White Claw Hard Seltzer

Lore & Background

White Claw was created by Mark Anthony Group, run by Vancouverite Anthony von Mandl and also known for producing Mike's Hard Lemonade. The beverage is made from a blend of seltzer water, a gluten-free malted alcohol base, and fruit flavor. The alcohol base, termed 'beer base' in customs rulings, is composed of 51% sugar, smaller amounts of yeast and nutrients, water, and trace amounts of 'malted gluten-free grains'; the exact recipe and methods are trade secrets. In 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection sought to re-classify White Claw in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, previously classified as 'beer' (to which no tariffs apply), arguing it belonged to 'other fermented beverages' (to which tariffs do apply), citing that it 'does not have the taste, aroma, character or appearance of beer' and 'is not named beer, and importantly, is not sold or marketed as beer'. The reclassification was made final on June 2, 2021, and took effect on August 1, 2021. White Claw entered the Canadian market in 2020 with limited flavours, later expanding offerings; the Canadian version is made with vodka rather than a beer base.

Reader's Guide

White Claw Hard Seltzer's significance lies in its role as a dominant force in the hard seltzer category, which saw triple-digit annual sales growth from 2016 to 2020. In 2019, it was the top-selling hard seltzer in the United States with 60 percent of the category market, and its surge in popularity led to a national shortage. The brand's growth was fueled by viral social media videos, including a YouTube comedian's video that coined the slogan 'Ain't no laws when you're drinking Claws,' which gained 4.2 million views. In July 2020, White Claw recorded a 246.7% increase in sales compared to summer 2019. Identifying a shift in drinking trends among Gen Z and Millennial groups toward more sober socials, White Claw released non-alcoholic seltzers with 0% alcohol in December 2023, stating the products would have the taste customers have come to enjoy while maintaining the sophistication of an alcoholic beverage. The brand's manufacturing operations include a plant in Glendale, Arizona, a distribution center in Hillside, New Jersey, and a 1.3 million-square-foot plant in Richland County, South Carolina, opened in May 2022, with capacity to package approximately 80 million cases per year of White Claw and related brands.

Did You Know?

• White Claw's alcohol base is composed of 51% sugar, yeast, nutrients, water, and trace amounts of malted gluten-free grains.
• In 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reclassified White Claw from 'beer' to 'other fermented beverages' for tariff purposes.
• The Canadian version of White Claw is made with vodka rather than a beer base.