While it seems a new hard seltzer brand hits the market every day, in the early days of the craze there were three main brands: Bon & Viv, Truly, and, most of all, White Claw. The big three set the tone for the industry as light, fruity, and refreshing alcoholic beverages.
Around this same time, a picture of the market’s target demographic began to emerge: younger legal-drinking-age (LDA), health-conscious women. Although the last few years have proven hard seltzer to be a great equalizer, as people of all genders and age demographics flock to this bubbly alternative to beer, wine, and liquor.
Much of hard seltzer’s mass appeal comes from its better-for-you profile; they’re typically gluten-free, under 100 calories per serving, and low in sugar and carbs.
“Hard seltzer is an anomaly,” says Brian Miesieski, the VP of marketing and innovation for Atlanta’s SweetWater Brewing, makers of the Hydroponics Hard Seltzer. “It really blew up what you would perceive to be a typical consumer demographic for seltzer. It struck gold, essentially.”
Despite its popularity, some alcohol industry hold-outs still thumb their noses at hard seltzer. “I don’t judge people who indulge in hard seltzers,” says Bobbie Burgess, a wine director from Mississippi. “but I do hope that after the first one at our bar and building trust, guests are willing to try something different and, dare I say, better.”
As more and more microbreweries introduce their own craft hard seltzers and ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, it will be interesting how industry perceptions change.
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