What Type of Alcohol is in a Hard Seltzer?

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

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.

Quick Summary

The alcohol in most hard seltzers comes from fermented cane sugar, but some brands use malted barley, neutral grain spirits, or even wine. The specific base chosen by a manufacturer impacts flavor, gluten content, cost, and legal classification. Filtration is a key process used to create a clean, neutral flavor profile before adding carbonation and fruit essences.

Key Points

Fermented Cane Sugar: Most major hard seltzer brands derive their alcohol from fermented cane sugar, which is filtered to create a neutral-tasting base.
Malted Barley: Some breweries, especially those producing flavored malt beverages (FMBs), use a heavily filtered malted barley base.
Neutral Grain Spirits: Premium hard seltzer brands may use a distilled spirit, such as a high-proof neutral grain spirit or vodka, as their alcohol source.
Key Difference is the Base: The specific alcohol base impacts the seltzer's flavor profile, gluten content, cost, and legal classification.
Extensive Filtration is Standard: No matter the alcohol source, extensive filtration is used to create a clean, crisp, and neutral canvas before adding flavors.
Gluten-Free Options: Seltzers made from fermented cane sugar or spirits are naturally gluten-free, while malt-based versions contain gluten.
Low Calorie and Low Sugar: The use of fermentable sugars that are fully converted to alcohol results in lower-calorie and low-sugar finished products compared to many other alcoholic beverages.

The Primary Alcohol Base: Fermented Sugar

For a large portion of the hard seltzer market, the source of alcohol is a sugar base, most commonly fermented cane sugar. This process is different from traditional beer brewing, which ferments grain, or distilling spirits like vodka or gin. To create this base, brewers combine water with a fermentable sugar, such as cane sugar or dextrose, and a neutral yeast strain.

The fermentation of pure sugar has a distinct advantage: it creates a very clean, neutral alcoholic liquid. Yeast consumes the sugar, producing ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide. Unlike brewing with grains, fermenting pure sugar leaves behind fewer flavor-altering compounds like esters or phenols, resulting in a cleaner-tasting product that acts as a perfect canvas for fruit flavorings.

The Fermentation and Filtration Process

The production of a sugar-based hard seltzer involves a few key steps:

Sugar Wash: A mixture of water and a sugar source is created. While cane sugar is prevalent, producers might also use other fermentable sugars like corn sugar or agave.
Fermentation: A specially selected, neutral yeast strain is introduced to the sugar wash. To ensure the yeast ferments cleanly and completely, nutrients are often added to the otherwise simple sugar mixture.
Filtration: After fermentation, the resulting liquid is filtered extensively. This step is crucial for removing any off-flavors, aromas, or cloudiness. Techniques often include carbon filtration, which scrubs away undesirable characteristics to leave behind a crystal-clear, neutral alcoholic base.
Flavoring and Carbonation: The final, purified alcohol is then blended with natural fruit flavorings and highly carbonated water before canning.

Alternatives to Fermented Sugar

While fermented sugar dominates the market, it's not the only alcohol source used in hard seltzers. Several brands and craft brewers have opted for alternative bases, each with its own unique characteristics.

Malted Barley Base

Some hard seltzers, especially those produced by traditional breweries, use a malted barley base. These are often classified as a 'flavored malt beverage' (FMB) by regulators, placing them in the same legal category as other beer-like drinks. The malt is processed to create a fermentable sugary liquid, which is then fermented and heavily filtered to remove the characteristic malty flavor. This process can be more complex than fermenting pure sugar and may leave residual flavors, requiring more aggressive filtration. A key distinction is that malt-based seltzers are typically not gluten-free.

Neutral Grain Spirits (GNS) or Vodka

A growing number of brands, including popular ones like High Noon, use a distilled spirit, such as vodka, as their alcohol base. A neutral grain spirit is typically distilled to a high proof (95% ABV or higher), resulting in a flavorless and odorless alcohol. This spirit is then diluted with carbonated water and flavoring. This method bypasses the need for extensive fermentation and filtration to achieve a neutral taste, but the ingredients and taxes on distilled spirits can make it more expensive than sugar-based versions.

Wine Base

Less common, but still an option, is a wine-based alcohol derived from fermented grapes or other fruits. These are often heavily filtered to remove the distinctive wine flavors, creating a more neutral base for seltzer production. This method may appeal to winemakers diversifying their product lines.

Hard Seltzer Alcohol Comparison

The choice of alcohol base has significant implications for the final product. Here's a quick comparison of the most common types:


Feature	Fermented Cane Sugar	Malted Barley Base	Neutral Grain Spirit/Vodka
Taste	Clean, highly neutral flavor.	Can carry trace malt flavor if not heavily filtered.	Very clean, pure alcohol taste.
Gluten Content	Naturally gluten-free.	Contains gluten; requires special processing to be labeled gluten-removed.	Naturally gluten-free if derived from non-gluten grains.
Cost	Relatively cost-effective for mass production.	Varies, can be more complex than sugar fermentation.	Can be more expensive due to higher tax rates on spirits.
Production	Requires careful management of yeast nutrients and filtration.	Can leverage existing brewery equipment, but requires more filtration.	Involves dilution of pre-made spirits; often requires a distillery license.
Regulation	Regulated differently than malt beverages in some areas, potentially under FDA rules for labeling.	Regulated as a flavored malt beverage (FMB), subject to federal beer rules.	Taxed and regulated as a spirits-based beverage.

Conclusion: It's Not a One-Size-Fits-All Approach

The term hard seltzer is a broad umbrella that covers a variety of alcoholic beverage production methods. While the most popular brands rely on a fermented cane sugar base for a clean, gluten-free, and cost-effective product, the market also includes options made from malted barley, distilled spirits, and wine. For consumers, understanding these differences is key to making an informed choice based on their dietary needs and flavor preferences. The primary goal across all production methods is to create a neutral alcohol base that allows the carbonation and fruit essences to shine, and that's why the 'type of alcohol' is often so effectively hidden within the final product.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, most hard seltzers are not simply vodka sodas. While a few brands use a vodka base, the majority use a fermented alcohol base derived from cane sugar or malted barley. A vodka soda is a mixed drink, whereas most hard seltzers are made through a brewing or fermenting process.

The gluten content depends entirely on the alcohol base. If the alcohol comes from fermented cane sugar or a distilled spirit like vodka (not derived from gluten grains), the hard seltzer is naturally gluten-free. However, seltzers made with a malted barley base are not gluten-free.

Hard seltzers are generally fermented to produce a neutral flavor, but some brands may still leave a trace of flavor from the base ingredient, especially if a malt base is used. The extensive filtration process typically scrubs these flavors away, but some craft seltzers or flavored malt beverages may have a slight beer-like undertone.

Producers often ferment the alcohol base to a higher-than-final ABV, and then dilute it with water to reach the desired alcohol level. This, combined with advanced filtration methods like carbon filtering, helps ensure the final product has a clean and neutral taste.

The cost of hard seltzer can be influenced by the alcohol base. Using distilled spirits like vodka is often more expensive due to higher taxes and production costs compared to fermenting cane sugar. Brand reputation, ingredients, and marketing also play a significant role in pricing.

Hard seltzers differ from traditional wine coolers in several ways. While some seltzers may use a wine base, most use fermented sugar or malt. Hard seltzers also generally have lower alcohol content, fewer calories, and less sugar than wine coolers, which are sweeter and contain a higher volume of residual sugars.

In the United States, under federal tax and trade regulations, both malt-based and sugar-based hard seltzers produced by breweries are often classified as "beer," though only the malt-based versions are considered "malt beverages". However, consumers may not consider sugar-based seltzers to be a type of malt liquor.