We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. It’s the perfect drink for getting a refreshingly light buzz without the heaviness of a wine or beer. Free tip: Add vodka.Crushability: 4Craveability: 3Creativity: 3Overall: 10Calories: 100Sugar: 2gABV: 5%, Even though people think of hard seltzer as mainly a summer drink, this flavor is primed for all-year-round enjoyment.Crushability: 4Craveability: 3Creativity: 3Overall: 10Calories: 110Sugar: 0gABV: 5%, Wild Basin, which is made by the celebrated craft brewery Oskar Blues, skews toward the more ambitious end of the spectrum when it comes to flavor choices. The 110-calorie offering does not skimp on the Scoville units, mixing fragrant citrus with nose-prickling peppery spice. This is a nicely surprising combo from a beloved craft seltzer brand from Philadelphia.Crushability: 3.5Craveability: 3Creativity: 3Overall: 9.5Calories: 110Sugar: 0gABV: 5.2%, Some of the best hard seltzer flavors come from two different tastes placed in opposition. Upslope also partnered with Boulder sports nutrition company Skratch Labs on an electrolyte-infused series of hard seltzers made with the company’s Hydration Drink Mix. Keep reading DADONG will help you to find out the answer to the best tasting seltzers. This Black Cherry seltzer balances the tartness of a plump cherry with a sprinkle of sweetness, creating a flavorful template that many brands try to replicate. To help you make sense of the effervescent offerings, here are the best hard seltzers to drink right now. White Claw Seltzer is a flavored malt beverage with hard seltzer water, its gluten-free alcohol base, and a hint of fruit flavor. Corona's hard seltzers also contain zero carbs and sugar, and the lively flavors—Mango, Tropical Lime—“are all executed in a way that makes them inoffensive, if not perfectly enjoyable," says Mack. Those trendy alcoholic drinks are likely more vital than ever, and with summer on the horizon, it feels like new versions are coming out all of the time. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. While many of the best hard seltzers function most directly as replacements for vodka drinks or light beers, this flavor has more in common with a whiskey ginger or mule. ), and Creativity (was there something surprising and delightful?). One of the best hard seltzer brands for the more upmarket drinker, Quincy offers a more refined take on the alcoholic sparkling beverage. High Noon is a flavored seltzer blended with vodka—not malt liquor. “ Wild Basin, which Oskar Blues puts out. And while experts say hard seltzer’s appeals to wellness are dubious at best, they’re still a lighter alternative to many cocktails and beers. The great part about hard seltzer is that it has way less sugar than other mixed drinks. There are more brands than ever, from big companies like Smirnoff to craft breweries like Oskar Blues, lining the shelves. These cans are so popular, there have been shortages—it even outsold Budweiser during the 2019 summer season. You can drink rosé hard seltzers all day thanks to this Smirnoff mixed pack. That really gave this brand the cleanest, most refreshing taste that really helped accentuate the fruit flavor. It’s a balance of heat and subtle sweetness, while simultaneously remaining refreshing. Drink slowly and savor (chug at your own peril).Crushability: 3.5Craveability: 3.5Creativity: 2.5Overall: 9.5Calories: 90Sugar: 0gABV: 4.5%. We may earn a commission through links on our site. As mentioned, if you want to go hard in the paint then go Natty Light with its 6% alcohol and cheaper price. Hard seltzer isn't exactly a new concept. Hard seltzers appealed to customers looking for lower-calorie alcoholic beverages that still delivered big flavor and refreshment, one slim 100-calorie can after another. These hard seltzers come in four tasty flavors: Black Cherry, Raspberry Lime, Ruby … SHARES 367; Print Save. They derive their alcohol from a brewed malt (“clear malt”) or brewed sugar base; most of the ones I sampled included the latter. The best hard seltzer for enjoying at a summer BBQ while noshing on burgers, dogs, and potato salad. Among the many mass-market breweries entering the hard seltzer race, Zach Mack, a beer writer and owner of Alphabet City Beer Co. in New York City, finds Corona’s 90-calorie hard seltzer to be the best. Using rice-fermentation over the spiked seltzer method, Quincy has a dry, crisp taste that is refreshing and smooth. If you're tired of drinking vodka cranberries, try some of the offerings from the best rated hard … ), Craveability (how much did I find myself wanting another days later? This gave me major vibes in that department. According to Nielsen, hard seltzer sales at restaurants and bars climbed by a staggering 73% between spring and fall of 2019. Varieties include Blueberry and Acai, and Wild Berry. Then again, you need to feel comfortable with a little bit of foolishness to get on the hard seltzer journalism beat in the first place. No hard seltzers taste as close to the booze-free original as Arctic Chill. This won’t push you too far outside your comfort zone.Crushability: 3Craveability: 2.5Creativity: 3.5Overall: 9Calories: 90Sugar: 0gABV: 4.5%, I’m impressed by how they were able to distill the essence of mango fragrance (raise the can, or better yet a glass, to your nose and you’ll see what I mean). This zesty hard seltzer is a lighter and more refreshing take on your favorite backyard punch bowl, with unique flavors like passion fruit, strawberry kiwi, and classic lemon-lime. The Tasting: The Fifty Best held a "blind" tasting of hard seltzers with ten members of our spirits judging panel. No sugar, no carbs, no sweeteners, no-nonsense, and an utterly delicious taste in Raspberry or Lime. “The flavors are honed in just right and the carbonation is really on point, making them taste more like an earnest effort and less like a company chasing sales figures,” says Mack. One drink that combines our two loves: seltzer and booze. If you’re looking for a flavorful hard seltzer and to limit your carbohydrate intake, “Upslope’s Spiked Snowmelt is hands down the one to beat,” says Fisher. Keep reading for details about all of the recommended hard seltzers! It’s definitely a hard seltzer we felt good about sipping. This seltzer has appealed to both wine and beer drinkers. Their pivot to hard seltzer demonstrates an emerging trend among smaller industry players, with this tropical infusion of flavors best demonstrating how craft ingenuity can elevate a beverage that’s often derided for being too simple. This is, not surprisingly, White Claw's most popular flavor, and as they claim on their site, a great introduction to their line of flavors, all 100 calories and 5% alcohol. It's infused with fresh wonky fruit (which we love), natural spring water and ultra-pure, four-times distilled, ServedPure™ gluten-free spirit. You’re either going to love it or you’re going to hate it. The brand comes in nine flavors so far, and they are sold in two different variety packs. Truly Hard Seltzer, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Pura Still, Bon and Viv Spiked Seltzer, Wild Basin Seltzer, Press Hard Seltzer and Henrys Hard Seltzer are all some of our favorites. However, if you don’t have those components, this will do just fine (but prepare for a little more maltiness than if you were drinking the real thing). This gives “it a very different flavor from the majority of products on the market,” says Kate Levenstien, the CEO and founder of Cannonball Productions, which produces the first nationally touring Seltzerland festivals. Plus, High Noon was the only brand that had testers asking where they could get a pack for themselves. He regularly writes for The New York Times, Men’s Journal, New York magazine, Wine Enthusiast and Imbibe, where he’s a contributing editor in charge of beer coverage. It’s relatively mild in the sweetness department, if that's what you're into.Crushability: 3.5Craveability: 3.5Creativity: 2.5Overall: 9.5Calories: 88Sugar: 0gABV: 4.2%. It’s been over 250 years since the English chemist Joseph Priestley invented seltzer after discovering a method he referred to as “impregnating water with air” (sounds kinda kinky, but go off, Joseph). Strict tasting rules were applied. Heavier on cucumber than melon, and I think that’s to the drink’s benefit. Bernstein is also the author of five books: "Brewed Awakening," "The Complete Beer Course," "Complete IPA," "Homebrew World" and "Drink Better Beer." Crushability: 3.5Craveability: 3.5Creativity: 2.5Overall: 9.5Calories: 100Sugar: 2gABV: 5%, What makes the lime “tropical,” you may be asking? We decided to rank the best hard seltzers using three criteria: Crushability (how easy it is to drink? The 95-calorie, zero-sugar Margarita, Mojito, Paloma, and Piña Colada flavors are “amazing,” says Levenstien. White Claw Hard Seltzer “It’s the only release I’ve had that doesn’t have the dull, aspartame-like, faux-sweet finish that makes my stomach drop a little bit after every sip,” he says. It’s not going to win a medal for style points, but it’s expectedly easy to consume.Crushability: 3.5Craveability: 2.5Creativity: 1.5Overall: 7.5Calories: 100Sugar: 1gABV: 5%. This beverage was one of the first to be introduced and has been labeled a “basic girl” drink, even being made into parodies and memes. Paris well with goat cheese.Crushability: 2Craveability: 3.5Creativity: 3.5Overall: 9Calories: 100Sugar: 0gABV: 5%, One of the most refreshing entries, making it ideal for poolside or beach-blanket summer sipping.Crushability: 3.5Craveability: 3Creativity: 2.5Overall: 9Calories: 90Sugar: 0gABV: 4.5%, Is vodka-cran your go-to, but you’re willing to try something new? “They are delicious and make you feel like you’re at your favorite beach...even if that beach is actually your couch.”. Allegedly there are no laws when it comes to claws. 1. And while we’ve been slugging the fizzy stuff for centuries, only within the last decade did human beings come up with the bright idea to brew carbonated water infused with alcohol. It’s a tried-and-true template that can make it tough to tell hard seltzers apart, a fizzy blur of boozy water flavored with black cherry or grapefruit. Hard Seltzer . The Sanskrit word “maha” means “great,” a fine adjective to describe this hard seltzer that’s made with certified organic ingredients including malted barley, cascara, and fruit juices such as black cherry and raspberry. Among the many mass-market breweries entering the hard seltzer race, Zach Mack, a beer writer and owner of Alphabet City Beer Co. in New York City, finds Corona’s 90-calorie hard seltzer to be the best. It is currently available in six flavors, such as Black Cherry, Ruby Grapefruit, Natural Lime, Raspberry, Mango, and Lime, which mimics a vodka soda. 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