Federal Beverage Company now open in Tanger Outlets
Looking to offer a space for enlightened conversation through nonalcoholic spirits, Maryland-based kombucha maker Gayle Galbraith has opened Federal Beverage Company in Tanger Outlets Seaside outside Rehoboth Beach.
Galbraith said the world is on fire right now and this is her way of helping. It’s about cultivating conversation to keep people from being so afraid of each other, she said.
“All are welcome, who welcome all without alcohol,” said Galbraith.
Delaware’s first nonalcoholic bottle shop is a decade in the making. It includes a change of heart on the type of product Galbraith was going to make, and the survival of a stroke and dozens of cardiac events.
Federal Beverage Company is a sister company to Federal Brewing Company, which is Galbraith’s kombucha operation. The brewing company is based in Federalsburg, Md., but brewed in Denton, Md.
Galbraith had intended on opening a brewery that made herbal-based ales, but ultimately, she said, she decided she wanted to do something more than get people drunk.
In 2015, Galbraith and her husband went to a mantra festival at Temple University in Philadelphia. That was the first time she’d heard about kombucha, and after doing some research, she said she decided to make the switch.
A year later, Galbraith suffered a severe stroke and had 38 cardiac events. It took eight months to learn how to speak again, she said.
Once recovered, Galbraith said she was more determined than ever to make her kombucha.
“Even if it's the smallest, it’s going to be the best,” said Galbraith. “The stroke was in October 2016. By October 2017, I was a licensed kombucha maker.”
Galbraith said she uses premium, whole leaf, organic teas that get steeped longer to make her kombucha.
“We don’t rush the process,” said Galbraith. “We have the best kombucha in the region.”
Galbraith doesn’t add carbonation to her kombucha. It’s supposed to be a product that’s good for gut health, but the carbonation found in commercial products prevents some people with sensitive gut systems from drinking those products, she said.
“This isn’t meant to be a soda replacement. It’s an alternative,” said Galbraith.
For the past few years, Galbraith has been hitting local farmers markets hard with her high-end kombucha. Within the past year, she was inspired to open the bottle shop after seeing Tanger Outlets CEO Stephen Yalof on television talking about how the company has remained relevant because it’s committed to a diverse collection of stores. She reached out to him and made the pitch soon after, she said.
It took a few months, but after finding a suitable space, Federal Beverage Company was open within three weeks, said Galbraith.
“I want this place to be a sophisticated space where people can relax and communicate with each other,” said Galbraith.
There are plans for more than a nonalcoholic bottle shop at Federal Beverage Company. Once things are settled, there will be coffee and grab-and-go foods, said Galbraith. There are 800 employees and lots of shoppers when Tanger Outlets is full, and this will be where they can relax for a bit, she said.
Federal Beverage, 36502 Seaside Outlet Drive, Suite 1260, is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m., Sunday. For more information, call 302-260-9141 or email raisethebarde@gmail.com.
