What do Bostitch, iPhone, Netflix and Tipp-Ex have in common? All these brands have managed to be used as category-defining terms. Even White Claw, the most famous Hard Seltzer on the market, is well on its way to becoming synonymous with the latest trend that is sweeping over to us from the other side of the pond.
At first glance, it may seem surprising that flavoured sparkling water with alcohol has become the No. 1 topic of conversation in the field of RTDs . This is neither a particularly innovative creation nor an absolute novelty. Spirits and soda - is a Hard Seltzer nothing more than a highball in an aluminium jacket?
This argument falls short, because even if some Hard Seltzer producers have been inspired by drinks like the Skinny Bitch (vodka and soda), most Hard Seltzer do without distilled water.
The time is ripe
Like clothes and gadgets, tastes and drinks are subject to the power of ever-changing trends. And the fact that we are talking about Hard Seltzer today hardly seems to be a coincidence. Starting with the trend towards less sweet drinks.
Behind the renunciation of sugar are topics such as self-optimisation, health or the importance of social media. And if it may be something sweet, then in a smaller package or at least in "premium" quality.
The German comedian Florian Schroeder had already spoken in 2014 about the chorlification of society - the dilemma of always wanting to say yes and no at the same time. Alcohol? Health? Self-optimisation? Fun? With the conscious yes, one says yes to contradiction and no to dogmas and strict consistency at the same time. If alcohol, then at least something light.
If alcohol, then at least something light.
Hard Seltzer scores where other drinks struggle. Unlike beer, Hard Seltzer is a much lighter drink. Especially for guests who do not like beer because of its bitterness, Hard Seltzer is a valid alternative.
Wine, on the other hand, already has a higher alcohol content. The sparkling white would invalidate this argument, but it can hardly compete with the variety of flavours of Hard Seltzer . Flavoured ciders, provided they are not sweetened, probably come closest to Hard Seltzer in taste and branding.
Furthermore, it is the opportunity to reach for Hard Seltzer that will help the category to establish itself. It is primarily thanks to the marketing budget of the market-leading brands that Hard Seltzer will be sold and drunk in 2021 in kiosks, at festivals or simply on the lake promenade - if Corona is possible.
But has the pandemic harmed the wave of success of Hard Seltzer at all? When the bars closed, alcohol consumption shifted to the home. People did not get their after-work drink at the bar counter, but from their own fridge. Consequently, those producers who were on the drinks shelves in the retail trade or who could lead customers to the digital shelf of their own online shop benefited during this time.
It is obvious that RTDs did not have to complain about falling sales figures. Otherwise, the Hard Seltzer hype could hardly be explained. In the USA, where Hard Seltzer has already been a big topic for several years, the category has growth figures in the double-digit percentage range. Europe is comparatively a young market.
Today, the consumer no longer automatically associates the can with "cheap".
There are Hard Seltzer, which are filled in glass bottles (many Swiss producers seem to prefer this packaging), but the majority of these drinks are in cans. But this is hardly a disadvantage any more, because today the consumer no longer automatically associates the can with "cheap".
The pioneers in this area were the craft beer breweries, some of which are happy to charge over CHF 5 for a 33-cl can beer. Even wine in cans is expected to have a rosy future - and the developments in the USA and the UK seem to prove wine in aluminium right.
Who wins? Who loses?
Hard Seltzer has struck a chord with the times. But with the increasing popularity, the pressure to tax the category higher or in any case only allow it from the age of 18 is likely to rise. The general consumption of alcohol will hardly increase with the new category. It is much more likely that other alcoholic beverages will lose a piece of the pie to the new category. But which ones?
There are several reasons why breweries in the USA in particular jumped on the trend early. It is not only because the necessary infrastructure (bottling plant) and know-how (fermentation) overlap with beer production.
As popularity increases, pressure is likely to mount to tax the category more heavily or, in any case, to allow it only from the age of 18.
The breweries therefore see in the new category not only the danger that Hard Seltzer will reduce the beer market, but also the opportunity of a new line of business. With Hard Seltzer they also reach people who would not drink beer on principle.
But the spirits industry has also discovered the category for itself. Especially vodka, if it is only used as a source of alcohol, has to fear the cheaper, fermented alternative. The answer is Hard Seltzer from vodka brands, which often already have many years of experience with RTDs . But companies in other spirits categories (tequila, rum, gin, etc.) have also launched Hard Seltzer in recent months.
But what does Hard Seltzer actually taste like? The products available on the market today range from flavoured carbonated mineral water (keyword: Limelite with alcohol) to vitamin C effervescent tablets with a shot, to alcoholic lemonade.
The predominant flavours come from citrus fruits, although berries, herbs, ginger or a mixture of different flavours also contribute to the growing variety of flavours. Sweetened Hard Seltzer are only sweetened with a few grams of sugar or with sweeteners.
Hard "Chrüseliwasser": Swiss Made
Hard Seltzer has only recently become a topic in this country. Among the first to take on this category in Switzerland was Distillerie Erismann. Their John's Hard Seltzer is now available in three flavours. It is surprising and not a matter of course that a traditional distillery is focusing on a trendy RTD .
Various breweries also already have their own Hard Seltzer on offer. Also from Zurich comes the Limmatwasser (fermented) from Brausyndikat in Dietikon. But also Lägerebräu with Gisela (juniper/apple) and Swiss Taste (pear, quince, elder) or Dr. Gabs from French-speaking Switzerland have already launched their own Hard Seltzer , as has Lateltin with Bull Hard Seltzer.
The first movers also include start-ups and lateral entrants such as Kontrast Kompositions GmbH (known for its liquids for e-cigarettes), whose Hardie Hard Seltzer comes up trumps with an intense ginger and citrus note. Lumière des Alpes GmbH now also has gin and the Lai-Hard Seltzer in its online shop, in addition to milk jug lanterns.
Nylo, Sparklys, Against the Grain, Sunday Seltzer and Bubblz are also among the new players on the Swiss market, where international brands like White Claw, Luke's, Served, Raw, Smirnoff and Topo Chico are already in the mix.
The minimal aromatisation hardly allows any mistakes in the production to be covered up.
As simple as the product may sound (mineral water, a my aroma and approx. 5 % alcohol by volume), the production is demanding. A crystal-clear, fermented Hard Seltzer is more complicated to produce than one might think. This is because the minimal flavouring hardly allows any mistakes in the production to be covered up.
Once the summer of 2021 is over, it will be possible to draw a first conclusion. Will the category succeed in winning over consumers? Which brands will be able to build a loyal clientele out of curious trend hunters? Time will tell...
Caution Responsibility
Anyone offering Ready-to-Drink (RTD) such as Hard Seltzer or alcopops must be aware of the age limits for advertising and sales. Particular attention must be paid to Hard Seltzer. If these are produced with the addition of a spirit, different rules apply than if they are produced only with fermented alcohol.
Products that are subject to the Alcohol Act and have been classified as alcopops are charged four times the spirits tax rate of CHF 116 per litre of pure alcohol.
For Hard Seltzer, which are produced with the addition of spirits but do not fall into the category of alcopops (special tax) due to their low sugar content, only the standard rate of CHF 29 per litre of pure alcohol is payable.
If, on the other hand, a consumer buys a Hard Seltzer made purely from fermented alcohol - which is therefore made entirely without spirits - he or she does not pay any spirits tax at all. According to current legislation, these RTDs can rather be compared to beer or wine, which also means that the minimum age for this type of Hard Seltzer is 16.
Depending on the production process, this results in two different age limits that have to be observed when advertising and selling Hard Seltzer . This is not ideal. It is to be expected that the legislator will address this issue in the near future.
The responsibility still lies with the suppliers of such beverages. Producers, traders and Barkeeper must adhere to this regulation and communicate this clearly. In case of doubt, it is recommended to sell these products only to persons who have reached the age of 18.
