Area entrepreneurs have created three very different options to quench your thirst.
CBD-infused sparkling water
Enhanced beverages are becoming a thing. We all want to drink more water, but we’re looking for something more interesting. Jason Santamaria, co-founder of Atlanta’s Second Self Beer Co., said he found that using products with CBD helped him feel more relaxed and focused, so he and business partner Chris Doyle created Cirrus, a line of CBD-infused sparkling water. This water has no calories, no sweeteners, 33 mg of hemp CBD extract, and now is available in five flavors. We tried Kata, flavored with ginger and turmeric. The spices complement the light acidity of the sparkling water, and while we enjoyed it on its own, we totally can see it used as a mixer. Other flavors include Key Largo (grapefruit and lime), Ipanema (pineapple and orange) and Waikiki (papaya and lychee), and there’s a plain version available as well.
$5 per single can, $20 per four-pack of 12-ounce cans. Available at Second Self Beer Co., 1317 Logan Circle, Atlanta, and at Fresh Harvest, Ale Yeah, Chop Shop, Hop City, Grant Park Market, Dom Beijos and at drinkcirrus.com.
Paige Crumbie
Paige Crumbie
Watermelon drink
Tanisha Henry founded Atlanta-based Cu’i Watermelon Drink 10 years ago, to focus on just one thing: making a refreshing drink that is 100 percent watermelon. The drink is produced from watermelon concentrate, and, in case you’re wondering, “Cu’I” is pronounced “swee.” Henry said you should enjoy Cu’i just as you would fresh watermelon — nice and cold. We drank it cold right from the bottle, but we also liked it served over ice. As the ice melts, it seems to bring out the tanginess of the watermelon, something we don’t always notice when we’re enjoying watermelon right off the rind.
$3.99 per 16-ounce bottle. $10.99 per three-pack of 16-ounce bottles. Available at Kroger Farmers Market, krogerfarmersmarket.com. $30 for 12 16-ounce bottles at cuiwatermelondrink.com.
Handout
Handout
Hibiscus drinks
Clayton Oetting started Athens-based Hibo Hibiscus Superdrink in 2020 to help his dad move past a 12-can-a-day diet soda habit. Looking around for alternatives for his father, and having been introduced to hibiscus tea around the same time, he developed a line of sparkling hibiscus drinks. Hibo Fuel is a caffeinated “superdrink,” available in two flavors: original and the one we tried, pineapple. The pineapple is a fun blend of two tropical flavors — hibiscus and pineapple — and our testers enjoyed it to the last drop. Hibo Hibiscus Superdrink comes in lemon and peach flavors. Oetting said the peach is the customer favorite, and we agree it’s a great blend of two of our favorite flavors. There’s also Hibo Sparkling Grapefruit Superwater. We’ll have to try that next. All of the drinks use Mesca Sweet — a blend of monk fruit, stevia extract and erythritol — with zero calories.
$6.50 per four-pack of 12-ounce cans. Available at Savi Provisions, Busy B Plant Supply in Acworth, Carver Neighborhood Market, General Store at Serenbe, Giga-Bites Cafe in Marietta, the Stout Brothers in Smyrna, the Market at Tate in Athens, Treehorn Cidery in Marietta, and at drinkhibo.com.
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