I'm jumping on the spiked sparkling water bandwagon this week to see what it's all about.
Before we begin, I feel like I should tell you I am not a sparkling water fan. LaCroix is not my bestie. Frankly, I just want a regular soda. But in the name of cocktail research I knew eventually I'd need to try a few of the hard seltzers - and I have not been looking forward to it.
Over the past weekend I was invited by one of my girl friends to join her and her crew at a three day country music festival and my momma taught me to never show up empty handed. So I seized the opportunity to test out the White Claw Hard Seltzers and picked up a case for the group (and another brand you'll hear more about in a couple of weeks). I figured this was the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone plus I'd have extra opinions to share with you.
I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of this ready-to-drink cocktail. The black cherry flavor was stronger than I expected (i.e. I could actually taste it) and it was a little sweeter than I expected so I felt like I had won the sparkling water jackpot. The other girls at the campsite seemed to like it too. We agreed it was a great option for a hot day when you want something pretty light. But...
Scandal alert! As I was prepping to write up this review and taking pictures I noticed a little message on the bottom of the can that I missed before.
So apparently this is not a cocktail at all but a beer in fancy disguise. This is why I have trust issues y'all.
Putting that little detail aside, let's get to the good stuff.
Here is official my scores for the black cherry White Claw Hard Seltzer:
As I mentioned, this hard seltzer had more flavor than I was expecting so that was a win. It is very light and crisp with only 100 calories. It is the perfect day drinking drink for a long, hot, dusty day camping which is luckily what I was doing while enjoying this pre-made cocktail.
One shaker = not sweet at all // Five shakers = your teeth may curl
It was sweeter than I expected but overall not super sweet. It is very much in line with sparkling water - but with a little bit of booze!
One shaker = does this have booze? Five shakers = Four Lokos
This is where this spiked sparkling water lost me. I didn't get much of a buzz from the White Claw Hard Seltzer. Maybe (probably?) I'm a lush but I like my drinks a little stronger.
This one rings in officially at 5% ABV so it's on the lighter side all the way around. I knew the ABV was low but it seemed non-existent. However, the low booziness makes it a great option to have in mind when you are wanting to take it easy.
Would I buy this again?
Sure! I think the White Claw Hard Seltzers are the perfect drink to pick up on your way to a party - especially since they have a variety back. They are super trendy and you won't mind sharing them your friends. Plus you can totally order them online here and have them shipped right to your house. Win win!
Have you tried this drink? What did you think? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section. The more opinions the better! Let's "drink together" and share our cocktail stories.
UPDATE: I've heard from a lot of you that you LOVE this drink. WooHoo! There are clearly a ton of sparkling water fans out there so we will continue to review them. Join the convo on Instagram and weight in with your thoughts.
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