Hard seltzers are no longer just a summertime hit, but a year-round top seller. This market continues to expand, with some forecasts calling for over 160% growth. Goldman Sachs recently stated that they expect the Hard Seltzer market to reach $30 billion in sales by 2025. Consumers love the light and refreshing taste, the large variety of mouth-watering flavors, and the low calories associate with this beverage.
Northwestern Extract Company can help your business claim a share in this massive market. Not only do we have the best TTB flavors that are sure to be a hit, but we also have the tools to create a great tasting base that is clean tasting to let those flavors shine.
Fruit flavors dominate the Hard Seltzer world. We have all of your standard line up: Black Cherry, Mango, Lime, Grapefruit, Pineapple, and Tangerine. We also have Black Raspberry, Strawberry Kiwi, Mixed Berry, Watermelon, Tropical Punch, Blackberry, and Hawaiian POG to name a few of our personal favorites.
In terms of creating the purest and best tasting product that is similar to the top name brands, consider using Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, and Sweet Flavor Modulators.
Citric Acid
Citric acid is an acid found in nature in nearly all fruit juices which contributes to the “sour” taste. Fruit would not taste quite “right” without it and may not even be identifiable to the average consumer. In terms of hard seltzers, top selling brands have a pH of around 3.25, which is similar to a Mountain Dew or a Sprite. Consumers are very familiar with carbonated beverages in this pH range because of the popularity of soda and have come to subconsciously expect that in hard seltzers as well. Since plain water is around a pH of 7, citric acid is used to lower the pH to this acidic range. Citric acid creates the “true-to-fruit” character in beverage as well as the brightness and “pop” associated with juiciness (most noticeable in citrus flavors) that consumers crave.
Sodium Citrate
Not all fruits shine in highly acidic beverages in the same way that citrus fruits do. To accommodate for fruits not associated with a distinctly “sour” taste, sodium citrate is very useful. Sodium citrate is a buffer, which means it will decrease the tart taste while still maintaining that craveable juicy profile and soda-like familiarity, all while keeping a safe pH range for the product. This is particularly useful in flavors like Watermelon, Pineapple, Mango, and Berry flavors. Sodium citrate is also very beneficial in smoothing and mellowing out a flavor profile, creating less “harshness” from the alcohol for a well-rounded beverage. Sodium citrate will also give a slight salty taste at higher levels, which is interesting in giving more depth to a Watermelon or Cucumber.
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate is a preservative and is particularly useful in cases where there is a residual sugar problem, added sugar, or for anything that is going to be stored ambient. Unlike beer, which is naturally preserved through hops, hard seltzers do not contain enough alcohol to maintain food safety integrity without preservation strategies. Although citric acid alone might be enough to preserve your hard seltzer, small amounts of sodium benzoate will ensure complete confidence. The effective pH range for sodium benzoate is 2.5-4.0 (and will not work above 4.4), so it should be used in conjunction with citric acid.
Sweet Flavor Modulator
Many market products use 1-2 grams of added sugar, which helps improve the taste and mouthfeel and masks the alcohol burn slightly. However, there is always a market for diet or sugar-free options. Whether you add sugar to your hard seltzer or not, consumers are always craving sweetness. We have the answer in the form of a non-fermentable and non-caloric perceived sweetness enhancer. At low levels (0.05%-0.30%), our Sweet Honey flavor does the trick, and creates a smoother mouthfeel, reducing the harshness of the alcohol, creating a better tasting and more sessionable hard seltzer, which is sure to generate more sales.
Alternative Sweeteners
Northwestern Extract Company can also provide non-sugar sweeteners and blends for those looking to add extra sweetness without the calories of sugar. When used too high, these sweeteners can be described as slightly bitter and unpleasant, but at low levels they can provide the perfect addition to your hard seltzer.
Natural:
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in some fruits and fermented foods.
- Low calorie (6% of that of sugar)
- About 70% as sweet as sugar
Stevia is a plant-derived sweetener, and some research has shown it beneficial to health. Some consumers find stevia gives a slight menthol note or bitterness at high levels.
- Zero calories
- About 200 times sweeter than sugar
Artificial:
Acesulfame K was discovered by accident by the German chemist. This can have a bitter aftertaste and is often used in combination with sucralose to mask that perception.
- Zero calories
- About 200 times sweeter than sugar
Sucralose (name brand: Splenda) is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners on the market in terms of taste and stability. Because this sweetener is so intensely strong, it can be quite overwhelming and numbing to the palate if used too high.
- Zero calories
- About 600 times sweeter than sugar
Give us a call today at 1(800)466-3034 to get started creating or improving your hard seltzers!
