Review: Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer Classic Collection
Michelob Ultra just released their second variety pack of hard seltzer. They released their Signature Collection two months ago. They are calling this 12 pack, Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer Classic Collection. Each 12 pack contains three cans of Mixed Berry, Citrus, Mango Apricot, and their newest addition Black Cherry. Like the previously released Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer Signature Collection each flavor is made from a cold fermented cane sugar alcohol base, purified water, organic natural flavors, and organic malted rice. New to each flavor variety in this pack is the addition of organic white grape juice from concentrate. This addition results in each flavor weighing in with 90 calories instead of 80 and 2 carbs compared to 0. This review was updated 12-5-21 to include the recently added Black Cherry flavor. I also updated the Classic Collection 12 pack image. Read more 
Review: Vizzy Hard Seltzer Variety Pack 2
Vizzy Hard Seltzer Variety Pack 2 was just released. Vizzy is currently the fifth best selling hard seltzer brand, trailing only White Claw, Truly, Bud Light, and Corona. With a second variety pack and Vizzy Lemonade Hard Seltzer coming soon, parent Molson-Coors has designs on improving that position. Vizzy is only one of the brands produced by Molson-Coors. Coors Hard Seltzer and the soon to be launched Topo Chico Hard Seltzer are part of their hard seltzer portfolio. Like most hard seltzers Vizzy is made from a cane sugar alcohol base. Unlike other hard seltzers Vizzy is made with dried acerola cherry juice an antioxidant rich super fruit with 30 times more vitamin C than an orange. Each 12 oz. can contains 17 mg of vitamin C, 20% of the recommend daily dose. Simple math tells me 5 cans of Vizzy = 100%. Read more
Review: SweetWater Oasis Hard Seltzer
SweetWater Oasis Hard Seltzer was recently launched. It is made in Atlanta Georgia. SweetWater Brewing Company had previously released Hydroponics Seltzer, a terpene infuse hard seltzer January 2020. Sweetwater Brewing Company was founded by University of Colorado roommates Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney in 1998. The brewery is named for SweetWater Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochie River. The brewery crafts several year round beers including H.A.Z.Y. IPA, 420 Extra Pale Ale, IPA, Blue, Goin Coastal IPA, and Guide Beer. They also brew a couple dozen specialty and seasonal beers. In 2020 SweetWater Brewery was acquired by Aphria, a leading cannabis company based in Canada for $300 million. SweetWater Oasis Hard Seltzer is made from water, alcohol from cane sugar, organic pomegranate powder, potassium bicarbonate, natural flavors, carbon dioxide, and ascorbic acid and contains electrolytes, antioxidants, and Vitamin C. On paper I would compare this to Molson-Coors Vizzy brand which is also made with antioxidants and vitamin C. They even share two flavor combinations. SweetWater Oasis is currently available in four flavor, 12 can variety packs. Each 12 ounce can weighs in with 100 calories, 1 Carb, 1 Sugar gram, and 5% alcohol. Read more
Review: Endless Summer Hard Seltzer
Endless Summer Hard Seltzer is produced by Karl Strauss Brewing Company in San Diego California. Chris Cramer and Matt Rattner two college buddies inspired by a brewpub Chris came upon while backpacking in Australia, with the help of Chris’s cousin Master Brewer Karl M Strauss opened Karl Strauss Brewing Company in downtown San Diego February 1989. In 2019 alone they brewed more than 140 different beers. ES Hard Seltzer is named for Endless Summer, a Bruce Brown film, that follows surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August on a surfing trip around the world. The films title comes from the idea that if one had enough time and money it would be possible to follow summer up and down the globe. Endless Summer Hard Seltzer is made with purified carbonated water, alcohol from cane sugar natural fruit flavors, citric acid, and sodium citrate. It is currently available in four flavors POG, (Passion Fruit, Orange, & Guava), Black Cherry, Key Lime, and Raspberry. Each flavor weighs in with 100 calories, 1 carb, 5% alcohol, and 0 sugar. Read more
Review: Sparkling Ice Spiked Hard Seltzer
Sparkling Ice Spiked Hard Seltzer was released August 2020 in select markets including Tampa, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Buffalo, Seattle, Portland Oregon, and Southern California. It is now starting to rollout Nationwide. It is available in four flavors, Lemonade Refresher, Ruby Fizz, Strawberry Citrus Smash, and Cherry Lime Chiller. Sparkling Ice Spiked is part of the Talking Rain Company. Founded in 1987 by Pete Hiskin and John Stevens. The two found a group of investors and soon sold the brand to them. Success did not happen overnight but their Sparkling Ice brand is now the best selling sparkling water brand in the US, ahead of both the La Croix and Pepsi’s Bubly brand. While Sparkling Ice is made with 1% juice, flavors from natural sources, vitamins and antioxidants, Sparkling Ice Spiked Hard Seltzer’s listed ingredients include carbonated water, alcohol from cane sugar, natural flavors, citric acid, tripotassium, and sucralose. Sucralose is best known as Splenda. Weighing in with 80 calories and 4% alcohol, Sparkling Ice Spiked is the lightest hard seltzer on the market today. Read more
Review: Blind Lemon Hard Seltzer Variety Pack
Deep Ellum Brewing Company just released their Blind Lemon Hard Seltzer Variety Pack. Deep Ellum was the first craft brewery in Dallas when it opened in 2011. Deep Ellum is now the third largest independent craft brewery in Texas. It is located in Deep Ellum, a Dallas neighborhood that was established in 1873 as a commercial and manufacturing district for Black and European Immigrants. Deep Ellum currently produces 8 year round beers including Easy Peasy IPA, Deep Ellum IPA, Manic Confidence, Dallas Blonde, DTX Golden Ale, Neato Bandito, Dream Crusher, and Playdate Sour. Blind Lemon Hard Seltzer is named for Blues legend Lemon Jefferson who began his career in the 1920’s playing guitar and singing in the streets of the Deep Ellum neighborhood. He was known for his unusual vocal range and loud volume. The Blind Lemon Variety pack comes with 3 cans each of Blind Lemon, Blind Lime, Blind Berry, and Blind Peach Hard Seltzer. Each is made with water, alcohol from cane sugar, natural flavors, cane sugar, citric acid, and carbon dioxide. These 12 packs are now available in Texas and Oklahoma with limited distribution rolling out in the Northeast in March. Deep Ellum promises a Hard Seltzer that doesn’t suck. Read more
Review: Seagrams Hard Seltzer
Seagram Beverage Company just released Seagrams Hard Seltzer. This should not be confused with Seagrams Escapes, a line of malt beverages they launched in 1985. Both brands are currently part of FIFCO USA. The FIFCO Brand portfolio currently consist of Labatts USA, Genesee Brewing, Magic Hat Brewing, Pyramid Brewing, Portland Brewing, Imperial, and Hemptails. At one time Seagram was a titan in the spirit world. After founding the Waterloo Distillery in Waterloo Canada in 1857 Seagrams became the worlds largest spirit company by 1988. Cash rich they even ended up owning about 25% of DuPont Chemical. Everything was looking great for Seagrams until Chairman and CEO Edgar Bonfman died in 1994 leaving his son Edgar Bronfman Jr to run the company. Within one year Edgar son their share of DuPont for $9 billion and invested in MCA and Universal Pictures. Five years later their entire empire crumbled under debt and mismanagement. They sold their entertainment division to Vivendi and their spirits divisions was split up and pieces were sold to Pernod Richard and Diageo. Seagrams Hard Seltzer is available in a 12 can 4 flavor variety pack. Those flavors are Mango Peach, Tropical Pineapple, Mixed Berry, and Watermelon Lime. Each 12 oz. can weighs in with 5% alcohol, 100 calories, 2 carbs, and 1 cane sugar gram. While most hard seltzers are made from a cane sugar or dextrose alcohol base, Seagrams describes their hard seltzer as a malt beverage with natural flavors. Read more
Review: Kona Spiked Island Seltzer
Kona Spiked Island Seltzer was released March 28, 2020 and is available in a four flavor 12 can variety pack. Those flavors include Tropical Punch, Starfruit Lime, Strawberry Guava, and “POG”, Passionfruit Orange Guava. After shoveling the 11 inches of snow that fell yesterday on my homes driveway, I only wish I was sampling this at their brewpub in Kailua-Kona or Hawaii Kai. Kona Spiked Island Seltzer is made by Kona Brewing Company, one of eight breweries that make up Craft Brew Alliance. The others include Redhook, Widmer, Omission, Wynwood Brewing Company, Cisco Brewers, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, and Square Mile Cider Co. Kona Brewing Company was originally founded by Cameron Healy and his son Spoon Khalsa in 1994. Craft Beer Alliance acquired Kona Brewing Company October 2010, and Anheuser Busch acquired CBA in 2019. Because of this relationship Kona brews their beer and Spiked Island Seltzer at their flagship brewery in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island and at Widmer Brothers Brewery in Portland Oregon, and Redhook Ale Brewery in Portsmouth New Hampshire. The ingredients are identical at each location and minerals are added to mimic the fresh water available in Hawaii. Each can of Kona Spiked Island Seltzer is made with carbonated filtered water, alcohol from organic cane sugar, and natural flavors, and each 12 oz. can weighs in with 5% alcohol, 100 calories, 0 Sugar, and 2 Carbs. Read more
Review: Mikes Hard Lemonade Seltzer
Mikes Hard Lemonade Seltzer was just released. This should not be confused with Mikes Hard Lemonade. Mikes Hard Lemonade was originally introduced in Canada in 1997. At that time it was spiked with vodka. When it was released in the US in 1999 the vodka was replaced with malt liquor. Mark Anthony Brands is not only the parent company of Mikes Hard, but also White Claw. Mikes Hard Lemonade Seltzer is made with purified water, natural flavors, cane sugar, concentrated lemon juice, sodium citrate, and stevia leaf extract. Each 12 oz. can weighs in with 100 calories, 1 carb and 1 sugar gram. By comparison an 11.2 oz. can of Mikes Hard Lemonade has 220 calories, 33 carbs and 32 sugar grams. Read more
Review: Blind Lemon Hard Seltzer
Blind Lemon Hard Seltzer was released October 2019 and is crafted by Deep Ellum Brewing Company. They have since released Blind Lime, Blind Berry, and Blind Peach Hard Seltzer but they have yet to reach our market. Each of these flavors start with the same alcohol base as the Original Blind Lemon Hard Seltzer. Blind Lemon is named for Blues legend Blind Lemon Jefferson who began his career in the 1920’s playing guitar and singing on the streets of the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas. He went on to become one of the best selling Blues artists in American history. Deep Ellum was the first craft brewery in Dallas when it opened it’s doors in 2011. They currently brew 8 year round and several seasonal beers. Blind Lemon is made with water, alcohol from cane sugar, natural flavors, cane sugar, citric acid, and carbon dioxide. While no exact totals are giving Deep Ellum does claim “A sh#% ton of lemons were harmed in the making” of Blind Lemon. Read more