What You Didn't Know About Jose Cuervo's Hard Seltzer

The beverage category "hard seltzer" has enjoyed a "meteoric rise" of late, according to VinePair. Hard seltzer is, as it sounds, "seltzer spiked with alcohol," according to Wine Enthusiast. Most hard seltzers are made with carbonated water, alcohol and flavoring, with many brands using fermented sugar to bring the alcohol content to somewhere between four and six percent alcohol by volume. Some, including Zima, which Coors came out with in 1993 and is still sold in Japan today, use malted barley. Lately, however, some beverage manufacturers have been raising the hard seltzer stakes by introducing hard seltzers with actual spirits. That brings us to Jose Cuervo.

In 2020, Jose Cuervo, which is famous for its tequila and cocktails, launched Playamar tequila-based hard seltzers in two flavors, Lime and Grapefruit (via VinePair). Recently, Cuervo's Playamar has branched out with two new flavors, Mango and Black Cherry, according to a statement shared with Mashed. But before you go out and grab yourself a four-pack, here's what you'll want to know about Jose Cuervo's tequila-based hard seltzer.

One thing you might not know about Jose Cuervo's Playamar line of hard seltzers is that it isn't Cuervo's "first foray" into canned cocktails. For some time now, Jose Cuervo has been offering flavored Margaritas, a canned Paloma, and other ready-to-drink bottled cocktails, according to VinePair. But Jose Cuervo's tequila-based hard seltzers were developed for "health conscious consumes who live an active lifestyle and want to have fun," according to a statement provided by the company to Mashed. They were also one of the very first hard seltzers to be made with tequila. Back in 2020, when Jose Cuervo introduced its first two flavors of its hard seltzer, Lime and Grapefruit, it already had other flavors such as Mango and Black Cherry in the works. So these new flavors are a long-time coming. 

But perhaps the most important thing you'll want to know about Jose Cuervo's tequila-based hard seltzers is that clocking in at 90 calories per 12-ounce serving, they are among the lowest in calories of all hard seltzers. Sonic's hard seltzer, for example, contains 160 calories. Specifically, each 12-ounce can of Jose Cuervo's tequila-based hard seltzer contains just 90 calories, clocks in at 4.5 percent alcohol by volume, and contains no sugar, no carbs, only natural flavors, and no artificial sweeteners. And the tequila Cuervo uses for its hard seltzerss is agave-based, which makes all the difference.