Review: N’Ice Breaker Hard Seltzer
N’Ice Breaker Hard Seltzer was released by Grain Belt in May 2020. Grain Belt Beer dates back to 1890. In 1891 four small breweries merged to become Minneapolis Brewing Company. Grain Belt became the companies flagship brand. In 1967 the brewery’s name was changed to Grain Belt Brewery. At it’s peak in 1969, Grain Belt was the 18th largest brewery in the US. In 1976 they were acquired by G. Heileman, and by 2002 they were acquired by their current owner August Schell. N’Ice Breaker is available in a four flavor 12 can variety pack with 3 cans each of Raspberry, Pineapple Mango, Juniper Lime, and Prickly Pear Guava. Each can is made with purified water, alcohol from cane sugar, and natural flavors. Each 12 ounce slim can weighs in with 100 calories, 5% Alcohol, with 1 carb and 0 sugar. Read more 
Review: Fruit Smash Hard Seltzer
Fruit Smash Hard Seltzer was launched last month by New Belgium Brewing Company. It is available in a 3 flavor 12 can variety pack. The flavors include Berry Blast, Tropical Punch, and Pink Lemonade. Each flavor is made with carbonated water, fermented cane sugar, real fruit juice, and natural flavors. A bike trip through Belgium in 1988 inspired Kim Jordan and Jeff Lebesch to bring Belgium style beer to their hometown of Fort Collins. In March 1991 they started brewing in their basement and by June 1991 they launched Fat Tire and a Belgium style Dubbel they called Abbey. Some of the important New Belgium milestones include becoming a 100% employee owned company December 2012. Opening a second brewery in Asheville North Carolina in 2016. Fat Tire became the first carbon neutral beer brewed in the US, August 2020. Also in 2020 the employees voted to allow Kirin Holdings to acquire the company. At the time New Belgium was the fourth largest craft brewery in the US. Read more
Review: Kirkland Hard Seltzer
Kirkland Hard Seltzer was released at a select group of Costco store locations in September. It has taken until now to reach the Midwest Costco stores. It is sold in a four flavor, 24 can variety pack for $17.99. This is about the same price the big boys, White Claw and Truly sell their 12 can variety packs. The four flavors included are Grapefruit, Black Cherry, Lime, and Mango. It is produced by Patco Brands in Hood River Oregon. Patco also makes Mystic Reef Hard Seltzer for Target, and Ranch Water Blue Agave Hard Seltzer. It is a little curious that Kirkland and Mystic Reef share the same four flavors. Like most hard seltzer brands Kirkland Hard Seltzer is made with purified carbonated water, alcohol, cane sugar, and natural flavors. Each 12 oz. can weighs in with 100 calories 5% Alcohol, with 2 Carbs and 2 grams of Sugar. Read more
Review: Topo Chico Hard Seltzer
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer has arrived. For those unfamiliar with the Topo Chico brand it is a wildly popular mineral water sourced from a limestone spring under Cerro del Topo Chico, a mountain near Monterrey Mexico. It has been bottled and sold since 1895. In 2017 Coca Cola acquired the brand and expanded distribution throughout the US. In September 2020 Coco Cola announced they were working with Molson-Coors to manufacture, market, and distribute Topo Chico Hard seltzer. The brand was first released in Mexico and Brazil and it was recently introduced in Europe. In the US the four flavor 12 can variety pack includes three cans each of Strawberry Guava, Tropical Mango, Exotic Pineapple, and Tangy Lemon Lime. In Europe Strawberry Guava is replaced with Cherry Acai. Like the traditional hard seltzer brands Topo Chico is made from purified carbonated water and a cane sugar alcohol base. Natural flavors are added. Unlike other hard seltzer brands, minerals are added to align with the Topo Chico palate profile. Initial distribution is limited to Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Boston, Cape Cod, Chicago, NYC, N Jersey, Seattle, and DC. Read more
Review: AriZona Sun Rise Hard Seltzer
AriZona Sun Rise Hard Seltzer was recently released. Here is where things get a little confusing. It is not produced in Arizona but rather Warsaw Poland. It is made in partnership with Heineken USA and Hornell Brewing Company an affiliated entity of Arizona Beverages. Finally it is brewed and canned by Krynica Vitamin. AriZona Beverages is Americas number one selling Iced Tea brand, outselling both Lipton and Snapple brands. Had there not been a legal battle between the brands two founders, Hard Iced Tea may have been their first adult beverage. The company was founded in 1992. By pricing their 24 oz. can of Arizona Iced Tea at the same price as Snapple’s 16 oz. bottle, they took the market by storm. That price in 1992 was 99 cents. That price today is still 99 cents. It’s curious that this time around they are selling their hard seltzer in a smaller 11.5 oz. can compared to the 12 oz. industry norm. I’m sure this has more to do with the county producing their seltzer than any specific marketing plan. AriZona Sun Rise Hard Seltzer is made from a sugar alcohol base, carbonated water, and honey. Additional ingredients are flavor specific. Read more
Review: Truly Citrus Squeeze Hard Seltzer
Last month with little fanfare Boston Beer Company replaced Truly Orange with Truly Citrus Squeeze in their 12 can Citrus Mix Variety pack. The slim 12 oz. can was designed by artist Gemma O’Brien. Also new is a number designation on the can. Truly Citrus Squeeze is NO. 017. I don’t know which flavors are included in this numbering system, but when I do I will update the post. Citrus Squeezed is described as an explosion of orange, lime, and grapefruit. 2021 has already been a busy year for Truly as they launched their Truly Iced Tea Hard Seltzer variety pack, Truly Extra Black Raspberry, and Truly Extra Peach Mango Hard Seltzer. Read more
Review: White Claw Variety Pack 3
Mark Anthony Brands just releasing a third White Claw Variety Pack. While I knew it was coming I didn’t expect it before April. This pack includes three new flavors Pineapple, Strawberry, and Blackberry. Mango currently found in White Claw Variety Pack 2 is also included. What’s up with that. Couldn’t they come up with a fourth new flavor? The hard seltzer market grew 160% in 2020 with sales topping $4.1 billion. I wish my 401K grew that fast in 2020. While White Claws overall market share dropped from an estimated 58% in 2019 to 50% in 2020, they still sold over $2 Billion of product. In 2018 there were 10 hard seltzer brands, growing to 26 in 2019. By the end of 2020 there were about 70 brands so it’s amazing to me they still command such a large market share. To prove they are not happy with just growing sales in 2021, but also maintaining or growing market share in a market that will soon include 100 brands, Mark Anthony has already released Mikes Hard Lemonade Seltzer, and White Claw Hard Seltzer Iced Tea in 2021. Each flavor of White Claw is made with purified carbonated water, sugar cane alcohol, natural flavors and product specific natural juice concentrate. Read more
Review: Vive Hard Seltzer Tailgate Variety Pack
Vive Hard Seltzer Tailgate Variety Pack was released August 2019. It was the second 12 can variety pack of hard seltzer crafted by Braxton Brewing Company in Covington Kentucky. Their first was launched early 2019. They have since created two seasonal seltzers Pumpkin, and Cinnamon Apple and they just released a third 12 can variety pack with Fruit punch flavors. The Vive Brewing Company also brews 4 year round beers including Storm Golden Cream Ale, Garage Beer Premium Lager, Tropical Flare New England IPA, and Revamp India Pale Ale. The also craft 2 dozen seasonal and specialty beers and two hard ciders. Vive Hard Seltzer is made from pure Kentucky artisan water, alcohol from fermented dextrose, natural cane sugar, natural fruit flavor and natural juice concentrate. Each can weighs in at 5% alcohol with 100 calories, 2 Carbs and 2 grams of sugar. Vive Hard Seltzer is currently available in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Indiana. Read more
Review: Vizzy Lemonade Hard Seltzer
Molson-Coors just released Vizzy Lemonade Hard Seltzer. This is the third national release of a lemonade hard seltzer 12 can variety pack so far in 2021. Wachusett Brewing Company in Westminster MA. also released Country Hard Seltzer, in a 4 flavor hard lemonade seltzer 12 can variety pack. All of this follows the 2020 release of Truly Hard Seltzer Lemonade that quickly captured a 10% market share of the hard seltzer market. Like the other brands, Vizzy Lemonade Hard Seltzer is made from a cane sugar alcohol base with natural flavors and stevia. All except Bud Light contain lemon juice concentrate. What sets Vizzy Lemonade apart is the addition of agave, and dried acerola cherry juice. Vizzy also contains antioxidants and 19 MG of vitamin C. Read more
Review: Corona Hard Seltzer Variety 2
Corona Hard Seltzer just released their second 4 flavor 12 can variety pack. They released their first a year ago and within a few months Corona had already become the fourth best selling hard seltzer brand on the market, trailing only White Claw, Truly, and Bud Light Hard Seltzer. If you thought the hard seltzer market was getting crowded you haven’t seen anything yet. This is one of five large National hard seltzer brands to release a new hard seltzer 12 can variety pack this month. Corona Hard Seltzer is made with carbonated water, alcohol from cane sugar, natural flavors and citric acid. Each can weighs in with 90 calories 4.5% alcohol, 0 Carbs, and 0 Sugar. Read more