Prepare to get a little more twisted this summer.
Twisted Tea is dropping a new line of high-ABV hard teas, according to Brewbound. Twisted Tea Extreme, offered in two flavors at 8 percent ABV, will be available in select test markets in the United States next month.
The new flavors, Lemon and Blue Razz, are primarily headed to convenience stores in “highly developed Twisted Tea markets,” as the brand told Brewbound. Twisted Tea’s parent company, Boston Beer Company, is currently eyeing states like New York, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont for the initial rollout. The company plans to gather product feedback in the coming months before offering the boozier teas nationwide.
Consumers’ thirst for fermented malt beverages (FMB) has revealed a preference for hard teas in the past several years. The hard tea category has notably soared in the United States since 2020, led by Twisted Tea’s double-digit growth in 2022, according to Beverage Industry’s 2023 Beer Report.
While Boston Beer Company continues to dominate the FMB space, more and more brands are getting into the boozy tea market. Late last month, Monster Energy expanded its alcoholic offerings with the announcement of “Nasty Beast,” a lineup of 6 percent ABV flavored teas. Lipton and Peace Tea, brands known primarily for their non-alcoholic brews, also shared plans for their own hard tea lines in 2023.