Category: Hard soda

The biggest surprise for many drinkers is that Not Your Father's Root Beer, despite its sweet and nostalgic taste, is officially classified as a flavored malt beverage (FMB), not a liquor-based cocktail. This distinction explains why it's sold alongside beer and not in the spirits aisle, a key element of its identity that shaped the entire hard soda category.

Hard Mountain Dew contains 5% alcohol by volume (ABV), positioning it as a flavored malt beverage comparable to many standard beers. It was introduced by a partnership between PepsiCo and the Boston Beer Company for drinkers of legal age. This boozy version is also notably different from its soda counterpart, featuring zero sugar and zero caffeine.

Hard Mountain Dew, a product of a collaboration with the Boston Beer Company, features a 5% ABV, zero-sugar, and zero-caffeine formula. Specifically, Hard Mountain Dew Baja Blast Zero Sugar contains a fermented malt base, natural and artificial tropical flavors, and a combination of artificial sweeteners to deliver its distinctive taste without the calories.

In a partnership between Jarritos maker Novamex and brewing giant Anheuser-Busch, a hard soda line was launched in 2023. This exciting collaboration led to the creation of Cantaritos by Jarritos hard soda, raising questions among consumers about what kind of alcohol is in Jarritos hard soda and what sets it apart from traditional Jarritos beverages.