Two Female Founders. Two Better Ways to Drink. One Shared Mission.

We did not plan to build beverage companies. We planned to solve a problem.

For Anna Baskin, founder of hightail, the problem was burnout. Two kids, two dogs, a demanding career, and a body that had quietly stopped cooperating with her favorite way to unwind. Wine, the ritual she had loved for years, had stopped loving her back.

For Rebecca Styn, founder of Blind Tiger Spirit-Free Cocktails, the problem arrived in March of 2020 when Pennsylvania bars were legally prohibited from selling alcohol to go. Rebecca owned Room 33, a beloved speakeasy in Erie, PA known for its craft cocktails. Overnight, 90% of her revenue disappeared. So she did what any great entrepreneur does. She pivoted. She started bottling non-alcoholic versions of her classic cocktails, and the response was overwhelming.

Two women. Two very different origin stories. One shared conviction: the beverage industry wasn’t serving the needs of a huge population looking to drink differently .

Anna's Story: When Wine Stopped Working

I am a wine lover. I always have been. There is something about the ritual of it, the pour at the end of a long day, the exhale, the moment that is finally just yours, that I did not want to give up.

But in my 40s, wine stopped delivering on its end of the bargain. I was waking up at 3am with my heart racing and no rest in sight. I was foggy the next morning. I was running on empty before the day even started. Two kids, two dogs, a company to run, and a day-and-a-half hangover tax I could simply no longer afford.

I looked around at the alternatives. Non-alcoholic options tasted fine but didn’t alleviate my stress. Higher-dose THC products knocked me out. Nothing existed in the middle: a drink that actually took the edge off while keeping me functional, present, and completely myself.

So I built it.

hightail is flavor-forward, low-potency infused and functional beverages designed for busy women and parents who want a real reset moment without the next-day consequences. I named it intentionally. It is not a cocktail. It is not a mocktail. It is something entirely its own: clean, elegant, complex, and crafted to empower you to take the edge off without losing your edge.

Each can contains 1.5mg THC and 3mg CBG. The THC brings the lift. The CBG keeps it light and functional. Fast onset. Zero alcohol. No next-day regret. Just a genuine reset moment for women who have places to be in the morning.  And for those looking for a good clean buzz that behaves, we also have hightail halo.  Zero THC.  Zero alcohol.  Same hightail lighthearted lift but powered with B12 and L-theanine (instead of CBG + THC).

For the moms, the executives, the women over 40 who still want to have fun: hightail is your wine alternative. The one that actually delivers.

Rebecca's Story: Bar-Quality Cocktails Without the Bar

I have spent my career in hospitality. I know what a great cocktail does for a room. It brings people together. It marks a moment. It says "we are celebrating something, even if that something is just a Tuesday."

When the pandemic forced Room 33 to stop serving alcohol, I faced a choice. Close the bar or redefine it. I chose the latter.

We began crafting non-alcoholic versions of our most beloved cocktails — the Bee's Knees, the French 75, the Mojito — using all-natural, clean-label ingredients to replicate the depth and complexity of their spirited counterparts. The goal was simple: bar-quality cocktails without the alcohol, so that everyone at the table feels part of the occasion.

Blind Tiger was born from that gap in the market. A sophisticated, inclusive lifestyle option for the discerning drinker who wants the ritual, the flavor, and the social experience of a great cocktail without the side effects.

Our vision is to redefine the cocktail experience entirely. Flavor depth. Complexity. Elegance. Without the alcohol. We want the person who is not drinking to feel just as celebrated as the person who is.

Why We Connected

When Anna reached out about a collaboration, the answer was immediately yes.

We are coming at the same problem from different angles, which is what makes our brands such a perfect pairing.  Think of it less like two competing products and more like a full toolkit for drinking better, whatever your moment calls for.

At 2pm when you used to reach for another coffee, hightail halo brings calm, focus, and a good clean buzz that behaves.  Hightail powers your 5 pm reset between the chaos of your day and the joyful chaos of your evening.  A low-potency lift that delivers real relaxation, while keeping you in control.  For nighttime vibes, when you want something sophisticated to sip over dinner or with friends, Blind Tiger delivers bar-quality complexity in a glass (or can).  All without the alcohol and the next morning regret

Different brands. Different occasions. Same belief: women deserve better options when it comes to how they unwind.  All the taste, none of the tradeoffs.

We are both female founders who looked at an industry that had not kept up with what modern women actually need, and decided to build it ourselves. We both believe in drinking with intention. In choosing what goes into your body. In waking up tomorrow feeling as good as you felt last night.

That is the mission. And it is one worth sharing.

THE GIVEAWAY (April 13 to 27 only)

To celebrate our collaboration, we are giving one lucky winner nearly $200 worth of product.  That’s 40 cans of delicious alcohol-free beverages that honestly beg for a party.

The prize includes:

hightail's full lineup: all four flavors across four 4-packs.

• Sparkling Strawberry Hibiscus Tea, juicy and floral with a refreshing sparkle.
• Raspberry Basil Lemonade, sweet and tart with an herbal twist that keeps you sipping.
• Cocoa Pomegranate Yuzu, complex and bright with a whisper of citrus.
• hightail halo, same strawberry hibiscus tea flavor you love, this time powered by B12 and L-Theanine for a boost that behaves.

Blind Tiger's full Dryish Collection: six spirit-free 4-packs.

• Bee's Knees, a classic gin-inspired cocktail with lemon and pure orange blossom honey.
• Southside Mojito, refreshing mint and lime with a juniper finish.
• Lavender French 75, sparkling, floral, and beautifully complex.
• Sidecar Mimosa, bright citrus with a sparkling finish.
• Ward 8, smoky citrus with notes of apple, orange, and cherry.
• Grapefruit Fizz, crisp, tart, and endlessly refreshing.·    

Together: 40 cans.  Nearly $200 in value.  Sophisiticated, delicious drinks, but with Zero next day regret. 

How to enter: Go to our landing page: https://siphightail.com/pages/spring-reset-giveaway  Enter your name and email address, and you are in.  Email subscribers receive an additional entry for double the chance to win.  

Find us at on Instagram: @siphightail and @blindtigercocktails

The giveaway runs April 13 to 27. One winner. No purchase necessary. Open to US residents 21 and over.

Anna Baskin is the co-founder and CEO of hightail, a premium low-dose functional beverage brand based in Chicago, IL. Find hightail at siphightail.com.

Rebecca Styn is the founder and CEO of Blind Tiger Spirit-Free Cocktails, zero-proof cocktails inspired by the Prohibition era. Find Blind Tiger at blindtigerspiritfree.com.