Naked Hippie Brew, a Kombucha and Jun brewery on 1205 Front St. in Conway, opened Sept. 21 at the former location of the Black Orange coffee shop.
The opening featured live music from local musicians and a kava ceremony, another type of drink the brewery makes.
“Kava is a ceremonial drink of the Pacific Islands. It’s a drink of peace,” Monty Bass, 23, a brewer and flavorer at Naked Hippie, said.
Co-owned by Josh Spencer, 38, and Steven Velek, 40, owner of the Bear’s Den, Naked Hippie Brew specializes in Jun, a type of Kombucha made with locally sourced honey.
“We make Kombucha and Jun which is a fermented tea with probiotics. We focus more on Jun which is a honey Kombucha,” Andy Prestwood, 51, a brewer and flavorer, said.
The brewery also offers many healthy food options, including vegetarian items.
“We have paninis, hummus, and wraps.” Velek said.
The store brews all of their products on site and only uses organic ingredients.
“We bottle and distribute across Arkansas,” Spencer said. “You can get your jugs or Growlers filled up here too.”
Some of the Juns brewed at the store include the Laughing Dog, the Wonky Will, the Dream Catcher, the Third Eye, the Jade Jaguar and the Brass Monkey.
“Every drink we have is geared towards a different aspect of the body. So they all have different medicinal properties,” Bass said.
According to the business’s information brochure, Kombucha has a wide range of health benefits including lowering blood pressure, aiding in rebuilding tissue and giving probiotics for digestion.
“We got lots of help from community members. People painted, donated furniture. The store’s still a work in progress.” Velek said.
The Naked Hippie Brew recently moved from Beebe to Conway.
“Conway is a college town, it’s trendy and energetic,” Velek said. “We’re hopeful for the business with our location on Front St. next to Hendrix.”
The Naked Hippie Brew’s hours are subject to change but are currently from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Their number is 501-499-4728.
Images courtesy of Monica Sanders.
