What Kind of Alcohol is Used to Make White Claw Hard Seltzer?

What Kind of Alcohol is in White Claw?

White Claw has surged in popularity over the last few years, becoming one of the hottest ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages on the market. Its low calorie, low carb, gluten-free profile appeals to health-conscious drinkers.

But what exactly is the alcohol that makes White Claw "hard"? Let's take a factual look at the type of alcohol used in White Claw hard seltzer.

Made with a Base of Selzer Water

White Claw is made by mixing seltzer water with alcohol base and natural fruit flavors. The seltzer provides the carbonation and refreshing flavor.

Selzer water is simply plain water that has been carbonated with pressurized carbon dioxide gas. It contains no sweeteners or added sugars.

Flavored with Fruit Juice Concentrates

White Claw comes in fruit flavors like black cherry, mango, lime, and grapefruit. These flavors come from small amounts of fruit juice concentrates.

Fruit juice concentrates allow natural flavors to be added without sweeteners or large amounts of sugars. White Claw contains 1g of sugar per can.

Made with a Clear Distilled Spirit Base

The alcohol that makes White Claw "hard" is a highly rectified clear spirit derived from fermented sugar cane.

This type of alcohol base is gluten-free and contains virtually no residual sugars or carbohydrates.

Similar Process to Vodka Distillation

White Claw's alcohol base is made through a distillation process very similar to how most vodka is made. The key steps include:

1. Fermenting sugar cane syrup into alcohol.
2. Distilling the alcoholic sugar cane liquid through fractional distillation columns to remove impurities.
3. Additional filtration to further refine and distill the liquor.
4. Diluting with water to reach the desired alcohol percentage.

This multi-step distillation and filtration produces a crisp, smooth, mixable spirit ideal for spiked seltzers.

Made from Sugar Cane

White Claw's alcohol base is fermented and distilled from sugar cane syrup. Sugar cane is a common base for rum and some vodkas.

Using sugar cane results in a gluten-free distilled spirit. Other alcohol bases like wheat, barley, rye, or corn would not be gluten-free.

Legally Classified as a Malt Beverage

Despite being made from a sugar cane alcohol base, White Claw is legally classified as a malt beverage rather than a distilled spirit. This is because sugar is added during the fermentation process.

The same laws apply to other spiked seltzers like Truly, Bon & Viv, and Smirnoff.

Nutrition Facts of White Claw

Here are the nutrition facts for a 12oz can of White Claw Hard Seltzer:

• Calories: 100
• Carbs: 2g
• Sugar: 1g
• Protein: 0g
• Fat: 0g
• Alcohol: 5% ABV

With only 100 calories, 2g carbs, and 1g sugar, White Claw provides a light, low-carb alcoholic beverage option.

Lower Calories than Beer or Cocktails

At 100 calories per 12oz can, White Claw has significantly fewer calories than most beers, wines, or mixed drinks. For comparison:

• Regular Beer - 150+ calories per 12oz
• Wine - 120-130 calories per 5oz glass
• Vodka Soda - 100-150 calories per glass
• Margarita - 300-500 calories per glass

The lower calorie profile appeals to health-conscious consumers looking to cut back on drinking calories.

Low Sugar and Carb Content

With only 1g of sugar and 2g net carbs per can, White Claw offers a solid low-carb alcoholic option.

Again this compares favorably to beers, coolers, and cocktails which can have 15-30g of carbs per serving, mostly from added sugars.

Gluten-Free

Since it's made from sugar cane rather than gluten grains like wheat or barley, White Claw is naturally gluten-free.

This makes it a suitable alcoholic beverage choice for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Alcohol Content and Strength

White Claw has an alcohol content of 5% alcohol by volume (ABV). This is a bit lower than most beers and standard malt beverages.

Here's how the alcohol percentage of White Claw compares:

• Beer - 4-6% ABV
• Wine - 11-13% ABV
• Spirits - 30-50% ABV

At 5% ABV, White Claw provides a moderate alcohol content that is lower than most cocktails or wines. But drinking multiple cans can still quickly add up to unsafe intoxication levels.

Less Alcohol Than Most Beers

With 5% ABV versus 4-6% for most beers, a White Claw has slightly less alcohol than a typical 12oz beer.

So drinking a White Claw would have similar alcohol impact to drinking a light beer.

Weaker Alcohol Content Than Cocktails

Cocktails made with distilled liquors can range from 15-40% ABV, significantly stronger than White Claw's 5%.

A single White Claw has less alcohol than a 1.5oz spirit pour mixed into a cocktail. But the drinkability can lead people to consume more cans.

Are There Any Sweeteners Added?

White Claw does not contain any added sweeteners like sugar, corn syrup, honey, agave, or artificial sweeteners.

The 1g of sugar in White Claw comes from the small amounts of fruit juice concentrate used for natural flavors. The seltzer water base does not contain sugars.

This sets it apart from many canned cocktails and coolers which include added sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup or sugar to mask the alcohol flavor.

Flavors and Varieties

White Claw is available in a variety of fruit flavors, all made with the same sugar cane alcohol base and seltzer water.

Current White Claw flavor offerings include:

• Black Cherry
• Natural Lime
• Mango
• Raspberry
• Grapefruit
• Watermelon
• Tangerine
• Lemon

They also offer a variety pack with four of the most popular flavors so people can sample different ones.

Pure Flavors From Fruit Juice

The natural fruit flavors are derived from fruit juice concentrates. No artificial flavors are added.

Adding real fruit juice allows White Claw to provide clean, pure flavors without a lot of added sugars.

No Dyes or Colors

No food coloring agents are added to White Claw. The clear liquid and pale fruit colors come from the flavors and ingredients rather than artificial dyes.

Is White Claw Considered A Healthy Alcoholic Beverage?

Compared to higher calorie beers, cocktails and wine, White Claw provides a lower calorie alcoholic option with less carbs and sugars.

However, there is no truly "healthy" alcoholic beverage, and moderation is still key:

• No amount of alcohol is considered safe for pregnant women.
• Over-consumption can quickly occur as cans are very drinkable.
• The alcohol content impairs cognition, coordination and judgment.
• It should not replace proper nutrition and hydration.

While White Claw has fewer calories and carbs than many alcoholic drinks, it provides little nutritional value and should still be consumed sensibly.

The Bottom Line

White Claw hard seltzer is made using a highly refined alcohol base derived from fermented sugar cane. It provides a light, fizzy alcoholic beverage with minimal carbs, sugars and gluten.

While lower in calories than other alcohol options, it should still be enjoyed in moderation as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.