BEST ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

STARTUP CPG SHELFIES AWARDS

BEST ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

FINALISTS

SAKE

HIGH

Sake High creates canned Junmai sake made in partnership with an authentic Japanese brewery. Their Junmai sake is non-additive, meaning that it is made with just four simple, high-quality ingredients, all locally sourced in Kyoto – water, rice, yeast, koji – for a crisp, full body brew with slight fruit and acid notes. The canned format makes for a unique and versatile drinking experience of this incredible sake.

VESO

MODERN APERITIFS

Veso makes stunning aperitifs inspired by old-world European aperitivo culture, but with a modern twist. Whole fruit and spices are infused into California-made white wine perfect to serve over ice on their own, or made into a gorgeous craft cocktail. The Vanilla Nighfall flavor tastes like an old-fashioned without the bite - it's rich with baking spices, bittersweet with burnt caramel, and has a touch of citrus from the orange peels.

BEST ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

G’S DRY HARD GINGER BEER

In 2013, Donna Katz stepped foot onto an organic vineyard in the Napa Valley with a strong desire to be closer to and care for the land. What she didn’t know was her time on the farm would also leave her with a newfound passion for fermentation – and her own line of hard ginger beers. Four years after breaking ground on the vineyard, Donna began foraging seasonal ingredients and making them into craft ginger beers. Blown away by the taste, and the low sugars in her own creations, Donna discovered the power of using real, high quality ingredients to improve her gut health while being able to enjoy a delicious beverage. G’s Hard Ginger Beer was founded in 2018 in San Francisco’s Bay Area to bring Donna’s craft concoctions to market. These clean alcohol beverages are intended to support active, healthier lifestyles, and bring bold flavors back to light sips – while reawakening the $1.6 billion sleepy household category of ginger beer here in the US. All G’s hard ginger beers are fermented to dry, which means there’s no remaining sugar. The company also doesn’t add any sugars, sweet-

eners, or any artificial ingredients. This non-traditional fermentation process made it challenging for Donna to position the brand amongst other craft beverages – but she is proud to bring a category-disrupting innovation to life. “As a solo founder,” says Donna,” it’s been both incredibly hard and wonderfully energizing all at the same time. I’m immensely grateful for the journey so far, beyond excited for all of the navigating and wins ahead and especially grateful to those who have helped guide me along the way, and with such sincerity.” G’s organic, gluten free, and plant-based beverages boast only 87 calories per 12oz can. G's products are available in California at many independent retailers, most Whole Foods stores, Target in the Bay Area and statewide with Total Wine & More and BevMo.