Bud Light Seltzer announced the launch of a new sour seltzer on Thursday. The Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) brand will be debuting its limited edition “Sour” variety pack on December 27. The drinks will be released just in time to give consumers something interesting to ring in their otherwise (hopefully) un-sour new year with.

“Prepare to pucker,” the brand’s website warns. “We turned up the sour on these seltzers, and made some amazing, fruity flavors that are sure to test your tongue. These flavors aren’t for the weak and are our loudest flavors ever.”

The sour beverages come in four tart flavors including Watermelon, Blue Raspberry, Lemon and Green Apple. Every 12 ounce slim can of seltzer contains 100 calories, less than 1 gram of sugar, 3 grams of carbs and an ABV of 5%. The new 12-can variety pack features three cans of each sour flavor and will be available nationwide only while supplies last.

Bud Light isn’t the first brand to create a sour hard seltzer. In May of this year another Anheuser-Busch favorite, Natural Light, launched Natty Light Sour Seltzer in the same four flavors offered by Bud Light’s variety pack. It is possible AB InBev is toying with the idea that the sour seltzer line is better served as part of Bud Light’s flourishing portfolio. However, Natty Light’s version has a slightly higher ABV, coming in at 6%.

Warheads, the beloved Taiwanese candy that took the US by storm in the early 90s, also recently got in on the sour seltzer action. The candy brand, which is owned by Impact Confections, partnered with Artisanal Brew Works to launch Warheads Extreme Sour Hard Seltzer in Black Cherry, Green Apple, Watermelon and Blue Raspberry earlier this year. The small brewery, which is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, launched the sour seltzers after its successful release of a Warheads flavored line of beers last year.

Bud Light entered the crowded hard seltzer market in 2020 and has consistently added sparkle to its lineup with limited edition releases ever since. In March the brand released a special Out Of Office variety pack filled with vacation-ready flavors including Classic Lime Margarita, Mango Mai Tai, Strawberry Daiquiri and Watermelon Mojito. The tropical flavors were supported by an on-theme marketing campaign and were only available until the end of the season–just in time for Spring Break.

This summer Bud Light debuted the Retro Summer Limited Edition Tie Dye Pack featuring throwback flavors such as Cherry Limeade, Blue Raspberry, and Summer Ice. The launch was a hit and in August the brand announced the nostalgic variety pack would be renamed the Retro Tie Dye Pack and would become a permanent addition to Bud Light Seltzer’s year-round repertoire. To highlight the change, the brand also renamed Summer Ice, opting instead to call it Twisted Berry.

Bud Light Seltzer also continues to lean into holiday releases. The brand came out with a limited edition Ugly Sweater Pack last winter and reintroduced it this year with new festive flavors including Sugar Plum, Cherry Cordial, Seltzer Nog and a fan favorite from 2020, Cranberry. Additionally, Bud Light recently launched a limited release Fall Flannel mixed pack made up of autumn-inspired flavors such as Toasted Marshmallow, Apple Crisp, Maple Pear, and Pumpkin Spice.

Anheuser-Busch hopes its newest limited edition variety pack, Bud Light Seltzer Sour, will have the same success the brand’s previous limited releases have had. “Bud Light Seltzer has continued to disrupt the category by providing seltzer fans 21+ with bold, fun and unexpected flavors,” Andy Goeler, Bud Light’s Vice President of Marketing, explained in an interview with USA Today. “As we enter 2022, we remain committed to innovating and to get the taste conversation flowing.”

Shirani Jayasuriya
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