Examining the Ingredients in Popular White Claw Hard Seltzers

Examining the Ingredients in White Claw Hard Seltzer

Over the last few years, spiked seltzers like White Claw have taken the alcohol industry by storm. Their bubbly, fruity flavors and lower calorie counts appeal to health-conscious drinkers. But what exactly is in these trendy hard seltzers? Let's take a closer look at the ingredients that give White Claw its light, refreshing taste.

The Rise in Popularity of Spiked Seltzers

Hard seltzers fit within the growing market of flavored malt beverages (FMBs). What started with a few options like Smirnoff Ice has exploded into a booming category led by White Claw. Sales of hard seltzers like White Claw have skyrocketed recently. Their sales grew over 200% from 2018 to 2019, now making up almost 5% of the US alcohol market.

Several factors are driving the success of White Claw and other spiked seltzers:

• Lower calories and carbs than beer, wine, and mixed drinks
• Gluten-free options appeal to health-conscious drinkers
• Gender-neutral, non-beer branding draws female drinkers
• Fun fruit flavors with fizzy, refreshing taste
• Convenience of portable cans and variety packs

For moderate drinkers watching their weight and diets, the light nutrition profile and guilt-free image of hard seltzers is very attractive. White Claw capitalized early and powerfully on this appeal.

White Claw's Simple Ingredient List

One reason for White Claw's breakout success is its minimal, straightforward ingredient list. According to the product labeling, White Claw Hard Seltzer contains just these three ingredients:

• Carbonated water - provides the bubbly, effervescent texture.
• Alcohol - distilled from fermented sugars, White Claw contains 5% alcohol by volume, same as most beers.
• Natural flavors - food-grade flavorings give White Claw its fruity taste profiles.

Some other spiked seltzers add unnecessary sugars, preservatives and additives. But White Claw keeps it simple. This allows them to market it as a light, clean, gluten-free beverage. The minimal ingredients and transparency also appeals to ingredient-scrutinizing consumers.

Gluten-Free Appeal of White Claw

White Claw proudly advertises its beverages as gluten-free. For drinkers with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, or those avoiding gluten for other reasons, this is a big draw.

But how can White Claw be gluten-free when it's made from fermented grains - namely gluten-containing barley? White Claw uses a brewing and fermenting process that removes the gluten protein from the final product. The finished distilled alcohol tests well below the FDA threshold of less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten to receive gluten-free certification.

Those highly sensitive to gluten should still exercise caution with products made from glutenous grains. But White Claw has taken steps to produce authentic gluten-free hard seltzers for the majority of drinkers.

Types of Alcohol in White Claw

As mentioned earlier, White Claw contains an alcohol content of 5% ABV, or alcohol by volume. This is a lighter alcohol percentage than most beers, wines, and cocktails.

More specifically, White Claw utilizes a fermented malt base. The malt comes from gluten-free grains like sorghum, rice and corn. Yeast is added to ferment the sugars in the grains and convert them into alcohol.

This fermented malt beverage is then distilled and blended with carbonated water and natural flavors to create the final spiked seltzer product.

Natural vs. Artificial Flavors in White Claw

One vague ingredient in White Claw is the "natural flavors" added to give each variety its fruity taste profile. White Claw flavors include Mango, Black Cherry, Lime, Grapefruit and more.

The term "natural flavors" is loosely regulated by the FDA. It means the flavors come from natural sources like fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices or animal products. However, these flavors are typically highly processed and engineered in factories into concentrated additives.

So while the original flavors start from natural ingredients, White Claw doesn't use actual fruit or fruit juice. The simplicity of a single "natural flavors" ingredient allows White Claw to maintain its short, appealing ingredient list. But the flavors aren’t equivalent to fresh squeezed juice with no additives.

Sugar Content and Sweeteners in White Claw

One of the reasons White Claw and other hard seltzers are lower in calories than beer, cocktails and wine is their minimal sugar content. White Claw contains just 2 grams of sugar per 12 ounce can.

This small amount of sugar comes from the natural fruit flavorings. White Claw uses zero added sugars, syrups or artificial sweeteners like aspartame or stevia to enhance the flavor. This sets it apart from many competing spiked seltzers that add extra sugars. The little sugar in White Claw also contributes to its low total carbohydrate count of 2 grams per can.

Calories and Nutrition Facts for White Claw

At just 100 calories per 12 fluid ounce can, White Claw has a lower calorie density than most alcoholic drinks. For comparison, a typical 12oz beer has around 150 calories while a glass of wine or cocktail can have 150-300 calories or more.

Here is the full White Claw nutrition facts label per 1 can (12oz) serving:

• 100 calories
• 0g fat
• 2g carbs
• 2g sugar
• 0g protein

The low calorie and carb counts make White Claw a go-to drink for people watching their waistlines. And its minimal nutrition label with no fat or protein appeals to calorie counters. However, most experts still recommend moderating intake to 1-2 cans due to the alcohol content.

White Claw's Brewing Process

White Claw is produced by Mark Anthony Brands at their brewery facilities in Arizona and Kentucky. The company utilizes an innovative Brewpure® process to create its gluten-free alcohol base for the spiked seltzers.

This process starts by fermenting sugar from gluten-free grains like sorghum and rice. Yeast is added to facilitate the fermentation into alcohol. Mark Anthony employs enzymes that break down residual gluten proteins into amino acids, resulting in undetectable levels of gluten.

The fermented base is then distilled into a high-proof neutral spirit. This further removes impurities and gluten proteins. Finally the purified alcohol is blended with carbonated water and natural flavors to produce the finished White Claw products.

Quality control and testing

White Claw maintains rigorous quality control standards at its facilities. Each batch of the hard seltzer is tested to ensure it meets guidelines for:

• Alcohol percentage
• Carbonation/dissolved CO2 levels
• Residual sugars
• pH balance
• Gluten content (below 20ppm)

By carefully monitoring each production run, White Claw can deliver a consistently crisp, light and refreshing beverage to consumers. Strict sanitation procedures also prevent contamination of the drinks.

White Claw vs. Other Hard Seltzer Brands

White Claw is the top-selling hard seltzer brand in America by a wide margin. However, the booming category has attracted dozens of competitors all vying for market share. Here's how White Claw stacks up against a few of the other major spiked seltzer brands:

• Truly - Very similar ingredients and nutrition profile to White Claw. Also gluten-free with 2g carbs and around 100 calories per can.
• BON & VIV - Uses cane sugar instead of fruit flavors for bolder taste. Slightly higher calories at 116 per can.
• Smirnoff Seltzer - Lowest calorie option at 90 calories per can but uses artificial sweeteners.
• Nauti Seltzer - Sweetened with Stevia so slightly lower sugar/calories than most at 1g per can.

While individual tastes differ, most objective reviews rate White Claw's flavors and overall drinking experience favorably compared to competitors. And White Claw's first mover advantage has given it a commanding market share.

The Bottom Line on White Claw Ingredients

When you break it down, White Claw has a short, straightforward list of ingredients. Its gluten-free alcohol base, carbonated water, touch of fruit flavors and low sugar content create a light, fizzy beverage that's perfect for health-minded drinkers. While no alcoholic drink is truly healthy, White Claw has found the right brand positioning and transparent ingredient list to make it America's #1 hard seltzer.

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.