It's a cautionary situation that we don't often see, affecting what one source called the leading spirits brand by volume in 2023.
White Claw and Truly were a couple of the first brands to explode when ready-to-drink canned cocktails became a firm product category a little over a decade ago.
Since then, multiple brands have made it onto the scene to compete against each others’ formulations. While most doctors would advise that there’s no alcohol that’s good for your health, searching for one without “natural flavors” that contains lower alcohol by volume and real water content is one way to imbibe a little more consciously.
For a brand that in the past couple summers was cited by a beverage trade publication as the highest-selling spirit by volume—largely for its touted better-for-you blend, even reportedly beating out a Tito’s product in 2023—authorities have issued a recall that grocery chains first called out earlier this week.
Today, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is piling on the news as it has published a notice advising that High Noon has been recalled. When Wegmans first published the notice on Monday, they stated: “Some of these packs contain cans that are filled with High Noon vodka seltzer alcohol but are mislabeled as Celsius Astro Vibe Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition.”
As the FDA further clarified Wednesday:
“Some of these packs contain cans that are filled with High Noon vodka seltzer alcohol and are mislabeled as CELSIUS ASTRO VIBE Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition with a silver top. Consumption of the liquid in these cans will result in unintentional alcohol ingestion.”
This raises an obvious concern for pregnant individuals, those under age 21, anyone driving a vehicle during or after consumption, and more.
High Noon’s “Real Vodka + Real Juice Hard Seltzers,” as the brand calls them online, appear to list “real vodka,” “real juice,” and “no added sugar” among the ingredients—though, as consumers have noted on a Subreddit in recent years, locating the precise ingredients list can take more than a quick search. However, the brand’s marketing seems positioned to attract consumers who are highly conscious of ingredient quality.
On the other hand, in an online product listing on Target’s site, Celsius Astro Vibe Energy Drink lists ingredients such as taurine, which has raised questions for purported effect on some major organs and its possible contribution to certain cancers, caffeine and green tea extract, and synthetically created compounds of B vitamins.
The FDA says “the labeling error is confined to the two lots listed below.” UPC codes for those lots is as follow, but consumers should refer to the FDA link above for more identifying product details:
High Noon Beach Variety 12-packs:
- UPC Code 085000040065
CELSIUS ASTRO VIBE Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition in 12-ounce cans:
- UPC code 8 89392 00134 1
The FDA notes that starting around July 21, 2025, these products shipped to retailers and distributors in the following states: in Florida, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
High Noon is owned by legacy beverage brand E. & J. Gallo’s Spirit of Gallo, which Celsius is owned by PepsiCo. It’s possible the two beverages are produced or packaged at the same facility.
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