at the Best Western Pembroke Inn & Conference Centre and what an awesome lineup of vendors! The show featured a long list of local talent, artists, crafters, bakers, soap-makers, and professional services including:

2 Tarts and A Truffle, Anna’s Lingerie and Swimwear, Bee Savvy Hives and Honey, Blendz Smoothie Shop, CREEations, Carte Blanche Cache, Chahna Fai, Crazy Beautiful Dresses, Dame with a Hook, Das Studio, Engine House Coffee, Fifth Ave Collection Jewellery, Flourish, Gore Line Knit Co, Jacklyn’s Organic Tan, Janalla Photography, Julie Keon - Life Cycle Celebrant, Laurentian Brew Kombucha, Life Pure Simple, Little Things Canning Company, Mellow Home Co., Natural Beauty, Opeongo Soaps, Ottawa Valley Promotions, Pembroke Boxing Club, Pembroke Pole Fitness, Pure Romance, Sugar Society, SweetLegs, Tarwyn Lane Designs, The Alexander Bros. Woodworking, The Ottawa Wedding Planner, The Urban Lounge, Thirty-one Gifts, Valley Soaperie, and Whitewater Brewing Co.

The show also featured swag bags, lots of prizes, and live entertainment provided by Matt Gagne and Ben Rutz. From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. the room was a buzz with Valley folk who came to scope out the many talented businesses the area has to offer. 

It was great to see several businesses collaborating, sharing tables, and representing other great organizations at their booths. On tap for the day, we sampled two of our favourite locally sourced brews, Engine House Coffee Kombucha and Hugli's Blueberry Kombucha. 

We enjoyed connecting with all the vendors and chatting with everyone who stopped by our booth.
Thanks to Taylor of Ottawa Valley Promotions for organizing such a wonderful event! Check out Ottawa Valley Promotions upcoming events and subscriptions boxes at www.ottawavalleypromotions.ca.

The 2nd annual Lemonade Yoga Festival was a success!!

So awesome to have this festival right in the Valley! Lemonade featured a variety of FREE outdoor yoga classes (doesn't get better than that!) for all ages from 11-6, SUP demonstrations and water fun, plus great local vendors. 

We always love meeting up with local business owners, passionate yogis and kombucha newbies and fans. Lemonade did not disappoint.

A big thanks to Maegan, the White Pine Yoga team and instructors, AWE Yoga, and all volunteers and organizers!

 And thanks to all who stopped by our booth. You guys are the reason we love festivals!

Lennartz Corner Gas and Convenience Store has welcomed in some new products. 

Find out what flavours of kombucha are in stock along with The Urban Gourmet's Oils, Chef Bills Preserves, homemade goods, maple syrup, fresh sandwiches and specialty coffees. The gas station and auto service business is expanding their wares to include additional locally made products. 

With their chip truck open from 11-3, you can pop in for a grab and go lunch, or stay and sit in their dining area and enjoy your Summer treat. If you check the cooler, you'll find local meats and goods from Ullrich's, McGarroch's, Uncle Jims, or Klaesis Bakery. Lennartz is also a great spot to stock up on camping staples like firewood, kindling, coal, starter fluid, worms for fishing, ice, and smore kits. 

Located just on the outskirts of Pzembroke at the corner of Round Lake Road and Doran Road, the  Lennartz Auto Service station is your go-to for repairs, maintenance and vehicle needs. With over 25 years experience, Owner Stefan Lennartz, originally from Germany, has become the local import vehicle specialist in the area offering exceptional service to the Pembroke area and beyond. 

We're loving the expanding business ideas and local collaborations! Stop in to Lennartz on your way to cottage country. 

You may have noticed new signage up at Kerry's Place in downtown Pembroke. That's because Janna's Gallery Café has moved in just across the street to Kerry's Place to become Janna & Kerry's Over Easy Bar and Grill. 

The amalgamation of two great family-run businesses is the perfect mash-up from owners Janna and Kerry. You can still pop in for your cup of hot jo (or a bottle of booch!!), stay for breakfast, lunch or dinner, AND listen to great live music. 

We're diggin' the fresh look, with new flooring, instrustrial-chic lighting and exposed brick, local art on the walls, and funky blue bar lights, this place is rockin' the good vibes all 'round. 

Stop in for locally roasted coffee, a fresh pint of locally brewed craft beer, grab a bite to eat and stay for some tunes! Lots coming up this Summer at Janna & Kerry's.
Check their Facebook for updates on what's up next! 

I spy with my little eye... something that is new at Bruham Food Mart!

You can find two flavours of locally made kombucha on the shelves of this local store. Bruham Food Mart is a family owned and operated neighbourhood grocery store that has been serving the Valley for over 20 years. Bruham Food Mart is just off Boundary Road on Bruham Avenue, located between Brums Dairy and Colborne's Fish & Chips. 

The store is open 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. 7 days a week and boasts a large range of products including fresh produce, canned goods, baking supplies, dairy, and a bulk foods section. There is a deli, a bakery, frozen foods, and a meat department with fresh meat cut daily. Bruham will also take special orders for parties or specific requests and has gift certificates available. 

The friendly staff at Bruham know their customers by name and their excellent customer service certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Combine that with great weekly specials, and you have a recipe for a successful shopping experience. 

We've teamed up with Engine House Coffee to bring you the perfect combination of cold brewed coffee and raw kombucha. 

Using their Still Standing medium roasted coffee beans, this cold brew infusion is bound to wake you up and keep you chugging along. Coffee lovers will delight in the full flavour and dark chocolate notes of Still Standing and kombucha fans will enjoy the sweet tang of the raw kombucha.

Engine House Coffee roast their fair trade organic coffee beans in Eganville, Ontario and offer a wide selection of coffee varieties roasted fresh in small fresh batches. You may have seen owners, Dan and Genevieve at the Carp Farmers Market or sipped on a delicious cup of Engine House jo somewhere throughout the Valley. Their freshly roasted beans are available for purchase online or in a number of stores in and around the area. 

For a full list of stores carrying Engine House Coffee, visit www.enginehousecoffee.com. 

Our Engine House Coffee Kombucha is available on tap at The Olive Tree in Deep River and LEAP Health Hub in Pembroke. 

Please note that due to the caffeine of the coffee, this flavour will be much more caffeinated than any other flavour. 

Cheers!

Pumpkin Spice and everything nice. Well, we weren't going to jump on the bandwagon, but we had a lot of pumpkin spice kickin' around... so Pumpkin Spice lovers; this one's for you!

Introducing our latest Fall Seasonal Flavour...

Pumpkin Spiced Apple

On tap at The Olive Tree in Deep River and LEAP Health Hub in Pembroke for the month of October. 

New flavour alert! We're launching our latest kombucha LEMONLESS LEMON!

Subtle in its herbal taste, the name says it all. Made with organic lemongrass, lemon verbena, and lemon balm, this new flavour enhances the natural citrus-like taste of raw kombucha without any actual citrus. 

Available on tap at LEAP Health Hub in Pembroke and The Olive Tree in Deep River while quantities last. 

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Pembroke has a new health facility! LEAP Health Hub celebrated their Grand Opening on Saturday, September 9th. 

Located in the heart of Pembroke, LEAP Health Hub is a beautifully renovated health centre combining the leading edge in fitness and wellness. 

In it's original location, LEAP, formerly L.E.A.P. High Performance, offered personal training and spinning classes. The new LEAP Health Hub is all that and more. Fitness classes include spinning, tai chi, chi qong, yoga and individual or small group membership programs. LEAP focuses on helping clients achieve optimal health through individualized training and neurological rehabilitation. Additional services include pain management and injury rehabilitation, body composition, injury prevention, performance enhancement and motivation. The centre will also be home to a Holistic Nutritionist and Massage Therapist. 

The Grand Opening was a huge success and many visitors came by to view the facility and congratulate owner, Patricia Careau. Delicious healthy food was provided by The Alternate Root and snacks from local businesses were also offered to guests. 

Laurentian Brew is excited to announce that we've teamed up to have our second refill location with kombucha on tap at the Hub. One litre refillable bottles or to-go cups will be available for purchase and will be open to the public. LEAP will be Pembroke's first kombucha on tap location soon to have a total of six flavour options including seasonal flavours unique to the refill station. 

For store hours, more information about services, and class schedule, be sure to follow their Facebook page LEAP Health Hub and check out their website at leaphealthhub.com.

Pembroke has a new shop in town! Little Things Canning Company just opened their doors. Winner of the "Win this Space" contest, entrepreneur Stacy Taylor has moved her home canning business to a new commercial location at 96 Pembroke Street West. 

This newly renovated space is a combination of modern and rustic decor with high ceilings, beautiful wood shelving and accents, and exposed brick. Little Things Canning Company has a variety of pickled canned goods including pickles, beans, beets, asparagus, onions, and our favourite dilled carrots. Daily specials are on the take-home menu for lunch and early dinner, made fresh with wholesome ingredients, good intentions, and a whole lotta love. 

The shop also takes pride in offering a selection of local goods and products in store such as Bee Savvy Honey, The Mix Company, SNARK Coffee, Alexanderbros Woodworking's cutting boards and kitchen utensils, and Laurentian Brew Kombucha. 

Little Things Canning Company is celebrating their Grand Opening this weekend starting at 1pm on Saturday. Be sure to check out the shop and bring your appetite!

We've teamed up with Hugli's Blueberry Ranch to bring you a Hugli's Blueberry Kombucha!

Using the best, fresh, hand-picked, high bush blueberries to infuse our kombucha, this batch is sweet and refreshing, making it the perfect Summer drink. 

On tap now at The Olive Tree in Deep River. 

You can find four varieties of Laurentian Brew Kombucha amongst a large list of beverages and homemade goods at Janna's Gallery Café.

Owner Janna Fortin purchased the café in 2012 and hasn't looked back. The café is a second home to many loyal customers who enjoy the friendly atmosphere and fresh food made daily. 

Artwork brightens up the walls with several local artists' pieces available for purchase. With Janna's husband being an artist himself, the two wanted to have a place where local art could be displayed while making it affordable and beneficial for both parties. 

The café is located in the heart of Pembroke and is open Monday to Saturday. Meal options include a breakfast special, egg muffin, wrap, sandwich, soup, salad, and sweet treats. For the coffee lover, Janna's Gallery Café uses locally roasted organic fair-trade coffee beans and offers just about any regular or specialty hot or cold drinks. Prices are all very reasonable, making it an win for the belly and the wallet. 

Hugli's Blueberry Ranch and Country Gift Store is a huge attraction in the Ottawa Valley and we're thrilled to announce that they now offer our kombucha.  

Eastern Ontario's largest blueberry farm, Hugli's offers the best in high-bush blueberry picking in the Summer months, pumpkin picking in the Fall and is an award winning agri-tourism attraction. Serving up ice cream, several Hugli's blueberry products, baked goods, and snacks, the store will have your mouth watering and tummy growling. More than just food, the large country gift store carries an eclectic selection of children's toys, clothes, accessories, art, decor, cards, and locally made products. 

Fun for the whole family, Hugli's has numerous attractions on the 100 acre farm including wagon rides, a large outdoor play area, tunnel slide, games, animals and a hay maze. Additional seasonal activities are also a hit with a corn maze and haunted house at Halloween and a wagon ride to cut-your-own tree around Christmas.  School tour packages are available and Hugli's can accommodate large group visits with lunches included. The ranch also hosts several events including the annual Renfrew County Elementary Cross Country Meet, customer appreciation days, and is available as a picturesque wedding venue. 

Our blueberry kombucha is in good company as the store is flush with fresh berries, hot pepper jelly, salsa, pure blueberry juice, blueberry bbq sauce, jam, syrup, blueberry dressing, blueberry/cranberry dressing and fresh baked blueberry goods. Also in stock is our Strawberry Mint and The Apple of My Chai kombucha, a perfect refreshment after a fun day on the farm. 

Whether you're in the area or coming from afar, Hugli's is well worth the drive. Find out more information at blueberryranch.ca and be sure to follow them on Facebook to stay in the loop on upcoming events. 

Kläsis European Bakery and Café now carries our kombucha! 

As if there weren't enough reasons to stop in already! A family run business, Kläsis brings the flavours of Europe to Pembroke and the Ottawa Valley providing a large selection of baked goods, fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, schnitzels, deli meats, coffee, tea and more! Using quality ingredients, everything is made fresh on site including their assortment of decadent cakes, pastries, buns, breads, and muffins. Custom cakes can also be created for birthdays and weddings and gluten free options are available. 

Natalie has had the pleasure of knowing the Klaesis since they moved to the area from Switzerland over 25 years ago and has seen the many talents and skills the family shares with the community. We are so happy to see their successes and are very excited to have two flavours of our kombucha available in their store. 

Be sure to visit the bakery at 361 Isabella Street in Pembroke, and online at klaesis.com

What do you do when life gives you lemons? Make Lemonade of course! And that we did! LEMONADE YOGA FEST was a success and will continue to grow and expand in years to come. That's right, this might have been the first but it certainly won't be the last. The City of Pembroke and White Pine Yoga have decided to make the Pembroke Marina Waterfront home to an annual yoga festival.

With the circumstances that sparked the impromptu yoga fest and market less than ideal, this is something HUGELY positive out of what was heading to be a terrible let down of a long weekend. Emerge Yoga Festival , set to be "Canada's Yoga Festival" was cancelled last minute leaving sponsors, vendors, musicians, ticket holders in the dust.

With the admirable grace and ingenuity of our friends, Pete and Shan of White Pine Yoga who created Lemonade Yoga Fest, we came together as a community and had an awesome day of FREE yoga classes, demos, and a vendor market. 

We can't wait for next year!

We've got a jam-packed weekend of fun lined up for Canada Day weekend! 

With the cancellation of Emerge Yoga Festival, we needed to pull up our socks and get busy trying to recoup our investment. 

Our friends on Deep River's 150th Celebrations committee have invited us to join the vendor area downtown Deep River by the waterfront on Saturday, July 1st. With free yoga, kids activities, a reptile show, photo booth, beer garden, live music, vendors, food, fireworks and more, there is plenty of fun for the whole family!  We will have a booth set up from 11am-4pm and again from 7pm-9:30pm with four flavours of kombucha on tap. Please note that we will only be selling cups not bottles, but you are more than welcome to bring a bottle or mug to be filled. 

Our amazing friends at White Pine Yoga have made lemonade from lemons! With so many of us affected by an abrupt end to the yoga festival that was to take place this weekend, they have created an impromptu yoga festival, Lemonade! The Pembroke Marina Waterfront will be home to a one-of-a-kind FREE yoga festival this Sunday, July 2 from 11am-5pm. Featuring several yoga classes, aerial yoga demos, stand-up paddle board sessions, and a yogi vendor market, this is a festival you don't want to miss! We will be joining local vendors with kombucha on tap to keep you hydrated and refreshed during the classes. Come enjoy an afternoon of yoga and support local businesses!

A great afternoon at White Pine Yoga on Saturday for a home brewing workshop.  We enjoyed spreading the booch love, chatting about all things kombucha, demonstrating brewing, answering questions, sharing our brew, and sending participants home with a starter kit and workbook. A big thanks to White Pine Yoga for facilitating the event, and to all who came from near and far. We enjoyed seeing friends, and meeting new faces with some we recognized from their online support over the past year. A very positive bunch, we thank you all for attending and wish you happy brewing! 

We had such a blast at the Emerge + Expand event last weekend. Hosted by White Pine Yoga and Emerge Yoga Festival, over $500 was raised for Peaceful Path Yoga Project, a non-profit organization in the Valley offering free yoga to those in the community who may not otherwise have access to classes. With free delicious food, kombucha, yoga, prizes, and dancing, it was positive vibes all 'round. We encourage you to check out Emerge Yoga Festival, coming up on June 29 - July 2, for a weekend of yoga, meditation, workshops, musicians, camping, organic gourmet food and vendors right here in the Ottawa Valley. We are so thankful to have amazing people like Shannon, Pete, and Chessa who spread such light and positivity. 

Fine foods, decadent goods, deli, butcher shop, catering, bistro, take home meals, coffee, and now kombucha! Add one more to the list of delicious offerings from Ullrich's. A wildly successful family-owned business on the main street of downtown Pembroke, Ullrich's is no secret to any foodie in the area and beyond. In business for over 30 years, the Ullrich family has a focus on high-quality products using fresh ingredients, and friendly service by a knowledgable staff team. With five kombucha flavours now available in store including Wild Blueberry, Mango Lassi, Meta-Boost, Beau-Tea-Ful Morning and The Apple of My Chai, Ullrich's is the first dine-in restaurant to offer our kombucha and we couldn't be more excited!