New York and New Jersey enjoying Buster's hard lemonade for Passover

The Buster's Beverage Company in the Noham (Sorek) Industrial Area, near Beit Shemesh, has exported 17,000 bottles of Kosher-for-Passover hard lemonade to stores in New York and New Jersey.

Matt Neilson (left) and his dad Denny
point to the shipment of Buster's
kosher-for-Passover lemonades
heading to the U.S.

Denny Neilson, the owner and brewmaster of Buster's, couldn't contain his delight and enthusiasm with the deal.  "We are so happy that we were able to do this.  For us, it's not just exporting our products to the U.S.  It's building our connection with the Jewish community there; with people who have a love interest with Israel."

Neilson and his family immigrated to Israel from California via Tennessee around 16 years ago, and shortly afterwards he began to make beer and wine, and teach home-brewing and wine-making at his home in Mevasserat Zion.  Today, he runs Buster's with his son Matt, who is responsible for sales and marketing.  

    

"Tourists often asked us if we export," continues Neilson.  "Although we've been thinking about if for a long time, we have not solicited exporters.  I've always believed that we would start when the right person walked through our doors."

Well, that happened about six months ago.  Some ultra-Orthodox visitors arrived at the brewery whose import agency, Red Garden, distributed to bottle shops in Brooklyn and Teaneck, NJ – and to stores in five other states. 

Denny Neilson of the Buster's Beverage Co.
toasts the export deal with Buster's Beer:
NOT kosher-for-Passover,
NOT going to America. 

"They loved our three varieties of apple cider and our two hard lemonades," Neilson proudly states.  "And they were even more excited to hear that all of those drinks could be certified kosher-for-Passover." 

Even though Buster's is under the kosher supervision of two Israeli rabbinical authorities, the visitors wanted to examine the facilities for themselves before deciding to purchase any of the beverages.

"This led to a return visit with five rabbis from America," Neilson continues.  "They checked out every inch of our brewery and asked the right questions.  In the end, they agreed to accept our ciders and lemonades as kosher-for-Passover, and they placed a large order to be shipped to their stores in America." 

Neilson explained to me that the window for producing the kosher-for-Passover drinks is very narrow.  All traces of the beer that is also brewed in the building have to be cleaned out before work can begin on the Passover products.

"We have a little over two months to complete all of our Passover production," Neilson says.

Twenty-five-thousand bottles were packed and sent to America in two shipments.  Neilson, his son Matt and the entire crew worked day and night to get them ready.  The first shipment had about 8,000 bottles of all the ciders and lemonades not kosher-for-Passover, for sale before the holiday.  The second shipment sailed about a month-and-a-half before Passover, and contained 17,000 bottles of the kosher-for-Passover lemonades.

Even though the production for export took up a lot of time, Buster's is not ignoring the local market by any means.  "We have taken steps this year," Neilson adds, "to ensure that there are enough bottles of cider and lemonade for everyone in Israel who wants to enjoy these drinks on Passover."  

     

Five different Buster's beverages were prepared for Passover for the local market and for the export project: 

At FillerUp Kosher Wines in
Teaneck, New Jersey: Waiting for
Buster's kosher-for-Passover
lemonades.  

Dry Apple Cider – 6.7% alcohol; dry and tart, English-style cider. 

Sweet Apple Cider – 4.8 %; no added sugar.

Spiced Apple Cider – 4.8%; with honey, cinnamon and cloves.

Classic Lemonade – 5%; made with sour, fresh lemons.

Pink Lemonade – 5%; with cranberries.

The lemonades are now being sold in the following stores: 

NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY 

BROOKLYN
Moshke's Wines & Spirit
13th Ave

Noshers
4312 15 Ave

Kiddush Kup
16th Ave

L'chaim Kosher Wine & Spirits
Roebling St
718.599.0074

The Wine Barrel
16th Ave

Yossis Wine & Liquor
18th Ave

Hagefen
13th Ave

Liquors Galore.
1212 Avenue J

MB Vineyards
3012 Avenue J

Orlander Liquor
1715 Avenue M

QUEENS
Hakerem Wine & Liquor

Suhag Liquors
69-30 Main Street

MANHATTAN
Gotham Wines
2517 Broadway 94th St.

MONSEY
Monsey Wine & Liquor
24 Orchard Street

Wine on 59
421 Route 59, Pavilion III

BRONX
Skyview Liquor Store
5681 Riverdale Ave

FIVE TOWNS
Chateau De Vin
_____________________________________________
NEW JERSEY - NORTH

FillerUp Kosher Wines
174 West Englewood Ave., Teaneck
201.862.1700

NEW JERSEY - CENTRAL

Lakewood Liquor
1700 Madison Ave

Bourbon Scotch & Beer
1721 Madison Avenue

Spirits Unlimited (River Avenue)

The VineYard
104 Hillside Boulevard

Victory Wines & Liquors

Wine Academy Lakewood

Wine on the Nine

"This deal opened up my eyes to how important export is," claims Neilson.  "It's a tangible connection between Israel and Jews in the Diaspora.  We're very happy to bring a little bit of Passover 'cheer' to our brothers and sisters in America."

                                 

[A similar version of this article
has appeared in The Jerusalem Post.]