For years, Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats owner Brandon Byrd has been making his own traditional Caribbean-style ginger beer. When he started selling the noncarbonated sweet-and-spicy beverage on his truck, customers kept demanding more and more. Now, he’s looking to show off the drink with a new alcohol-serving vehicle called Dr. Feel Good’s Prosecco and Cocktail Van.
Before you get too excited about a sidewalk sipping, keep in mind local regulations prevent Byrd from pulling up to any curb and serving booze. Instead, the van will stick to private events and festivals. As for why he’s turning his focus toward drinks, Byrd points out he’s not a total stranger to the beverage world. In his previous career, he worked in the entertainment industry, but he’s also done brand promotion work for Bacardi and Coors.
Staple offerings will include draft Moscow Mules and Dark and Stormies made with Byrd’s ginger beer as well as Prosecco, rosé, and sangria. While Bryd isn’t serving Goodies’ frozen custard onboard, he is continuing his love of vintage vehicles. The Italian-made Piaggio Ape appealed to him for its resemblance to the tuk-tuks he encountered during travels to Sri Lanka.
“I wanted something different,” he says. “I wanted something that would have personality. I wanted something that people would go, ‘That’s cute, but yet it’s cool.'”
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
