You might not be aware of this category of alcohol unless you like drinking as much as the Travel Wanderlust crew. Hard seltzer is not a new category, but something that hasn’t really been talked about as much as beers, wines or spirits in general.
So when we got a chance to try out some seltzers from Fellr, especially one of their newer flavours, the Cocktail Seltzer – Watermelon Margherita, we jumped at the chance. Fellr Seltzer is quite well-known Downunder and easily bought from your locals (BWS or Dan Murphys), but can also be found online on their website.
However, this category is making a big comeback around the world, especially in markets like the US and Australia.
READ MORE: We review Ampersand Projects’ alcoholic ginger beer
What is hard seltzer?
This is also commonly known as spiked seltzer, alcoholic seltzer, or hard sparkling water. But hard seltzer is basically carbonated water with alcohol and fruit flavouring.
Usually, they are lower in calories due to their fermentation process. The two common forms are using cane sugar, which ferments sugar to form alcohol and malted barley, which ferments cereal grains to form alcohol.
Typically, the alcohol content in most hard seltzers is between 4% and 6% ABV, but it can go up to 12% depending on the brand or type.
The review
Right from the get-go, the packaging and subtlety actually make this stand out more. If you’re aware of the Australian canned and bottled beverage category, they go for creativity and colour. With Fellr Seltzer, it almost feels like they want to let the drink speak for itself.
From their website and in all their marketing, it is clear to understand that it is an all-natural, vegan and gluten-free drink that has only 83 calories. At 4% it does match most beers or ciders, but is a lot lighter.
The hard seltzer category is growing aggressively and with 4.0% ABV, it is an easy drink that has a bit of a kick after you kick back a few. The two flavours that we tried were the Watermelon Margharita and the Passionfruit.
I am personally not a huge fan of fruity beers and ciders, as they tend to be sweeter and overpowering in general. However, the Fellr seltzers were able to balance the flavours well and were not overly sweet. That is important for those who tend to prefer a drier alcoholic brew.
Our hands-down favourite was the Passionfruit, as the flavour was both natural and did not overpower the drink. It was easy to identify it was a passionfruit drink but did not try to push the flavour too strong. When drinking seltzers or any sort of easy-to-drink beverage, the key is the balance of flavour. I felt the Passionfruit was the best at achieving this and tasting great at the same time.
The 4% ABV was not overwhelming and we were able to drink a few more (the team went out and bought a couple of packs from the shops) and really get into it. It was a perfect late afternoon, early evening beverage before we headed out for a late night.
The Watermelon was good but did not quite hit the same spot as the passionfruit. This was because I felt like it had a lot going on and did not get a chance to really stand out as a single flavour. As a mixed cocktail or watermelon margarita flavour, it had a lot going for it, but at the same time, I tend to prefer something simpler for easy drinking.
That being said, you wouldn’t go wrong grabbing a few cans, as it is a very easy drink and has a pleasant flavour that does not get too cloying over time.
Fellr – Land of Fizz
For those interested in the arts and photography, do check out their latest campaign. The seltzer company sent the talented group of Ondine Seabrook, Cloudy Rhodes and Sam Brumby to Yarrangobilly in the Snowy Mountains of NSW which yielded three unique artworks from Seabrook.
You can find some of their work here on the website.
