Seltzerman to the Rescue!

Seattle’s Web Crowell satisfies the city’s thirst for seltzer and sustainability.

By Mallory Peterson October 17, 2012

seltzer

This article originally appeared in the November 2012 issue of Seattle magazine.

Anyone who thinks spin classes are a killer workout should try Web Crowell’s regimen: Every Sunday and Monday, rain or shine, the Capitol Hill resident puts roughly three hundred pounds of homemade bottled seltzer water on the back of his bike and delivers it to Seattleites who enjoy a bit of the bubbly.

A stop-motion animator, Crowell, 40, founded Under Pressure Seltzer Works (seltzerup.com) last summer in an effort to revive the seltzer trade—which thrived during the midcentury in cities such as Boston, San Francisco and Seattle.

Just like milkmen of old, Crowell offers personalized beverage delivery (a case of four 32-ounce bottles for $10 or six for $15) and empty bottle pickup. Making use of a rented commercial kitchen and his own century-old carbonating machine, Crowell fills antique seltzer bottles (with valve tops that ensure freshness) and delivers them on the world’s first “Seltzerbike” to homes, private events and bars on Capitol Hill.

“The Hill is a test,” Crowell explains, “If things go well I’m interested in expanding.” Demand is already on the rise. Currently, Crowell delivers around twenty cases per week. While seltzer water may be less expensive in stores, Crowell’s artisanal product is equally bubbly and undeniably more sustainable—and comes with the added thrill of having a seltzerbike arrive at your doorstep.

 

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