More Central New York Brewers Are Now Cranking Out Hard Seltzers
It's hard to belly up to a bar anywhere these days without running into a hard seltzer. And now, even small, independent brewers in Syracuse, Hamilton and Tully are hopping aboard the hard seltzer bandwagon.
Big name brands like Truly and White Claw are facing competition from local manufacturers, according to NYup.com. Syracuse’s Willow Rock Brewing Company, ONCO Fermentations in Tully, Good Nature Brewing in Hamilton, and Middle Ages Brewing in Syracuse have all gotten into the seltzer game, along with the much larger F.X. Matt Brewery in Utica.
Here's where to find the smaller local brands who are diving into the hard seltzer market:
- Willow Rock Brewing Company, 115 Game Road, Syracuse 13210
- ONCO Fermentations, 397 NY RT 281, Suite O, Tully 13159
- Good Nature Brewing, 1727 NY-12B, Hamilton
- Middle Ages Brewing, 120 Wilkinson Street, Syracuse 13204
Hard seltzers have exploded in popularity in the last few years and they are projected to generate about $2.5 billion in sales in the United States by 2021. The alcohol by volume of most hard seltzer products is around 5% and the calorie-content is relatively low.
A 5th generation brewer named Nick Shields invented the beverage line with Spiked Seltzer, in Westport, Connecticut, and brewed the first commercial batches in November of 2013. The category saw a spike in popularity around 2018–2019 in the U.S. As of 2019, in the U.S. the most popular brand was White Claw.