Two Roads Announces Launch of H2ROADS Craft Hard Seltzer

From Two Roads:

Stratford, CT  – Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing Company continues its mission of innovation and Taking the Road Less Traveled as it enters the hard seltzer market. Created and canned at the Two Roads facility, in Stratford, CT, H2ROADS Craft Hard Seltzer is set to shake up the booming category by creating a portfolio of hard seltzers that uses 100% real fruit in lieu of extracts and flavorings.

To set themselves apart in the rapidly growing category, the RLT (Road Less Traveled) Innovation Team at Two Roads set out to craft a hard seltzer that didn’t rely on artificial ingredients. According to Master Brewer, Phil Markowski, “using extracts or processed flavoring agents was a non-starter for us. We wanted to avoid an artificial flavor from additives and offer an alternative to folks who prefer a natural tasting product. Real fruit was the only way to achieve this. The natural byproduct of real fruit is real color, which all of our seltzers will have.”

This real color aspect of the liquid will be something that differentiates H2ROADS. According to Senior Marketing Manager Collin Kennedy, “we’re looking to educate consumers on what they’re drinking. Hard seltzers up to this point have largely been clear, yet claim to be fruited. Real fruit has color. The color found in H2ROADS will be a mark of distinction in the industry. It’s why we’re leading with the tagline ‘Real Fruit. Real Color. Real Refreshing.’”

Chief Commercial Officer Clement Pellani stated, “We found that craft beer drinkers occasionally turn to hard seltzer for a change of pace and for lower calories. To appeal to these drinkers, we decided to make a seltzer with real fruit that delivers a better, more natural taste with a completely clean finish.”

The team, led by Markowski, spent eight months developing the final liquid. Each H2ROADS Craft Hard Seltzer is made from 100% cane sugar and 100% real fruit, and will range between 95-115 calories, 2-3g of sugar and 2-4g of carbs. Calorie variations occur because different fruits have different sugar contents.

The decision to enter the hard seltzer category made complete sense to the Two Roads leadership team as long as it’s done in a Road Less Traveled fashion. CEO Brad Hittle remarked, “Being just another entry is not how we operate. We decided to make a hard seltzer that is a better, crafted option for our customers to enjoy.”

Two Roads will also be pioneering the launch of hard seltzers in draft format. “It makes perfect sense for on-premise retailers to offer a draft version of hard seltzer, especially one that is superior in taste and that won’t taint draft lines,” Hittle explained.

Packaging format will be another point of difference for the brand. Two Roads will be launching with a 6-pack variety pack with three flavors, Raspberry, Grapefruit and Cranberry Lime. In addition Raspberry and Grapefruit will be offered in traditional 12oz 6-packs.

Look for H2ROADS Craft Hard Seltzer in 6-packs and draft everywhere Two Roads is sold starting early August.

ABOUT TWO ROADS BREWING COMPANY
Two Roads opened its doors in December 2012 having earlier acquired and renovated a 100-year-old vacant, brick factory building in Stratford, CT. Its name and philosophy are inspired by the Robert Frost Poem “The Road Not Taken”—a philosophy brought to life in the beers they create using the highest quality brewing and packaging equipment. Since opening Two Roads has grown to be a top 50 independent craft brand in the United States out of 7,500+ breweries. Two Roads Brewing Tasting Room is open every day; for more information go to www.tworoadsbrewing.com.