“Living Tea” Josh Weigel, together with his brother Bill and singer Shawnie Goldman, form Oceanside’s hugely popular Barnwell Shift Band and run the thriving Living Tea Brewing Company and Marketplace. The band’s name is derived from the fact that they shift musical instruments and genres while creatively blending funk, folk and rock melodies. The band has traveled the world playing international gigs from Europe to Mexico. The band’s favorite venues include the Belly Up Tavern, Goat Hill Park and Campland on the Bay. One memorable show, the award ceremony at the “Big Wave World Tour” in Baja, served as the inspiration for one of their latest amusing recordings called Ensenada.
Five years ago, the band started an annual fundraiser called Ocean Commotion to help preserve San Diego’s precious beaches and waterways. Proceeds from this successful event benefit the San Diego Coastkeeper organization and their goal to assure that our water is fishable, drinkable and swimmable. For the first three years, this event was held at the iconic Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach before switching to the scenic outdoor setting, Campland on the Bay in Mission Bay. The band members actually moved from the Midwest to Oceanside to experience the sunny Southern California coastal lifestyle. They all feel strongly about proactively safeguarding San Diego’s coastal environment along with raising money for and awareness of local causes. Barnwell Shift is also playing live at the Foodie Fest Encinitas 2016 VIP Sponsor Appreciation Dinner on May 20th at the Coral Tree Farm in Encinitas. In fact, around 80 percent of all of this philanthropic group’s performances are held at local fundraising events.
Josh, Bill and a partner started Living Tea to bring a healthy alternative to beer or soda to market. Living Tea is an organic blend of tea, fresh-pressed juice, fair-trade sugar, pure water, probiotics, antioxidants & B vitamins. Flavors range from standard Ginger to Autumn Spice, Blue Dream, Cherry Bomb, Groovy Grape, Hi-Acai, Papaya Lime, Root Booch and many more. Kits and SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) starters are available for the ambitious few who would like to brew their own kombucha at home. The delicious organic Living Tea Kombucha is now available at over 50 restaurants, bars and markets around San Diego such as Frazier Farms, Naked Café and Barrel Republic. The marketplace also carries a range of organic products including bone broth, fish oils, herbs, honey, popcorn, raw bars and sauerkraut. Business is booming at the South Oceanside storefront/brewery on Wisconsin. Plans are in the works for expansion to keep up with the growing demand for the sought-after probiotic tea. In efforts to give back to and bring the cherished Oceanside community together, Living Tea runs fun monthly pancake breakfasts, numerous potlucks and art shows featuring work by local artists. Of course, Barnwell Shift performs at many of these events. Both the supremely talented Barnwell Shift and the amazing Living Tea Brewing Company are an indelible part of the rich cultural fabric that is Oceanside.
