A report by Markets Insider reveals that hard seltzer is a $550 million industry, with sales growing by about 200% in 2019. The beverage has become so popular that major brands are now in the game: Anheuser-Busch has Bon & Viv, Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) has Truly and Molson Coors has Henry’s, for example.
What’s the best hard seltzer on the market? Well, that’s a matter of individual taste, as I learned from hosting a blind taste test to compare different brands of hard seltzer. Here’s a look:
| Brand | Flavor | Avg. score | Tasting Notes |
| Smirnoff Spiked Sparkling Seltzer | Watermelon | 3.4 | Just enough flavor, not too sweet, not overly carbonated, refreshing |
| Monaco 69 | Black cherry | 3.2 | Soapy/floral taste, light in flavor |
| Henry’s | Passion fruit | 2.3 | Tart, too sweet, has a slight aftertaste |
| Four Loko Hard Seltzer | Black cherry | 1.0 | Very strong in flavor and in alcohol, disgusting |
| Crook & Marker | Black cherry | 2.0 | Slightly syrupy, very sweet, flat |
| White Claw | Black cherry | 3.7 | Good aroma, crisp, refreshing |
| Bud Light Seltzer | Black cherry | 3.0 | Doesn’t resemble a seltzer, strongest black cherry flavor |
| Truly | Black cherry | 3.1 | Bitter, taste disappears quickly, most carbonation |
Notes:
- Scores range from 1 (worst) to 5 (best)
- We tried to get all the brands in black cherry but couldn’t in two cases.
- For some reason, I could not find Bon & Viv in local stores anymore (went to three liquor stores and a grocery store).
- White Claw is very popular in the Midwest, and it was our group’s favorite, too.
- For those who remember the original Four Loko, the hard seltzer version is basically the same product. It’s got the highest alcohol content (12%), vs. the typical 4.5-5%.
- Calorie counting? Monaco 69 has … you guessed it: 69 calories. Worth noting is that White Claw now has a 70-calorie version.
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Remember when boxed wines were all the craze? Here’s our review of boxed wines.
Tags: hard seltzer
