Hard seltzer
A carbonated alcoholic drink with low calories and sugar.
Hard seltzer—also called adult seltzer, mature seltzer, spiked seltzer, or hard sparkling alcohol water—is a highball drink made from carbonated water, alcohol, and often fruit flavorings. In the United States, the alcohol typically comes from fermenting cane sugar or malted barley; elsewhere, it is often made from neutral spirits or fermented fruit. It usually contains about 5% alcohol by volume and is relatively low in calories, which come almost entirely from fructose.
The idea of flavored malt beverages goes back to the 1990s. The first widely sold commercial product was Two Dogs, launched in Australia in 1993, which claimed to be the world’s first brewed alcoholic lemonade (a claim that was inaccurate, since traditional drinks like Finland’s fermented sima already existed). Two Dogs paved the way for similar drinks like Hooper’s Hooch and Mike’s Hard Lemonade, known in the UK as alcopops and in the US as malternatives.
The hard seltzer category as we know it began with Nick Shields, who developed the “Spiked Seltzer” branding in Westport, Connecticut, and brewed the first commercial batches in November 2013. However, in 2012, McKenzie River Corporation had already launched a brand called AIR (short for Alcohol Inspired Refresher) in San Francisco, which combined carbonated water, alcohol, and natural flavors. Marketed as “sparkling water with alcohol” in citrus, berry, and club flavors, AIR did not use the word “seltzer” but hit the US market before SpikedSeltzer. Some beverage analysts now see AIR as an early forerunner of the hard-seltzer boom that took off later in the decade. Hard seltzers gained widespread popularity in 2018. The top US brand, White Claw, saw sales jump 85% in a single year, with revenues exceeding $4 billion in 2020. Analysts credit this success to health-conscious consumers seeking a lighter alcoholic option.
Nutritionally, hard seltzers across brands average about 100 calories, 2 grams of carbs, and 0–2 grams of sugar per serving, while still holding 5% alcohol. Most are gluten-free. Manufacturers promote them as healthier than higher-calorie alcoholic drinks, often displaying nutrition info prominently on packaging. Their social media presence is huge, frequently showing active, happy people drinking, which reinforces the idea that hard seltzers are a healthy choice.
- Alcohol by volume
- around 5%
- Median calories
- 100
- Median carbs
- 2g
- Median sugar
- 0-2g
- White claw 2020 revenue
- over $4 billion
- White claw annual growth
- 85%
- First commercial batch year
- 2013
Lore & Background
The concept of flavored malt beverages has been popular since the 1990s. The first widely available commercial product was Two Dogs, launched in Australia in 1993, which claimed to be the 'world's first brewed alcoholic lemonade' (falsely, due to pre-existing traditional drinks like sima). Two Dogs paved the way for similar products such as Hooper's Hooch and Mike's Hard Lemonade, known as alcopops in the UK and malternatives in America. The concept of hard seltzers specifically started with Nick Shields developing the 'Spiked Seltzer' branding style in Westport, Connecticut, brewing the first commercial batches in November 2013. In 2012, McKenzie River Corporation launched a beverage brand named AIR (Alcohol Inspired Refresher) in San Francisco, combining carbonated water with alcohol and natural flavors, marketed as 'sparkling water with alcohol'. Although AIR did not use 'seltzer' in marketing, it was introduced to the US market before SpikedSeltzer, and some beverage analysts have noted AIR as an early precursor to the hard-seltzer movement. Other hard seltzers rose to popularity later, in 2018. Sales of the most popular US hard seltzer brand, White Claw, grew 85% in just one year, with revenues of over $4 billion in 2020 alone. Analysts attributed the success of White Claw and the appeal of hard seltzers to increased demand from health-conscious consumers.
Reader's Guide
Hard seltzer's significance lies in its rapid market disruption and appeal to health-conscious drinkers. Across all brands, there is a median of 100 calories, 2g of carbs, and 0-2g of sugar while maintaining 5% alcohol, and most are gluten free. Manufacturers assert they are healthier than more calorically heavy alcoholic beverages, with nutrition information often displayed prominently on packaging. The social media presence of hard seltzer companies is massive, often depicting healthy people drinking and having fun, further promoting the message of a healthy alternative. However, nutritionists have warned that it is not a healthy beverage per se, as many hard seltzers have added flavoring and are mixed with sugary soda waters. Marketing has also relied on trendiness; in 2019, a viral YouTube video titled 'Summer of White Claw' was watched over six million times, leading to a sharp rise in sales and a White Claw shortage. Seltzer companies have used gender-neutral advertising to reach the most people, contributing to the drink's surge in popularity. The demographics of hard seltzer drinkers are Caucasians aged 21 to 44. The rise of hard seltzers reflects the broader surge in popularity of non-alcoholic flavored seltzers like LaCroix and Spindrift. On the back of this popularity, hard seltzer brands have launched in numerous countries, including Canada, Australia, Finland, and the UK. The fermentation process consists of directly fermenting a sugar base, yielding discoloration that requires effective filtration, often using carbon treatment with CARBOFIL RW, RHC or CA filter sheets, to create a plain alcohol base where flavor is added afterwards.
Did You Know?
- The first widely available commercial flavored malt beverage was Two Dogs, launched in Australia in 1993.
- Nick Shields brewed the first commercial batches of Spiked Seltzer in Westport, Connecticut, in November 2013.
- McKenzie River Corporation launched AIR (Alcohol Inspired Refresher) in San Francisco in 2012, before SpikedSeltzer.
- A viral YouTube video titled 'Summer of White Claw' in 2019 led to a White Claw shortage.
More in Brewing Processes 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced