Are You Cool Enough to Drink Switchel?

Deep in the industrial heart of Bushwick, Brooklyn, a few miles north of the neighborhood's main drag, are several rows of former warehouses, now home to local craftsmen. In one, two men bend their heads over a pinewood bench, sanding the spindles smooth. Over on Bogart St., several street artists are repainting a stretch of brick wall, covered in vibrant graffiti, a ritual that takes place every two months.

And on the second floor of one former factory, two friends are brewing large batches of switchel, a colonial farm drink that's fast becoming the borough's hottest beverage.