Frequently Asked Questions:

• Q: Does Bitters & Soda Contain Alcohol?
• A: As stated in this Wikipedia entry, in the US, products that contain 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) or less may be labeled as "Non-Alcoholic." In the case of Bitters and subsequently Bitters & Soda, the presence of alcohol is a byproduct of the bitters making process. Hella Bitters (the concentrated form, not the sparkling water form) are all-natural, non-GMO verified, alcohol-based flavor extracts. Hella uses alcohol because it is the purest solvent and an all-natural preservative, delivering the highest quality bitters possible. The government defines bitters as a "non-beverage," meaning simply that the flavor is too potent to drink on their own. It's that potency that means one only needs to use minute amounts to help flavor our Bitters & Soda. Although there are trace amounts of alcohol in our Bitters & Soda, it is below the legal limit of 0.5% ABV. Furthermore, many commercially available natural flavors are also alcohol-based. So if I got extremely granular, many of the enhanced sparkling waters on the market would also read more than 0.0% ABV.
• Q: Is Bitters & Soda safe to drink during pregnancy?
• A: Because the presence of any given botanical (herb) in Hella Bitters & Soda is so diluted -- similar to customs around trace alcohol -- many women will feel comfortable drinking Bitters & Soda during pregnancy. The reason being, the amount of botanical is very close to zero and not taken regularly as a supplement. That said, when taken in supplement dosage and frequently (akin to drinking fully alcoholic beverages), some of the botanicals may pose a risk to one's pregnancy. Consuming these products is considered safe by some and avoided by others. If you make the personal choice to avoid such supplements, even in trace amounts, then you should avoid Hella Bitters & Soda as well.