Hi, I’m Jason.
I’m a lover of all things outdoors, a craft beer aficionado and dad to the greatest kid on the planet. I’m also a pickler. I can’t say I ever thought that was a title I’d be touting, but here we are.
Three years ago, I was a new Bend resident (transplant from Boston) excited to be in this beautiful part of the country with my new family. I had been working in the beer industry since 2010 and although I loved it, I knew I had another passion I wanted to pursue.
My interest in pickling evolved through an obsession with craft beer. Seems like an odd path, but I’ve never been known to be ordinary. Doing a deep dive into the science, art, and subjective taste preferences I discovered in the industry, I found other fermented products steeped in ancient tradition that were also gaining traction: kombucha, kimchi, Tepache, miso, etc. Similar to craft beer, these had flavors that were new to me, having grown up on a processed food diet. Once I began experimenting more with my own, I knew I was on to something.
Researching the history, nutritional value, and science for over a decade now, I’m no closer to scratching the surface of the possibilities of fermentation and vinegar processing.
I continue to be inspired to pursue this passion, and give others the opportunity to enjoy the flavors and possibilities of these superfoods. I’m excited to discover more, and continue sharing them with the community I’ve grown to love.
Hi, I’m Nelle.
Born and raised on the West Coast, Jason and I met while I was living in Boston, and connected on all things beer, camping, food, travel and adventure. In fact, our first date was at a local bar known for their beer, and I asked him the difference between stouts and porters and saw his eyes light up while he nerded out. The next subject was travel, and having been in the travel industry for a decade, I geeked out on Alaska, Canada, Antarctica, Australia, and South Africa; all trips I had scheduled over the next 6 months.
Then, the world stopped in its tracks. I lost my dream job designing and contracting small group tours early on in the pandemic. I was lost. I needed something grounding and meditative- and I turned to the kitchen. I got my start pickling and fermenting with sourdough, kombucha, and lots of veggies! Some great, some not so much (sorry mushrooms and brussel sprouts- I did you dirty)!
As the months passed, my symbolically itchy feet got the best of me and I pitched Jason to head west for our next adventure! We spent 4 months working our way across the country, stopping at every national park and brewery along the way (and feeding my sourdough baby, of course!). We then spent 3 months on Kauai making some of the best kombucha and tepache I’ve ever tasted.
When it was time to put down roots, Bend was a natural choice, and we’re so glad to continue immersing ourselves in this amazing community of creators and dreamers!
Meet Bear & Bluebell
Our company name may not seem groundbreaking, but to us it’s pure poetry! Meet our son, River (aka ‘Bear’) and our puppy, Bluebell.
They’re our inspiration for Blue River, and we truly owe them everything for making our lives so sweet!!
