The folks at hiyo sent me some samples of their 0% ABV drinks to try, and my household was thrilled to quickly down them. I highly recommend the variety pack, since all the flavors are good. Hiyo is a light, fruit-sweetened seltzer with 30 calories per can. The variety pack includes peach mango, blackberry lemon, watermelon lime and strawberry guava.
As a writer, I find non-capitalized proper nouns precious and irritating. But that’s what hiyo chose, which I mention so you don’t think I’m making typos. The name comes from the phrase “happy in your own.” As in skin.
The “float”
Why is hiyo any different than a simple fruit seltzer? The company founders worked hard to mix adaptogens, nootropics and functional botanicals to elevate the consumer’s mood. They used organic ingredients like lion’s mane mushrooms, lemon balm, ashwagandha and passionflower. The aim was to create a “social tonic” that would give people a floaty feeling when they drank it, but with no alcohol, THC or anything else that impairs cognition. The hiyo website suggests capping your consumption at no more than four cans per day.
Judging from the comments on the website, many of their customers appreciate the floaty feeling. I’m more of a tough old battleaxe and didn’t notice feeling any different. But I think hiyo is delicious and appreciate that it’s low in calories and doesn’t have a lot of sugar.
The hiyo story
Two of hiyo’s co-founders, Evan Quinn and George Youmans (who also don’t capitalize their name on the hiyo website, but I’m drawing the line here) decided to cut back their drinking in their late twenties. Both had family members hospitalized due to alcohol-related issues, which can make even young and social people stop and think. Along with their friend Cygne Cooper, they began experimenting with making a satisfying non-alc drink. In 2021, they launched hiyo’s first three flavors.
Shop for hiyo
A 12-pack of hiyo goes for $45, making it $3.75 per can. If you get hooked, you can sign up for a recurring subscription at $38.25 per 12-pack. They’ve just released a new flavor, passion fruit tangerine, which sounds promising. If you’re sober or cutting down on alcohol, give it a try.
