Hard Seltzers Are The Easy Way To Make A Boozier Cocktail

Way back in ye olde days of 1994, a fizzy alcoholic beverage called Zima hit the shelves. It was something of a slow burn, leading to a massive commercial flop for a number of reasons, and it turns out that it was just a few years ahead of its time. Similar hard seltzers hit the market again in 2013. Sales have only increased — and are projected to continue to do so in a big way. That's not entirely surprising: They're delicious and convenient, and come in pretty much any flavor you could possibly want. While they're great on their own, they're also an invaluable ingredient in a variety of cocktails.

In a nutshell, the idea is to swap out soda water, tonic, juice, or a soda mixer for a hard seltzer. Not only is that an easy way to make a fizzy cocktail, but the plethora of flavors available means that if you're looking to cater cocktails to a group of friends, there's no need to keep a ton of fruits and flavorings on hand — it's all right there in the hard seltzer already. Brilliant, right?

There are a few things to remember when you're swapping in hard seltzers, including the fact that the final cocktail will have a higher alcohol content. You may want to adjust your ingredients accordingly, but fortunately, this is one swap that's endlessly useful and incredibly easy.

Using hard seltzer as a mixer has a few advantages, starting with the wide variety of flavors available. There are also plenty of low-calorie, low-sugar hard seltzers on the market today, so if you're looking to replace the often high-calorie, high-sugar mixers used in many cocktails, this is a great option.

It's also a creative way to make versions of cocktails that typically call for specifics you might not have on hand. A French 75, for example, calls for champagne, but who has bottles of champagne kicking around? And who wants to open one for just a couple of cocktails? Reach for a citrusy hard seltzer instead, add gin and lemon juice, and enjoy! Don't have pomegranate juice, grapefruit, or pineapple juice? Hard seltzers are a great substitute. If you're looking for an extra tropical kick to your standard piña colada, an upgrade to the lime in a mojito or margarita, or some variety in old favorites like a Tom Collins, hard seltzers are there.

These ultra-convenient drinks will also add a fizzy kick to your favorite sangria recipe, and they're also a great way to use up the last little bit of wine left in the bottle. A hard seltzer and any kind of wine poured over ice make for a light and refreshing spritzer that might be just what you need when you're enjoying the afternoon summer sun.

Hard seltzer can be used in many cocktails, but you may have to adjust the amount of alcohol you use. That depends on the liquor, and it's true even if you're going for a boozier version of your favorite cocktail. Why? Say you're swapping the soda in a John Collins for a hard seltzer. The strong taste of bourbon can easily overpower the lighter, brighter tastes of a hard seltzer, no matter what the flavor. Dial it back a bit; that balance will go a long way. Using clear liquors is a more straightforward swap, though, and cocktails that call for vodka and gin probably won't need adjustments made.

You should also be aware of the flavor profile you're building, as not all flavors will work with other ingredients. While you might easily replace the soda in a mojito with almost any variety of hard seltzer, a swap can easily go wrong if you're making, for example, a round of jalapeño margaritas.

Another tip is to be careful how many sweet ingredients you add. Hard seltzers can be sweet on their own, and if you're making a cocktail that calls for simple syrup, you might be able to skip it. Stir and taste as you go until you have the right ratios for your taste buds, and you might just find yourself reaching for variety packs in the spirit of experimentation.