High Noon Mix-Up: Some Vodka Seltzers Labeled as Energy Drinks in Recall Blunder

If you recently cracked open a can of Celsius energy drink expecting a caffeine buzz and ended up feeling… well, a little buzzed, you’re not imagining things.

High Noon, the popular vodka seltzer brand, is recalling some of its 12-pack variety boxes after discovering a surprising — and potentially risky — mix-up: a batch of cans labeled as Celsius Astro Vibe Sparkling Blue Razz energy drinks were actually filled with High Noon’s vodka seltzer.

Yep, alcohol in an energy drink can.

According to the FDA, the mislabeled cans were shipped to stores in Florida, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin between July 21 and 23. The cans came from a packaging mishap involving a shared third-party supplier between Celsius and High Noon. Essentially, empty Celsius-branded cans were mistakenly sent to High Noon’s production facility, filled with booze, and packed into their beachy variety packs.

The result? A caffeine-chaser’s nightmare — or a party-goer’s lucky day, depending on how you look at it.

The affected High Noon packs may contain cans with silver lids and labels reading “CELSIUS® ASTRO VIBE™ Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition.” But inside, it’s not 200 milligrams of caffeine — it’s 4.5% ABV vodka seltzer.

Celsius says regular Astro Vibe cans should have black lids. So if you’ve got one with a silver top or you’re unsure, check the lot codes. For High Noon, look for:

• L CCC 17JL25 14:00 to 23:59
• L CCC 18JL25 00:00 to 03:00

And on Celsius-labeled cans:

• L CCB 02JL25 2:55 to 3:11

So far, no injuries or illnesses have been reported, but the FDA is warning about “unintentional alcohol ingestion” — especially concerning for teens, drivers, or anyone steering clear of alcohol for medical or religious reasons.

If you’ve got one of the mystery cans, the advice is simple: don’t drink it. Instead, contact High Noon Consumer Relations at [email protected] for refund details or more info.

This bizarre branding blunder has prompted Celsius and High Noon parent company Gallo to launch a joint investigation with the can supplier.

High Noon, which launched in 2019, has become a go-to summer sipper and was the top-selling US spirits brand by volume in 2022. Meanwhile, Celsius has become the unofficial fuel of Gen Z, fitness buffs, and even Capitol Hill — it’s reportedly sold in the House basement vending machines and stocked in Speaker Mike Johnson’s fridge.

But thanks to this mix-up, someone reaching for a boost may have gotten a buzz instead.

Cheers — or not.

With input from NPR and the Washington Post.