What Alcohol Is In White Claw? Everything You've Ever Wondered About the Popular Hard Selter Answered.
Can you hear that? No, not the fireworks. The sounds of White Claw cans cracking open across America. To celebrate summer's last big bash, Labor Day, millennials and Gen Zers are stocking up on one of the most popular hard seltzers out there, but Reddit threads dubbed "how much white claw to get drunk" and Google searches questioning what alcohol is in White Claw have us wondering, well, what's up.
Keep reading for a breakdown of White Claw's ingredients, alcohol content and nutrition stats, plus how to get your hands on some in time for the holiday.
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Related: 11 Best White Claw Flavors, Ranked
What is White Claw?
White Claw is a brand of hard seltzers that gained popularity in 2016 when they burst onto the scene and quickly resonated with the millennial set and Gen Zers. "When White Claw was first introduced, it was marketed to women and the younger group," explains Terry Rogers, owner of Harbor Point Wines & Spirits in Stamford, CT. "Then men started to drink it; they enjoyed it and found out that if they wanted to lose weight, they could stop drinking beer and move to White Claw."
Known for its low-alcohol content (5% ALC./VOL) and fruity flavors, White Claw became a go-to spiked seltzer. and fans liked that the drink was lower in carbs and calories than other hard seltzers and that it goes down pretty smoothly, with little to no weird aftertaste.
Related: How to Make Watermelon White Claw Grapes (Drunk Grapes)
Who Makes White Claw?
Mark Anthony Brewing. The beverage alcohol company has a vast portfolio of brands, including Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Mike’s Harder, Cayman Jack & White Claw.
What Alcohol Is In White Claw?
White Claw's website states that their hard seltzer is made from a blend of seltzer water, a gluten-free alcohol base and a hint of fruit flavor, but according to Rogers, the main alcohol ingredient is malt, which is used to make beer.
In regards to the "hint of fruit flavor," there are 13 different flavors inspired by the following fruits: Mango, Peach, Blackberry, Watermelon, Black Cherry, Ruby Grapefruit, Natural Lime, Passion Fruit, Strawberry, Pineapple, Lemon, Raspberry and Tangerine. Rogers cites Black Cherry as the best-selling flavor amongst her White Claw consumers, although she says High Noon is actually her top seller in the hard seltzer category. "When Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports threw it up on social media, it took off," she says.
What Else Is In White Claw?
Upon further investigation of the ingredients section on White Claw's label, they break down their hard seltzer formula as follows: purified carbonated water, alcohol, natural flavors, cane sugar, citric acid, sodium citrate and then natural juice concentrate, which changes based on the flavors and fruit juice included. All cans contain the same 2 grams of sugar, 100 calories, 5% ALC./VOL and gluten-free stamp of approval.
Last year, the brand launched a new spirits division, White Claw Spirits Premium Vodka, with 40% ALC./VOL. They claim it's filtered three times using a pressure equal to a 30-foot wave! Because of that, they call it White Claw "Triple Wave" Vodka. As for what's in the clear spirit, that would be 100% American grain that's distilled five times.
In addition to their first-ever vodka, they debuted 100-calorie-per-can Vodka + Sodas (with 4.5% ALC./VOL) with actual vodka and real juices.
Where to Buy White Claw
These compact cans and bottles are everywhere, from gas stations and hypermarkets to boutique liquor stores, bars and restaurants. You name it; they probably sell White Claw. And we're talking multiple flavors and variety packs, not just the OG 12-pack, which you can buy online from Total Wine or Drizly and have delivered to your doorstep.
Happy Labor Day! (Please imbibe responsibly.)
