Pool Water Is Making Big Splash On The South Shore
If you are frequenting South Shore hotspots this winter, chances are you have come across a new beverage that is taking over the scene. Pool Water, a new drink in partnership with Vitamin Sea Brewing, has the look and taste of a great time.
Though just about a month old, Pool Water is certainly making a splash among bar circles and après ski-style pubs. For starters, this clever and catchy name is blue in color. The logo is just as intriguing as the brand name with a light blue character in the cannonball pose.
Here’s What’s In Pool Water
“Pool Water is a refreshing malt beverage that combines the vibrant flavors of lemon, lime, and orange,” co-founder Aldous Collins (artist, musician, and frontman for the Aldous Collins Band) tells me. It’s 4% alcohol that contains a malt seltzer. Furthermore,
Recently, I had the chance to ask Collins how this drink idea with the funny name came to be. “I was on a work adventure and my partner and I saw an old truck with ‘Pool Water’ in faded lettering. My initial thought was that it seemed like a killer name for a seltzer. We decided to investigate and trademark it. My longtime friend, Dino Funari (from Vitamin Sea), was the choice we wanted. Fortunately he and his crew were down,” Collins explains.
Where Can I Try It?
Pool Water is currently on Tap at Vitamin Sea Brewing in Weymouth (located at 30 Moore Road). In addition, various restaurants and bars in the Scituate and Weymouth region have started to carry Pool Water as it is certainly an inviting new drink.
As for future growth plans, Collins states, “Today, we are on our 4th batch and we’ll be canning it in the spring.” For now, you can follow Pool Water for Instagram for updates at @DrinkPoolWater.
Massachusetts Brewery Is Crushing It With Their Merchandise
“We have been given the name of Merch King Kong by our peers,” Dino Funari, founder of Vitamin Sea Brewing says. That is because this brewery has some of the most recognizable merchandise in Massachusetts.
Chances are you’ve seen (or have) a hat or t-shirt that sports the branding “VSB,” “South Shore,” “Sea,” an ocean/sunrise vector, or a duck on it. That’s all Vitamin Sea Brewing. In fact, some of their items are so popular they fly off the shelf as soon as they are stocked. Furthermore, you can’t buy them online. They are all purchased onsite.
Weymouth, MA
Vitamin Sea Brewing opened in February of 2019. Their taproom (and headquarters) in Weymouth features twelve taps covering a wide range of craft beer styles. IPAs and stouts are also available to purchase in cans. Some of the beers vary per season, while others are more standard. The Summer IPA, currently on tap, for example, is hopped with Citra, Cascade, and Columbus hops. In addition, on tap number 12, you will find Seas and Desist Blueberry Lemonade. This is Vitamin Sea’s take on hard seltzer.
Their location has a beer garden feel where outdoor seating is available, and they typically partner with food trucks onsite at least three days per week. If you go inside VSB’s Weymouth home base, you will find a colorful wall of t-shirts adjacent to the bar and rack of hats, jackets, sweatshirts and more along the right-side wall.
The Merch Line
“Our marketing strategy happened organically. Well before we opened, I was handing out hats, t-shirts, pins, and stickers to get the word out. And it paid off. We’re constantly asked to advertise monetarily, but we see more value in getting our merch out to people or groups (musicians, athletes, media personalities) with their own audiences and fan bases, which introduces them to our brand,” Funari explains, about VSB’s intent to create such merch.
They have one of New England’s more recognizable logos. Whether you are walking in downtown Portland, ME or attending the Levitate Music and Artist Festival in Marshfield, it is likely you will see the Vitamin Sea round logo or duck along the way. People are proud to represent the passion that Vitamin Sea pours into everything they do. Wearing their gear also shows pride in where you are from.
Here, Funari will take us inside the taproom to provide some insight into this killer Vitamin Sea Brewing merch.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
