Tag: Alcohol base

While hard seltzers are sometimes legally classified as 'flavored malt beverages,' most popular brands are not made with malt liquor but rather with a fermented cane sugar base. This distinction is crucial for understanding the product's flavor, ingredients, and gluten content. Many drinkers believe all seltzers use the same base, but the reality is more nuanced.

According to VinePair, the hard seltzer market is expected to become a $30 million industry by 2025, with White Claw leading the charge. But despite its massive popularity, many drinkers are still confused about the true nature of its alcohol base, often mistaking it for a simple vodka soda.

Over half of all hard seltzer sales in the U.S. in 2019 were from White Claw, prompting many to wonder about the beverage's ingredients, especially its alcohol source. Contrary to common misconceptions, the alcohol in White Claw hard seltzers is not vodka, rum, or tequila.

Since its launch, White Claw has captured a significant market share, growing sales by 246.7% in the U.S. from 2019 to 2020 alone. This explosive popularity has many asking the simple question: what kind of alcohol is in White Claw Hard Seltzer? The answer lies not in a traditional spirit like vodka, but in a refined and clean, fermented sugar base.

Hard seltzers have exploded in popularity, with global market value reaching billions of dollars. But despite their ubiquitous presence in coolers and on shelves, many drinkers are still left wondering: what type of alcohol is in a hard seltzer? The answer is not always simple, as the alcohol base varies significantly by brand, though fermented sugar is the most common source.

While many assume all hard seltzers contain vodka, most popular brands, such as White Claw and Truly, actually get their alcohol from a process of fermenting cane sugar. So, are seltzers always vodka? The short answer is no, and understanding the different alcohol bases will reveal what's truly inside your can.

Since its launch, White Claw has become one of the top-selling hard seltzer brands, while its competitor Truly is a close rival, with both capturing significant market share in the booming beverage category. These canned drinks offer a low-calorie, gluten-free alternative to beer and cocktails.

While the original Mike's Hard Lemonade launched in Canada in 1996 as a vodka-based beverage, the brand's recipe has since split along geographical lines. This creates confusion for many wondering, 'Is vodka in Mike's Harder?', as the answer hinges entirely on where the drink is sold.

According to a 2024 study, nearly half of adults over 21 in the United States have tried hard seltzer, but many are still unclear about its alcoholic content. The alcohol base for hard seltzers is not uniform across all brands and can vary significantly depending on the manufacturer's production process and desired flavor profile.

As of early 2022, Coca-Cola and Molson Coors partnered to launch Simply Spiked, a new hard lemonade line. While classified as a flavored malt beverage, the question remains: is Simply Spiked made with malt liquor?