LEMYN – From Cars to Cocktails
California Battery Engineer takes on the Hard Seltzer Market
[Los Angeles, CA, June 29, 2026] Zachary Donald is challenging the status quo of beer alternatives. Pivoting from building electric vehicles, he wants to fix all the problems we have learned to accept in our pool days and nights out. Bravera Beverages, the company behind the new drink brand LEMYN, just produced 100,000 cans and is now being sold at stores around Los Angeles.
Zach has spent the past 10 years building electric vehicles for various startups around Los Angeles. A complex, high-stakes industry where few succeed, he is no stranger to challenges. An unlikely problem he once accepted? A desirable option for non-beer drinkers. “I used to hate beer. Going out with friends, I would either feel left out or drink something I despised.” His options: sugary cocktails, flavored water, or the hangover king, WINE.
A self-described “foodie” and “entertainer,” it’s no surprise that Zach took interest in cocktails and mixology. Exploring ingredients, and taking an engineering approach to balancing flavors, he began crafting his own cocktails and beverages. “Sometimes you just want something bubbly over ice.” Over the course of a year, he began making his own seltzers, mostly to enjoy by the pool and share with friends. He must have been on to something because his friends and neighbors kept asking for it—and then their friends. “I started making 5 gallons at a time because it became a real pain. I had to completely reorganize my fridge to support the demand.”
“I never sought to be a home bartender or make money from this. The big brands forced me to! White Claw, High Noon, they have all gotten comfortable selling alcoholic flavored water with artificial flavors and sweeteners. They even look the same, packaging as bland as their flavors.”
Zach has lived in the startup world for most of his career. He credits his entrepreneurial itch to the companies and projects he worked on. Eventually, he gave in and decided to dive headfirst into the world of alcoholic beverages. “It’s very scary. Going off on your own. Entering a world you know nothing about.” To date, Zach only plans to introduce a single flavor: a Lemon Vodka Highball, the Coca-Cola of the seltzer world. That way he can focus on providing the best flavor and price to his customers. MSRP is $10.99 for a 4-pack. LEMYN is designed to be a high-flavor, low-sugar option for seltzers, using the most basic ingredients possible: lemons, vodka, cane sugar, water, bubbles.
“I have ideas for next flavors, and have already begun experimenting. But we’re a long way away from that. I hope the consumer appreciates LEMYN as much as I do. I couldn’t make a better drink with all the money and ingredients in the world.”
To learn more about LEMYN, you can visit their website or Instagram at @drinklemyn.
About Daniel Quill
Daniel is a Senior Journalist that works with emerging companies to generate press and excitement about new products and services. For more information, please contact the email address in the top right corner of the page.
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