White Claw Hard Seltzer
Chicago, Illinois
The can that created the category. Fermented sugar base, 5% ABV, 2g sugar, and gluten-free despite the brewing process.
- Congeners
- Low
- Histamines
- Very Low
- Polyphenols
- Very Low
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- Very Low
- Sugar
- Very Low
- Additives
- Moderate
- Calories
- 106
- Sugar
- 2g
14g ethanol at 5% ABV. 98 from alcohol, 8 from carbohydrate.
In its favor
- ✓2g of sugar
- ✓Gluten-free, and states it explicitly
- ✓Nutrition printed on the can
What to watch
- !Fermented base rather than distilled
- !Added flavouring
Factor by factor
Congeners Low ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Very Low ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Very Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Very Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Moderate ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
White Claw invented this category and set the specification everything else copied: 5% ABV, around 100 calories, two grams of sugar, gluten-free. Working it out from ABV gives about 106 calories per can, which is close enough to the marketed figure that the marketing is honest.
The gluten question comes up constantly because it is brewed, and brewing implies grain. It does not here. The base is fermented cane sugar, not malted barley, so there is no gluten in it to begin with and the gluten-free claim is straightforward rather than a distillation argument.
White Claw Hard Seltzer questions
What alcohol is in White Claw Hard Seltzer? ▾
White Claw Hard Seltzer gets its alcohol from fermented cane sugar, brewed like a beer rather than spiked with a spirit. It is 5% ABV, close to a standard beer.
How many calories are in a can of White Claw Hard Seltzer? ▾
About 106 calories in a 12oz can at 5% ABV. 98 come from the alcohol and 8 from carbohydrate.
Does White Claw Hard Seltzer have sugar? ▾
Yes, about 2g of sugar per 12oz serving.
Is White Claw Hard Seltzer gluten-free? ▾
Yes. White Claw Hard Seltzer is made from fermented cane sugar. There is no wheat, barley or rye at any stage.
Does White Claw Hard Seltzer give you a bad hangover? ▾
White Claw Hard Seltzer scores 3/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 3/10 for hard seltzer & rtd overall. It is low on every hangover factor we track, so most of the morning after comes down to how much ethanol you drink.