What Is Alcoholic Seltzer?

The basic definition of a hard seltzer is seltzer water with alcohol. Where the alcohol comes from depends on the alcohol base you choose to work with. Many hard seltzers have a base of fermented cane sugar with added flavors, but seltzers can also be made with malted barley, grain neutral spirits, or wine.

What alcohol is in seltzer drinks?

In the US the alcohol is usually made by fermenting cane sugar; sometimes malted barley is used. Hard seltzer products outside of the US have been found to use either neutral spirit, or fermentation of fruit. The alcohol by volume is around 5% and the calorie-content is relatively low.

Is alcoholic seltzer a beer?

The true difference between the two beverages comes down to what is being fermented. With beer, malted grains are mashed in to make wort (pulling out sugars in the process). ... With beer and hard seltzer, yeast chomps up a form of sugar to create alcohol.