Review: Topo Chico Spirited
Topo Chico Spirited was just released. It is currently available in 3 varieties and sold in individual flavor four packs. Each 12 ounce can is made with real ingredients including tequila, vodka and real fruit juice. Inspired by Topo Chico Cocktails and weighing in with 5.9% alcohol these cocktails include Ranch Water, Tequila & Lime, Paloma, Tequila & Grapefruit, and a Chilton cocktail, Vodka & Lemon. Read more 
Review: Onda Tequila Seltzer Tropical Collection
Onda Tequila Seltzer Tropical Collection is the third, four flavor 8 can mix pack of tequila seltzers produced by Onda. The others include their Paradise and Classic Collection. Onda was launched July 2020 by Noah Gray, Max Dworin, Kelli Adams, and Shay Mitchell. Onda translates to wave or good bye. June 2022 they received a $12.5 million growth investment from a group of heavyweights including Aria Growth Partners, 25Madison, Revolve, and Clayton Christopher the Founder of Sweet Leaf tea, and Co-Founder of Deep Eddy Vodka. Along the way the formula has also changed. The alcohol content has been reduced from 5% to 4.5%, and Onda has moved their canning line from Mexico to Pennsylvania. Onda is made from a blanco tequila base with carbonated water, natural flavors, and real juice. The previous flavors all included lime juice and flavor specific juice. These new flavors appear to follow the same formula. Read more
Review: Quirk Whip Mix Pack
Quirk Whip Mix Pack was recently released. It joins the Quirk Berry Botanical, Tropical Breeze, and Splash of Citrus Mix packs. Quirk also sells Quirk Rocket Pop and Quirk Cranberry Apple Cinnamon hard seltzers in individual flavor packs. Quirk is produced by Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City Missouri. John McDonald an art school graduate and former carpenter Founded Boulevard and started brewing beer in an old brick building that once housed the laundry for the Sante Fe Railroad. In November of 1989 the first keg of Boulevard Pale Ale was ready. Today Boulevard Brewing Company is the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. Each 12 ounce can of Quirk is made from a sugar alcohol base, with carbonated water, real fruit juice, natural flavors, and citric acid. Absent from the list is stevia. Read more
Review: 4 Hands Fresh Produce Seltzer
4 Hands Fresh Produce is a hard seltzer crafted in collaboration with Fresh Produce. Fresh Produce was established in 2010. They produce a monthly Beat Battle hosted at Sophie’s Artist Lounge in St Louis. Producers are invited to showcase their freshest beats and hottest tracks while competing for fame and fortune. A quick glance at the 4 Hands website shows their lineup includes 10 core beers, 17 seasonal beers, 5 limited release beers and 17 hard seltzers. 3 of the hard seltzers are available year round, the others are seasonal or collaborative. Fresh Produce is described as a blend of white grape and kiwi. 4 Hands seltzers are sold in 4 packs of 16 ounce cans. Read more
Review: Simply Spiked Peach
Simply Spiked Peach was just released. It is sold in a 4 flavor 12 can variety pack and also in individual 24 ounce cans. Last year Molson Coors and Coca-Cola partnered to release Simply Spiked Lemonade. The history of the Simply Orange brand dates back to 2001 when Minute Maid launched Simply Orange made from 100% orange juice not from concentrate. Minute Maid had been acquired by Coca-Cola in 1980. Simply Orange is currently the second best selling brand of orange juice in the US. In 2006 they launch Simply Lemonade and in 2017 Simply Peach. Each 12 ounce slim can is made with 5% real juice, first squeezed then concentrated and weights in with 5% alcohol and 170 calories. Simply Spiked Signature Peach is made with carbonated water, alcohol, cane sugar, peach juice from concentrate, apple juice from concentrate, natural flavor, and stevia. The other three flavors are made the same way with the addition of either Mango, Strawberry, or Kiwi juice from concentrate. Read more
Review: Mighty Swell Techniflavor Pack
The Mighty Swell Techniflavor Pack was just released. This is the fourth 4 flavor 12 can variety pack currently sold by Austin Texas based Mighty Swell. The Mighty Swell brand was launched in 2016 by Sean Cusack, David Barnes, and Clayton Christopher. Combined, the trio, Founded or Co-Founded Deep Eddy Vodka, Treaty Oak Distilling, Sweet Leaf Tea, and Waterloo Water. Mighty Swell is made from a cane sugar alcohol base, with purified carbonated water, 2.5% grape juice from concentrate, and natural flavors. Read more
Review: Sunny D Vodka Seltzer
Sunny D Vodka Seltzer was just released. If you have never tasted Sunny D before, I’m sure your kids have. Think of it as an orange flavored juice box sold in plastic bottles. Sunny Delight was positioned as a healthier alternative to sugary juice boxes and pouches. Each individual bottle contained real juice and 100% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. Sunny Delight was developed in 1963 in Mount Dora Florida. Over the years they have changed owners, their name, ingredients, and flavor varieties. One of the formula changes happened after a 4 year old girl in England’s skin turned orange. It was determined this was caused by the beta carotene in the Sunny Delight and her daily diet of drinking 1.5 liters. After sales plunged the formula was changed and the name was rebranded to Sunny D. Artificial sweeteners were later added to reduce sugar and calorie count. Sunny D currently produces a dozen flavor varieties. If all goes well I’d expect to see a Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Mix pack soon. Read more
Review: Cantina Margarita Hard Seltzer
Cantina Margarita Hard Seltzer was just released. It is produced by Canteen Spirits the makers of Canteen Vodka Soda, Canteen Gin Spritz, and Cantina Tequila Soda, at a 60,000 square foot facility in Austin Texas. CEO and Co-Founder Brandon Cason launched Canteen in 2019 after a successful career as VP of Marketing at Deep Eddy Vodka and co-founding Waterloo Sparkling Water. Cantina Margarita is available in a 3 flavor mix pack and is currently sold throughout Texas. Additional distribution will follow. Each 12 ounce can weighs in with 110 calories and 6% alcohol and only 1 gram of sugar. While Canteen Vodka Soda, Canteen Gin Spritz and Cantina Tequila Soda all are spirit based, Cantina Margarita is more of a traditional hard seltzer. It is made from a fermented sugar alcohol base like White Claw and Truly with purified carbonated water, natural flavors, a sweetener blend, and agave syrup. Read more
Review: High Noon Tequila Seltzer
High Noon Tequila Seltzer was just launched. It is made with Real Fruit Juice, Real Blanco Tequila, sparkling water, and natural flavors. The tequila is sourced from Destileria Leyros. This distillery crafts tequila for 28 brands including one of my favorites, Casa Dragones. High Noon Tequila Seltzer is available in a 4 flavor 8 can mix pack. The four featured flavors are Lime, Strawberry, Grapefruit, and Passion Fruit. After selling 500,000 cases of the vodka based High Noon in 2019, they sold 16.4 million cases in 2022, including an 85% increase last year alone. With hard seltzer brand leaders White Claw and Truly both launching vodka seltzers it will be hard for High Noon to continue growing at this pace. That is unless they introduce a Tequila Seltzer. Read more
Review: White Claw Vodka + Soda
White Claw Vodka + Soda was just released. White Claw still dominates the hard seltzer market, but the hard seltzer market shrunk 17% in 2022. Vodka seltzer brand leader High Noon doubled their sales in 2022, selling over 16 million cases. Truly got the message, and Truly Vodka Seltzer was introduced October 2022. Now its White Claw’s turn. Mark Anthony Brands launched White Claw Vodka last month and the vodka, made from 100% American Corn, is distilled 5 times and filtered 3 times using pressure equal to a 30 foot wave. This is the vodka base for White Claw Vodka + Soda. Real Fruit Juice, natural flavors and sparkling water are blended with the vodka. Each 12 ounce slim can weighs in with 4.5% alcohol, 100 calories, and 2 carbs. White Claw Vodka + Soda is sold in individual flavor 4 packs and a 4 flavor 8 can variety pack. Read more