The Hard Seltzer Wars

We’ve got the cola wars, burger wars, pizza wars, beer wars…most recently the chicken wars…and now the hard seltzer wars. Hard seltzer (some say “spiked seltzer”) has been dubbed the “official beverage of summer.” But just because summer is almost over in many parts of the world, that doesn’t mean that hard seltzer sales are slowing down. Not by a long shot.

The brand that seems to be getting all of the buzz (ha!) is White Claw. Interesting name. It’s basically seltzer water with “a gluten-free alcohol base” and some fruit flavoring. Ah, gluten-free. Perhaps that’s part of the hype!

It’s gotten so popular that the brand just announced a nationwide (U.S.) shortage, which is adding to the hype. Hype!

But White Claw isn’t the only game in town. Truly is right up there in the hype of it all. Interesting name. And if you click here, you can see 24 brands that make the list. 24! Including an entry from Budweiser.

That’s a lot of brands in a relatively new category. Let’s keep on eye on it to see if White Claw keeps its buzz going (sorry, had to do it).

What’s your experience? JIM