This sweet honey-infused water is anything but basic.
Drink of the week: Bella Beez sparkling honey water ($1.99-$2.99) at various Chicago retailers (find yours at bellabeezhoneywater.com)
Confession: I hate LaCroix. And though I probably just asked for a dozen angry emails about pamplemousse this and apricot that, I remain unapologetically firm on my stance. My general disgust toward the beverage makes me skeptical of anything that’s labeled “sparkling water.” It’s a good thing I was in a grab-and-get-the-hell-out mood at Whole Foods when I reached for a bottle of Bella Beez sparkling honey water without examining the label too closely. Cool packaging, you know?
Of course, when I realized it was sparkling water, it was too late; I was warm, cozy and completely parched in my office cubicle. But to my surprise, the sweet nectar inside that bottle was unlike anything I’d tasted before. Crisp, light and punctuated with a hint of florally sweetness, it’s the kind of thing you could sip all day.
And—drumroll, please—it’s made here in Chicago with honey from local beekeeping service Westside Bee Boyz and bottling help from Filbert’s Root Beer. Bella Beez owner Niki Mohrlant said she’s proud to support local businesses. As her own business expands and demand continues to rise, she’s looking to beekeepers in the Midwest for more honey. But behind the cute packaging and bubbly, honey-infused water, there’s a deeper message: “The mission is about awareness and growing the bee population and not being afraid of them,” Mohrlant said. “We want to teach people about bees.”
Making bees look cool is a commendable task, but Mohrlant said she’s up for the challenge.
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Now that you know the major players, you might be asking yourself, “Who’s Bella?” Friends of Mohrlant spent nearly two years trekking through the adoption process as a same-sex couple. And just as Mohrlant found the sweet spot with her sparkling water recipe, her friends were able to adopt their daughter Isabella. Their worlds collided, and Mohrlant decided Bella was a fitting name for her sweet drink.
Unlike most carbonated beverages, this one boasts just two ingredients: sparkling water and honey. It sounds too simple, like there must be a catch. But I assure you, there is not. If you must complicate things: “It’s really good with whiskey, too,” Mohrlant said.
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