Averaging about 5% alcohol-by-volume, hard seltzers are similar to beer. I finally got a chance to try the Bud Light Seltzers a couple weeks ago and have come to the conclusion that they deserve to rank up there with White Claw. The judges: syracuse.com | The Post-Standard food and dining writer Jacob Pucci; beer, wine and spirits writer Don Cazentre; features writer Charlie Miller and multimedia journalist Katrina Tulloch. Opting for America’s native spirit is … serving. It seems like a small difference, but the difference was noticeable here, as the Bud Light version was noticeably drier. Bud Light Seltzer’s unique 5-step filtration process ensures a clean finish, with no lingering aftertaste. Three of the four varieties were made by both brands. It’s a clear sip filled with the bubbles you’ve come to expect from hard seltzers. Jacob Pucci finds the best in food, dining and culture across Central New York. Today, Anheuser-Busch added to the list with the launch of Bud Light Platinum Seltzer. Bud Light Beer is also brewed with malted rice. © 2020 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. White Claw raspberry: This is a perfectly fine beverage, but after drinking the Bud Light strawberry, everything is going to be a letdown. Some of the most common questions we get — from folks newly diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 to the longtime diabetes veterans — are about alcohol consumption. Facing declining sales for its workhorse, Bud Light, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) has leaned hard into seltzer, with Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer, Natural Light Seltzer, and now Bud Light Seltzer, which was in development for 18 months. The beverage comes in … This is the primary reason behind calling this masterpiece ‘light’. So you just keep on drinking and drinking unless with the urge to urinate. A heavier beer, such as a Budweiser, has 145 calories and 10.6 grams of carbs. Bud Light Seltzer is an easy-drinking hard seltzer with a hint of delicious fruit flavor to deliver the most refreshing taste possible. One popular brand of hard seltzer called White Claw contains 100 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates per 355 mL can, with an alcohol content of 5 percent. Part of the appeal of hard seltzer is that it's considered a healthier option. This 5% ABV seltzer contains just 100 calories per can, with less than 1 gram of sugar and 2 grams of carbs. Each contains 100 calories, 1 gram of sugar, … Bud Light Seltzer takes the crown. But how did we get to a place in which hard seltzer is now, Beer, hard seltzer and spirits take center stage in summer's coolest drink trend, Everything you need to know about summer 2019's buzziest drink, And Twisted Tea are saving Boston Beer's 2020, Looking for a slam dunk in nonalcoholic beer category with Budweiser Zero, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Here’s the biggest question: Is it any good, and how does it compare to White Claw, the current biggest seller in the rapidly growing hard seltzer market? Anheuser-Busch . In the case of the Bud Light Seltzer, the answer is a definitive no. Bud Light Seltzer is being introduced with four flavor variants including Mango, Black Cherry, Lemon Lime, and Strawberry. It also has two new flavors planned. A Bud Light Seltzer is even lighter to drink than a Bud Light, and the flavoring was on-point. Each 12-ounce can is 100 calories, 5% alcohol and less than one gram of sugar. Type keyword(s) to search. Judge Charlie Miller compared the flavor to the Luxardo cherries in his Manhattan. The man, whose family started brewing company Haffenreffer & Co., Inc. and has a background in food science and product development, noticed a group nearby. But is it really better for you? Bud Light Platinum . Anheuser-Busch . Meg Gill, founder of Golden Road, launched Maha Organic Hard Seltzer, and Two Roads offers a trio of seltzer flavors called H2Roads. Target ABV: 5%. Each is made with natural carbonated sparkling water, cold fermented cane sugar, natural flavors, cane sugar, citric acid, sodium citrate, malted rice. Buy Now. Brewed smooth for the perfect night out. It’s definitely the worst out of White Claw, Truly, and Bud Light, that’s for sure… although I taste tested Four Loko’s hard seltzer yesterday on the YouTube channel and it was absolutely disgusting. There’s a ton of cherry flavor on the nose, with a fruit flavor that’s neither bitter and harsh nor syrupy sweet. It reminds me of those freeze-dried strawberries you’d get in ‘astronaut food’ packs as a kid," judge Katrina Tulloch said. That’s similar to many brands of … Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Bud Light Seltzer Review. Shields said women were a driving force behind hard seltzer's explosion. As far as the alcohol content in Bud Light is concerned, Bud light is 4.2% alcoholic in nature as opposed to the normal qualities of beer having close to 5% alcohol content in them. For those of you who like the effects of alcohol but not so much the taste, alcoholic seltzer is for you. Fifty-percent of alcohol drinkers haven't tried seltzers yet. Buy Now. Black Cherry: Bud Light Seltzer vs. White Claw. Bud Light: When it comes to cherry-flavored beverages, there’s really just one question: does it taste like cough syrup? Verdict: Despite its fruit mix-up, we largely prefered the flavor of the Bud Light by a 3-to-1 vote. Matt Whang told USA TODAY via Twitter he likes that it comes in fruity flavors but is still a low-calorie option. Buy Now. Bud Light Seltzer is a series of fruit-flavored sparkling alcoholic beverages that’s raising the bar when it comes to spiked seltzers. Bud has launched a new seltzer. Bud Light Seltzer vs. White Claw. The new Bud Light Platinum Seltzer is available in three flavors: Blood Orange, Wild Berry and “Citrus,” which makes one wonder what kind of fruit they think a blood orange is exactly. New York’s Best Hard Cider: And the 2019 winners are ... 17 grocery store eggnogs, ranked from worst to best. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, you’ll be able to pick up a case of Bud Light Seltzer in black cherry, lemon lime, strawberry, and mango flavors. ABV: 4.5% Made with real fruit juice, all-natural ingredients, and… All rights reserved (About Us). Spiked seltzer is having a moment. Budweiser came out with Bud Light Seltzer. Now, we have hard seltzer offerings from Corona, Press, Social Club, Nauti, Nude, Kona, Smirnoff, Vizzy, Henry's and Corona. ... the bright idea to brew carbonated water infused with alcohol. I’m not sure how they can even call that a hard seltzer. Did he just say beer? Bud Light Platinum . Today's Top Stories ... Like many of the other hard seltzer options on the market, this new Bud Light seltzer is five percent ABV and 100 calories per can. That Pink Whitney pink lemonade vodka. Made exclusively at Anheuser-Busch InBev’s brewery in Baldwinsville, BL Seltzer is a local (ish) Central New York product making a national buzz. Bud Light is hoping to capitalize on that popularity. Heather Pearson, 25, of Haverhill, Mass., told USA TODAY that she and her friends adore hard seltzer because it's "a sweeter, lighter option than beer. He noted the appealing combination of fizz and alcohol, the clean flavor profile and the relative low-calorie nature of a vodka soda. A Spiked Seltzer Beverage with Widespread Appeal. (Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com)Jacob Pucci. Our natural carbonation and quality ingredients like sparkling water, real cane sugar, and natural fruit flavor create a light and bubbly seltzer for any occasion. ABV: 4.2% Maha, which the website … The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Both White Claw and Bud Light Seltzer are low in sugar and have 2 grams of carbs. Bud Light Chelada . From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hard seltzer, spiked seltzer or hard sparkling alcohol water is a type of highball drink containing carbonated water, alcohol, and often fruit flavoring. Bud Light Peels . USA TODAY asked drink industry experts about the future of the fizz-meets-flavor amalgamation. Despite using just “natural flavors,” they were somehow able to mimic the flavor of a whole strawberry—bright, clean and refreshing and tasting nothing like those strawberry bonbon candies found strictly in the home of grandparents. " Both big-name brands and craft brewers alike continue to experiment with and expand their hard-seltzer offerings. Subscribers only: Join an insider text group with Jacob Pucci to get the inside scoop on the restaurants and cuisines of Central New York. Unquestionably good hard seltzer. Bud Light Seltzer Lemon Lime; While the Gin Rickey is more common these days, the original iteration likely contained some form of whiskey. We had a few people over a couple weeks ago and it seemed like the perfect time to pick up some Bud Light Seltzer for an impromptu taste test. Hard seltzer is also not new. Drink industry analysts at IWSR expect consumption to triple by 2023. Bud Light is a Lager - Light style beer brewed by Anheuser-Busch in Saint Louis, MO. A Bud Light, for comparison, has 110 calories and 6.6 grams of carbs per can, and a Bud Light Seltzer has 100 calories and 2 grams of carbs per can. Spiked seltzers sit in a unique space between beer and traditional mixed drinks. Buy Merch . Bud Light Seltzer . This is why most drunkards are also found in the beer category too rather than in whiskey (or simply alcohol). Bud Light Seltzer is made from cane sugar and natural fruit flavor. "It’s like something I haven't seen before," Goeler said. You can't go to a grocery store, liquor store or socially distanced backyard barbecue without seeing a can of hard seltzer. "We're really trying to dive into the craft angle ... exploring new ingredients, exploring single-source ingredients," said Bruce Downes, head of marketing at Willie's. Score: 46 with 6,421 ratings and reviews. Hard seltzers have been tearing it up these days. Buy Now. "I think the continued proliferation of flavor variety is going to be a key piece of moving forward and being successful in the seltzer category (because) that’s what consumers are looking for.". Despite its popularity, industry experts believe hard seltzer is still in its nascent form. Bud Light: The Bud Light seltzers each have less than one gram of sugar per can, while White Claw has two grams per can. Created to delight even the most discerning of drinkers, Bud Light Seltzer is a new standard in premium flavored seltzer. In 2012, Shields sat at a bar in Westport, Connecticut. Alcohol content in beers on normal. First off, there is no beer in Bud Light Seltzer. Hard seltzers have been tearing it up these days. With an 8% ABV, Bud Light Platinum Seltzer’s alcohol content is considerably above the average hard seltzer in the US market, as well as being different proposition to the other hard seltzers in Anheuser-Busch’s portfolio (Bud Light Seltzer at 5% ABV, Bon & Viv at 4.5% ABV; and Natty Light Seltzer … What makes spiked seltzer different from other clear carbonated beverages is the unique type of alcohol in it. It’s available in four flavors: black cherry, lemon lime, strawberry and mango. Bud Light Seltzer . Bud Light may be known for its beer, but the brand has also thrown its hat in the hard-seltzer ring. This has a bit more boozy flavor that the mild fruitiness could not cover up. Subscribe to syracuse.com. (CNN) — Bud Light Seltzer is already one of the country’s top-selling hard seltzer beverages within weeks of launching. Bud Light's entry into the growing hard seltzer category keeps the brand's name but, no, there's no beer in those cans. It contains 5% ABV, which the company says is a gluten free alcohol base. So, what about bud light alcohol content? (Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com)Jacob Pucci. Spiked slushies: Beer, hard seltzer and spirits take center stage in summer's coolest drink trend, Jake Kirsch, vice president of innovation at Anheuser-Busch, said spiked seltzer is “the biggest thing to happen in beer since ‘Light.'". Earlier this summer, they even touted a new opening at Bud Light Seltzer: a chief meme officer. And to our collective surprise, this was all four judges’ favorite overall seltzer. Buy Now. Like Bud Light Seltzer… Nick Shields, who created SpikedSeltzer (which would eventually become BON V!V) in 2013, said there's a lot of "untested territory" left, adding what the "hard-seltzer players have done up until now is pretty simple in my mind.". Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? "I actually always expected it to take off if we could get people to understand the concept," he said. Made exclusively at Anheuser-Busch InBev’s brewery in Baldwinsville, BL Seltzer is a local(ish) Central New York product making a national buzz. Honestly, I kind of bewildered myself with this one. You can get a 12-pack box of all one flavor — or the variety pack so you can try them all. Calories: 100. Sugar: 0 grams. One of the latest brands to hop on the bandwagon after launching in January 2020, Bud Light Seltzer became so hot so fast that it already holds a spot as the third biggest seltzer in the US. At 6 percent ABV over 12 fluid ounces, Natty Light Seltzer clocks out as boozier than its contemporaries; White Claw, Truly and Bud Light seltzers are 5 … They tend to have fewer carbs than beer and less sugar than cocktails. Early on, the hard-seltzer buyer gender split was about 80% female and 20% male, Shields said. Buy Now. :drunk: ", Truly hard seltzer:And Twisted Tea are saving Boston Beer's 2020, Anheuser-Busch:Looking for a slam dunk in nonalcoholic beer category with Budweiser Zero. The short answer: kind of. It's easy to have a few (or day-drink with) since they don't make you feel as heavy and bloated," she said. Bud Light with a fiery kick of clamato and spices. White Claw: Maybe it was the sugar, but for whatever reason, this seltzer seemed juicier than the other. Buy Now. He launched SpikedSeltzer in November 2013. Last update: 12-21-2020. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Lafavore said he is happy that it's low in carbs and calories with an alcohol-by-volume similar to beer. This isn't your standard seltzer or soda water poured over vodka or gin. The judges were unanimous in our ranking of the four Bud Light Seltzers: As for the overall champ, the winning seltzer was clear. Bud Light Seltzer currently comes in four flavors: black cherry, lemon-lime, strawberry, and mango. Raspberry/Strawberry: Bud Light Seltzer vs. White Claw. The options seem to be multiplying exponentially, too. Most hard seltzers’ alcohol content hovers between 4 and 6 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), which is about the same as a light beer. Bud Light Seltzer launches Monday. In the US the alcohol is usually made by fermenting cane sugar; sometimes malted barley is used. Nielsen reported in June that sales of hard seltzer quadrupled year-over-year. The Bud Light Seltzer vs. White Claw taste panel: (left to right) Don Cazentre, Charlie Miller, Jacob Pucci and Katrina Tulloch.Sarah Gambell, What’s the best winter/holiday beer? Bud Light has also engaged in creative marketing schemes, using celebrities such as Post Malone and DJ Khaled to promote the seltzer. Bud Light strawberry: While not a perfect pairing, these two were similar enough to compare. … (Jacob Pucci | jpucci@syracuse.com)Jacob Pucci. It is also looking to expand by leveraging partnerships, including one with "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" franchise. "I watched as five ladies ordered five vodka sodas one after another for their lunch," he said. And, in addition to selling Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer, beer giant Anheuser-Busch is moving on the hard seltzer crowd with a full head of steam, as its … Last year, most of the country chose between White Claw and Truly. Contact him by email at jpucci@syracuse.com. The latest, Bud Light Platinum Seltzer clocks in at 8% alcohol-by-volume and is a boozier option geared toward cocktail enthusiasts, said Andy Goeler, vice president of marketing for Bud Light. White Claw: The flavor was described as “crisp and clean”, while others called it “hollow” and “thin.” To its credit, it was more easily identifiable as mango. We pitted Bud Light Seltzer against White Claw in a head-to-head taste test to find the best. I just saw their commercial yesterday: If you don't love Bud Light, you'll love Bud Light Seltzer - there's no Bud Light in it! With an 8% ABV, Bud Light Platinum Seltzer’s alcohol content is considerably above the average hard seltzer in the US market, as well as being different proposition to the other hard seltzers in Anheuser-Busch’s portfolio (Bud Light Seltzer at 5% ABV, Bon & Viv at 4.5% ABV; and Natty Light Seltzer … Bud Light with a fiery kick of clamato and spices. White Claw: Take everything we just said for the Bud Light Seltzer and the opposite is true for the White Claw. Who knows what summer 2020 will bring. "I’m a regular beer drinker who also consumes way too much (nonalcoholic) seltzer, so hard seltzer is a natural fit for me," he said. Alec Lafavore, 26, of New York City says he has swapped "90%" of his beer consumption for hard seltzer. Made with real cane … Judge Don Cazentre added space between beer and less than one gram of sugar won out, 10 Upstate York... But 2020 has shown the drink was more than a passing fad it. And 5 % alcohol by volume quadrupled year-over-year to see '' what seltzer... The sugar, but the brand has also thrown its hat in the pan brewed with malted.... The appealing combination of fizz and alcohol, the clean flavor profile and the flavoring was.! 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