Young entrepreneurs create a drink inspired by summers on Cape Cod.

Peter Nelson, Ollie Cheever, Harrison Hill, and Ben Carbeau originally became friends in seventh grade in Concord, Massachusetts but then went their separate ways for high school and college—sharing summers together on Cape Cod is what kept their longstanding friendship alive. Despite being barely old enough to legally drink, four middle-school best friends have become co-founders of their very own hard iced-tea brand that’s inspired by their memories on Cape Cod.

“We started out just by brewing beer in one of my buddy’s garage during the summer, and it didn’t really go well…we were really bad at brewing beer,” Nelson laughs. “But we just kind of had the idea and wanted to keep something going.”

They saw a gap in the market for quality hard iced teas, so they began crafting a recipe that contained vodka and real fruit juice, had no preservatives, artificial sweeteners or added colors, and had zero carbonation. The young best friends and entrepreneurs had a vision of a drink that could be enjoyed on the beaches of Cape Cod without the downsides of other carbonated, sugary drinks that induce grueling hangovers—Cape Tide Hard Teas were the result of this vision.

While still being full-time college students at Wake Forest University, Colby College and Wesleyan University, the friends jumpstarted their very own business.

“People think working with your friends would be difficult, but we’ve found it to be the most rewarding aspect of the business and it’s what keeps it together,” Nelson says. “It’s not always the easiest industry to navigate at 22 years-old, but at the end of the day we’re all best friends and that keeps us going.”

Each of the four friends handle a separate aspect of Cape Tide that correlates with their respective college majors and interests, which help them navigate the different challenges of the industry. They currently offer a raspberry, peach, and lemon flavor of their hard iced teas and their newest flavor—mango—hit the market this summer of 2024.

Cape Tide can be found in 105 spots across New England, although their primary market is the Cape and Islands. They’ve developed a tracker on their website of locations where you can purchase Cape Tide, and each day the list continues to grow. 

“Our second annual Fourth of July bar crawl was an exciting event for us and something we plan to continue,” says Nelson. “Follow us on social media for other upcoming fun!” 

Alfie (their seal mascot) attends all of their promotional and charity events and was even spotted running the Sandwich 5k last year. Their mascot not only exemplifies the fun nature of the brand, but also serves as a reminder of their connection to Cape Cod. They have an emphasis on being involved in the community and giving back regularly. “The heart of the brand is on Cape Cod,” Nelson says. “The Cape is so special to our friendship and our business.”

To stay updated with the company and “ride the tide,” visit their Instagram page @drinkcapetide or their website drinkcapetide.com.