‘The Walking Dead’ & ‘Younger’ Actor Nico Tortorella Debuts Kratom ‘Brewski’

Hollywood actor and multi-hyphenate artist Nico Tortorella (Younger, The Walking Dead: World Beyond) is stepping into the beverage game. Not with tequila, seltzer or craft beer, but with DER, a kratom-infused non-alcoholic brew.

The drink debuted on September 30, National Kratom Day, and aims to bring kratom into the social drinking space with what Tortorella calls a “buzz that doesn’t blur.” Made in St. Louis, Missouri, DER leans into the look and feel of a classic American lager, but instead of alcohol each 12-ounce can contains 30 milligrams of mitragynine, the active alkaloid in kratom.

DER is now available in 44 states, sold online through KorthalsCollection.com and ShopCBDKratom.com, as well as at CBD Kratom retail shops nationwide.

A Personal Connection

Tortorella said kratom has been part of their daily routine for years, helping them stay focused and grounded without alcohol. “With DER, we wanted to create something celebratory that honors the craft of brewing and the power of kratom,” they explained.

Dafna Revah, co-founder of MNG (the parent company of Korthals’ Collection), added that Tortorella’s journey with sobriety and creativity was central to the product’s development.

What Is Kratom?

Kratom comes from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family native to Southeast Asia. Traditionally, workers in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia chewed the leaves or brewed them into tea for sustained energy, pain relief and focus.

In the United States, kratom occupies a gray zone. It is legal at the federal level and sold in most states, though a handful including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin have banned it. Regulators and researchers remain split. Advocates highlight studies from Johns Hopkins showing relatively low abuse potential, while critics point to concerns about standardization, safety and misuse.

In 2021 the World Health Organization declined to schedule kratom as a controlled substance, and Congress has seen bipartisan efforts to support consumer protections rather than outright prohibition.

Why It Matters

The arrival of a kratom “brewski” from a recognizable Hollywood name marks a new chapter in how this once-obscure plant enters mainstream culture. Whether DER becomes a hit or just a curiosity in the crowded functional beverage space, it underscores how kratom is increasingly part of the conversation about alternatives to alcohol.

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