Non-alcoholic CBD seltzers might be the next thing to watch in the lifestyle beverage market for those looking for beer alternatives, an assertion I’m making loosely based on the samples I’ve tried lately. The latest are from Oh Hi, a Colorado-based company producing a lineup of sparkling CBD seltzers that come in four flavors. The company’s story is:

Oh Hi is a small-batch company that produces and packages in Durango, Colorado. Oh Hi Seltzer is one of the few CBD-infused drinks on the market. Our fast acting, refreshing, and handcrafted CBD seltzers are sure to enhance all of life’s endeavors. Oh Hi was forged through the collective passion of our owner’s hard work to create, test, and deliver on this amazing cannabis infused seltzer. We strive to create high-quality, health-conscious cannabis enhanced products to help you live your life to the fullest. Oh Hi believes in living with passion, consciousness, quality, and above all else, fun. Oh Hi CBD’s infused seltzers are made to elevate experiences for adults through responsible cannabis use.

To be clear, all of these drinks contain only CBD, and not THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis), a distinction which seems a bit vague in that description. All of the 12-ounce cans contain 20mg of CBD, and most also contain 6g of carbs and 20 calories.

Interestingly, according to the label they are produced by Ska Brewing in Colorado, so I don’t know if that means Ska is producing these on contract for Oh Hi, or if Oh Hi is a subsidiary of Ska. As it happens, Oh Hi co-founder Matt Vincent is also co-owner and vice president of Ska, so it could be either.

Oh Hi sent me a can of each flavor, and my review notes are below.

Oh Hi Lemon Lime

Lemon Lime is the only one of this lineup with 25 calories, while the rest have 20 listed. The site doesn’t have much of a description but says, “Oh Hi Lemon Lime CBD seltzer will pack your day with positive vibes and lemon zest. Good morning sunshine – get your chill on today!”

It does list the terpenes present in the drink: Limonene, a-Pinene, b-Pinene, Myrcene, Linalool, Nerol, Geraniol, Citral, a-Terpineol. I think that’s great for completeness though my knowledge of these types of specifics is fairly low.

My notes:

It has a white cloudy, almost milky appearance. Very sparkling, highly carbonated. Smells like a lemon lime soda. Tastes like one too, albeit with the light body and low sweetness you’d expect of a seltzer. Then a bitter, strongly herbal-earthy flavor becomes apparent at the back, almost bitter tincture-like (I’m thinking something like tincture of Goldenseal). It doesn’t last too long but it’s there. Otherwise, it’s a bit more “soda” than “seltzer” and drinks fine.

Oh Hi Ginger Basil Limeade

A little bit of a different flavor combination here. The site says:

Relax, unwind, and recharge with the flavors of spicy ginger, freshly cut basil, and sweet lime – sure to evoke tropical beach vibes and exotic vacation bliss, even if you’re home in a hammock.

Terpenes listed: Limonene, a-Pinene, b-Pinene, Myrcene, Camphene, a-Terpinene, Linalool.

Notes:

It’s translucently milky and fizzy. Basil is the primary aroma, with a touch of ginger. The flavor starts with lime soda then has that same bitter-earthy CBD oil taste mid-palate, and finishes with herbal-bitter fresh basil, which is kind of nice. That oily hippy bong water (yes I said it) character lingers, very tincture-like. No real ginger flavor but there is definitely basil.

Oh Hi Grapefruit

Grapefruit fits with what you’d expect as a “standard” seltzer flavor, so this makes sense. The website says, “Add a dazzle of this ruby delight to kick off any weekend or a Wednesday!” Terpenes listed: Limonene, a-Pinene, b-Pinene, Myrcene, b-Caryophyllene, Linalool, a-Terpinene.

My notes.

Pink! What! After the previous two white ones (plus the milky white James & James seltzers), I did not expect that. A milky translucent pink, a bit like the neon pink of Pepto Bismol, or bubblegum. There’s a very light aroma of grapefruit, and Juicy Fruit gum. The flavor starts as an extremely light and mild pink lemonade, then you get that bitter, oily tincture flavor at the back. There’s a bit of SweeTarts candy here too. Not bad at all!

Oh Hi Pomegranate

The pomegranate is another flavor that’s a bit outside of “standard” but is always welcome (I do enjoy it). The site says of this one, “Switch up your routine with a splash of slightly tart antioxidant superfruit seltzer. Day hike, cruiser bike, Friday night, oh yeah!”

Terpenes listed: Limonene, p-Cymene, a-Pinene, b-Pinene, Valencene, b-Caryophyllene.

My notes:

Dark pink, almost purple in color. Pomegranate aroma, with some bubblegum, perhaps the most fragrant of the bunch. Flavor-wise as well, it’s got a nice fruity soda character with moderate sweetness, and then you get that herbal bitterness at the back, but it’s less pronounced than the tincture-like finish of the others. It’s the best of the group I think, one that I would think is popular.