The 11 Best Hard Seltzer Brands For Your Next Group Hang

To say hard seltzers have risen in popularity is an understatement; the fizzy, lightly flavored sparkling waters have completely dominated the drinking scene in recent years, thin aluminum cans now fitted firmly in almost any partygoer's hands. The drink has gained so much momentum that even koozies are made in their signature thin shape, replacing the familiar size of a 12-ounce beer can. That's not to say beer is going away — it never will — but, thanks to brands such as White Claw, gluten-free drink alternatives are here to stay.

White Claw was far from the first hard seltzer on the shelves. That honor goes to Zima, a Sprite-like drink from the '90s that came and went with varying degrees of popularity. White Claw was only the resurgence of hard seltzer, but a powerful one that caused a deliciously fizzy ripple effect. Though we have White Claw to thank for bringing back the easy-to-drink hard seltzers, there are plenty of other brands perfecting and growing their range of flavored seltzers — and in some cases sparkling waters — and we've compiled a list of the very best. Some offer artisanal flavors like blackberry hibiscus, while others inject a subtle spice that dances across the tongue. Next time you're planning a group hang, think outside the big white box — try one of the 10 best hard seltzer brands below instead.

If you're lucky, Vizzy is the brand that pops up in your local sports team's concession stand next to Miller Lite and Budweiser, a welcome respite in the seemingly endless rows of malt beverages. One of the best gluten-free choices at concession stands, the fizzy, unique seltzer is as refreshing as it is approachable, the perfect balance of flavor for sipping through long innings, quarters, and halftimes. Vizzy's footprint goes far beyond the field, though, and makes for a popular seltzer to bring to parties and get-togethers, too. More interesting than a typical White Claw but not so unique to be alienating, Vizzy is a good drink to bring when drinks are bound to be flowing steadily throughout the night (or day, or both).

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With flavors like papaya passionfruit and blueberry pomegranate, the fizzy seltzer is great year-round rather than solely in the tropical, sunny summer months — though that's not to say the brand doesn't make the most of summer, too. Released just before spring break, Vizzy introduced a popsicle-inspired variety pack complete with their popular orange cream pop flavor as well as a strawberry and a raspberry. It's the brand worth picking up a pack of the next time you're headed to a big group event and need something both fizzy and easy.

Untitled Art is the brand for artists, by artists. The packaging is custom designed by a team of designers, each can's label a new work of hand-drawn art. Even the logo is meant to look like a plaque at an art gallery, like the title of a painting left to the viewers' interpretation. The brand began with a simple mission — make cool beer — and carefully perfected each of the drink categories it chose to make. This includes seltzer, which is Untitled Art's fruity answer to the popularity of White Claw. Aptly named after the Sunshine State — and coincidentally, the first market outside of Wisconsin to sell Untitled Art – the Florida seltzers offer inventive flavors in fruity colors that make seltzers fully exciting again.

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Though the cans are beautiful, Untitled Art is the seltzer you'll want to pour into a glass. Unlike most seltzers, which are clear in color, Untitled Art's seltzers are pretty pastel hues reflecting the fruits within. What makes them so vibrant is also what sets the brand apart: The seltzers are made with real fruit purée and juice, not extracts, which is also why the seltzers are so flavorful. These are the seltzers you splurge on when you want to impress your friends — we recommend starting with the original prickly guava flavor and branching out from there.

It was only a matter of time before Topo Chico joined in on the canned hard seltzer craze. You could say Topo Chico spearheaded the hard seltzer movement long before White Claw; the sparkling water has been the mixer of choice for Texan ranch water cocktails since at least the 1980s, possibly even earlier without official documentation. The simple mixture of tequila, lime, and Topo Chico is eerily similar to the canned versions on the market now, which could hint at it being the idea that started it all.

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That being said, there is something you should know before picking up a pack of Topo Chico hard seltzers — not only is Topo Chico a mineral water, which tastes slightly saltier than regular sparkling waters, but the brand isn't quite using Topo Chico in its seltzers. Labelled as being "influenced by the taste of Topo Chico," the ingredients listed are replicating the taste of the sparkling mineral water by adding minerals into carbonated water. This means that it isn't exactly the same crisp carbonation Topo Chico is known for; however, if you're a fan of Topo Chico's natural flavor, there's a pretty good chance you'll like the seltzers, too. If you're a bit of a ranch water purist, you might want to reach for the brand's ranch water line instead of the flavored packs; that way, you'll still have that same bubbly, lime-forward taste, and nothing else.

Whether you want something more authentically Texas or simply dislike the taste of mineral water, Lone River might be the better ranch water-inspired hard seltzer for you. There's a discernible difference between Lone River and Topo Chico's hard seltzers, the latter offering more of the standard seltzer flavors like cherry, mango, and pineapple, while Lone River stays true to its West Texan origins, offering regional specialty flavors like prickly pear and jalapeño. Lone River shows its dedication to its Southwestern roots, also opting to use agave nectar to replicate the flavor of a tequila-based cocktail.

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Lone River isn't really the brand you bring to a party with dozens of people slamming down drinks. It's the one you bring to a buzzy fajita night, the sultry flavors of the drink complementary to bold, spicy food. It's the seltzer you want to enjoy when the margarita mix has run dry, and the one that still tastes just as good even after the sun has gone down. And if you're missing that margarita flavor? Lone River offers a margarita version that's a little sweeter but with all the same cool, relaxed undertones of Southwestern flavor.

Onda is one of the first and only seltzers on the market to advertise real tequila, an outlier at the time of its conception in the middle of 2020. Onda's mission is simple: Offer high-quality tequila soda in an on-the-go format with delicious, crisp carbonation and flavor. The brand's co-founders, one of whom is actor Shay Mitchell, sourced tequila from a female-operated distillery in Mexico. The brand also bottles its own, a testament to the agave-forward dedication. The tequila flavor isn't overwhelming, but is instead masked by tropical flavors like mango and passionfruit. The cans are also chic, an electric red-orange that stands out among the rest.

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It's worth noting that Onda is a little more expensive than the rest, though still far from the most pricey. The founders intended it to be that way, the uniquely elegant cans meant to serve as a high-end seltzer option. It tastes worthwhile, too, especially if you like tequila, the flavor a muted fruitiness compared to the brands that use extracts and concentrates. Made with real juice, it tastes similar to an actual tequila soda, a clean flavor that doesn't taste overly artificial.

The other brand that famously offers tequila seltzers is High Noon, though the spirit is a newer addition to the brand's repertoire. High Noon is known primarily for using vodka, as advertised front and center on its cans, a negligible detail until you know the reason why: Many hard seltzers aren't made with vodka at all. Instead, many of the cans are fruit concentrates mixed with fermented sugar or malt. Does this matter, or is using vodka just a good marketing move? 

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Turns out, the base spirit is exactly what you want to look for on a canned cocktail's label. Malt and sugar fermentation leads to a different flavor that can even be similar to beer, which is why some of the bigger brands may taste lackluster or even wheaty. Vodka, on the other hand, is a neutral flavor that lets the flavors of the juices stand out. This is why High Noons have become so popular — it's all of the same great flavors as the big seltzer powerhouses, but with a clearer, crisper taste. It's the brand you should turn to when you need to buy seltzers for a big crowd, the flavors familiar but more flavorful than its direct competitors.

Now that we know how valuable vodka is within the seltzer world, it's worth mentioning another brand that prides itself on including the clear, distilled spirit. Nütrl has actually been around longer than High Noon, but if you're American, you might not have noticed: The brand was founded in Canada and bought by none other than Labatt Blue, Canada's biggest beer manufacturer. Ultimately owned by Anheuser-Busch-InBev, Nütrl is now produced in Wisconsin for national distribution, with a brand ethos the same as when it very first started: Simple ingredients, great flavor.

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Like High Noon, Nütrl is made with vodka, seltzer, and real juice, meaning it has a straightforward flavor that emphasizes the real taste of fruits. The flavor offerings mirror White Claw's originals and include black cherry, pineapple, and raspberry, as well as their newest flavor, lime. Nütrl is extra fizzy, light, and simple — and as advertised, not too sweet, making it perfect for days when you really just want a seltzer water (and vodka, of course).

Finland's national drink is called long drink and is a hugely popular seltzer water cocktail made with gin and citrus in a tall (or long) highball glass. The drink has been around a long time, the story behind it tracing back to 1952 — but here in the United States, it hasn't felt nearly that long. There's a reason for that: Long Drink wasn't distributed in the U.S. until the mid-2010s, when a group of young entrepreneurs developed a recipe to replicate the popular Finnish cocktail. That's not to say Finnish Long Drink isn't truly Finnish; it was developed in Finland by Finns and brought stateside for U.S. production. With skillful marketing and an authentic brand ethos, Long Drink has become a popular option among our many canned options, even becoming a standout within the gluten-free choices.

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As far as seltzer waters go, The Finnish Long Drink is an outlier. It's not made with vodka, tequila, or even a mysterious sugar fermentation; instead, it's made with gin. Paired with citrus, this causes a totally new, full, lemony, and juniper-forward flavor, not dissimilar to a fizzy Tom Collins cocktail. It's the seltzer for people who don't like seltzer, and the can you should reach for when you're craving something both neutral and sweet. The few flavors offered never stray too far from the original Finnish cocktail, largely maintaining the same citrusy flavor throughout.

Like Untitled Art with a different vibe, Mighty Swell is another brand designed with artists in mind. The bright, vibrant packaging is what the brand's CEO, Jeana Harrington, compares to an album cover, each one completely unique to the flavor it represents. The brand is also equally as inventive as Untitled Art, with variety packs such as Keep it Weird and Techniflavor. The flavor is more comparable to its close competitor, Vizzy, the nutrition facts and ingredient lists almost identical on either one.

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Why reach for a Mighty Swell, then? Other than the whimsical packaging being a seriously cool conversation starter, the brand has a depth of flavor in each pack, a good step up from watery White Claws without being too over-the-top (not everyone likes cardamom in their beverages). From tropical papaya punch to beachy pink colada, the brand has something for everyone looking for a seltzer with a cocktail essence. And if you actually just want a cocktail? They have those too, and they're equally as fun.

We couldn't make a list of party-ready drinks without including Costco. Known for affordable bulk merchandise, the store is a gold mine for group get-togethers, whether it be snacks, drinks, barbecue, or otherwise. The in-house Kirkland brand is the best example of this, the like-for-like dupes all surprisingly affordable versions of their similar counterparts. One such dupe is the Kirkland Vodka + Soda, a fizzy seltzer meant to replicate the super-popular but pricier High Noon. At just under $25, the soda beats the price of High Noon by as much as $10 depending on your location, which is a significant discount (especially when you're stocking up for a party).

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You've likely heard the rumors that Kirkland may be repackaged versions of well-rated products, like the highly revered vodka – which is actually just made by a company that competes with Grey Goose. So no, the Kirkland vodka soda isn't repackaged High Noon, and we taste tested them side by side, to be sure. The flavor and carbonation are similar, but there's a slight difference in sweetness that sets the two apart and a separate manufacturer that makes Kirkland's recipe. Is it enough to call Kirkland's bad? No — and if you aren't too picky about flavor, it's a great way to save a couple bucks on your next group hang.

Though it's the brand you're least likely to recognize, Press is one of the earliest pioneers of hard seltzers, invented just slightly before even White Claw back in 2015. The only woman-owned hard seltzer on the market, Press began as a small brand out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has since expanded its distribution to 29 states, making it also the largest independent hard seltzer brand (if you're keeping track, most are now owned by larger companies).

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You'll notice what makes Press different immediately: The twelve flavors offered are totally unique to anything else on the market, even by similarly inventive and refined brands like Untitled Art or Lone River. The original variety pack includes flavors like pomegranate ginger and lime lemongrass, while newer flavors include combinations like pear chamomile and peach rosemary. The impressive, chef-inspired pairings are made for adventurous eaters (and drinkers), the chic packaging a complement to the flavors within. This is a high-quality seltzer made for high-quality occasions — and of course, sharing with high-quality friends.

After a gluten intolerance caused me to swear off of beer forever, I turned to gluten-free alternatives to fill my party-ready koozies. Finding a good, easy-to-drink party beverage isn't easy, and by now I've nearly tried them all in pursuit of finding the very best. The best seltzers aren't watery, flat, or flavorless, but instead focus on juicy fruit flavor, bubbly carbonation, and unique flavor combinations. A good seltzer should be satisfying but not overwhelming, something you can drink more than one of without getting tired of the taste. The seltzers I chose for this article reflect what I think are the best flavor, variety, and carbonation, with a range of sugary intensity from sweet soda to plain seltzer.