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As the ready-to-drink canned cocktail market continues to evolve, one segment remains dominant: non-carbonated products. One startup believes that spirit-infused beverages can appeal to consumers looking for a hydrating beverage.
Bluebird Hardwater has new flavors coming out this week. The Vodka + Water comes in lime and cranberry varieties, while the Tequila + Water comes in lime and pineapple. A 12-ounce can has 4.5 percent ABV, slightly less than the 5 percent of a can of RTD category leader White Claw Hard Seltzer, and has 88 calories and zero sugar and carbs.
Headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, the brand’s products are currently available in liquor stores throughout California, Florida, New York, and Tennessee. The new flavors complement the existing lineup of standard Vodka + Water, Tequila + Water, and Whiskey + Water products that were released in 2023.
Will Blum, co-founder and CEO of Bluebird Hardwater, said he came up with the idea of “hardwater,” a play on “hard seltzer,” after seeing a lack of innovative options in the category in 2021.
Hard seltzers are carbonated, sweet and made with cheap ingredients, while beer leaves you bloated for days, Blum said.
While playing golf and drinking bottled water, Blum and his friends realized that there was no product that was simply alcohol and water.
“Most parents tell their kids to drink a glass of water after every alcoholic beverage, but they end up drinking all night without properly rehydrating,” Blum said. “We wanted a drink with quality ingredients that was still affordable, hydrating, and not so strong that they could drink as much or as little as they wanted.”
As canned cocktails have become a bigger part of the mainstream market, hydrating drinks have exploded across the beverage industry in recent years.
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Tequila has been trending throughout the year, especially in the ready-to-drink category as malt-based beverages have fallen out of favor. New releases have debuted, including White Claw’s spirit, Boston Beer’s Truly, and Dogfish Head, while tequila-soda brand Casa Azul has solidified its position on liquor store shelves.
Initially, Blum said, he didn’t initially consider launching a tequila-based drink, given the strict requirements manufacturers must adhere to. In the U.S., ready-to-drink beverages can only contain 55 percent blue agave tequila in their alcohol composition, and many canned tequila cocktails are made up of the remaining 45 percent malt or corn-based liquor, he said. Blum believes that standard negatively affects the taste of these drinks.
“This blending practice is a major reason why many tequila soda brands fail. The end product doesn’t taste like real tequila, and often has an unpleasant flavor that’s masked by other additives,” Blum said.
Bluebird Hardwater doesn't dilute its drinks with any other spirits besides tequila, which Blum says allows the juice's flavor to shine through.
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Courtesy of Bluebird Hardwater
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Blum said his company is in a unique category. He said in an interview that he believes non-carbonated drinks will grow faster than soda-like beverages as consumers become more accustomed to non-carbonated beverages.
“It’s scary to launch something new, and I’ve seen a lot of people in the industry hesitate,” he said. “But consumer demand will win out, and our new products are not made to sell, they’re made for the consumer.”
As the lines that separate traditional alcoholic beverage categories blur, companies are focusing on new product lines to meet the growing demand for new kinds of drinks, from Monster Energy's still teas to craft beer maker Founders Brewing's non-alcoholic hop waters.
Several recent brands have capitalized on the growth of non-foam beverages. Earlier this year, beer giant Molson Coors introduced Happy Thursday, a line of four non-carbonated refreshers. The brand told Food Dive that it discovered the opportunity for non-foam products after conducting focus groups with Gen Z consumers.
The concept of hard water isn't unique to Bluebird. Funny Water sells a non-carbonated water with 3.75% alcohol per can, and recently expanded to eight flavors.
