Local food lovers gathered at IndieFerm for a delicious deep dive into pickles, kombucha, coffee, and more.

On June 7th, the second annual Plymouth Pickle and Fermentation Festival was held at Plymouth’s Independent Fermentations Brewery—better known as IndieFerm—to celebrate all things fermentable. The festival featured a wide range of delicious fermented treats, including pierogies, egg rolls, coffee, and kombucha, along with live demonstrations, craft beer, and music.

This festival was a collaboration between IndieFerm, edible Southeastern Massachusetts, and the Pretentious Pickle Company. Vendors of all kinds were present—from purveyors of hot sauce to homemade ice cream, jams and jellies to pickles.

Vendor booths lined the outdoor space with goods from:

• Plymouth Bay Winery

• Al’s Backwoods Berry Company

• Speedwell Coffee

• Crazy Uncle Red’s Ferments

• Kimchi by Og Lim

• And many more

Rose Forbes, who co-owns and operates IndieFerm with her partner Paul Nixon, is the visionary behind the Plymouth Pickle and Fermentation Festival. Now in its second year, the festival has grown to encompass even more aspects of the fermentation world. Rose explains that she has “always been excited about fermentation and wanted to share it with the people of Plymouth.” She notes that pickles often serve as a gateway into the world of fermentation, making them the perfect starting point. Through her partnership with the renowned Pretentious Pickle Company, Rose hopes to raise awareness about the wide variety of fermented foods and their health benefits. The festival’s educational demonstrations are among its most popular features.

While IndieFerm is best known for its beer, the business also includes a homebrew store and produces kombucha, hot sauce, and fire cider. Talk about fermentation in action—from beer to hot sauce to kombucha, everything was available to sample or purchase at the festival.

One of the standout vendors was Crazy Uncle Red’s Ferments from New Bedford, which offers a unique line of homemade condiments, from mustards to jellies. Jared Friedman of Crazy Uncle Red’s enthusiastically shared, “I love the festival!” He had been eagerly anticipating this year’s event, having missed the inaugural one. “It’s so cool to be surrounded by people doing other nerdy things,” he added, explaining that his condiments are “handmade in New Bedford,” and are both “healthy and sustainable.”

Most people don’t realize that coffee is actually a fermented food. Brittney Gross, head roaster at Speedwell Coffee, explained that “not only the fruit-forward, but also the mild-washed coffees are fermented.” Speedwell proudly showcased its cold brew coffee at the festival.

Kimchi by Og Lim offered flavorful samples, jars to take home, and egg rolls to enjoy on-site. The Pretentious Pickle Company featured an array of pickles—available jarred or on a stick. (Full disclosure: my oldest son couldn’t resist a whole pickle on a stick and ended up taking half of it home. Yes, they’re that big!)

Burke’s Fermentory Hot Sauce featured their full line of spicy creations, and Plymouth Bay Winery poured wine by the glass, sold bottles to go, and offered a selection of their jams and sauces.

In addition to fermentation demonstrations—including salsa, cheese, and sourdough making—guests could also indulge their sweet tooth with ice cream, Suenos Heirloom Chocolate, and donuts. Johnny B.’s Rockin’ Donuts makes beer-infused donuts using IndieFerm brews. They come in two flavors: one with pilsner and one with dark lager. Either way, they’re a hit!

The second annual Plymouth Pickle and Fermentation Festival was a fantastic success. Attendees spent the day sampling delicious fermented foods and beverages while enjoying live music and community vibes. Be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s event—I know I’m already counting down the days!

See complete photo album here Photo Album