Everyone loves hard seltzer. It’s no secret. All summer long, people have been poppin' open cans of the stuff— and for good reason! It’s low calorie, delicious, and refreshing. What’s not to love? But, what many people don’t realize is just how versatile hard seltzer can be. Hard seltzer, like TRULY, isn’t just for summer. If you and your staff get creative with hard seltzer as a cocktail ingredient, you can make some truly (get it?) unique, exciting drinks this holiday season.
Before we dive too deep into the how-to’s of making awesome seltzer-inspired cocktails, there are a few ‘need to knows’. First, there are a lot of flavors of TRULY Hard Seltzer -- and we mean a lot. From lemon and mango to black cherry and wild berry, there’s a flavor of TRULY to go with any spirit you have. So, when thinking about hard seltzer cocktails, keep your flavor palette wide open.
It’s also important to keep in mind the convenience of hard seltzer. With so many different flavors, you are essentially getting a ‘two in one’ cocktail ingredient. On one hand, hard seltzer offers the spritz that club soda would, while also accenting that with a pleasantly subtle fruit flavor. So, anywhere that you’d mix bubbles and fruit, hard seltzer would be a good call.
Now, with that said, let’s get to the fun part: recipes. There are a lot of different options for hard-seltzer cocktails (yes, even in the fall and winter months). One of our favorite pairings for TRULY is with Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey.
There’s a good chance you’ve seen Skrewball on shelves and in shot glasses recently. Over the past few years, it’s become a veritable fan-favorite in the segment of flavored liquors. And one of the reasons people love it so much? It’s mixability. And when it comes to mixability, Skrewball and TRULY are a match made in heaven. PB&J in a glass anyone?
And that’s exactly what the Tru & Skrew is. In this drink, we combine 1 oz of Skrewball with 6 oz of TRULY Hard Seltzer Wild Berry. Simply add these two ingredients to a collins glass and top it off with ice. The result is a jammy, peanut-butter drink that is fun and easy drinking. And, you’d be hard-pressed to think of a better tailgating cocktail this football season. If you’re serving this drink at your bar, we suggest going crazy with the garnishes for added effect. Whole berries or even a peanut-butter rimmed glass are fun, tasty garnishes that add flair to the drink.
One of our favorite things about this drink is that it can even be served in the can. If your establishment tends to get a little wild on gameday, cocktail glasses may not be the best call. But, the Tru & Skrew is very much can-friendly (as long as you chill your TRULY first) Simply pour off an ounce or so of the TRULY, and top the can off with an ounce of Skrewball. Give it a little stir with a straw, and it’s ready for service.
Feel free to get creative with the Tru & Skrew. Try some other flavors of TRULY hard seltzer, for a unique take on the classic PB&J combination. We won’t tell you how to live your life, but TRULY Blueberry and Acai makes for an awesome, exciting riff on the original Tru & Skrew. We also suggest layering other fruity flavors on top of the standard recipe.
As things get cooler, you can also use TRULY to get your patrons in the holiday spirit. We love to pair TRULY with flavored vodkas, like Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka. While a little Deep Eddy vodka in some TRULY Hard Seltzer makes an undeniably great cocktail, you can layer even more flavors to make a festive, holiday-ready mix.
One of our favorite examples of this is a cocktail we call “The Holiday Buzz”. In this drink, we start by muddling a few raspberries in the bottom of a glass (although optional, this does add a lot to the drink). Then, add 6oz of TRULY Hard Seltzer Wild Berry, 2oz of cranberry juice. Top the glass off with ice and garnish with a sprig of mint. The result is a holiday-friendly drink that uses hard seltzer to combine classic, winter flavors.
But don’t let us put a hold on your creativity. Feel free to experiment and add new flavors into the Holiday Buzz. We suggest trying different flavors of Deep Eddy and TRULY. The result could be a new, fresh drink or an instant holiday classic.
Those are just two ideas to get you started this fall and winter with TRULY cocktails. In addition to inventing new drinks, you can also play with classic cocktails by substituting Truly in for club soda. For example, a little bit of TRULY Lemon in a Bourbon Ricky or a Whiskey Sour makes for an exciting version of an old classic. When the cold weather comes around, these darker drinks make for wintery, fan-favorites. For some great inspiration, we suggest looking over the cocktail menu that you have in place. Try to identify if any ingredients can be substituted for TRULY Hard Seltzer -- chances are, you’ll make a winner.
The truth is, TRULY Hard Seltzer is obviously great right from the can. But, it’s also an incredibly versatile mixer when used creatively. We suggest reaching out to your staff to see what they can come up with! As the weather cools down, it’s time to make some menu changes. And TRULY Hard Seltzer can be a great, fall (and winter) friendly ingredient to feature this year.