Hard Seltzers : Buyers Guide
After a sweltering day in the sun, all we want is a refreshing drink to help us cool down. The choices can be endless when it comes to beverages if you aren’t looking for something special.
You can opt for sugary, fizzy sodas or syrupy juices to help you beat the sun. However, while these options may taste alright, all they offer are sugary carbs which come with a host of health drawbacks.
If you want something to help you cool down on a hot summer day, a refreshing drink of hard seltzer may be the perfect pick. Hard seltzer is relatively new in the market but already has a cult following.
This alcoholic soda can be the perfect way to unwind without taking in any unhealthy carbs. If you’re interested in learning more about this fizzy yet healthy drink, keep reading below.
Our Hard Seltzer Top Picks
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Recommended Products
- Premium vodka
- Diet-friendly
- Natural ingredients
- A healthy and refreshing option
- Reasonably priced
- Low calorie
- Drink for the weight watchers
- Sustainably made
- Perfect for parties
An Indepth Look At Hard Seltzers
Two Days - Hard Seltzer
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Two Days - Hard Seltzer Review
A delicious, healthy, vegan option that is incredibly refreshing.
It has no artificial ingredients, sugar or artificial sweeteners and flavours. It has five times distilled British vodka, sparkling water mixed with lime and raspberry juice. This makes it a very natural and healthy thirst-quencher. Made with lime, raspberry and sparkling water, it’s a delicious bubbly drink.
The natural ingredients in this beverage make it the first choice amongst health-conscious folks. The drink is gluten-free, vegan, low calorie, and has no added sweeteners. People from all walks of life, following any diet, can easily drink this hard seltzer. Whether you’re diabetic, vegan, or following a gluten or sugar-free diet, you can incorporate this drink into your daily routine.
The blending of a single measure of five times distilled British vodka with a squeeze of lime, raspberry, and sparkling water makes it a premium vodka. It would make a very refreshing drink when served over ice with a slice of lime or raspberry.
Served – Hard Seltzer, 4%
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Served – Hard Seltzer, 4% Review
When served over ice, this 4% alcoholic sparkling refreshment can lift the drinker sky high.
Hard seltzer with zero sugar and no gluten makes it a welcome drink for all weight watchers and health-conscious folks and gives them an added pleasure.
If one considers its reasonable price when drinking, it gives all the more pleasure to the drinker. When the hard seltzer market is flooded with so many brands and varieties, it becomes very hard for a layperson to choose the right product.
Due to its vegan nature and 4% alcoholic sparkling water, it is very popular among people looking for a healthy, clean option for refreshments.
Two Brooks
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Two Brooks Review
This London based brand is owned and run by a family which is very conscious of the environment and uses only natural ingredients.
This is an award-winning hard seltzer with 4% alcohol content (ABV) and 83 calories per can. It comes in 3 sparkling flavours made with spirit from British apples.
The owners pride themselves on the use of all-natural ingredients, due to which they were given an award. This British made drink contains 100% natural ingredients.
It has no gluten, no added sugar, low calories and is a vegan drink.
This natural and deliciously flavoured drink comes in 3 amazing flavours of Mango Hi-Ball, Passion star, and Mango Lime Cooler. It’s a drink for all occasions, whether you’re partying or on the go; it’s an all-weather drink.
Berczy
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Berczy Review
Berczy is rated as UK’s best tasting hard seltzer. The manufacturers claim all flavours to be in their natural form without any modifications.
The recipe of the BERCZY uses filtered sugar beet alcohol, pure sparkling water and natural fruit flavours. So they have low calories and contain no added sugar.
It has only 75 calories per can which makes it perfect for weight-conscious people. Compared to other sodas, this is the best way to have some refreshment without worrying about calories.
Not many brands focus on sustainability when it comes to manufacturing their products. This hard seltzer, however, is a completely different case.
They use sustainable ingredients and processes every step of the way. They make each drink from locally sourced water, and the packaging and cans are all fully recyclable.
Furthermore, 5% of the profits from each purchase go to reforestation or ocean clean-up programs.
BERCZY has the perfect sharing pack for parties, where all your guests can try out their favourite flavours. Each mixed carton has 4 of each flavour, giving everyone ample room for choice without squabbling.
DRTY Hard Seltzer Raspberry Rosé
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- Perfect alcohol percentage
- Fermentation process
- Healthy rose alternative
DRTY Hard Seltzer Raspberry Rosé Review
If you’re fond of Rose, you’ll appreciate this healthier take.
Even though rose is a better alternative to sweeter wines in terms of health, it still has many calories and sugar. You can get anything from 35-120 grams of sugar per glass. If you prefer a healthier option, DRTY may be the best option. This hard seltzer has zero carbs per can and has only natural ingredients making it a safe, clean option.
Although many hard seltzers have different alcohol bases, DRTY sticks to the tried and tested fermentation process for a familiar, delicious taste. The fermentable fruits they use leave behind no residual sugar and give it natural flavour.
The 4% ABV in this drink is the perfect percentage to allow you to drink responsibly. It can make you feel the lightness that comes with drinking while keeping you from getting too drunk too fast.
Bodega Bay
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Bodega Bay Review
The Bodega Bay hard seltzer is a fun alternative to lemonade.
With only 73 carbs per can, this option is perfect if you’re on a low carb diet. You can integrate it into keto diets, detox diets, and gluten-free diets.
Bodega Bay offers a flavour you probably won’t have tasted before – elderflower, lemon and mint. A fun take on traditional lemonade, this hard seltzer has an addictively fresh taste you’ll keep coming back for.
Health experts suggest that sugar can be more addictive than cocaine, so if you’re looking to curb your sweet tooth, this is the perfect option. It has no added sugar and only gets its sweetness from the natural ingredients, making it a healthy pick.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hard Seltzer
What is hard seltzer?
Hard seltzer or alcoholic soda is the modern drink of the present millennial generation. Hard seltzer comes in various flavours with or without alcohol. It is also called spiked water or sparkling water.
Fundamentally hard seltzer is purely a flavoured malt beverage (FMB), but only 10% of hard seltzer drinkers consider it so. Rather, they put it in a separate category of its own.
This beverage comes as carbonated water, flavoured water and alcoholic drink from cane sugar or malted barley with about 5% alcohol by volume (ABV).
How is hard seltzer made?
Making hard seltzer at home is just like brewing your beer or like winemaking. There are a few essential ingredients required to make hard seltzer.
You need citric acid, vodka, lemon and lime extract, and carbonated water. Mixing all of these ingredients gradually can give you a beverage with a 5% ABV and a delicious tangy flavour that tantalizes the taste buds.
Does Hard Seltzer Give You a Hangover?
Due to the very low concentration of congeners and low volume of alcohol (ABV), hard seltzer is considered to be a safe bet as far as hangovers are concerned.
But as it contains around 5% of alcohol which is the same as beer, it is always advisable to moderate it. If you have too much or drink on an empty stomach, you’re more likely to get a hangover.
What kind of alcohol is hard seltzer?
Hard seltzer is a mixture of carbonated water mixed in alcohol and flavouring. The alcohol content in the hard seltzer ranges between 3.5-5% by volume (ABV). Some brands do have higher levels of alcohol which may go up to 7% ABV.
Alcohol is hard seltzer is derived from fermented cane sugar or malted barley. In other words, spiked seltzer is not made from black cherries. Still, it’s typically malt liquor or fermented cane sugar with added artificial fruit flavours.
It is produced more like beer, and it has fewer calories and carbs than a beer or cocktail.
Are white claws healthier than beer?
One of the major reason for the success of white claw among the younger populace is its health benefits.
It is gluten-free, boasting only 100 calories and 2 grams of carbs. In contrast, a twelve-ounce bottle of Budweiser has about 145 calories and 10.5 grams of carbohydrates.
Hard Seltzer Buying Guide
What Are They?
You’ll already be familiar with seltzer. Seltzer or sparkling water is water with dissolved carbon dioxide.
The carbon dioxide leads to the water being fizzy and makes it much more refreshing than regular water. Furthermore, seltzer comes in many flavours, which makes it much more refreshing.
Hard seltzer uk is regular seltzer, but with an alcoholic twist. Customers thought it to be a healthy drink compared to other traditional soft drinks due to its low sugar content and its wide variety of new flavours.
The benefits
There are various benefits of drinking hard seltzer as opposed to normal fizzy drinks.
Fits into most diets
Since its launch in 2013, sales of this bubbly beverage has soared steeply, mainly due to its having low calories and carbohydrates than beers, wines and cocktails. For a person on a keto or low carb diet, hard seltzer would be an excellent alcohol choice.
It has only 2 grams of carbs per 12 ounce serving, compared to beer with 12.8 grams, and wine, up to 4 grams.
Most hard seltzers don’t contain gluten, a protein found in barley and wheat. Hard seltzer would make a better choice than beer which isn’t gluten-free.
Diabetic-friendly
If you drink lots of sugar and carbs too quickly, it can raise your blood sugar level to unhealthy levels. So low sugar and low carb make Hard seltzer a drink of choice if one is suffering from diabetes.
It is an excellent way to have a refreshing drink without worrying about your blood sugar levels rising.
Buyers Guide
Here are given various categories of Hard seltzers, which may give you an idea of the choices available in the market.
Caloric value
Considering the caloric value is vital when picking any alcoholic sparkling water brand because most people drinking it usually want a healthier option than regular cocktails. Most hard seltzer brands have 100 calories per serving, with 2 grams of sugar.
However, some breweries offer a more full-bodied brew with 120 calories and 3.3 grams of sugar. These brands can taste stronger but also come with higher calories.
Alcohol base
Although most hard seltzers owe their alcohol content to the fermentation process, some brands opt for alternative alcohol bases. You can find wine and vodka-based hard seltzers, each with different caloric values.
Alcohol level
Different hard seltzer brands have different percentages of alcohol per can. Some have the same percentage as beer, while others can be quite lower.
Depending on your needs, you can opt for either a boozier brew or something on the milder side.
Myths about Hard Seltzer
Although hard seltzer is an incredibly popular drink, various misconceptions are surrounding it.
It is calorie-free
Although hard seltzer has low calories, it isn’t entirely calorie-free like some sodas. If you are on a very low-calorie diet, you may want to reconsider having this drink.
It is hydrating
Alcohol can be dehydrating, and some hard seltzers have a high percentage of alcohol. If you have too much of it, it can dehydrate you.
Conclusion
So, the next time you’re craving something refreshing to help you beat the heat, don’t reach for a soda. Instead, pick a can of hard seltzer for a fun, refreshing, and healthy option.
Hard seltzers come in many flavours and have many health benefits. They can be a fun addition to parties and get-togethers and can help you encourage your guests to drink responsibly.
Overall, it’s a delicious beverage that is lighter on the palate than more full-bodied drinks, and it grows increasingly popular for this very reason.