Rainmaker Beverage Launches SMACK Hard Lemonade With Craft Attitude And All-Natural Ingredients

“Our pledge is to create a hard lemonade that appeals to craft beverage lovers,” says Andy Petek, co-founder of SMACK. “A new generation of consumers is searching for refreshing fruit-based products. We have an opportunity to meet them where they are in their journey. At the same time, we appeal to their parents, who have been drinking hard lemonade since the 90’s, with an all-natural alternative.”

SMACK Hard Lemonade is produced by Washington-based Rainmaker Beverage. Known for the popular Locust Cider brand, Rainmaker specializes in innovative fruit beverages made with real ingredients, free of artificial flavors and sweeteners. Sporting bold, colorful branding custom-designed by co-founder, Andy Petek, SMACK designs dominates the store shelves. And, it’s equally as artful in the liquid design by Rainmaker Beverage head cidermaker, Eric Smith!

The first products in the SMACK line launched in April 2024. The initial offerings include original lemonade, mango lemonade, and dark cherry limeade in 6-packs of 12-ounce cans. The core flavors are now also offered in 19.2 oz cans and draft kegs.

SMACK co-founders, Andy Petek and Jason Spears, first met in 2015 when their cideries were neighbors in Woodinville, WA. Andy went on to focus his efforts into other businesses including his agency, Daydreamer Marketing Group, that serves craft beverage companies from farm-to-table. Jason grew his beverage company with a strategy that outpaced many of the retail-dependent cider businesses by opening sixteen on-premise taproom locations, as well creating satellite bases in Colorado and Texas. Now nearing 10 years in business, the family-owned operation has continued to grow and evolve through countless changes in the industry and the consumer marketplace.

Spears, co-founder of SMACK and founder of Rainmaker, says: “When Andy pitched me his idea for SMACK, I knew it was the perfect addition to our company and a strong investment in our future. It’s blazing trails into a new category space, and it’s a fruit beverage that we can make with the same uncompromising quality that our team prides itself on. SMACK was a no-brainer.”

SMACK currently has distribution in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas, with plans to span the Western United States in the next 18 months.

Rainmaker beverage was founded in 2015 by Jason and Patrick Spears. The flagship brand, Locust Cider, champions the portfolio of brands that started expanding in 2023. Complimenting Locust in craft ciders are Colorado Cider Company from Denver, CO and Argus Cidery from Austin, TX. In addition to SMACK Hard Lemonade, Rainmaker also produces Spiked Jones, a collaboration with Jones Soda Co.