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Sparkling Ice Spiked Hard Seltzer Review: Cherry Lime Chiller
Sparkling Ice Spiked Cherry Lime Chiller Hard Seltzer is The Adult Drink Our Inner Child Craves — In the 1970s, Harry ...
When it comes to sparkling beverages, Sparkling Ice is among one of the industry’s trailblazers for its flavored seltzers. In 2020 its sister brand Spiked launched its first alcoholic lineup: Sparkling Ice Spiked.
The company behind Sparkling Ice and Sparkling Ice Spiked is Talking Rain, which was founded back in 1987. By 2011, Sparkling Ice made its way to stores across the United States. They quickly gained momentum as the fastest-growing nonalcoholic brand in 2013. The flavored seltzers hit the market at a time when consumers were looking for fizzy alternatives to sugary sodas.
Sparkling Ice Spiked hit store shelves in November 2020 as the hard seltzer wave was sweeping the nation. The spiked seltzer brand is still making its way to all 50 states (as of June 2022), and it’s gained a solid fanbase among hard seltzer drinkers. Sparkling Ice Spiked’s low-calorie count and zero grams of sugar are two key things that have set Spiked’s products apart in the competitive hard seltzer market.
Spiked also launched two Sparkling Ice Spiked Cocktails that contain a little more alcohol and appeal to folks looking to enjoy a convenient, light cocktail.
In this post, we’ll answer all the questions Seltzer Nation fans may have about Sparkling Ice Spiked seltzers and what makes these bubbly beverages unique. Read below as we answer common questions surrounding the popular spiked seltzer.
Sparkling Ice Spiked is a low-calorie hard seltzer made by the same company that created the popular flavored seltzer, Sparkling Ice.
Sparkling Ice Spiked is the company’s first alcoholic line of beverages under its Spiked brand, which it debuted in 2020.
Here’s a look inside the can. The bubbly libations are made using sparkling water, fruit flavors, alcohol from cane sugar, citric acid, stevia, tripotassium citrate, ester gum, tartaric acid, potassium citrate, and gum arabic.
Sparkling Ice Spiked Seltzer comes in four flavors: Lemonade Refresher, Strawberry Citrus Smash, Cherry Lime Chiller, and Grapefruit Splash. Spiked also has two flavors of Sparkling Ice Spiked Cocktails: Strawberry Margarita and Mango Mojito.
Sparkling Ice and Sparkling Ice Spiked are part of Talking Rain Beverage Company, which is based in Preston, Washington.
Talking Rain leaders decided to create an alcoholic beverage when hard seltzers were already flying off the shelves across the U.S.
Talking Rain CEO Chris Hall told Forbes in 2021, “We’re seeing a sea of seltzers and a flood of competition hit the market. As a result, we are really focusing on how we differentiate from everyone else. Flavor is first, but the second is the healthier, better-for-you angle with lower calorie and zero sugar.”
Sparkling Ice Spiked and Smirnoff Ice Seltzers are two different products made by different companies, but they’re both hard seltzers.
Sparkling Ice Spiked is a product of Talking Rain, a company that also makes a popular line of sparkling water called Sparkling Ice. Sparkling Ice Spiked has 80 calories per serving and alcohol by volume (ABV).
Smirnoff Ice Seltzer is a product of Diageo, a public company based in the U.K. that owns the entire Smirnoff vodka brand.
There are a few differences between Sparkling Ice Spiked and Sparkling Ice seltzers, but the key difference is that Spiked contains alcohol.
Sparkling Ice Spiked Seltzers contain an alcohol level of 4% ABV. The alcoholic drinks hit shelves in 2020 just as the spiked seltzer trend was exploding.
Sparkling Ice Seltzers, commonly referred to just as Sparkling Ice, are nonalcoholic flavored seltzer waters. Sparkling Ice became popular nationwide in the early 2010s, even though it had been popular in the Pacific Northwest for decades before that.
Both bubbly beverages are products of Talking Rain, a privately held company that’s based in Preston, Washington.
Although the labeling and branding for both drinks are similar, you can easily spot the difference in the store. Sparkling Ice Spiked Seltzers are sold in white aluminum cans, while Sparkling Ice Seltzers come in clear plastic bottles.
With so many hard seltzer options to choose from, consumers can feel a little lost when it comes to choosing a bubbly beverage.
To make the decision a little easier, Seltzer Nation reviewers sat down and sampled every Sparkling Ice Hard Seltzer flavor. Read our detailed flavor reviews here.
The alcohol content of Sparkling Ice Spiked Hard Seltzer is 4% alcohol by volume (ABV), and Sparkling Ice Spiked Cocktails have a 6% ABV.
At 4% ABV and 80 calories per serving, Sparkling Ice Spiked is on the lighter side of the hard seltzer spectrum. Most hard seltzers contain a 5% ABV with around 100 calories in each serving.
It’s no surprise that Sparkling Ice Spiked opted to create a light, low-calorie hard seltzer. Its sister nonalcoholic counterpart, Sparkling Ice, has long been seen as a healthy alternative to sugary sodas and juices.
A 12-pack of Sparkling Ice Hard Seltzer typically costs $13-$19. Local liquor laws and sales tax will impact the overall cost of Sparkling Ice Spiked and other alcohol products.
The cost of a 12-pack of Sparkling Ice Hard Seltzer is in line with most other popular hard seltzer beverages on the market.
A 12-pack contains all four flavors of Sparkling Ice Spiked, which is ideal for those who have a hard time choosing just one flavor to try.
Although the alcohol in Sparkling Ice Spiked seltzers is made from fermented cane sugar, the drinks contain 0g of sugar. Sparkling Ice Spiked Seltzer is made with a small quantity of sweeteners, including stevia, to satisfy their customers’ sweet tooth without too many added calories.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans consume the most added sugars through their beverages. In addition, frequent sugary drink consumers are more likely to encounter health problems like weight gain and type 2 diabetes. The CDC says that people should limit added sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calorie intake.
In 2021, the company announced Sparkling Ice Spiked would be distributed to 20 states before expanding across the U.S.
Use the company’s online store locator to find a vendor near you.
Since Sparkling Ice Spiked contains alcohol from fermented cane sugar, it can be sold alongside beer and wine in most stores. The drinks are sold in flavor variety 12-packs.
There are four original flavors of Spiked Sparkling Ice: Lemonade Refresher, Strawberry Citrus Smash, Cherry Lime Chiller, and Grapefruit Splash. The brand also offers two flavors in their Sparkling Ice Spiked Cocktail line, Mango Mojito and Strawberry Margarita.
Overall, Sparkling Ice Spiked tastes light and sweet with authentic fruit flavors and satisfying aromas. The company wanted to focus on maintaining authentic flavors while offering a low-calorie hard seltzer that folks won’t feel guilty about enjoying.
Read all of Seltzer Nation’s in-depth reviews of each Sparkling Ice Spiked flavor here.
There’s also plenty of room to get creative with the flavors. Sparkling Ice Spiked can be a wonderful addition to mixed drinks as a cocktail mixer. Check out some cocktail recipes on the company’s website and social media pages.
Calorie counters or health-conscious hard seltzer fans are in luck. There are only 80 calories in each 12oz can of Sparkling Ice Spiked’s original flavors, which is on the lighter side for most hard seltzers.
The low-calorie count sets Sparkling Ice Spiked apart from many other hard seltzers, which typically contain closer to 100 calories.
The drinks contain 0 grams of sugar and 1 gram of carbohydrates in each 12oz serving.
Sparkling Ice Seltzer is a gluten-free product. The beverages are made using fermented cane sugar rather than a grain-based source of alcohol.
Hard seltzers have become a go-to drink for folks who avoid or cannot have gluten due to health concerns. That means Sparkling Ice Seltzer could be the perfect alternative to beer and malt liquor drinks.
That said, people with health concerns such as celiac disease should read hard seltzer labels carefully, according to celiac.com. Some brands use malted barley in their drinks, but hard seltzers such as Sparkling Ice Seltzer are naturally gluten-free.
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