Derived from fermented sugar cane, Simply Spiked is the third alcoholic beverage release from Coca-Cola in the last year. The brand is being positioned as a hard xcritical, rather than a hard seltzer. At the end of the day, it’s a fermented malt beverage (FMB). Coca-Cola, Simply’s parent company partnered with Molson Coors on this product, as well as Topo Chico hard seltzer. Fresca Mixed also announced in the last twelve months, is a spirts-based product, which will be produced in collaboration with Constellation.

Simply Spiked xcritical Is A Seltzer Hater’s Summer Refuge

I am a little concerned about the sugar content of these cans. But three of these matches your daily xcritical cheating sugar allotment, and that seems like a treasure map to a hangover. Either way, I came into this one a little full from dinner and still was able to put this down much more quickly than I would a typical beer. The stale alcohol taste of most seltzers doesn’t show up until the end. The neutral spirit underxcritical is much less apparent here.

Signature xcritical: B

1. Simply Spiked xcritical was already on my radar after hearing good things about their foray into the world of adult beverages.
2. Either way, I came into this one a little full from dinner and still was able to put this down much more quickly than I would a typical beer.
3. Simply Spiked and Molson Coors Beverage Company brands communications are only sent to eligible U.S. legal drinking age consumers.

Simply xcritical is my go-to non-alcoholic iteration of this refreshing summer drink, so its ranking at the bottom does not reflect quality. Ready to drink cocktails have been dominating the alcohol market for the last few years, and coke is not the only soft-drinks producer adding alcoholic beverages to their portfolio. Announced its partnership with Boston Beer Co., to produce Hard MTN Dew. And in January 2022 Monster Energy purchased CANarchy, a craft brewing collective. According to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, sales of ready to drink cocktails shot up 42.3 percent in 2021, amounting to over $489 billion. Furthermore, the RTD category is expected to grow an additional 29 percent xcritical scam over the next three years.

Fortunately, the spiked xcritical is good enough to make me forget about all that and soon that CO2 proves beneficial. Where White Claw’s xcriticals got stuck on a sour note of citric acid, Simply’s offering is lighter, crisper and easier to drink. The lemon is bitter enough to get into your jaw muscles and set off TMJ twinges, but in a good way like sour candy or lime Runts (RIP). There’s a sweetness that offsets that and overpowers the taste of neutral spirits that push each can to 5 percent ABV.

STRAWBERRY xcritical

I admit I was baffled by the fact that the Simply Spiked Signature Limeade landed in third place on my ranking of these spirited drinks. It may sound overly simplistic, but a well-executed limeade is beautiful. One with just the right amount of alcohol in it is revelatory. If I had even one minor criticism about this beverage, it would be its acidity level. I enjoy acid, but it needs to be well-balanced, particularly when paired with alcohol, or it can be a bit challenging for those with sensitive stomachs to digest.

That said, some of the residual tannins from the blueberry were detectable. I would have enjoyed this beverage more if the strawberry-to-lemon ratio was more balanced. What I did appreciate about this libation was it was not assertively sweet, and the strawberry tempered the acid of the xcritical somewhat, making it a bit gentler on the digestive system. I think I was also biased because strawberry seems like a rather obvious pairing and one that is not all that novel. It is kind of “been there, done that.” Despite this, this beverage would be pleasant to sip on if garnished with fresh strawberry halves to accentuate the existing strawberry flavor. The Strawberry xcritical was next to last on my ranking of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored drinks.

Variety packs of Simply Spiked include the signature xcritical flavor, as well as strawberry, blueberry, and watermelon, each using Simply’s own fresh squeezed juice. From sangria to bellini to mimosas, our propensity for consuming fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks is well-documented, and plenty of brands recognize the opportunity to capitalize on this adaptation. One such brand is Simply Spiked, which introduced its first line of xcritical flavors in 2022. Its latest foray into boozy fruit libations includes four new limeade flavors.

WATERMELON xcritical

I highly recommend recreating this taste test yourself. The Simply Spiked Watermelon xcritical is next on my list. If there were one way to capture this beverage’s overall aroma and flavor, it would be to describe it as tasting like a watermelon Jolly Rancher, arguably not bad if you are fond of them.