Denver based Rocky Mountain Soda Company teed up Lifted Libations, their foray into the ready-to-drink cocktail market in 2019 with ‘Tee Time’, a vodka infused Arnold Palmer followed by a Mile High Mule. The company’s current line-up of course-ready canned drinks is now a full foursome with newbies Swing Juice and Lifted Lemonade getting added to the mix.

The beverage philosophy of Lifted Libations which co-founders Andrew Fulton and Moose Koons carried forward from their 12-year-old soda business, is to make their drinks as clean as possible by solely using natural products to let the flavors shine through.

“Everything we make, you can count the ingredients on one hand,” Fulton explains. “We always use four to five ingredients total. I never wanted to use anything that had any kind of preservatives or sodium benzoate or anything we don’t know or feel good about.”

Lifted Libations mixed drinks get their kick from organic vodka unlike Truly, White Claw and many other spiked sodas which use malt liquor. As a result, their product is classified as a spirit and taxed at a much higher rate than their mass-produced competitors which are lumped into the beer category. Their 8-can samplers, called “Caddy Packs” retail for $19-$23 compared to $15–$20 for a 12-pack of White Claw.

Fulton is comfortable with the price premium as he feels the flavor profile of his products finish way higher up on the leaderboard than his malt liquor-based competitors.

“We like our finished product so much better. It’s so clean and has such a good aftertaste. It doesn’t have those lingering weird flavors left on your palate,” Fulton says.

Swing Juice, a vodka infused sparkling fruit punch, is named after the liquid courage many golfers imbibe at the turn when they’re seeking an elixir to turn their round around.

“It is now everybody’s favorite because it’s just delicious,” Fulton says and adds that once distributors got their hands on it they saw its clubhouse potential and it’s already being carried in a number of golf courses in Colorado.

The team at Lifted Libations are all avid golfers—both traditional and disc golf—and were looking to make quality drinks they personally enjoy while playing the game. Of course, the surge in interest in the sport during the pandemic certainly helped cement the decision to invest their time and capital into a golf themed line of beverages.

“We just sponsored the Rocky Mountain Soda amateur championship for Disc Golf and we are having three Tee Time golf tournaments throughout the city of Denver with all proceeds going to the First Tee program,” Fulton says.

Currently the drinks are distributed in Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Florida, Georgia and Texas are coming online within the next month. They will also soon be available via Cask Cartel, an online retailer that ships to 45 states.

Next on the drawing board for Lifted Libations is a series of slope-ready cocktails aimed at skiers and snowboarders. “Every one of us in the office skis and snowboards so doing some après ski drinks is definitely on the horizon,” Fulton says.

Marketing the brand toward niche audiences puts Lifted Libations in a less crowded lane. Although, they are not alone. Links Drinks and upstart Fore Cans are also ready-to-drink brands geared to golfers.

“I welcome anybody that is making good drinks,” Fulton says of the competition. “When we entered the vodka soda market, there were so many hard seltzer type beverages out there but most of them I’ve had, I just don’t like. There is always room for somebody to make a better product. I think that people will gravitate to something that is a little higher quality and a cleaner, crisper, taste.”

If Lifted Libations beverages fizz up to the top shelf of the ready-to-drink leaderboard and their budget allows them to sponsor a tour player, Bryson DeChambeau would be at the top of their wish-list.

“He’s so into his fitness and he’s the mad chemist of golf,” Fulton says, adding that many of the long-ball hitters would be a good fit to promote their Swing Juice cocktail.

Lifted Libations moved 10,000 cases of product in 2020, a number they anticipate tripling up this year. They hope to hit $10 million in sales by 2025.