Preview: Hard Pop

It began with Not Your Father’s Root Beer, an alcoholic root beer made by Small Town Brewery and distributed by Pabst Brewing Co. In 2015, it became the third best-selling craft beer in the US, despite the fact that it is not really a beer.

Now there is a battle brewing in the alcoholic carbonated drinks category between nostalgic sweet flavours such as ginger ale and root beer, and alcoholic fizzy water produced by brands such as White Claw and NautiSeltzer.

Spiked seltzers appeal to health-conscious consumers who are mindful of their sugar intake but seeking a sweet taste profile that is lacking in the craft beer market, which is increasingly focusing on bitter.