Maybe the best kind of drink is one that can fit into every moment. Some drinks are there simply because you’re thirsty, and others because the clock calls it time for a top-up. Then there are the drinks that actually make you stop and ask, “Why does this have to be the only option?”

The beverage landscape has changed considerably in recent years. Functional beverages are becoming part of that shift, with mushrooms, hemp, botanicals, minerals, and other functional ingredients finding their way into drinks designed for everyday occasions.

People are increasingly rethinking what they reach for during the day. Coffee can sometimes feel like it’s just a little too much, while alcohol might not fit into the reality of the following morning. Yes, plain sparkling water can offer a refreshing experience, but sometimes you’re just craving a little more personality from what you’ve put into your glass.

It’s Not Always About Being “Healthy”

What exactly are functional mushroom drinks? At their simplest, they are beverages that incorporate mushroom ingredients alongside familiar drink formats, giving consumers another way to explore functional mushrooms without reaching for a capsule or powder.

This is where Happie® Beverages comes into the conversation. This is a brand that is built around the idea that adults deserve more choices for how they want to feel and how they want to drink. Founded by Pete Olander, this brand has created two very specific drinks. They offer a caffeine-free functional mushroom range and a hemp-derived Delta-9 THC sparkling collection. While these two products seem vastly different, the idea behind them remains the same: a drink can be enjoyable while still fitting a particular moment or preference.

The point of a functional drink is not necessarily to turn every sip into a health project. Consider a person who is sitting behind their laptop on a late afternoon just trying to get some extra work done after hours. They might be in need of something cold and refreshing, but another coffee doesn’t seem like the answer. This is where caffeine-free drinks can become appealing, particularly for people who want to change up their routine without adding another caffeinated drink to the day. The same can apply to someone heading to a social gathering who simply isn’t interested in drinking alcohol. They might want to drink more than just plain water.

These are simple moments, but they also show that the choice isn’t always between healthy and unhealthy. Sometimes, people are simply looking to find something that feels better suited to the moment. This is a much better way to view functional beverages.

From Earthy to Effervescent

Happie® Beverages takes a unique approach and puts functional mushrooms into a format that feels far more familiar than a powder, capsule, or earthy-tasting drink. The Watermelon Fungi-Powered Seltzer combines a fruit-forward sparkling format with a mushroom blend and marine-derived minerals, placing it somewhere between a traditional seltzer and the growing world of functional sparkling water.

• Lion’s Mane: 900mg per 12-ounce can
• Cordyceps: 700mg
• Red Reishi: 400mg
• Aquamin® marine minerals: a source of magnesium and calcium
• Caffeine-free and alcohol-free
• 40 calories and 9 g of sugar per can
• Sweetened with organic agave
• Vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO
• Third-party lab tested

Lion’s Mane is particularly interesting in the broader category of Lion’s mane drinks, where this familiar mushroom is increasingly being incorporated into beverages rather than being limited to powders and capsules.

Flavor plays an important role in helping the drink move away from the earthy profile often associated with mushroom-based beverages. Rather than leaning into those more savory or earthy notes, the watermelon profile is bright and refreshing, with a light sparkle. The goal is to create an experience that feels closer to drinking a familiar fruit-forward seltzer than consuming a traditional mushroom supplement.

For people interested in functional mushrooms but less enthusiastic about traditionally earthy flavors, a familiar fruit-forward profile may offer a more approachable introduction to the category.

Time to Look Past the Hype

For anyone interested in the benefits of functional mushrooms, however, it is worth looking past the marketing language and into what the research actually says.

Searches for mushroom drinks for focus often reflect the growing interest in Lion’s Mane and other functional mushrooms. But interest in a particular ingredient should not be confused with evidence that every beverage containing it will produce the same outcome.

A 2009 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 30 adults who were navigating mild cognitive impairment looked at lion’s mane supplementation over a 16-week period. The research reported higher cognitive-function scores in the lion’s mane group at several points during the study, while those scores declined after supplementation stopped. However, this was a small study, and its findings should not be interpreted as proof that lion’s mane improves cognitive function for everyone.

More research into mushrooms takes us to a 2025 systematic review that examined clinical evidence from several studies, including randomized controlled trials. These studies investigated specific mushroom preparations and supplements rather than this particular beverage. The research helps explain why lion’s mane is gaining modern attention, but it does not suggest that this particular seltzer will offer specific health outcomes.

Overall, research into functional mushrooms is still developing, and results can vary depending on the mushroom, preparation, dose, and study design.

A Different Kind of Social Drink

The Groovy Grapefruit Hemp-Powered THC Seltzer is an alcohol alternative for those who are over the age of 21 and features hemp-derived delta-9 THC with CBD in a sparkling grapefruit format.

• 5mg hemp-derived Delta-9 THC
• 5mg CBD
• 1:1 THC-to-CBD ratio
• Bright grapefruit flavor
• 30 calories per 12-ounce can
• Sweetened with organic agave
• Caffeine-free
• Vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO
• Third-party lab tested
• Nano-emulsified hemp extract

The grapefruit flavor offers a different experience from the watermelon option. It has a brighter, more distinctive profile and is intended to feel more like a social drink than a traditional cannabis product. It reflects a growing interest in beverages designed for social occasions that do not necessarily revolve around alcohol. For someone who prefers to avoid alcohol, a social gathering can sometimes mean choosing between explaining that decision or simply settling for sparkling water.

For adults looking beyond traditional alcohol alternatives, hemp-derived THC drinks represent a different kind of social beverage that can still feel at home in a shared social setting.

The company offers options that are 5 mg and 10 mg versions, with the 5 mg options being paired with 5 mg of CBD. It also states that its products are third-party tested and that certificates of analysis are available to consumers.

It is important to remember that individual responses to THC can vary, and this product is not meant to be perceived as just another soft drink. The product is intended for adults 21 and older. If you’re considering a THC drink, it is vital that you pay attention to your local laws, product labeling, personal tolerance, and situations in which THC intake may be deemed simply inappropriate.

The company’s own FAQ also states that THC may result in a positive drug test.

The company provides information about its products so consumers can better understand the type of beverage they are choosing.

For The Moments That Don’t Need Much

What makes the two drinks interesting is how easily they can become part of ordinary moments. One may suit an afternoon when something caffeine-free and refreshing sounds appealing, while the other offers an option for an evening or social occasion. People are not necessarily searching for drinks that do everything. Increasingly, they are looking for choices that make sense within their routines, preferences, and plans.

Whether someone is cutting back on alcohol, becoming curious about functional ingredients, or simply looking for something with more personality than plain sparkling water, Happie® Beverages offers two distinct approaches: functional mushrooms and hemp-derived THC. Both options bring familiar flavors and a refreshing sparkling format, making these categories feel more approachable to consumers who may be unfamiliar with them.

A drink does not need to transform someone’s life. Sometimes, it simply needs to make sense for the moment they’re in.

Feel good. Feel Happie®.