Lunar, an Asian American craft hard seltzer company is launching its Heritage line which was co-developed with New York-based chefs and owners of restaurants Di An Di and 886, and designer/illustrator Vanessa Nguyen. The drinks are made with premium fruits and ingredients from Asia and pay tribute to authentic flavors and well-known Asian foods, according to the company.
Varieties include:
Tamarind & Rice Paddy Herb: Co-developed with first-generation Vietnamese American owners Kim Hoang and Tuan Bui of Di An Di, this flavor is inspired by the Vietnamese sweet and sour soup canh chua, or cá nấu. Using fresh Vietnamese rice paddy herb, or ngo om, sourced locally in New York and natural tamarind paste from India, this flavor is bright and tart and leaves a tea-like finish.
Pineapple Cake: This flavor was co-developed with owners Eric Sze and Andy Chuang of Taiwanese American restaurant 886 and features MSG, sourced from Ajinomoto, as an ingredient, according to Lunar. This flavor is inspired by Taiwan’s popular delicacy, the pineapple cake. Crafted to emulate the structure of the pastry, freshly-baked shortbread aromas bubble up when you open the can, followed by a long, crisp tartness of the pineapple juice.
Mango & Chili Salt: Drawing upon co-founder Kevin Wong’s trips to Thailand, and Vietnamese American artist Vanessa Nguyen’s memories of home, this flavor is reminiscent of the streets of Southeast Asia where fruit cart operators serve up fresh green mangoes dipped in chili pepper, salt, and sugar. This tropical flavor uses organic mango puree from the U.S. and organic red chili peppers grown in Thailand. The result is a sweet, yet sour mango body accented by a hint of saltiness and a slight heat brought on by the chili peppers, says the company.
“Our mission is to authentically share the flavors and experiences of our community,” said Kevin Wong, co-founder of Lunar, in a statement. “In light of recent events, we wanted to take it a step further with flavors traditionally deemed as ‘exotic’ and unfamiliar by the Western world but to us are nostalgic and representative of our upbringing and heritage.”
The line is offered at Di An Di and 886 restaurants and is available for pre-order in 32 U.S. states online on Lunar’s website. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the chefs who created the recipes and Apex For Youth.
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