In a flurry of activity to develop new products for the spring of 2021, New Belgium appears to working on a launch of hard tea in addition to its upcoming hard seltzer.

Records filed with the US Patent Trademark Office show the brewery intends to use the brand names “SUNWAZE” and “SUNCUT” in the sale of alcoholic tea beverages, which could even include a hard kombucha.  The USPTO has since granted a notice of allowance, but the next step for New Belgium is to actually prove its use of the marks in interstate commerce.

In September, Hard Seltzer News reported that New Belgium applied to register the name “Fruit Smash,” which it plans to use for its highly anticipated boozy bubbly water. The following day, the company filed a second application to trademark “Sorry for Seltzering.”

The brewery has been rather tight-lipped about its effervescent offering, but it will reportedly be made with real fruit juices, giving it a lovely natural hue.

New Belgium is the US’s fourth largest craft brewery as of 2019, although it will no longer be included in the Brewer’s Association list of craft breweries, as it has since been acquired by Kirin subsidiary Lion Little World Beverages in Australia. The release of Fruit Smash would make it the second largest on that year-old list to add hard seltzer to its portfolio, behind only Boston Beer’s Truly.

New Belgium Brewing’s parent Kirin Holdings Company Ltd (KNBWY) is also involved in the manufacture of drugs and cosmetics through subsidiaries Kyowa Kirin and Fancl Corp.

Truly Hard Tea to Give Category Credibility

SUNWAZE and SUNCUT will also make New Belgium the second largest to move into the hard iced tea space, as Truly has announced plans to release its own iced tea variety pack in 2021.

“In early 2021, we will launch Truly Iced Tea Hard Seltzer, Truly Extra, a higher ABV version of Truly, and other new Truly flavors and package sizes, as we continue to lead innovation in the Hard Seltzer category,” said Boston Beer president and CEO Dave Burwick.

“We believe that Truly Iced Tea Hard Seltzer, which combines the refreshment of hard seltzer with real brewed tea and fruit flavor at only 100 calories and 1 gram of sugar, will further strengthen our position in the category.”

Numerous 2021 Hard Tea Launches

2021 is shaping up to be the year of the spiked iced tea. Hard seltzer powerhouse White Claw also announced a forthcoming hard iced tea, a significant expansion for the brand that popularized the genre.

Even the Wonderful Company, makers of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice, is getting in on the boozy fun. The company applied for trademark registration for POM Wonderful alcoholic beverages, including hard seltzer and hard teas.

Along with spiked and sparkling iced tea, hard kombucha is also gaining popularity. Whole Foods named boozy ‘booch as one of its top ten food trends for the new year.

According to the grocery chain, which famously predicted the rise of hard seltzer in early 2018, “hard kombucha checks all the boxes: it’s gluten-free, it’s super bubbly and can be filled with live probiotic cultures. Cheers to that!”

While we’re still not sure when to expect Fruit Smash or SUNWAZE and SUNCUT (are they perhaps sun-brewed hard teas?) we are excited to taste New Belgium’s next chapter.

Founded in Colorado in 1991 by Kim Jordan and Jeff Lebesch, New Belgium is best known for its Fat Tire Amber Ale. The company is dedicated to environmental sustainability, making it a centerpiece of its corporate social responsibility efforts. Fruit Smash and the SUN teas are sure to follow in New Belgium’s eco-friendly footsteps.

Erin Grafton
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