A Brew All Its Own
Samara Oster ’09 never planned to become a brewer. A former performer with a career in communications, she was pursuing her MBA when a trip to Peru sparked the idea for a beer unlike any other: one brewed entirely from quinoa, naturally gluten-free, and made with just four clean ingredients. Today, her Boston-based company, Meli, ships to 45 states, is on shelves in two major grocery chains across Massachusetts, and is making inroads in a male-dominated industry not known for being particularly health-conscious. Below, Samara reflects on building a brand from scratch, finding balance between health and indulgence, and the Milton skills that gave her the confidence to take a less traditional path.
LAUNCHING A NEW PRODUCT IS A BIG DEAL, AND TO BE ON THE SHELVES AT TRADER JOE’S AND WHOLE FOODS IS HUGE. HOW DID IT FEEL THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW YOUR PRODUCT THERE?
Pretty wild. I’ve had a few moments where I’ve seen a dream realized—like when we first got on a restaurant menu, which felt amazing. But I never imagined being on the shelves of national grocers. The most special moment was seeing Meli at the Trader Joe’s in Brookline, where I grew up. I remember that store opening when I was a kid, and my family shopped there every weekend. It’s surreal to see my product there now.
YOU MAJORED IN ENGLISH AND WERE CONSIDERING A CAREER IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. WAS THE PIVOT INTO PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND BREWING A STEEP LEARNING CURVE?
Huge. I fell into it through an entrepreneurship class at MIT. We were split into breakout rooms by industry, and I landed in “food and beverage.” I threw out this idea I’d had years before, when I tasted a quinoa beer while on vacation in Peru. My classmates liked it enough to keep working on it for another semester. Over time, with the help of food-science Ph.D.s, it became a real product. After graduation, I was working at a media startup that was winding down. I realized I could either get a “real job” or put my energy into this project. I dove in, learning everything—from how to talk to brewers and understand their equipment to the complexities of alcohol distribution, and now, retail grocery chains.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF AS AN ENTREPRENEUR?
I’ve learned that risk tolerance is a muscle. I used to think I was risk-averse, but entrepreneurship forces you to adapt. The more you face challenges, the less they shake you—though I still have my moments of doubt. Coming from Milton and later Harvard, I wasn’t trained to embrace failure. This process has taught me that failure can be healthy and necessary for growth.
DID YOU HAVE MOMENTS WHEN YOU CONSIDERED GIVING UP?
Definitely. Production challenges are the toughest—brewing our product is complex, and mistakes can be costly. In those moments, I step back, gain perspective, and keep going. These days, what motivates me is hearing from customers who say they finally have a beer they can enjoy, often after years of going without due to health reasons.
HOW DID MILTON ACADEMY PREPARE YOU FOR THIS JOURNEY?
Milton taught me how to think—how to take complex material, make sense of it, and stand my ground in challenging conversations. That confidence has carried me through career pivots and uncomfortable situations.
MELI MERGES HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS WITH ALCOHOL—TWO THINGS NOT OFTEN PAIRED. HOW DO YOU APPROACH THAT NARRATIVE?
My philosophy is “live and let live”—if someone chooses not to drink, great. But for those who do, it’s about balance and transparency. Every can of Meli has a full nutrition and ingredient label: water, hops, yeast, and ethically sourced organic quinoa—zero sugar and naturally gluten-free. We designed Meli to appeal to a broad audience, not just those with gluten intolerance. The feedback has been fantastic.
By Laura Grunberger