Beverage company High Noon this week announced a recall after it accidentally mislabeled some of its vodka seltzers as Celsius energy drinks.
That bit of news made the rounds on Capitol Hill—possibly as a public service announcement. This place runs on Celsius. It’s very common to see reporters, staffers, and lawmakers themselves with a can as they walk around the halls of Congress.
The drink is in a ton of vending machines, and some are even dedicated specifically to Celsius. The Washington Examiner published a story last year detailing the beverage’s popularity in the legislative branch.
I’ve never tried Celsius since I usually stay away from caffeinated drinks. I’ve had caffeine only a few times on the Hill, most recently when Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida gave me Cuban coffee when I interviewed her in her office last week. (It was delicious, by the way, so thank you again, Congresswoman.)
But I’ll share two fun stories I’ve witnessed in my time up here that deal with the energy drink that has become such a staple. Last year, I rode in an elevator with Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and another reporter. The reporter noticed the Celsius in the senator’s hand and asked her about it. “I’m a Celsius girl,” she replied.
Then a few months ago, as I was leaving around 5 or 6 p.m., I walked past Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Celsius in hand. It’s been reported that he likes it, which is not surprising given his job. I wonder how much he drank when he had to pull multiple all-nighters as his chamber tried to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
As of yet, there’s no word on whether the mismarked vodka seltzers made it into the hands of lawmakers—but it sure would explain a lot.
—Charles
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