Culinary Masterpiece Battle of the Seltzers

Battle of the Seltzers

Contributions & Photos by Jayce Kadoun | Design by Krista Kok

Many people share the same problem at the end of the day, yet some feel that they suffer alone. The inability to choose which hard seltzer to drink impacts Americans across the country, and with so many brands and flavors to choose from, it’s no wonder why this problem is so prevalent.

The truth behind the struggle of hard seltzer shopping is that the people involved are not alone. Everyone wants to know which brands taste the best and how to get their money’s worth, but to guess what brand is superior can be hard to determine. That’s why I set out to find the best hard seltzer flavors for the price and for the greater good.

It seems that White Claw, Truly, Bud Light and Smirnoff Seltzers are some of the most popular drinks on the corner store shelves these days. So I took it upon myself to shop around and perform rigorous taste tests to break down what defines these beverages.

The CLAW

With their recent additions of mango, tangerine, lemon and watermelon to the White Claw family, the brand is certainly a top competitor in the battle of the seltzers — but is it the best?

The ‘variety pack’ of Claws comes with a mixture of the 12 flavors and will cost you between $14 and $18 on average. It took awhile for the new flavor pack to hit the shelves, but they can now be found pretty much anywhere White Claws are sold. You can also purchase the drinks in single flavor six packs for $8 to $9 and individually packaged tallboy cans in the $2 to $3 range.

Of the new flavors, I can’t say I have a favorite. They all live up to the expectations I have for White Claw. Based on the original round of flavors they made, I had pretty high hopes for the new variety pack and it delivered. The lemon flavor reminds me of Sprite, and the tangerine is unlike anything I have tried from other brands. Overall, I give the Claws five-out-of-five stars.

Truly Not So Great

Truly released a line of four new lemonade flavors early this year. Their ‘mix pack’ is similar to White Claw’s in price and will run you about $14 to $18 depending on where you pick them up. As far as flavors go, the lemonade pack includes black cherry, original, mango and strawberry. They sell the original lemonade flavor in a 24-ounce can as well for $2 to $3.

Of the four brands mentioned, these new Trulys were my least favorite. Though they’re marketed as a hard seltzer, I felt they did not contain enough carbonation to fall under that category. They came off as extremely sweet to me, and the flavors sort of blended together so much that I couldn’t really tell the difference between them. The Truly drinks get a two-star rating in my book.

Bud Light is Alright

Bud Light’s new Post Malone-endorsed seltzers come in 12 packs of flavors that include black cherry, lemon lime, strawberry and mango. They cost about the same as other packs of the same caliber, and with similar flavors to those included in the tried-and-true White Claw packs; one can only wonder if they hold a torch to the OG.

They have a taste similar to Claws, but I think Bud Light has put enough of their own charm into these seltzers that they stand alone as a qualified competitor. Even though their pack comes with some of the same flavors, Bud’s versions certainly contain a taste all their own. I think the Bud Light Seltzers deserve a four-star rating.

Smirnoff Knocks Socks Off

Smirnoff got creative with their twist on the classic hard seltzer. Cross-bred flavors like cranberry lime, berry lemonade, raspberry rosé and piña colada make up their variety pack. The asking price typically falls between $12 and $16 for these, and the six packs they offer with individual flavors go for $8 to $10 on average.

Smirnoff has changed the seltzer game with these flavors. Piña colada is by far my favorite, but all the options offered in the pack are extremely unique and taste great. These drinks don’t get enough exposure in my opinion and if people start giving them a shot, they might just become the hottest new hard seltzer. They deserve at least four-and-a-half stars.

STEPPING INTO NEW SHOES: A Look Inside the Life of a Crocs Employee Contributions by Taylor Johnson Design by Sara Roach

If you think shoes are just shoes, you have obviously never worn Crocs. From the sleek design, fun colors and the one-of-a-kind holes, Crocs provide everything you could want in a shoe plus more.

A couple of representatives from Crocs, Inc. explain exactly what it takes to create these illustrious shoes and run a billion-dollar company.

Michelle Poole, Executive Vice President and Chief Product & Merchandising Officer 1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING FOR CROCS? This August it will be six years.

2. IS IT STRESSFUL COMPARED TO OTHER JOBS YOU’VE HAD? I think Crocs was really in a mess when I joined and you have to have the courage of your convictions. One of the things you have to do as a merchandiser is you have to have a crystal ball of where you want to go. You have to head there before it’s evident. It can take almost a year to get new products from start to finish in the stores.

I joined Crocs because I felt I could make the clog cool. But when I joined, I had people telling me I was committing career suicide. I think the scary thing can be — I’ve always been a risk-taker. But every job I’ve

ever accepted, every new brand I’ve gone to, I usually don’t sleep too much the night before I accept the role because to me the terror is also the sign you’re growing.

3. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS/ADVICE FOR A COLLEGE STUDENT JOINGING THE WORKFORCE? Be persistent. Work harder than anyone else. I got a college internship and I worked so hard during my internship that the marketing manager [offered me] a job.

Be prepared to roll up your sleeves. The people that I reward the most in terms of new opportunities and promotions are the people that are flexible and really care about their work.

Reliability and hard work, it’s not sexy but it is absolutely such a critical ingredient. Those skills will never get old and they’ll always serve you well.

4. ‘SHARING A PAIR FOR HEALTHCARE’ HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. WHAT INSPIRED CROCS TO GIVE BACK TO FIRST RESPONDERS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC? There were really scary stories about nurses and doctors on the front lines unprotected and lacking personal protective

equipment and masks. We were hearing from people on social saying, ‘any chance of getting a pair of shoes’?

We recognized people in hospitals and emergency rooms were very worried about taking the infection home with them. You can also take your Crocs on and off without touching them.

So, we tested what would happen if we put something online and offered some free shoes. In the first couple of days, we had hundreds of thousands of people online.

So far we’ve given away half a million pairs and we’re still giving them away. We’re testing a new program which is basically [for] anyone who needs them. The idea is if you’re in need, sign up for a free pair.

Kaitlyn Westfall - Store Manager at Crocs in Marysville, Washington 1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING FOR CROCS? In July it will be five years since I started working with the company.

2. WHAT DREW YOU TO WORKING FOR CROCS? I was drawn to Crocs because I was currently at a job that I hated. Crocs was a brand-new store that was opening at the mall. I have opened new stores before and it is an awesome experience to see the store from the beginning. I also had only worked clothing retail and I wanted a change.

3. WHAT DO YOU THINK CAUSED THE RECENT SURGE IN THE POPULARITY OF CROCS? I think the recent surge in popularity of Crocs has to do with many different things. I think some of the most recent collaborations like Luke Combs and Post Malone have played a part in the popularity. I think that is part of the reason it is so popular with teens. Also, Crocs is way more than just the clog now! We cater to all demographics now. There is everything from a casual sandal to a dressy wedge.

4. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE CLASSIC CLOG BEFORE WORKING FOR CROCS? DID YOU OWN A PAIR? Honestly I thought the Classic Clog was hideous. I never owned any Crocs before working for the company and now it’s all I own. I remember getting my free pair of clogs on my first day and I was wowed at how comfortable they were and no longer cared if they were ‘hideous’. I love them now and I love how you can personalize them with charms.

5. WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY-TODAY LOOK LIKE? My typical day is a little bit different each day, but mostly it is focused on the needs of the business. A weekday is usually filled with conference calls, shipment, coaching employees and making sure every customer leaves happy. Weekends are strictly all about selling and making money because this is our busiest time.

To read more from this Q&A check out cwupulsemagazine.com!