WHAT'S IN BUD LIGHT SELTZER HARD SODA?
ANHEUSER-BUSCH BUD LIGHT SELTZER HARD SODA — FAR FROM HOMEMADE™
RAPID REVIEW
Information updated March 2024
Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda is available in four varieties >> Classic Cola, Orange Soda, Citrus Soda and Cherry Cola. Despite the branding, there is no Bud Light in these cans . . . these are alcoholic seltzers with the flavor profiles of popular carbonated sodas. (Source: Budweiser Bud Light Web site 3/24)
The colors you see left to right are from Caramel Color (Classic Cola), Yellow #6 (Orange Soda), Yellow #5 (Citrus Soda) and Caramel Color (Cherry Cola).
Anheuser-Busch does not provide ingredient lists on the Bud Light Web site for this product line. (Source for ingredients: Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda combination package on Target Web site 3/24)
Water is the primary ingredient in these alcoholic Seltzers. The 5% alcohol/volume comes from the ingredient of which there is the least amount, Malted Rice.
CLASSIC COLA: Below are the ingredients for the Classic Cola version of Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda >> there’s no real Kola Nut and there are two Artificial Sweeteners which are generally found in Diet Colas >> Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium (listed as Acesulfame K with ‘K’ as the symbol for Potassium). This Budweiser product also contains Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, Tartaric Acid, Sodium Citrate and commercial Natural Flavors which provide the flavor notes we expect from a cola soda.
Although this product contains Cold-Fermented Cane Sugar which is found in many Cola Sodas, in order to deliver only 100 calories per can, two Additional Artificial Sweeteners apparently needed to be included in this Bud Light “Classic Cola” drink to reach an acceptable taste and sweetness profile during consumer testing . . . so it’s really more like Diet Cola.
“Classic Cola” does not contain Artificial Sweeteners . . . but “Classic Diet Cola” does. (Sources for definition of “Classic” Colas: #1 and #2 U.S. Cola Brands: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Pepsi and Diet Pepsi Web sites 3/24)
ORANGE SODA: The Orange Soda version of Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda has three ingredients banned at Whole Foods >> the same two Artificial Sweeteners as we saw in the Classic Cola variety plus the Artificial Color, Yellow 6. There is no real Orange Juice, just the added flavor of Oranges and the aded orange color. (Source for banned ingredients: Amazon Whole Foods Web site 3/24)
Citric Acid is often included in Orange-flavored products which don’t contain real Orange because it mimics the acidic flavor of the real fruit. Regardless of why Anheuser-Busch adds Citric Acid, it is an FDA-recognized preservative that is not from citrus fruit. (Source: U.S. FDA 2024) Unless it specifically states “Naturally-occurring Citric Acid”, it is Manufactured Citric Acid.
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