Review: Henrys Hard Cherry Cola
Henrys Hard Cherry Cola was just introduced. This is the third hard soda produced by Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company, a division of Miller-Coors in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Henrys is named for Henry Weinhard who left Germany in 1856. By 1862 he purchased the Liberty Brewery in Portland Oregon. After merging with the Portland Brewing Company in 1928 the name was changed to Blitz-Weinhard. The brewery survived Prohibition by producing soda, syrup, and NA beer. Today four of those premium sodas, Henrys Weinhard Root Beer, Orange Cream, Vanilla Cream and Black Cherry Cream are still produced. Henrys Hard Cherry Cola is a malt beverage made with cane sugar and natural flavors. It is sold in 6 packs of 12 ounce bottles and 4 packs of 16 ounce cans. Read more 
Best Tasting Hard Soda Part 1 Hard Root Beer
Sugar, Cold Water, Root Beer Extract, and Dry Ice. That’s all that’s needed to create a decent tasting home made root beer. The recipe can be found on the internet. Made with your dad the day of a family party makes it taste even better. Tim Kovacs at the suggestion of his son Jake spent 18 months perfecting first a 19.5%, and then a 10.7% hard root beer. By November 2012 Not Your Fathers Root Beer was also being brewed at 5.9%. Unable to keep up with demand, production and bottling was moved to the City Brewing Company in Lacrosse Wisconsin in late 2014. Six months later Not Your Fathers Root Beer was available nationwide and the Hard Soda revolution was well underway. By some reports six packs of Not Your Fathers Root Beer are now the number one selling craft brew sku. Other reports estimate hard soda sales now account for over 1% of total beer sales in the US. Samuel Adams, Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Seagrams, and several regional breweries have entered the hard soda market. As a lifelong soda drinker, and someone who has reviewed 41 hard soda varieties, I’m prepared to give you my opinion on which Hard Soda’s pop and which Hard Soda’s fizzle. Read more
Review: Not Your Fathers Root Beer 10.7%
Not Your Father Root Beer 10.7% is one of three hard root beers originally created at the Small Town Brewery in Wauconda Illinois. The others include a 5.9% and an eye popping 19.5%. While their 5.9 version is the undisputed king of Hard Root Beer, their 10.7 was introduced a year earlier. Their 10.7% is currently only available on draft and in 22 oz. bottles. While the ingredient list is a closely guarded secret, early inteviews claimed cinnamon, wintergreen, anise, Madagascar Vanilla, and Tupulo honey were included. Read more
Review: Mikes Harder Orange Soda
Mikes Harder Orange Soda was just released. I never questioned whether or not Mikes would enter the hard soda market, but I am a little surprised they entered with their Harder Line. Mikes Hard Lemonade was first introduced in the US in 1999 and they currently list 15 flavors of Mikes on their website. Mikes Harder line currently consist of 8 flavors including Tigers Blood, their Watermelon, Strawberry, N Coconut flavor. Mikes is a premium malt beverage with natural flavors and certified color added. Their Harder product line is the same except instead of the 5% alcohol Mikes is bottled at, Mikes Harder is canned at 8%. Packaging is another difference Mikes is bottled and sold in six packs, Mikes Harder, is sold in individual 23.5 oz. cans. At some point the only difference between calling a product a Hard Soda’s or a flavored malt beverages like Mikes, Seagram’s Escapes, and Smirnoff Ice, is marketing. Speaking of marketing, the tag line for Mike’s Harder says everything you need to know about their target market. It reads, if one Harder lasts more than 4 hours, call a doctor. Read more
Review: Fitz’s Hard Root Beer
Fitz’s Hard Root Beer was just released. It is the result of a collaboration between the O’Fallon Brewery and the Fitz’s Bottling Company. The O’Fallon Brewery was founded in 2000. Fitz’s Root Beer first appeared in St Louis at a local drive-in in 1947. After disappearing for several years Fitz’s Root Beer was brought back in 1993 with the original recipe. Fitz’s Hard Root Beer is blended and bottled at O’Fallon’s new 40,000 square foot Maryland Heights Missouri Brewery. The beer is brewed with malted barley, caramel malt, hops, and yeast. During the final stage of brewing a special blend of Fitz’s Root Beer made with pure cane sugar, sassafras roots, vanilla, and a spice blend is added to capture Fitz’s distinct and creamy flavor. Read more
Review: Sprecher Hard Orange Cream
Sprecher Hard Orange Cream is one of three new hard soda flavors just released by the Sprecher Brewery in Milwaukee Wisconsin. While Root Beer is by far the best selling hard soda flavor, you may be surprised when I tell you there are at least five different Orange Cream Hard Soda brands on the market today. Besides Root Beer no other flavor has more. For the record that includes Hard Ginger Ale. I don’t consider Ginger Beer a hard soda. Sprecher also crafts 14 zero alcohol sodas including their Orange Dream flavor. Orange Dream is made with natural orange flavors, honey, and vanilla. On the bottle Sprechers Hard Orange Cream lists malt beverage, natural and artificial flavors as their ingredients. Read more
Review: McAles Hard Root Beer
McAles Hard Root Beer is one of four hard soda flavors produced by McAles Brewing Company in Los Angeles California. It is contract brewed in Lacrosse Wisconsin by United Brands Company. The other flavors include Ginger Ale, Cola, and Orange N Cream. This is one of 14 hard root beer brands I am aware of. McAles Hard Root Beer is a malt beverage with vanilla bean extract and real spice barks and caramel color added. Read more
Review: Sprecher Hard Cola
Sprecher Hard Cola is one of three new hard soda flavors just released by Sprecher Brewery. They list six flavors in their hard soda category, including Root Beer, Cherry Cola, Orange Cream, Ginger Beer, and Apple Pie. They also craft 14 zero alcohol sodas including a Puma Kola. The Puma Kola is made with kola extract, real vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, and pure honey. Sprecher Hard Cola is described as a malt beverage with natural flavors. Read more
Review: McAles Hard Orange N Cream Soda
McAles Hard Orange N Cream Soda is one of four hard soda flavors produced by McAles Brewing Company in Los Angeles California. It is contract brewed in Lacrosse Wisconsin by United Brands Company. While Root Beer is the undisputed hard soda leader with at least 13 brands, this is the fourth Hard Orange Cream Soda Brand I’ve reviewed. A fifth is coming next week. McAles Hard Orange N Cream Soda is brewed using natural citric ornge and cream flavors and natural vanilla extract. It is sold in individual 23.5 oz. cans and 4 packs of 16 oz. cans. Read more
Review: Sprecher Hard Cherry Cola
Sprecher Hard Cherry Cola is one of three new hard soda flavors just released by the Sprecher Brewery. The Sprecher Brewery was build by Randall Sprecher in 1985. It was Milwaukee’s first craft brewery since prohibition. While several of the other hard soda breweries produced soft drinks during prohibition, Sprecher has a more recent history. They currently produce several craft sodas including a Cherry Cola flavor. Their Cherry Cola soft drink is made with Door County Cherry Juice, raw honey, the finest cola extract, and a handful of spices. Their Hard Cherry Cola is described as a malt beverage with natural flavors. Read more