It Might Look like A Sporty Hydration Beverage, But ‘Hard Refresher’ Lightstrike Insists It Isn’t

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Some consider coconut water an excellent hydration option, though studies and folks like the Mayo Clinic find it no better than plain water. Still, it remains a popular beverage, so it makes sense that some brands use it as a base for alcoholic drinks. 

New Belgium’s Lightstrike, designed by Guts & Glory, is the latest brand to booze up coconut water, albeit with a disclaimer that it’s not a hydration beverage.

From the branding and flavors, confusing it for a hydrating drink that gets you drunk seems pretty easy. The logo combines a jagged lightning bolt and a four-pointed star, and the current flavors include a “nostalgic” lemon-lime and an orange mango. Lightstrike goes out of its way to never mention Gatorade, but the similarities are apparent if one pays just a little attention.