Hard seltzer: the massive US drinks trend that’s now brewing in Australia
A new style of alcoholic drink that’s taken the US by storm is slowly appearing on Australian bottle shop shelves just in time for spring, with these local brewers trying their hand at the light-booze and low-calorie drop.
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Boozy sparkling water, or hard seltzer, is the latest drinks trend to take Australia by storm.
The fizzy, alcoholic water is already big business in the United States, making $1.5 billion in off-premise sales in 2019.
As the weather warms up in Melbourne, we look at what hard seltzer is, how it’s made and some of the Victorian brewers trying their hand at the craft.
WHAT IS IT?
Seltzer is carbonated water, that’s made alcoholic through fermentation or the addition of a spirit, like vodka. It’s typically flavoured with fruit, and is low in sugar and calories.
HOW IS IT MADE?
In the US seltzer is made by fermenting cane sugar or malted barley. Outside of the US, seltzer contains neutral sprit or fermented fruit.
SELTZER TO TRY:
Flavours : Watermelon and Mint, lemon and lime, peach
ABV/size: 4.3% (355ml cans)
Cost: $20 per four pack (330ml cans) and $70 per carton of 16.
Stockist: Blackhearts and Sparrows, 80 Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores, online.
Footscray brewery Hop Nation began making seltzer after seeing the drink take off in the US. ‘Ray is brewed like a beer with cereal grain and a two to three-week fermentation process, with hops used in early brewing and fruit added late in fermentation.
Yuzu citrus, lime
4.2% (330ml cans)
Cost: $115 for a mixed 24-pack.
Stockist: Dan Murphy’s, St Andrews’s Brewery.
Mornington Peninsula locals first scored a taste of Tidal on-tap at St Andrew’s Beach Brewery last Boxing Day. By March, the brewery had released its seltzer in cans in two different flavours — yuzu citrus and lime. The seltzer is made with artesian water, sourced from an artesian aquifer 155 beneath the brewery, blended with natural flavouring and carbonate.
Lemon and lime and raspberry
4.3% (330ml cans)
Cost: $22 for a four pack.
Stockists: BWS, Dan Murphy’s and independent liquor stores.
Asahi Beverages released this drop in March.
Raspberry, lime
3.5% (250ml cans)
Cost: $18.99 for four pack.
Stockist: BWS, Dan Murphy’s
Lemon and lime, natural
6% (330ml cans)
Price: $25.99 per four-pack.
Stockist: BWS, Dan Murphy’s.
Cucumber and mint, watermelon.
3.5% (250ml cans)
Cost: $18 for four-pack.
Stockists: Liquorland, Vintage Cellars, First Choice Liquor and First Choice Liquor Market
Watermelon vodka and sparkling water, citrus and sparkling water.
5% (250ml cans)
Price: $20.99 for 4-pack.
Stockist: BWS, Dan Murphy’s
Passionfruit, lime
4% (300ml cans)
Price: $19.99 for a four-pack
Stockist: BWS, Dan Murphy’s
Quincy was one of the first seltzers to be released in Australia in November 2019. It’s made through a rice fermentation process which means the alcohol is naturally occurring,
and it’s gluten free. Later, it is then infused with passionfruit or lime.
Raspberry, lime
4.5% (250ml cans)
Price: $40 per 8-pack
Stockist: BWS, Dan Murphys, online.
Olympia Valance is behind this Melbourne-based seltzer brand, Splash. The carbonated water is added with vodka to create a lighter-style drink, that’s enjoyed alone or as a cocktail base.
COMING SOON:
Ruby grapefruit, mango, natural lime
4.5 % (330ml cans)
Price: $23.99 for 4-pack.
Stockist: All good retailers, available from second week of October 2020.
Lion Australia partners with Mark Anthony Brands International to bring White Claw Hard Seltzer down under. White Claw comes in three flavours — ruby grapefruit, mango and natural lime — and will be available to buy in retailers and venues from the second week of October, 2020.
Forbidden Pink Grapefruit
6% (250ml cans)
Price: $23.99 for 4-pack
Stockist: BWS (available from 20 October).
Australian-made alcoholic sparkling water with pink grapefruit flavours. Zero sugar, zero
carbs and 89 calories per can. Also available in lime flavour.
Coco mango, strawbs and cream, piney limey, tropical crush
4% (330ml cans)
Cost: $18 for 6-pack. Prices vary.
Stockists: MoonDog, local independent bottle shops and pubs, bars across Australia.
Moon Dog Brewing in Abbotsford will release its first alcoholic seltzer in October. Brewer Chris Hysted-Adams looked to nostalgic ice cream flavours and lollies to Fizzer’s four flavours.
NoSh Boozy Seltzer
Mango, pineapple and peach
5% (330ml cans)
Cost: $19.99 for four-pack.
Stockists: BWS, Dan Murphy’s.
The team behind K.BOOCH has rebranded as Torquay Beverage Company. An arm of TBC, Mighty Craft, will sell NoSh Boozy Seltzer in more than 500 stores across five states from October.
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