Next time you wipe the sweat off your brow on a sweltering Brisbane day and reach for a soft drink – stop. We’ve found a local crew that will have you turning away from your lemonade and diet cola and sipping on a locally made, small batch soda (with or without the addition of a spirit or two).
BNE Soda Co handmakes a range of quirky sodas right here in Brisbane, using nothing but local ingredients and a hefty dash of creativity. The businesses creators, Simon and Cale, got tired of soft drinks that tasted of nothing but sugar and decided to make their own, coming up with a range of unique sodas that are free of anything artificial and mix all too well with a splash of gin.
Their current range includes seven different flavours that will entice your taste buds and satisfy your soul. Cool down with combinations like pink grapefruit and rosemary, Thai basil and galangal or thyme and ginger beer, or sip on a sweet apple cream soda, which just happens to mix perfectly with a good malt whiskey.
The duo also has their own cold brew coffee that uses Coffee Supreme beans and Bundaberg raw cane sugar to sweeten the deal. Cold milk will turn it into the perfect iced coffee, or you can shake up the ultimate espresso martini at home.
Sounds like a much better sip than the sickly sweet soft drink in your fridge, right? If you agree, you can find BNE Soda Co at Sourced Grocer and Craft Wine Store, as well as on the menu at a few cafes around town. Check out the full range of stockists here.
Words by Caroline Tully
