Hard Seltzer is a beverage that is growing in popularity around the world and has become a significant portion of the alcoholic beverage industry in the US (approximately 7.5 million hL).  This volume is expected “to triple by the year 2023”, according to new research by International Wine and Spirit Research (IWSR).

If you are thinking about joining the craze by adding seltzers to your tap list or fridge for the health-conscious consumers looking for low calories beverages, here is all you need to know from the Beverage fermentation experts at Fermentis.

Hard Seltzer is a very neutral fermented product, that has some flavor additions (typically fruit: tropical, citrus, berry) and is carbonated, creating a sparkling, crisp and refreshing beverage.  The beverage is very complete in fermentation, meaning there are very few, if any, carbohydrates left unfermented.  This results in a very dry beverage with high drinkability.  Many of the most popular brands are packaged in cans for ease of transportation and consumption in public areas, such as beaches or parks.  Often, these same products will be available on tap at the producer’s facility or taproom as well as bars throughout the region or country.

The products that started out as Hard Seltzers are produced by fermenting pure sugar: either dextrose (corn-derived in the US, pure glucose) or table sugar (cane sugar, also known as sucrose).  The choice of sugar is highly dependent on the producer and the reasons can be very different for arriving at the decision: availability, price, etc.  One of the more popular reasons for deciding is many producers are moving to table sugar or sucrose because it is a non-GMO derived sugar, from the sugarcane plant, so it makes the label even cleaner than it already is.

Because the raw materials are sugar, water, yeast and some form of nutrients, the resulting Hard Seltzer is gluten-free as well as free of many of the other allergens (depending on the yeast and nutrients used), excluding alcohol.  The flavour, aroma and appearance of these beverages are very similar to carbonated water, such as Perrier or La Croix, with a small hint of flavor.

For a reliably fast ferment of pure sugars and the like, the nutrient mix by Fermentis Springferm™ NAB is the obvious choice for neutral alcohol-based beverages. Developed to ferment pure-sugar media and high adjunct wort with yeast, this is a 100% mineral-based fermentation aid. You will obtain the perfect final product without further additions.

Find out about Fermentis Springferm NAB here.

References:
https://www.theiwsr.com/wp-content/uploads/Press-Release-IWSR-Hard-Seltzer-volume-to-triple-by-2023.pdf