Hard Tea & Lemonade

Originally pioneered by Twisted Tea in 2001, the hard iced tea category has surged in recent years. Alongside the rise are hard lemonades. Drinkers that crave a moderately sweet drink reach for hard iced teas and lemonades regularly. As part of the ready to drink (RTD) category for alcoholic beverages, hard iced teas and lemonades are refreshing and convenient, part of what has contributed to their success. In the U.S. Flavored Malt Beverage category, ready to drink tea with alcohol (5-8% ABV) is a top selling beverage for the first time. Ranking above other popular adult beverages such as hard ciders, lemonades, and traditional malt beverages, the hard tea market continues to grow. With sales of $2 billion and at least 150 brands competing, new entrants are still entering the market. Since 2020 the hard tea market has grown 20% and continues. In the hard iced tea category, Twisted Tea remains on top, but other brands such as VooDoo Ranger are giving them a run for their money. For drinkers who might not love the taste of alcohol, but crave the buzz, hard iced tea or lemonade offers a desirable option. While there are other substitutes on the market such as hard seltzers, they’re not for everyone. Hard seltzers contain carbonated water which can turn off some drinkers. What is hard iced tea? Hard iced tea is an alcoholic version of iced tea. It’s available in a variety of flavors like Peach, Raspberry, Rocket Pop, Half & Half, and more. When you think of hard iced tea you may associate the brand Twisted Tea, but there are several other brands on the market. Brands like VooDoo Ranger, Jack Daniels, and AriZona Iced Tea are a few brand names you might recognize. Hard ice tea is usually moderately sweet and tastes very much like fresh brewed iced tea. Plus, they are not carbonated. Be careful though, they go down easily. What is hard lemonade? Hard lemonade is lemonade with alcohol. A recognizable brand is Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Similar to hard iced tea, hard lemonade is typically a malt liquor beverage, but can also be vodka based. Some hard lemonades are slightly carbonated or sparkling and others are not. Hard lemonade can be found in ready to drink cocktail form or can be made at home. When crafting hard lemonade at home, vodka is usually the hard spirit of choice. Hard lemonade is a simple yet satisfying adult beverage. How much alcohol is in hard iced tea? Most hard iced tea has an alcohol by volume (ABV) closer to 5%, however, some contain an ABV up to 8%. The average ABV in a traditional beer is 5%, making hard iced tea a comparable choice in terms of alcohol content. Most are made with real tea and malt liquor, making them a comparable choice to hard seltzers and other popular ready to drink hard beverages. With an influx of brands joining the market, consumers can choose the tea of choice with the matching ABV for the occasion. How much alcohol is in hard lemonade? Similar to hard iced tea and a traditional beer, most hard lemonades contain an ABV around 5%. For the times that call for a stronger buzz, there are stronger choices on the market such as Mike’s Harder Lemonade with an ABV of 8%. Hard lemonade tastes similar to lemonade, in most cases, which is one of the many reasons consumers enjoy it. It’s a balanced choice that can deliver the relaxation you need. Perfect for a warm summer day at the beach or tailgating rain or shine. Hard lemonade can sweeten any day. Popular hard iced tea brands While Twisted Tea is one of the most well known hard iced tea brands, there are many more to choose from. Explore the options and choose your favorite hard iced tea. - Lipton Hard Iced Tea: That’s right the Lipton brand has entered the hard iced tea arena. With over 130 years of tea expertise, Lipton was sure to create a delicious hard iced tea. Containing 5% ABV, Lipton Hard Iced Tea is a non-carbonated beverage made with real Lipton brewed tea. Available in flavors such as Peach, Lemon, Strawberry, and Half & Half, Lipton is a serious competitor in the hard tea market. While real Lipton brewed tea is part of the secret recipe, the other part is their triple-filtered malt base. - AriZona Hard Iced Tea: Similar to Lipton, AriZona is another big name in the world of ready to drink iced tea. AriZona Hard Iced Tea is available in 22 oz cans, just like the original AriZona iced tea. Available in classic AriZona iced tea flavors such as Peach, Lemon and Green Tea, you can enjoy an adult beverage guilt free. AriZona Hard Iced Teas contain 5% ABV and are vodka-based. - Bojangles Hard Sweet Iced Tea: Nothing says country like some sweet iced tea and alcohol. Bojangles has arrived in the hard iced tea space giving drinkers a sweet and country twist. Bojangles Hard Sweet Iced Tea is sold through participating retailers, but is not available at the Bojangles restaurant. Enjoy the comforting taste of southern sweet iced tea but spiced up a notch. This fairly new sweet iced tea was released in 2023, but is expected to continue to grow. Made with Bojangles expertly steeped sweet iced tea, this hard iced tea gets better with every sip. - Dunkin Hard Iced Tea by Harpoon: Dunkin…no, you didn’t read it wrong. Dunkin Hard Iced Tea lives up to the Dunkin name. Produced by Harpoon Brewery in Massachusetts, America’s favorite coffee brand has entered the hard iced tea market, and is here to stay. As stated on the packaging, Dunkin Iced Tea offers slight sweetness. This balanced hard iced tea contains 5% ABV. Popular hard lemonade brands Hard lemonades are another popular ready to drink adult beverage of choice. Similar to hard iced teas, most contain an ABV around 5%. However, there are some stronger options, as there are in the hard iced tea market, too. Here are some popular hard lemonade brands. - Mike's Hard Lemonade: Mike’s Hard Lemonade is a big player in the hard lemonade space. Founded in 1999, helped shape the hard lemonade sector into what it is today. Mike’s Hard Lemonade is available in Original Lemonade flavor as well as other exciting flavors. The brand even offers Mike’s Harder Lemonade; a spiked lemonade with an ABV of 8%. - Simply Spiked Hard Lemonade: Made by the Simply brand, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, Simply Spiked Hard Lemonade combines fresh fruit juices free of preservatives, added sugar, and artificial flavors with vodka. With a little fizz and a lot of flavor, these refreshing spiked lemonades contain 5% ABV. Try Simply Spiked Hard Lemonade in flavors such as Limeade, Lemonade, and Peach. - MIZO Hard Lemonade: Made by a woman-owned brand, MIZO, takes a twist on classic juice pouches. You can enjoy this hard lemonade right from the juice pouch or freeze the pouches to enjoy as a slushy. With a unique assortment of Asian-inspired flavors such as White Peach, Lychee, Blackberry, and Original Lemonade, MIZO Hard Lemonade is a playful and boozy choice.