Finally, hard seltzers have infiltrated craft breweries in Houston and around the country. I believe that the summer of 2021 will be the summer of craft brewery seltzers. While there are only five breweries in town currently making hard seltzers, this number is sure to rise as consumer demand remains strong for these beer alternatives. 

Here are the five Houston breweries currently producing hard seltzers:

Saint Arnold Superfine Hard Seltzer

Saint Arnold recently released their Superfine series of seltzers. There are four options: Mimosa Morning, Cherry Lounge, Sangria Sunset and Lemon Drop. The seltzers clock in at a 4.5% ABV with only 95 calories per can, which is a big reason for the appeal of hard seltzers versus beer. My personal favorites of the bunch are the Lemon Drop and Mimosa Morning. The 12-pack with three cans of each can be found at local Krogers, H-E-Bs and the brewery

Eureka Heights Fizzy Pants Hard Seltzer 

Eureka Heights released their variety pack a couple of weeks before Saint Arnold released theirs. The Fizzy Pants seltzers are more aptly named: Strawberry, Grapefruit, Peach and Watermelon. The seltzers are 5% ABV with 100 calories per can. My favorite of the bunch is the Peach. 

Galveston Island Strawberry Lemonade Seltzer

I can’t think of a better environment to drink a seltzer than at the beach, and if you are on Galveston Island, you can stop by the brewery for their seltzer option. Their seltzer is 5.5% ABV and 115 calories.

BAKFISH Swim Shady Seltzer

BAKFISH was the first brewery in Houston to release their own seltzer, back in Fall 2020. They have three options to choose from: Passionfruit Guava, Coconut Lime Mojito and A 5th of Kool-aid (Cherry). Their seltzers are 4.75% ABV with 96 calories.

Urban South HTX Lifted Seltzer

If there ever was a brewery in town to keep up with the latest trends (or create their own trends), it’s Urban South. Urban South’s Lifted hard seltzer series has various flavors from Raspberry, White Chocolate, Ice Cream to Pineapple, Cotton Candy. Like with everything Urban South HTX does, these are unlike any seltzer you will find in town. 

Like mentioned before, there will certainly be more breweries this summer releasing their own hard seltzer to keep up with consumer taste. I’ve heard a rumor that Texas Leaguer Brewing in Missouri City is very close in releasing their own from when this article was written. If you are a big beer drinker, hard seltzers aren’t going to blow you away with any sort of complex flavors, but hard seltzers are a great alternative to drink something less caloric than a normal beer while still feeling refreshed. 

The post Hard Seltzers Have Landed at Houston Breweries first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Hard Seltzers Have Landed at Houston Breweries appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

But like your parents told you…you don’t need alcohol to have a good time. There are plenty of excellent options for the temporary teetotaler if you know where to look. You don’t have to keep it fairways and greens either with something as simple and classic as Saint Arnold’s outstanding root beer recipe. Even without leaving the Saint Arnold compound you can find something interesting like their HOP₂O, a hop-tinged water that will almost make you forget that it’s still water that was wasted by not becoming beer.

If you’re looking to be a little more adventurous than water, many area breweries have their own flavors of house-made sodas, like City Acre’s vanilla cream soda pictured here. At this point I think it’s fair to say that most breweries, especially those with family-friendly taprooms, have begun offering creative nonalcoholic options for those unwilling or unable to consume their primary product. 

Finally, if you have a need to take your beer-related-but-not-quite-beer game on the road, there are an increasing number of breweries going outside the box. Untitled Art has developed a line of CBD infused waters that they have canned for wide distribution. Although they aren’t a Texas outfit, they do distribute to the Houston area, and this product trend is something I’m expecting to see pop up more here locally in the near future.

 So, for the next 162 days until January is over, it’s nice to know that there are some great, enjoyable options to stay sober and hydrated. That said, assuming I don’t get fired before then for missing the mark on my first task, I look forward to returning to this space next month to talk with you about something with some kick to it. Cheers!

The post What to Expect When You’re Expecting Not to Drink first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post What to Expect When You’re Expecting Not to Drink appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.