In case you missed the April Fool’s Day fun this month, here’s a recap of some of the beverage gags that came across our desk and social media feeds:

7-Eleven — The convenience store chain announced a sparkling water flavor based on its signature roller grill hot dog. The drink promised the “mouthwatering experience” of a 7-Eleven hot dog, including the ketchup and mustard. The gag was used to pitch a very seltzer collaboration with Miracle Seltzer.

Poppi — Gut soda Poppi teased fans with a set of licensing deals with famous candy and snack brands: Ring Poppi, Poppi-tarts,

We tried it. My family assembled at the house this past weekend to sample one of the oddest examples of social media targeted collaboration we’ve seen. I’m talking about Empirical’s Doritos Vodka.

This is the nacho cheese flavored spirit that made the rounds of lifestyle publications, blogs, and social media feeds last December. We took the bait and bought a bottle. All in, the $65 vodka cost us $81.50 for 750-ml after fees and taxes. It arrived in March.

You likely didn’t get a bottle yourself unless you acted fast — the limited run sold out immediately. After all, this bit of laboratory fun by an avant-garde Danish distillery was taken to the masses by PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay to generate free media attention and TikTok level excitement. Guilty as charged.

The first thing I can say is that Doritos Vodka absolutely tastes like Doritos nacho cheese. Empirical describes the flavor as “nacho cheese, corn tostada, umami, hint of acidity.” No disagreement here.

I am not a...

Have you heard about “crispy” Diet Coke? I dismissed this TikTok driven trend until my daughter mentioned it the other day.

As readers of this newsletter know, my adult son and daughter, ages 27 and 22, are an important window for me. What I see and hear from them has been valuable to my understanding of how young consumers digest media and consider brands. My kids and their friends are an antidote to the skepticism that can infect a 53-year-old brain.

It turns out my daughter and her friends are fans of “crispy” Diet Coke. And there is ritual around the drink. First, a Diet Coke goes into the freezer to get near the tipping point to ice. Next, ice is added to a reusable cup. On top of the ice goes a sachet of True Lime, which is a crystallized Lime powder (that I hadn’t heard of). The near-frozen Diet Coke is then poured over the ice and lime powder, creating the desired “crispy” effect. As my daughter explains: “It’s cold, carbonated, and super refreshing. Lime makes it even more crispy.” So young people do drink Diet Coke?

That wasn’t all she surprised me with. I’ve often...

I’m excited to announce Dec. 16 as the date for our 2024 Future Smarts conference in New York City.

This event is likely to reach a pre-pandemic attendance level this year, so we’re hosting at Convene on Manhattan’s West 46th Street. The venue is around the corner from Times Square and the theater district, so go ahead and grab those Broadway tickets!

Part of what we love about this roomy venue are the amenities that make life easier for conference attendees — power at every table in the presentation room, private phone pods to steal away for important calls, and small conference rooms useful for sideline meetings.

During the event, networking will be centered as usual around our popular and energetic sampling expo. The night before the event, we’ll host a welcome reception for speakers and attendees with food and an open bar to make connecting easy and fun.

Most importantly, we’re already making plans for another high-level slate of speakers and panelists from major companies including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper, as well as from successful emerging brands. We’ll also hear from key beverage bottlers, retailers, and Wall Street analysts.

Conference attendees say they find great value in our special trend panels. Last year, we hosted a panel that took us behind the scenes and into the mechanics of the creator economy. Two years ago, a panel of Gen Z consumers gave us an unvarnished look at how they view the world. We’ll assemble another compelling panel this year to illuminate a critical and emerging corner of the beverage landscape.

More details will be released soon. Until then, make sure to save the date for Future Smarts 2024 on Dec. 16. The team here at Beverage Digest can’t wait to see you.

Last week, I was a panelist for a National Beer Wholesalers Association webinar about non-alcoholic beverages. As you know, there’s tremendous crossover between the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage sectors. Each wants to supplement its distribution network with products from the other, especially as sales volumes decline for massive legacy categories such as light lagers and colas.

The discussion began with a chart depicting the entire US packaged beverage landscape at retail by category market share. I included the chart on page 7 with permission from...

I spoke to NPR’s Morning Edition last week for a story on a no-alcohol cocktail bar in Los Angeles. The reporter wanted to know about the drinking trends that spurred someone to open a bar without booze. A few of the points I made:

— Alcohol consumption among young legal drinking age consumers is...

On a recent trip to San Diego, I popped into a cannabis dispensary to look at the beverages. I was surprised by the choices, including Pabst Blue Ribbon High Seltzer. The non-alcoholic fizzy drink comes in six fruit flavors. Each 12-oz slim can contains at least 10mg of THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana. A $5 can is...

I’m taking a break from alcohol as I work to get in better shape. It’s been more than a month. Not drinking is easy. Not drinking while socializing is hard.

I took for granted the extent to which responsible social drinking is as much about ritual as intoxication. Everything from trying a new porter to experimenting with Old Fashioned recipes is fun. Doing it with people you love or laugh with is even better.

As I’ve written before, there are barriers to the adoption of non-alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks. The functionality of alcohol as a social lubricant, as well as alcohol’s ability to lessen inhibition, are built-in mechanisms that drive consumption rates and make premium pricing palatable. Non-alcoholic replacements for booze don’t share those advantages.

Now, I find myself — like so many other consumers — not wanting to...

We just announced the finalists for our 2023 Beverage Digest Awards. Winners in 13 drink categories will be named at Future Smarts in New York on Dec. 11.

There are a few trends worth noting from this year’s roster of finalists:

— A range of teas came to the forefront. Vying for Best Premium Drink is a Blue Tea Jasmine variant from Rishi’s line of Sparkling Botanicals, as well as a Cold Brew Tea from...

We’ve decided to go deeper into the world of influencer marketing during our Future Smarts conference next month. Influencer firm CreatorIQ, prebiotic soda brand Poppi, and TikTok style influencer Preston Konrad will sit for what I am sure will be a captivating panel discussion. Look for ...