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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/674578
www.cheersonline.com 44 • May 2016 wear on a T-shirt," he adds with a laugh. Like the other craft beers in its stable, Coney Island's hard root beer boasts a retro-looking label. It promises that the beverage will "bring you back to the boardwalk." Not Your Father's Root Beer also embraces a vintage vibe with its packaging. The layout, copy, cursive font, and old-timey photo all speak of the era of soda shops. Though the copy does spell out one aspect with the modern emphasis on craft and quality: "Ale With The Taste Of Spices." Best Damn Brewing labels are all about edginess, fun and humor. The presence of "Damn" in their name—in big bold lettering—is a modern touch itself. The labels also have an asterisk besides the "Damn." This leads the eye towards a line of humor towards the can's bottom. For example, The Best Damn Cherry Cola asterisk leads to "Put A Cherry On Top Tap." "We want people to know our personality from the can," Sattler says. "We are allowing people to have some fun." WHAT'S NEXT The product launches and new fl avor rollouts keep coming as brands try to tap into the hard soda trend. Seagram's unveiled a hard soda line nationally in March, with fl avors that include cherry cola, grape soda, lemon/ lime and orange cream. The hard root beer brands are expanding their lines as well. Small Town Brewery launched Not Your Fathers Ginger Ale last November. Hard ginger beverages are hot because they can be enjoyed alone, or in takes on many popular craft cocktails, such as Moscow Mules and Dark and Stormys. And you'll likely see hard soda have a greater presence at appropriate events. The 16-oz. cans from Best Damn Brewing lend themselves to "concerts and sporting events," Sattler says, "places where people will have a nontraditional beverage. We will be leveraging our relationships at stadiums to drive awareness." Hard Soda Heats Up Several companies are tapping into consumer nostalgia with the launch of hard sodas in fl avors such as cherry, orange and ginger ale. ALCOHOL-SPIKED SELTZER BUBBLES UP Move over fermented malt beverages and hard sodas: Spiked seltzers are elbowing their way in. These fruit-fl avored sparklers are billed as a lighter and lower-calorie alternative to beer and spiked sodas. Norwalk, CT-based SpikedSeltzer was early to the trend; it launched in 2013. The product is 6% ABV and comes in four fruit fl avors, Valencia Orange, West Indies Lime, Indian River Grapefruit and Cape Cod Cranberry. SpikedSeltzer is available in several grocery chains throughout the East Coast and will be carried in Target stores nationally as of June. Wachusett Brewing Co. in Westminster, MA, launched Nauti Seltzer this past March. The 110-calorie, 5%-ABV hard seltzer is available in four fl avors: Raspberry, Grapefruit, Lemon-Lime and Cranberry. Boston-based Truly Spiked & Sparkling hit the market in early April. Available in three fl avors, Colima Lime; Grapefruit & Pomelo and Pomegranate, the 5% ABV soda has 100 calories and 2 grams of carbs per serving. Truly Spiked & Sparkling is made by the Hard Seltzer Beverage Co., an affi liate of the Boston Beer Co. Hard root beer is a base for adult treats such as boozy fl oats.