Frankly, the only thing hard about a hard seltzer is my ability to set it down — and its alcohol content, of course. The all-too-easy sipper has found a permanent spot at pool parties, beach soirees and backyard barbecues, offering a quick buzz in the form of fruity and sometimes botanical flavors.
“I really like the crisp freshness and the bubbly feel of a super-cold hard seltzer,” Lucas Winkler, in-house mixology guru and general manager of The Living Room at W South Beach, tells me for TODAY.com. “It’s just so refreshing and satisfying. You can’t beat that on a hot day.”
Consumers wholeheartedly agree. This canned bev evolved into a $17 billion industry, giving traditional warm weather libations like beer and chilled wine a run for their money.
But in the great hard seltzer debate, which brand puts out the best product?
While taste is always subjective (and hard seltzers come in a range of spirit options, from malt liquor to vodka, tequila and gin), Winkler does have a few tips to keep in mind when shopping:
- Look for a 5-6% ABV: It’s light enough to be refreshing but still gives you a nice kick.
- Don’t be afraid to try new flavors: It can feel like exploring uncharted territory, where you might discover something completely unexpected and fall in love with it.
- Consider using it as a base for cocktails: Pair them with good-quality spirits and fresh ingredients — these simple additions can really boost the flavor.
That said, I gathered the most popular and readily available cans I could find to pit them against each other for the ultimate taste test. My only criterion was that they had to be lime (or lemon-lime) flavored for the sake of consistency, which is why you won’t see fan favorites like Vizzy, Mighty Swell and Natural Light included.
Check out which of these tipples fizzed to the top.
While White Claw benefitted from being the original hard seltzer, it didn’t hold up to its bubbly competition. In fact, the taste was downright medicinal with a fizz that was offensively aggressive. While this will always make a wonderful last-minute option and serve as a great base to creative cocktails (since the flavor and effervescence can be diluted with added ingredients), it doesn’t make much of a statement on its own.
Here is where things truly took a turn for the better. The brand’s balanced mouthfeel shined most — it was smooth, refreshing and without bubbles that could be tried for assault. But it was lacking in the taste department, only slightly edging out the cough syrup flavor notes of its White Claw competitor.
In full transparency, I wanted to hate this can. There is something about big businesses inserting themselves into practically every beverage vertical that doesn’t sit well with me (even though it’s become the American norm). But I was pleasantly surprised by the natural lime flavor — not as much by the brand’s cherry and apple varieties — and all-around sippability. I cleared three cans with great ease, and I wasn’t craving a departure as I usually do (variety is the spice of life).
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I have a feeling this may be the most polarizing of the bunch. Its appeal lies in its simplicity of light carbonation and sweet flavor. This sipper mirrors the crisp, refreshing taste of sparkling water, so if you’re as into that as I am you’re in for a treat. If you prefer more of a boozy boldness, this will fall flat (much like I will after guzzling a few cans).
The addition of real fruit juice saved Spindrift from fading into the background of this taste test. While its signature tartness may be a deterrent to more sensitive drinkers, I’ll take anything that camouflages the taste of cheap liquor after too many preventable headaches I got during my college days. Spindrift also makes a killer lime sparkling water, so you can rotate between the two to really stay on brand and hydrated.
Where NÜTRL really shines is its well-balanced carbonation level. The can’s bubbles are light and refreshing, making it a dangerously easy to drink sipper during summer pool and beach days. It’s also only made with three simple ingredients (vodka, seltzer water and fruit juice), so there is no chemical aftertaste. Use it as a neutral base for fruity cocktails or, frankly, more vodka.
I admittedly went into this taste test thinking that High Noon, which I’ve sampled previously, wouldn’t even place in the top three. After all, something so mainstream and seemingly generic couldn’t possibly leave a lasting impression, right? I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thanks to the company’s commitment to using actual vodka in place of a generic grain liquor, the base was crisp, pure and well-balanced. While they may have turned my personal high noon into a hungover evening, they will absolutely make an appearance on my table all summer long. Cheers!
