If you’re looking to start 2023 off with a buzz—but only want to drink the best—you’ve come to the right place. In 2022, we tasted through all the top hard ciders, spiked seltzers, hard kombuchas, oktoberfest beers, and holiday beers. And out of those, only one boozy beverage stood above the rest (okay, and a runner-up). The Sporked award goes to…
I remain blown away by this hard seltzer. Here’s what Spindrift did right: They took their non-alcoholic Half & Half seltzer, which is very good in its own right, and then they spiked it. It’s just that easy, other hard seltzer brands! A mix of bright, tangy lemon and cozy tea, it’s like a spiked Arnold Palmer without the sugar. It’s so refreshing and it’s good to drink at any point in the day: It’s great to drink with brunch, it’s great to sip while laying out at the beach, it’s a balanced party beverage. It’s the best hard seltzer I’ve ever tasted (and I drank over 60 for our taste test, so you have to trust me). Congrats, Spindrift!
Hard kombucha has come a long way. While there are still brands out there creating mouth-puckeringly tart brews, Jiant specializes in hard kombuchas made with the much gentler jun kombucha, which has a base of green tea and honey. Their Taco Tuesday blends pineapple juice with a splash of lime and a hint of jalapeño. The resulting drink is just delicious. It’s a bit like tepache, a bit like a really good al pastor taco, and a bit awesome. You still know you’re drinking kombucha, but you’re not smacked over the head with it. Even if you don’t think you like kombucha, you should try this hard kombucha. It might very well change your mind.
Justine Sterling is the editor-in-chief of Sporked. She has been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and is an avid at-home cook and snacker. Don’t worry, she’s not a food snob. Sure, she loves a fresh-shucked oyster. But she also will leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and loves a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!