Something is happening in Chicago's beverage scene.  Local founders are breaking the mold, empowering consumers to drink differently. 

hightail is part of that story, building a platform that actually fits the way people want to live now.  Flavor-forward, real benefits, free from next-day regrets, a jittery crash, or the two-day handover tax nobody has time for anymore. And this month, the Department of Growth included us in their roundup of Chicago BevTech brands changing how we drink.

We are proud to be in that company.

---

Why I Built hightail in Chicago

I am a wine lover. Always have been. There is something about that pour at the end of a long day — the exhale, the moment that is finally just yours — that I was not willing to give up.

But in my 40s, wine stopped loving me back. Two kids, two dogs, a company to run, and a day-and-a-half hangover tax I could no longer afford. I started looking for something better and found a gap nobody had filled yet.

The THC beverages on the market were either too strong — 10mg was way more than I needed — or were full of CBD which made me sleepy. I kept watching women bite their gummies in half and go straight to bed. That was not the reset moment I was looking for.

I wanted the rosé all day feeling. Something you could have a couple of without worrying. Something that took the edge off without taking you out.

So I built it.

hightail is a flavor-forward, low-dose infused beverage with 1.5mg THC and 3mg CBG. The THC brings the lift. The CBG — not CBD, CBG — keeps it light, clear, and functional. No couch lock. No next-day fog. Just a genuine reset moment for women and parents who have places to be in the morning.

hightail halo is her innocent little sister.  No alcohol.  No THC.  Just L-theanine and B-12 for calm, focus, and energy in a can.  A good clean boost that behaves.

---

The Wine Moms Who Say They Don't "Do Drugs"

One of the most interesting parts of building hightail has been meeting the women who need it most and are most nervous about it.

Wine moms who don’t really see themselves as “weed” people. Honestly, they are me three years ago.

Getting hightail into their hands means meeting them where they actually are. Book clubs. Pilates studios.  Med and day spas. Retail shelves in the neighborhoods where they already shop. The natural sampling and honest conversations that happens over a can of hightail at a book club is worth more than any ad I could run.

And once they try it, they get it immediately. The shoulder drop.  The smile widens. And they wake up the next morning feeling exactly as good as they felt the night before.

That is the whole point.

---

What Makes hightail Different

The beverage category is crowded. Everyone has a functional drink. Everyone has a wellness angle.

hightail is not trying to be everything to everyone. We want to be your go-to for the woman and parents who loved wine or cocktails, who still love the ritual of it, but who cannot afford the consequences anymore.

We chose CBG over CBD because CBG keeps you alert and functional rather than sleepy. We kept the dose at 1.5mg because we want you to be able to have a second one. We built hightail halo — zero THC, zero alcohol, B12 and L-Theanine — for the 2pm moment when you need a clean lift without any buzz at all.

Every decision comes back to the same question: does this provide our hightail customer the relaxation and boost they need, while keeping her functional?

If the answer is yes, we build it. Otherwise, it’s an easy no.

---

Chicago Made This Possible

There is something about building a brand in Chicago that keeps you honest. This is not a city where you can hide behind a slick Instagram feed and hope nobody notices the product is mediocre. Chicago consumers are discerning, direct, and deeply loyal to brands that earn it.

We started in the western suburbs: La Grange, La Grange Park, Elmhurst, & Hinsdale, and we are grateful for every early adopter who took a chance on us. That community built the foundation hightail stands on today.  Find us near you.

Being featured alongside other Chicago BevTech founders building in this city, for this community, means a lot. We are all part of the same shift — empowering you to drink with an intention.

Chicago is writing the next chapter of the beverage industry. We are proud to be part of that story.

---

Try hightail

hightail is available direct to consumer at siphightail.com and at select retailers across the Chicago area including The Cottage Fine Wines in Elmhurst, Beer on the Wall, Honor Thy Apothecary, Vibes Café, Form Fitness, and Hinsdale Wine Shop.  Enjoy a pour at standout restaurants Marco’s Kitchen, Fourteen Sixteen, Milk Stop, and Hop District.

Ready to power your reset moment?

--- 

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