The History of Bedford’s Sodas

A Northwest Original — and the Man Behind the Name

Some soda brands begin in a boardroom. Bedford’s began with one man who had spent years in the beverage business, knew what people liked, and believed there was still room for something better.

That man was Ed Bedford.

By the early 1980s, Ed had already gained considerable experience in the beverage industry. He had worked with distributors and bottlers, watched products come and go, and learned the business from the ground up. Along the way, he became convinced there was an opportunity for a truly exceptional crème soda.

In 1983, that idea became B.R.P. Enterprises, doing business as Northwest Soda Works. It took nearly a year to secure investors and bring everything together, but in 1984 Ed's first soda finally rolled off the bottling line. And Ed knew exactly what he wanted to call it: Crème Beer.

A Name with a Family Connection

The name held a special meaning for Ed. His father loved crème soda and had always called it “crème beer.” The expression also recalled an earlier chapter of American beverage history, when breweries turned to producing soft drinks during Prohibition. For Ed, it was the perfect name—a little beverage history combined with a fond memory of his father.

Ed found support from Steve Sourapas, then owner of the Dr Pepper bottling operation in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. Sourapas believed in Ed's idea for a premium crème soda and produced the first Bedford's Crème Beer in 1984.The original soda was packaged in a distinctive 16-ounce glass bottle wrapped in Styrofoam. As its popularity grew, Bedford's expanded into additional packaging and reached customers throughout the Northwest and beyond.

Over the years, Crème Beer was joined by Root Beer, Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer, Orange Crème, Marionberry Crème and other distinctive flavors. Ed remained committed to making quality sodas, eventually moving to pure cane sugar and traditional glass bottles. It was a philosophy built around producing drinks he could proudly put his own name on.

A Friendship Built on Experience

That dedication to quality eventually brought Bedford's together with Orca Beverage in Mukilteo, Washington. But the relationship between Bedford's and Orca became much more than a bottling arrangement.

Over the years, Ed Bedford and Orca Beverage owner Mike Bourgeois developed a close friendship rooted in their shared passion for the beverage business. With decades of experience behind him, Ed became a valued friend and mentor to Mike, generously sharing the knowledge, advice and perspective gained through a lifetime in the industry. Their relationship reflects something special about the beverage business: the passing of experience from one generation to another through friendship, encouragement and mutual respect.

For Mike, producing Bedford's sodas at Orca represents more than a business partnership. It is an opportunity to help preserve and carry forward the work of a friend whose experience and guidance have meant so much to him.

For Orca, Bedford's represents something especially meaningful: a lasting friendship, a valued partnership and tremendous respect for a man who has devoted much of his life to the beverage industry. And after all these years, Ed's advice for enjoying his creations remains wonderfully simple:

“Enjoy my wonderful drinks, always ice cold.”

— Ed Bedford