Behind the Collaboration: 9 Orphans x Liplapa Beverage Company

How a Shared Vision Led to a Refreshing New Drink

At 9 Orphans Distillery, we’ve always believed that the best ideas come from passion, friendship, and a little bit of rebellion. That’s exactly how our latest collaboration with Liplapa Beverage Company was born—out of late-night conversations, shared tastes, and a collective "Screw it, let’s do this ourselves" attitude.

The Spark: A Drink That Didn’t Exist (Yet)

It started with a simple frustration. We wanted something fun, light, and low in calories - a drink that could be enjoyed without the heaviness of traditional cocktails or the sugar overload of many ready-to-drink options. But when we looked around, nothing quite hit the mark.

Seltzers were booming, but we weren’t seeing much innovation in flavors or craftsmanship. Big brands dominated the space, and the offerings felt… generic. So, five of us—distillers, beverage lovers, and friends—decided: If no one else is making what we want to drink, we’ll just have to make it ourselves.

The Brand Name: Liplapa Hard Seltzer

One night over drinks, our 9 Orphans crew was brainstorming with friends when an idea sparked. One friend had been sitting on the Liplapa name - originally meant for a clothing line.  Liplapa was suggested because it's such a killer brand name that's just collecting dust. The response: "But on one condition - we make some sick merch down the line."

That's how Liplapa became our hard seltzer brand. What started as casual conversations between friends quickly turned into a serious mission: create a light, refreshing seltzer with real flavor - no artificial aftertaste, no sugar overload, just something genuinely delicious.

The best part? We weren't doing this to chase trends. We were making the drink we couldn't find anywhere else. (And yes - we haven't forgotten about that merch promise!)

Months of testing (and probably too many prototypes) later, we landed on something we loved—so much that even our most loyal Brandy & Coke drinker switched sides. Now, Liplapa isn’t just a clothing brand anymore… it’s the name of your next favorite drink.

The Unexpected Convert: A Brandy & Coke Lover Switches Sides

Here’s the real test: One of our partners, a die-hard Brandy & Coke drinker (and if you know South Africans, you know how hard it is to sway them), reluctantly gave our creation a try.

To everyone’s shock—especially his—he loved it. Not only did it become his new go-to, but he also noticed a difference:

• No more sugar crashes

• No more rough mornings

• Same great buzz, none of the sluggishness

If that’s not a win, we don’t know what is.

What’s Next? A Bright (and Bubbly) Future

This is just the beginning. Our collaboration has already brought us something we genuinely love drinking, and now, we’re excited to share it with the world.

Will it shake up the industry? Maybe.
Will it convert more Brandy & Coke loyalists? We hope so.
Will it be the drink of next summer? That’s the plan.

Stay tuned—because this is one collab that’s only getting started.

Have a favorite light, low-cal drink? Or think you can’t quit your usual? Try ours… we dare you.

(And if you’re a former Brandy & Coke devotee, let us know—we’ll cheers to your conversion.)