Review: Karbach Brewing Ranch Water Hard Seltzer
Karbach Brewing Company launched their Ranch Water Hard Seltzer January 2021 in Texas. They have since expanded distribution. The Karbach Brewing Company was founded in 2011 by Eric Warner, the former Brewmaster and CEO of Flying Dog, and industry veterans Chuck Robertson, and Ken Goodman. The brewery was named for its location on Karbach Street in Houston’s Spring Branch neighborhood. They were acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2016. The brewery crafts 11 year round beers including Hopadilla IPA, Rodeo Clown IPA, Clutch City Lager, Love Street Blonde, Crawford Bock, Love Street Light along with several seasonal beers. Karbach Ranch Water is available in a four flavor 12 can variety pack with 3 cans each of Meyer Lemon, Original Lime, Prickly Pear, and Watermelon. They also craft Grapefruit and Spicy Mango Ranch Water which is sold in individual six packs. All of the flavors weigh in with 90 calories, 4.5% alcohol, and 2 carbs. They all are made from a purified water and cold fermented cane sugar base. Natural flavors, lime juice from concentrate, monk fruit extract, agave nectar, citric acid, and malted rice. Monk fruit extract is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar. Malted rice is an ingredient used in all of the A-B owned hard seltzers, and I have not yet found malted rice in any non A-B hard seltzer brand.
Karbach Original Lime Ranch Water: The aroma leads with fresh sliced lime and agave. The sweetened lime entry is joined by agave building to a foamy seltzer peak. It fades with creamy seltzer, agave, and lime juice taste. The malted rice gives this a nice thick and creamy finish with whipped cream and sour lime taste.
Grade: B+
Karbach Meyer Lemon Ranch Water: The aroma leads with lime and agave. Additional time brings out orange and lemon notes. The sweetened orange and lime entry is joined by agave and lemon building to a Meyer lemon peak. It fades with creamy seltzer and and finishes with sour orange and lemon cream pie. The finish leaves foamy seltzer, agave, lemon, malted rice, and orange zest taste.
Grade: B+
Karbach Watermelon Ranch Water: The aroma leads with sliced watermelon. Additional time brings out lime and agave. The watermelon entry is joined by agave building to a sweetened watermelon and tangy lime peak. It fades with foamy seltzer and finishes with watermelon sorbet, malted rice, agave nectar, and lime juice.
Grade: B+
Karbach Prickly Pear Ranch Water: The aroma leads with dandelion and raspberry. The sweet raspberry gummy and watermelon bubblegum entry is joined by agave building to a taste prickly pear peak. It fades with lime juice and foamy soda water finishing with strawberries and cream, raspberry custard, lime juice and prickly pear taste.
Grade: A-
The Bottom Line: In my opinion the malted rice A-B uses with all of their hard seltzers is a winning formula. Instead of a carbon seltzer finish I get a creamy foamy soda water taste. The flavors are all a little sweetened, but far less than the stevia leaf sweetened hard seltzers on the market today. All four Karbach Ranch Water Hard Seltzers reviewed here are very drinkable, and repeatable
Made in Houston Texas and Los Angeles
90 Calories
4.5% Alcohol
2 Carbs
0 Sugar