There are many things you need to consider when you trying to launch a new drink in a very competitive market. I have an entire website developed to answer any question related to selling a beverage to major retailers and distributors.
Hold a contest ?On youtube or something like that....A few hundred -dollar prize can result in thousands of dollars worth of advertising.
The very first thing you should do is to make a brand out of your new drink, because that will represent you and your business. brandsforthepeople.com is a lot of help, especially that their process is for startups serious about standing out from the crowd and bringing Good into the world. Good luck to your chosen path!
I guess one should check the likes a product gets before launching into the market. Serve it in a few of your get-together parties and see the response, the idea of holding a contest or starting with a small street side stall is also good. Once you get to know the flavor popularity. Then you can start working on commercial production.