I would love to see a comprehensive hard-seltzer review from Josh. I'm totally overwhelmed by the variety in stores, and they seem very hit or miss to me. We need Josh's discerning palate to tell us what to get!
When I first read the photo caption, I thought the parenthetical was answering the rhetorical question. I thought Josh was saying: “Who doesn’t love a gimmick? I don’t. I don’t love a gimmick.”
Josh has written before about his low agreeability score, so I could see him not loving a gimmick, but he has also written about his purple cocktails in the past. So I read the caption a few more times and finally realized that the parenthetical was a photo credit. “Gimmicks are fun! Photo by Josh Barro.”
My initial error made me giggle, and I thought I’d share. Happy Birthday, Josh!
I drink seltzers relatively often because they can be a good low carb option that is ready to drink. I don’t tend to drink white claws, but the huckleberry San Juan Seltzers are quite good and I also like the Flying Embers hard kombucha (although they don’t taste like kombucha to me). As someone who has moved away from beer because of carbs, I anticipate that the will continue to be a seltzer drinker for the foreseeable future.
My nephew and I have formed an alliance in our (sadly blinkered) family to declare that White Claw Is Actually Good. I'll be passing this newsletter along in support of our correct position.
I am definitely surprised that the tax is that large of a fraction of the cost. Would not have guessed that.
There was a bill proposed in New Jersey to lower taxes on ready to drink cocktails under 9.9% ABV, claiming it was about "fair competition" within the booze industry: https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2021/6/10/new-jersey-litmus-test-over-rtd-cocktail-taxes Would have lowered the tax from $5.50 per gallon to $0.12 per gallon. Didn't end up going anywhere. Anyway, rather than cutting taxes on this class of beverages, I think they should achieve parity by raising the rate on fermented drinks.
Jul 18, 2022·edited Jul 18, 2022Liked by Josh Barro
I had to stay overnight in Ohio once and I discovered that all the grocery stores there are allowed to sell "half-proof" versions of mainstream brands of liquor.
Jack Daniels, Jameson, Smirnoff and the big gin and Tequila brands all make a special Ohio version of their product that is watered down.
Yes, I lived in a county in Ohio where you had to go to the state-run store to get full strength liquor but local stores sold the 21% versions. People just used twice as much but I'm sure there are benefits (harder to buy a lot at once, you feel like you're drinking higher volumes and might slow down, inflates prices a bit, etc)
I have no idea why 40% is the standard for liquor but I bet it is some government thing. Quality liquor that people actually drink straight because they like the taste, like Armagnac, has a variable alcohol quantity.
It seems to me that the tax should be based on the alcohol volume. A 9% ABV double IPA has roughly twice the negative externalities as a 4.5% session ale; why do the have the same tax per gallon? Price the alcohol content, not the method of producing the alcohol.
Then, the level could be set at a rate that appropriately discourages excess use or abuse across all formats.
Yeah, I have found that to be a common recommendation among alcohol policy people. The federal liquor excise tax works that way, for example, as it is assessed per "proof gallon."
Happy belated! Next time you’re in Maine, seek out Après in Portland! Its premium in cost but absolutely also quality. Real flavors from real ingredients. Strawberry basil, raspberry rhubarb, ginger lemon, blueberry lemonade, amongst many others.
Second, I go for seltzers on occasion because they're significantly lower-cal than a similarly-priced and -sized beer and I don't feel nearly as full or bloated after drinking them. The taste isn't great, but that's not why I'm drinking it. It's the same thing with a vodka soda or vodka water, in my mind. I don't believe they're going anywhere anytime soon.
The local brewery here (which makes some really incredible stuff) developed their own hard seltzer from a pineapple/raspberry base, and I was just totally underwhelmed by it. Maybe I've just aged out of this category.
I would love to see a comprehensive hard-seltzer review from Josh. I'm totally overwhelmed by the variety in stores, and they seem very hit or miss to me. We need Josh's discerning palate to tell us what to get!
You can buy high noon, topo chico, and cut water products at Harris Teeter in DC. I’m sure it would be far harder to get these at a grocery story in Pennsylvania.
Huh, that's interesting. I don't know what other jurisdictions categorize these with beer (or wine?) In New York you have to buy them at a liquor store. Cutwater is 12.5% ABV, so it's not really a beer-like product, but you could call it wine-like.
I would love to see a comprehensive hard-seltzer review from Josh. I'm totally overwhelmed by the variety in stores, and they seem very hit or miss to me. We need Josh's discerning palate to tell us what to get!
When I first read the photo caption, I thought the parenthetical was answering the rhetorical question. I thought Josh was saying: “Who doesn’t love a gimmick? I don’t. I don’t love a gimmick.”
Josh has written before about his low agreeability score, so I could see him not loving a gimmick, but he has also written about his purple cocktails in the past. So I read the caption a few more times and finally realized that the parenthetical was a photo credit. “Gimmicks are fun! Photo by Josh Barro.”
My initial error made me giggle, and I thought I’d share. Happy Birthday, Josh!
I drink seltzers relatively often because they can be a good low carb option that is ready to drink. I don’t tend to drink white claws, but the huckleberry San Juan Seltzers are quite good and I also like the Flying Embers hard kombucha (although they don’t taste like kombucha to me). As someone who has moved away from beer because of carbs, I anticipate that the will continue to be a seltzer drinker for the foreseeable future.
Happy birthday Josh.
Happy birthday!
My nephew and I have formed an alliance in our (sadly blinkered) family to declare that White Claw Is Actually Good. I'll be passing this newsletter along in support of our correct position.
I am definitely surprised that the tax is that large of a fraction of the cost. Would not have guessed that.
There was a bill proposed in New Jersey to lower taxes on ready to drink cocktails under 9.9% ABV, claiming it was about "fair competition" within the booze industry: https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2021/6/10/new-jersey-litmus-test-over-rtd-cocktail-taxes Would have lowered the tax from $5.50 per gallon to $0.12 per gallon. Didn't end up going anywhere. Anyway, rather than cutting taxes on this class of beverages, I think they should achieve parity by raising the rate on fermented drinks.
I had to stay overnight in Ohio once and I discovered that all the grocery stores there are allowed to sell "half-proof" versions of mainstream brands of liquor.
Jack Daniels, Jameson, Smirnoff and the big gin and Tequila brands all make a special Ohio version of their product that is watered down.
Yes, I lived in a county in Ohio where you had to go to the state-run store to get full strength liquor but local stores sold the 21% versions. People just used twice as much but I'm sure there are benefits (harder to buy a lot at once, you feel like you're drinking higher volumes and might slow down, inflates prices a bit, etc)
Maybe we should all be drinking 21% liquor.
I have no idea why 40% is the standard for liquor but I bet it is some government thing. Quality liquor that people actually drink straight because they like the taste, like Armagnac, has a variable alcohol quantity.
Cool article, thanks for passing it along.
It seems to me that the tax should be based on the alcohol volume. A 9% ABV double IPA has roughly twice the negative externalities as a 4.5% session ale; why do the have the same tax per gallon? Price the alcohol content, not the method of producing the alcohol.
Then, the level could be set at a rate that appropriately discourages excess use or abuse across all formats.
Yeah, I have found that to be a common recommendation among alcohol policy people. The federal liquor excise tax works that way, for example, as it is assessed per "proof gallon."
Another prescription is to establish minimum unit pricing, as they have in Scotland, and which was found to reduce consumption in high-consumption households. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-26672100052-9/fulltext
Happy belated! Next time you’re in Maine, seek out Après in Portland! Its premium in cost but absolutely also quality. Real flavors from real ingredients. Strawberry basil, raspberry rhubarb, ginger lemon, blueberry lemonade, amongst many others.
First, happy belated birthday, Josh!
Second, I go for seltzers on occasion because they're significantly lower-cal than a similarly-priced and -sized beer and I don't feel nearly as full or bloated after drinking them. The taste isn't great, but that's not why I'm drinking it. It's the same thing with a vodka soda or vodka water, in my mind. I don't believe they're going anywhere anytime soon.
HBD Josh!
The local brewery here (which makes some really incredible stuff) developed their own hard seltzer from a pineapple/raspberry base, and I was just totally underwhelmed by it. Maybe I've just aged out of this category.
Did you cook your own birthday meal? Do you normally prepare the drinks Josh? Or is it a help yourself. 😂🤣
I would love to see a comprehensive hard-seltzer review from Josh. I'm totally overwhelmed by the variety in stores, and they seem very hit or miss to me. We need Josh's discerning palate to tell us what to get!
Iced drinks. It's what separates us from the barbarians.
Happy Birthday Josh and great article, I agree that I don't think the hard seltzers are going away.
You can buy high noon, topo chico, and cut water products at Harris Teeter in DC. I’m sure it would be far harder to get these at a grocery story in Pennsylvania.
Huh, that's interesting. I don't know what other jurisdictions categorize these with beer (or wine?) In New York you have to buy them at a liquor store. Cutwater is 12.5% ABV, so it's not really a beer-like product, but you could call it wine-like.
I can get a pretty wide variety of hard seltzers at grocery stores in PA including High Noons.
And Ms. Mull sounds like she needs to learn how to drink faster.