OUR STORY
from pioneer to partner
Our Story
Honeymoon Beverage Company began as a pioneering fermentation company in the high desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Formerly known as Honeymoon Brewery, we developed one of the Southwest’s first commercially produced hard kombuchas and built an award-winning brand rooted in craftsmanship, curiosity, and innovation.
What began as a proof-of-market brewery became something much larger. Through more than a decade of commercial production, product development, and continuous refinement, we transformed our fermentation expertise into a U.S. patented brewing platform designed to help partners create distinctive fermented beverages of their own.
Today, Honeymoon Beverage Company partners with breweries, beverage companies, hospitality leaders, co-manufacturers, and culinary innovators through licensing, technical transfer, and collaborative product development. Our mission remains the same: to bridge the wisdom of traditional fermentation with modern science, exceptional flavor, and meaningful commercial innovation.
Our products, and now our partnerships, reflect a commitment to thoughtful fermentation, premium quality, and differentiated experiences. From award-winning beverages to patented technology, every step of our journey has been guided by a belief that the best innovations are built to be shared.
While our roots remain firmly planted in Santa Fe, our vision extends far beyond it. We are building partnerships that bring fermentation innovation to new markets, new products, and new guest experiences around the world.
If you’d like to learn more about our latest partnerships, product developments, and company news, visit our What’s Newpage.
Cheers, The Honeymoon Beverage Company Team
Ayla Bystrom-Williams
Founder and CEO of Honeymoon Brewery
My passion for fermentation, health, and happiness have lead me to a career in the craft movement. Honeymoon is my female founded, Santa Fe based, bad-ass brewery. We are a of team pioneers and dreamers, having a blast while pushing the limits of innovative kombucha brewing. MBA complete. PhD on the horizon.
JAMES HILL
Founder and Brewer of Honeymoon Brewery
I'm passionate about chemistry, horticulture, microbiology, coding, and brewing. After getting my degree from St. John's University and participating in app development and deep dive coding bootcamps across NM, I decided to apply my skill set to innovative brewing. I have worked side by side world class scientist at Los Alamos for the last 5 years to pioneer and patent our innovative brewing process.
Jesse Hiott
Owner
I grew up in Southern California and joined the Air Force straight out of high school. After 12 years of working on helicopters I decided I needed a change and fell backwards into the brewing industry in 2010 when I took the position of draft-technician for an up-and-coming Albuquerque brewery.
I spent a little over a year learning draft systems before accepting a promotion to sales. I always looked back fondly on the days maintaining the draft systems of Albuquerque, however, and in 2016 started Prime Lines with my business partner to take my interest and passion to the next level.
I lives in Albuquerque with my wife and enjoy all that this great state has to offer.
ANGELO ORONA
Owner
I am a passionate and enthusiastic advocate for beer quality. During nearly a decade in the craft beer industry, I have developed a keen sense of quality and the best ways to achieve it, from brewhouse to glass. Prime Lines is a manifestation of this commitment and I am proud to be at the forefront of draft beer quality.
Although a fan of many beer styles, I respect the technicality of a well brewed German lager and the eccentricity of experimental sours.
I am a husband and devoted father to 3 daughters. As a life long resident of The Land of Enchantment, I appreciate the food, art, and culture that our beautiful state has to offer.
William Rolland
Production & Taproom Manager
I have been working with Honeymoon since the day they opened and have become the lead production manager and taproom manager for our delicious hard kombucha. I have drawn on my experiences at Wawa and Fedex to lead the development and logistics of our production operations at Honeymoon Brewery so that we can successfully distribute to Whole Foods and local bars and restaurants.