Hard seltzer
Hard seltzer, spiked seltzer or hard sparkling alcohol water is a type of highball drink containing carbonated water, alcohol, and often fruit flavoring.[1] In the US the alcohol is usually made by fermenting cane sugar; sometimes malted barley is used.[1] Hard seltzer products outside of the US have been found to use either neutral spirit,[2] or fermentation of fruit.[3] The alcohol by volume is around 5%[4] and the calorie-content is relatively low.[5][6]
5th generation brewer Nick Shields invented the beverage style with Spiked Seltzer, in Westport, Connecticut, and brewed the first commercial batches in November, 2013. [7] The category saw a spike in popularity around 2018–2019 in the U.S.[1] As of 2019, in the U.S. the most popular brand is White Claw.[8] Hard seltzer is expected to generate $2.5 billion in sales in the US by 2021.[9] Analysts attribute the success of White Claw and the appeal of hard seltzer in general to increased demand from health-conscious consumers.[10] The rise of hard seltzers in the beer category may also be seen as a reflection of the broader surge in popularity of non-alcoholic flavored seltzers evidenced by the sudden and massive popularity of brands like LaCroix and Spindrift.[11] On the back of this popularity, hard seltzer brands have launched in numerous countries outside of the U.S., including in Canada,[12] Australia[13] and the UK.[14] In February 2020, White Claw launched in Canada[15] and has a registered trademark in the UK.[16]
See also
- Chūhai, flavored hard seltzer from Japan
References
- Jennings, Rebecca (August 20, 2019). "Hard seltzer is here to stay". Vox. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- "Alcohol Content in a Bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade". www.leaf.tv. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- "DRTY Hard Seltzer". DRTY Drinks. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- Bernstein, Joshua M. (June 21, 2019). "Like LaCroix, but With a Buzz". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- Ritzen, Stacey. "Best White Claw Memes: Why Has the Hard Seltzer Gone Viral?". Dailydot.com. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
- "Spiked Seltzer Is Now Out-Selling All Craft Beer – Best Spiked Seltzers". Delish.com. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
- Boston Globe, Janelle Nanos. Feb 25,2016. "5th Generation Beermaker Tries to Tap New Market". Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- Business, Jordan Valinsky, CNN. "Bud Light is coming out with hard seltzer". CNN. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- "Disrupting The Drinks Menu: 95+ Beverage Brands Taking On The Holidays". CB Insights Research. December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- "Big beer pops top on new hard seltzer brands in 2020". www.spglobal.com. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
- Jr, Tom Huddleston (December 5, 2019). "How White Claw and the hard seltzer craze are taking on beer—and taking over America". CNBC. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
- "Vodka Soda In A Can Is The Low-Calorie Hit Taking B.C. By Storm". HuffPost Canada. August 20, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- "A Definitive List Of 32 Hard Seltzer Brands Available In Australia". Boss Hunting. December 31, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- Mcginn, Helen (February 23, 2020). "Cheers to the boozy water, says Femail drink expert HELEN McGINN". Beverage Daily. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- "People In Toronto Lined Up Around The Block In The Cold For White Claw's Canadian Launch". www.narcity.com. February 29, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- beveragedaily.com. "Hard seltzers hit the UK - but will they see the same success as in the US?". beveragedaily.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.