It’s a good week for reviews if you are looking for a buzz — take your pick from THC (Plift), caffeine (Naked Sparkling Energy) or the bees themselves, i.e. Beekeeper Coffee’s honey-kissed horchata latte. To submit your beverage product to BevNET for review, click here. And to browse past reviews, check the archive here.
Beekeeper Coffee is hoping to break out within a crowded category with its newest ready-to-drink latte, Horchata. Along with the brand’s signature touch of organic honey, Beekeeper Horchata blends organic coffee, milk, cane sugar and cinnamon. Each 8 oz slim can contains 90 calories, 10 grams of added sugar and 125 mg of caffeine.
Things that stand out
- This is a well-balanced latte; it’s smooth and creamy, and not too sweet. The kiss of honey is subtle, but rounds out the flavor well.
- The deep purple can (accented against bumblebee yellow typeface) is sleek and modern, an attractive and eye-catching look within the category.
Things to consider
- The balanced recipe may be a lost cause on some; it’s probably not coffee-forward enough for cold brew fanatics, and also not quite a pure horchata experience either, if that’s what you’re after.
- Considering the above, we think some more refined romance copy (beyond “Cinnamon Is Sweet, Victory is Sweeter”) could tee up what drinkers should expect from this a bit better.
Score: 
Naked Nutrition, a brand best known for its powdered supplements, has stepped into the RTD space with their new “Naked Sparkling Energy” SKU. Packaged in a 12-ounce sleek, unpainted can, this lemonade-flavored energy drink highlights its clean ingredient panel (only six total) while delivering 200 milligrams of caffeine and 15 calories and zero sugar. The formulation leans on reb M (fermented cane sugar) and monk fruit extract to achieve a taste that mimics a full-calorie beverage without excess sweetness.
Things that stand out:
- Clean and minimal ingredient list (only six ingredients).
- Strong execution of a sugar-free lemonade flavor that doesn’t feel overly artificial. It’s crisp, refreshing, and has an almost full calorie level of sweetness with minimal energy drink bite.
- Sleek, minimalistic can design gives it a premium, modern aesthetic that ties to the drink’s simple ingredient list.
Things to consider:
- On the other hand, the minimalist packaging, while stylish, may lack the bold shelf presence and color cues that energy drink consumers expect. It’s also much more subdued than the branding for Naked’s powdered products.
- Launching with only a single flavor feels limiting in a category driven by variety.
Rating: 
Offering a lightly sweetened and sparkling take on the category, Plift’s low-dose cannabis drinks come in three varieties: Crisp Ginger, Juicy Grapefruit and Tart Lime, all at 4 mg THC per 12 oz. can. Each contains 50 calories and 12 grams of added sugar, from a combination of stevia, monkfruit and allulose. This review is for the 5 mg drinks; the brand also offers a 10 mg variety, dubbed Plift+.
Things that stand out
- Bright flavors provide some oomph; these are crisp and refreshing, and taste true to mid-calorie regular sodas. Grapefruit was the strongest, we think.
- Clean and attractive package design marries well with the straightforward concept. It’s not trying to do too much, and “Treat Yourself Better” is a simple and effective slogan that connotates both wellness and premium positioning.
Things to consider
- The sweetener combo is not for everyone; for some, the aftertaste may not be worth trading down in calories and sugar.
- May lack a bit of excitement or newness for consumers in search of more elevated or complex THC beverages.
Score: 