What Is A Spritzer, And How Is It Different From Seltzer?

Spritzers and hard seltzers look alike in a glass; both are bubbly, most of the time they're clear (or nearly clear), and their names are sometimes used interchangeably. But the two drinks actually have quite a few differences in terms of how they're made and what goes into them. A spritzer is a refreshing mixed drink made with wine and some form of carbonated water like club soda or (non-alcoholic) seltzer water. People make them using white wine, red wine, or sometimes rosé; letting the wine set the main taste direction for the drink. Adding bubbly water lightens the wine's feel and brings out a nice fizz, creating something refreshing that offers a lower ABV than just sipping wine straight.

The ready-to-drink spritzers you find at the store follow this same idea (some of which are better than your favorite seltzer). Manufacturers blend wine (often focusing on popular, affordable varieties) with sparkling water. They might stir in fruit flavorings or juice to produce easy-to-grab, pre-mixed drinks that are primed for convenience. The final taste depends on the wine chosen, swinging from quite dry and crisp to more fruit-forward and sweet.

Early instances of commercial wine spritzers (and wine coolers) drew inspiration from homemade concoctions, but frequently used lower-cost wines and artificial fruit flavors. Today's canned spritzers often aim for a higher-quality experience. Regional twists exist, too, like in different areas of Europe, where it's normal to mix wine with citrus sodas or tangy lemonade, rather than bubbly water; adding a sweeter layer.

Hard seltzer (aka spiked seltzer or alcoholic seltzer) has a different mix of ingredients altogether. The basic parts are carbonated water, alcohol, and flavorings. While most hard seltzer producers (and some fast food chains like Sonic) use liquors, some do lean more toward a spritzer side by using wine, which makes it a tad fuzzy (pun intended) to tell the difference. To be fair, this isn't all that common.

Common flavors of hard seltzers include various fruits and herbs. The drink's mouthfeel can be attributed to the carbonation from the water, usually aiming for a  crisp, clean feeling without much of an aftertaste like you'd get from a wine spritzer. The hard seltzer phenomenon started quite recently in the U.S. around 2012, when Nick Shields noticed a common bar order and began brewing an alcoholic sparkling water called SpikedSeltzer (which would later become Bon & Viv after the brand was purchased by Anheuser-Busch). Hard seltzers bubbled up in popularity as a tasty, light, alcoholic beverage which has led to many brands making lower-sugar and lower-calorie drinks that are lighter than beers, spritzers, or cocktails.