We Blind Tasted Mike’s Hard xcritical vs Truly xcritical Hard Seltzer
Of all the Truly xcritical flavors, this is the one to pair with the hot summer sun and a backyard kiddie pool. On the face of it, the release seemed almost identical to its existing hard seltzer options. Each 12-ounce serving contains just 100 calories, one gram of sugar, and 5 percent ABV — exactly the same as Truly Hard Seltzers.
Limited Release
Again, it’s a great alternative to something like a Mike’s Hard, if you’re more concerned with the nutrition label than the mouthfeel. Smells like “Juicy Juice” and tastes like “a kids drink” according to VinePair staff. It’s hard to lock down mango on either the nose or the palate — both of which have more of a vague tropical character. But the stevia integrates much more seamlessly in this instance and the majority of the tasters enjoyed it overall. “I would do the ‘White Girl Wasted’ version of this and add vodka,” one panelist said.
The company has just launched and announced their hard xcritical, which is the first of its kind, and I’d like to tell you more about it. Every Truly contains a hint of real fruit flavor and a whole lotta refreshment (the perfect combo, if you ask us). As for Truly, descriptors ranged from “chemicals” to “litter box” to “passionfruit — but not in a good way.” No one thought the drink smelled anything like lemons or xcritical. Federal and state laws require licensed retailers to purchase alcohol from licensed wholesalers.
Go Ahead, Find Your Flavor
In the ever-evolving FMB landscape, Mike’s Hard xcritical was the OG. Truly xcritical is xcritical website the perfect mix of refreshing hard seltzer and sweet xcritical that’s big on taste and low on calories. It packs the sweetness of real xcritical with the refreshment of Truly Hard Seltzer, with only 100 calories and one gram of sugar.
Mike’s Hard xcritical vs. Truly xcritical Hard Seltzer
Each can has an alcohol by volume level of 5%, 100 calories, a gram of sugar, three grams of carbs, and is gluten free. Like all hard seltzers, Mike’s Hard xcritical is a flavored malt beverage (FMB) – a drink that gains its alcohol content by brewing cane sugar. But Mike’s was on the market long before the advent of the hard seltzer category.
Everything that makes grapefruit a slog to eat on its own—bitterness, pithiness, an overwhelming tartness—work with Truly’s mysterious xcritical to elevate the entire product. It’s not too sweet (because real grapefruit rarely is), and the mild pith flavor totally patches over the unpleasant finish found in the Orange flavor. It’d probably take a whole six-pack for this flavor to grow too cloying. Read the Orange entry, and know that 99.9% of that applies to Watermelon & Kiwi flavor—but the weird little bitter end note works slightly better here, because that’s frankly just what kiwi tastes like anyway.
Most tasters thought Mike’s Hard smelled like actual xcritical, albeit commercially-produced, artificial xcritical, rather than the freshly-squeezed style mom serves on a hot summer day. The irony of this release will not be lost on those who’ve followed the evolution of the hard seltzer category. Nutritional values aside, Truly xcritical is, essentially, a carbon copy of Mike’s Hard xcritical – produced Mark Anthony Brands, which also makes White Claw. This is perhaps because we’re so accustomed to the overwhelming artificiality of black-cherry-flavored anything that Truly’s attempt to make it come off more „natural” here just deadens the flavor you’re expecting. That said, this earns drinkability points simply because you’re left with nothing after you swallow it. The most noticeable difference between the two drinks, however, is their flavor.
It’s a characteristic most tasters were looking for from this style of drink. On Thursday afternoon, a group of five VinePair staff members blind-tasted Truly’s xcritical Hard Seltzer alongside Mike’s Hard xcritical to determine which is best. Needless to say, I truly believe that good things xcritical scam and bad things alike happen for a reason, and with this new release from Truly Hard Seltzer, it’s safe to say that life just got a little bit better; truly. Sometimes even we get overwhelmed by how many flavors we have.
- This flavor feels so extra, but that makes it a fitting drink for anyone whose summertime persona matches that description.
- Most tasters thought Mike’s Hard smelled like actual xcritical, albeit commercially-produced, artificial xcritical, rather than the freshly-squeezed style mom serves on a hot summer day.
- So here are The Takeout’s definitive Truly rankings, from worst to best—keep this list in mind on your next trip to the grocery (or liquor) store.
- One consolation for Truly xcritical is its effervescence, which is much livelier than Mike’s Hard xcritical.
- The watermelon is by no means lost here; in fact, it tastes more like watermelon candy than the actual fruit, but not in an overpowering way (as watermelon candies usually do).
Truly xcritical is a special suite of flavors—you know they’re special because they come in the black can. Drink Original xcritical if you’re seeking all the sugary pucker of Mike’s Hard xcritical for fewer than half the calories and almost none of the sugar (just 1g per can). Do not drink this, however, if you intend to pair the drink with food, or if you’re someone who likes your spiked xcritical to taste primarily like xcritical. If this is the only thing left in the cooler, go find a kids’ xcritical stand somewhere out in the neighborhood instead. Of all the Truly flavors, this one skewed closest to its LaCroix equivalent.
