Malternative Beverages
MoveCloseDeleteAdmin

The ClubHouse: Archives: Malternative Beverages

Lobster

Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 08:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I work in a liquor store. I'm just curious as to what all of you think of the recent glut of malternative beverages. What's a malternative you ask? Well, it's a malt based drink that isn't beer. Zima, Mike's Hard Lemonade, Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Silver, etc. There are so many of these out there now, that I don't think all of them will endure. Four were released in the Boston area in the last two weeks. Captain Morgan Gold, Stoli Citrona, Mike's Hard Cranberry Lemonade, and Sauza Diablo.
Which ones have you tried? Which ones did you like? Which ones do you think should have never ever ever been released? For me, it's Capt Morgan Gold. Well, this week anyway.

Lancecrossfire

Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 08:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lobster, I've had only 2--Zima and Mike's Hrad Lemonade. I tried Zema when it first came out. I thought it had the flavor of chalky cardboard.

I like the lemonade though. It isn't sweetened much, and has the flavor you'd expect of lemonade. I've had a hard cider, but don't remember the brand--it's been out for awhile. I thought it was good as well.

I'd like to throw in a comment about wine coolers as well. I've never been a fan of them, as they were all too sweet for my taste in what I thought a wine cooler was all about. A number of years ago Seagrams released a couple flavors, which I thought were pretty good. They had good flavor, were not very sweet at all, and were refreshing.

I'm not sure which ones will survive. I think the makers of Zima were smart to have their product out way ahead of any others. For those who like the beverage, Zima will have a strong fan base when these others are all fighting for a share of the market at the same time. Because of that, we may lose one of good quality.

Lobster

Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 08:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I know what you mean about the wine coolers, Lance. Some of them are just, well, yucky.

I just remembered that Zima will be releasing it's new Vibe soon. It's probably already available in some markets. I wasn't too thrilled with that one. Zima has managed to endure, though. It's not the most popular, but it does okay.

You're right about maybe losing one of good quality. I liked Doc Otis Lemonade. It was released within a couple of weeks of Mike's. Mike's has been available in Canada in lots of flavors for years now, I guess. Poor Doc Otis got lost in the shuffle. We tried bringing it in again last summer I think it was, and it went nowhere. Mike still beat the crap out of Doc. LOL

Yuhuru

Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 08:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I really liked Smirnoff Ice for a while, but something happened...I stopped. It kinda tastes like an alcoholic Citra ?

Lobster

Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 09:08 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It's been a long time since I tried Smirnoff Ice. If that's the one that tastes grapefruity, than yes, it tastes like an alcoholic Citra.

Because it's malt based, if it goes from cold to warm to cold again, it can "skunk." It smells strong and tastes strong. This also can happen if it's old. It happens with regular beer, too. Maybe that is what happened with you.

Angelnikki

Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 10:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
i like smirnoff ice alot. it tastes pretty good. i have tried something last weekend called
hooches hard orange. it was oranged colored but didnt taste orangy. it was good but i cant describe the taste.

Spygirl

Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 11:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Does Sky Blue count in this category? If so, it is great cold, but stinks even close to room temperature.

Riviere

Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 12:33 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Never tried Zima, when it came out someone told me it tasted like a flat beer poured into a glass of cheap wine, that was enough to put me off.. I had a Hard Lemonade at the track on Derby Day and it was nothing to write about, kinda had a bite but didn't have much flavor of any kind, wonder where the 'lemon' figures into the name!

Neko

Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 05:21 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Well...I haven't tried any of these. Wonder why?

But I did get a taste of a rasberry cooler thingie.
It was supposed to taste like rasberry but it just tasted like vodka with a drop of rasberry favouring.

I think I'll stick with my pop...soda...whatever it's called.
Neko

Lobster

Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 11:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Yes, Spygirl, Skyy Blue does count. It's a malt also with a hint of vodka in it. I liked that one too. I could taste the vodka even though you're not really supposed to.

Never tried Hooches, but I've heard of it.

Neko, that sounds like Glacier Bay which is not a malt, but actually made from vodka.

Riviere, was it Mike's or another brand? I think Mike's tastes pretty lemony, but one of the other ones, I'm not sure if it's Rick's or Sublime, tastes more like beer to me than lemonade.

Riviere

Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 08:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lobster ~ it was a Mike's Hard Lemonade.. They had specials on Zima and MHL for $3 so I thought I'd try one. I didn't detect a hint of lemon, maybe it had too much ice, tasted more like a cup of watered down mouthwash than anything.

Grooch

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 05:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I see them in the store and they scare me.

I would never buy them and I would have to be coerced or very drunk to try them (and they would have to be free.)

I like to understand what I am drinking.

Lobster

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 06:10 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL, Grooch. A lot of people feel the same way as you. The reason I've tried so many of them, is because they were free. One of the perks of working in a liquor store. I get to try all kinds of things.

Grooch

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 06:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Would you ever pay for them? lol!

Lobster

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 06:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Yes, I would and I have. I like Mike's and the new Sauza Diablo. It kinda tastes like a margarita without the salt and ice. I do however, get a discount.

Buttercup

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 06:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I like Tequizas and Docs

Fruitbat

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 07:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
They scare me because they are marketed to snag the teen market. Not good, not good at all.

Sunshinemiss

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 09:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I am not much of a drinker anymore (got most of it out of my system in my 20's), but a friend was raving about something called St. Ides Special Brew,( the flavor he liked was Mixed Fruit,) he says it tastes like Hawaiian Punch, so I bought some. Less than thrilled, it tasted ok, kind of like a light beer that you mixed Kool-Aid into, but frankly I would rather just drink Hawaiian Punch.

If I am going to drink, I will have a straight shot or two of Yukon Jack and get it over with, then just sip on a soda. I like my tastes separate.. or if I go out, I favor Margueritas. Strawberry, if they are fresh. Drinks are too expensive anymore though.

Guess I am getting old and tame. Not a bad place to be though.

Lobster

Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 04:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I have to agree with you, Ms. Bat. When the Capt. Morgan Gold came out, we tried it in work. It tastes like you took Capt and Coke with ice and left it on the table for an hour til the ice melted. The first thing I said about it was, "The 16 year olds will love it." It doesn't taste at all like there is alcohol in it. They are mostly trying to appeal to women who don't drink beer, but I find that younger drinkers are the ones buying it. Curry College is right up the street from us, and we sell a lot of these types of drinks to the Curry kids.