Review: White Claw Took A Risk With Its New ClawTails, And It Paid Off

Well, folks, we have yet another fresh offering on the canned cocktail marketplace, this time from the makers of your favorite hard seltzer: White Claw. The company's original line of drinks debuted almost a decade ago in 2016 and gained widespread popularity over the following years. Like all successful companies, White Claw's innovation didn't stop with its first product release. The company has since introduced a plethora of hard seltzer lines, including its stronger Surge products, lemonade seltzers, hard tequila beverages, and even its own vodka bottles. Now, White Claw is stepping away from seltzer offerings entirely with its new line of canned cocktails: ClawTails.

Canned cocktails are obviously not a new concept, but White Claw's products are fresh takes on the classics you know and love. I got together with the White Claw team over a virtual happy hour to be walked through a tasting of each of the four cans, and I had mixed opinions — I loved two of them, but I'd probably skip the other two next time. 

I will say, White Claw didn't play it safe when crafting these cocktails, and I'd expect them to be polarizing products once more consumers try them. As always, don't take my word for it — learn more about the ClawTails products below, and then head to your local store to try them for yourself. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

White Claw's ClawTails line comes in four flavors: Strawberry Cosmo, Mango Margarita, Blackberry Mojito, and Tropical Mai Tai. Each cocktail is a malt beverage that features real juice and has no artificial sweeteners. Per the press release, "ClawTails reimagines happy hour for any hour," and they're designed to offer a ready-to-drink cocktail with just the snap of a bottle tab, no mixing required. For non-mixologists who live by the "It's 5 o'clock somewhere" ethic, this sounds like a dream, and it's certainly a tempting enough offer that consumers will want to try at least once. 

All the canned cocktails are carbonated, and before you start making assumptions — these are not the hard seltzers you're accustomed to buying from the brand. For starters, the canned cocktails are stronger than hard seltzer, and each can clocks in at 7% ABV. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that none are overly sweet, a problem I frequently have with pre-made cocktails. I also ended up being quite surprised at the bold flavors in each can. Canned and bottled cocktails I've had in the past are often poor imitations of the versions I know and love, but these offer something singular to the genre that will, at the very least, provoke conversation. 

So, where can you buy ClawTails? The cans are now available at retailers nationwide, and there's no sign of them being limited offerings — should they prove successful, I'd expect White Claw would only continue to expand the line and add new flavors in the future. You can use the company's online locator tool to find stores near you that carry ClawTails, and they can be ordered from select retailers online, as well. 

As far as how much they cost, that will obviously vary depending on where you're located. My local store is offering a variety pack of ClawTails for $25.99, and a variety pack of White Claw's original line of seltzers at the same store costs the same. Two ClawTails flavors are also available as single 19.2-ounce cans: Strawberry Cosmo and Mango Margarita. 

The ClawTails Tropical Mai Tai can boasts "vibrant pineapple and passion fruit flavors, with a smooth, crisp finish," as White Claw puts it on its website. As a particular fan of pineapple, I was excited to try this one, though I'm not a big mai tai drinker in general. This can surprised me with its depth. You'll get a hint of the journey it takes you on from the moment you open the can — pineapple and passionfruit hit the nose first, and they're given some ground to stand on with a deep, aromatic nutty scent.

Just like the original mai tai, White Claw's version contains orgeat, per the company's team, which gives it an undeniably nutty undertone and offers some contrast to its bright citrus notes. Taking a sip actually lent the same experience I got from the can's aroma, which was impressive. Pineapple comes through at the very front of the sip, quickly followed by passionfruit, and finally, the nut-forward flavor of the orgeat, which lingers long after you swallow. 

It's a very well-balanced can that I'd easily have again — though if you don't like orgeat, you may not be a fan. I also have the impulse to blend it with coconut cream and ice for a tropical slushie. 

I was admittedly torn when tasting the Blackberry Mojito ClawTails flavor. If you're a regular reader of my tastings, you will have heard me comment more than once about the "medicinal" quality that often turns me off to cherry-flavored things. I get those same notes in this can, but not to the point that I dislike the beverage. I actually thought the balance of blackberry and lime flavors was impressive here — blackberries add just enough juiciness to make themselves known, but lime cuts through it with a sharp punctuation that keeps the drink from being at all too sweet.

I was disappointed that the blackberry mojito didn't have stronger mint flavors, but too much mint could be divisive, and the mint that was there at least offered a touch of coolness to the juicy beverage. Overall, I think this drink is a refreshing take on your classic mojito, and I like what the blackberries brought to the equation. The slightly medicinal flavor that you're left with at the end of the sip keeps me from loving this beverage; as it is, I'd have it again but probably won't seek out this flavor. 

Even though I'm not a fan of cosmos or cranberry juice, White Claw's Strawberry Cosmo canned cocktail offered me an easily drinkable version of a beverage I'll usually pass by. This can probably has the gentlest flavors of any of the ClawTails, but it's still bright and interesting — I particularly liked that the company introduced strawberries into the equation. I'll also say (and this goes for all the ClawTails cans), the flavors here aren't malt-y or overly alcoholic. Any alcohol notes fade to the background in favor of the fruit-forward flavors, something I quite appreciate about this line as a whole.

Strawberries sit at the forefront of this drink, and as a particular fan of strawberries, this obviously endeared me to the can. Cranberry juice brings some depth to the beverage, but it isn't present enough to turn me off to it — rather, it gives the strawberry a springboard to catapult from. You'll get very slight hints of lime punctuating each sip and adding more brightness to the equation, and the drink as a whole is juicy, not at all too sweet, and very palatable for any type of drinker. 

Last but certainly not least is my personal favorite ClawTails offering: Mango Margarita. Am I biased? Absolutely — put anything mango-flavored in my hand, and it'll be gone before you can say "Cheers!" That said, I like to think I have a discerning palate, even when it comes to my favorite tropical flavors. I left ample room for criticism with this can, but fortunately, I had none. Should you ever find yourself invited to my spot for a happy hour, there's a good chance you'll find these in my fridge.

Personally, this will be my can of choice when I need to whip up an easy frozen mango margarita, and I'm sure you'll find me sipping it solo, as well. Like the other offerings, this can is bright and juicy without having any saccharinity to speak of. I get hints of malt in this can, but it's not at all too strong to be a deterrent, and I particularly enjoyed what the lime brought to this beverage — it added a bright, subtly sour component that was a welcome intermission to the fruity mango notes. This is an extraordinarily well-balanced can that will be hard to keep out of my cart. 

At the end of the day, I'll stand by my assertion that the ClawTails line brings something unique and singular to the canned cocktail marketplace. The cans all boast bold flavors, and that will help them hold their own against other comparable pre-made cocktail offerings. That said, I can also see the bold flavors of these cocktails being particularly polarizing among consumers. White Claw clearly didn't play it safe when crafting the cans, which I find to be an admirable quality — however, I also wouldn't be surprised if the company hears dissenting opinions from some customers.

Whenever I taste something that might be a contentious new product, I'll always recommend trying it. I think some will be overwhelmed by these cocktails, but I don't think that will be the take of a majority of consumers. I suspect many may have the reaction I did — I was partial to two of the four cans I tried, while I'd have the other two again but wouldn't necessarily seek them out. 

If nothing else, these ClawTails products are worth sipping on just for the breath of fresh air they bring to the canned cocktail world. Their flavors are also strong enough to hold up to any number of homemade concoctions, like White Claw slushies.