It's that time again!
Good ol' Beer:30. Here at Do512, it's our favorite time, no matter what day or hour it actually occurs. (And no matter if we're locked inside during quarantine.) Beer:30 is when we relax, unplug, and sip on some cold ones, this time of the seltzer variety.
Beer:30 is also our chance to act like we know what we're talking about when we talk about beer, cider, and seltzer. While we are certainly well-versed in the art of drinking around here, we wouldn't exactly call ourselves beer experts. In other words, we know that a stout tastes different than a hefeweizen, but we probably couldn't explain why in any real detail. We just like beer, which is why every month we lounge around while we sample some. This Beer:30, the Do512 crew tried out the Basic Hard Seltzer. Here are our findings.
Basic Hard Seltzer
- Type
Seltzer
- Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
4.5%
- International Bitter Units (IBUs)
N/A
HISTORY:
The Makers
Basic is a new player in the game, starting up their operation just this year in Chicago. They currently have two products: Basic Vodka and Basic Seltzer. For both sides, their whole mission statement is "no bullsh*t" meaning no fake crap added, no frilly marketing and branding, just straight up good ingredients and a good taste.
The Seltzer
"Don't Text Your Ex, Text Us Instead" adorns each can of Basic Hard Seltzer and when you text it, you get a real response from a real person on their team (seriously, try it: (312) 500-6627). Whether you want to know a fun fact or some stellar life advice, you'll sure be entertained and - at the very least - distracted from that mistake text you were about to send. Their hard seltzer comes in four flavors: lemon, cucumber, pamplemousse, and cranberry. Each is gluten-free, has 90 calories, and is 4.5% ABV. It's also a seltzer you can feel good about drinking (beyond the taste). For every case purchased, BASIC is donating $5 per case to United Way for Greater Austin, an organization fighting poverty locally.
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Photo credit: Roger Ho
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE:
Best enjoyed cold, the
Basic Hard Seltzer flavors are all super mellow, not-too-sweet, and super refreshing. They don't have that fake sugar taste that a lot of seltzers have, either. Our pro tip? Crack open the cucumber flavor over ice with some spicy salt on the rim. You can thank us later.
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Photo credit: Roger Ho
WHAT TO EAT WITH IT:
A light and easy drinker, Basic Hard Seltzer is best experienced outdoors next to a pool with classic cookout food like barbecue, burgers, chicken, wings, you name it. And because it's a day-drinker, you can crack one open and keep the party alive through an entire meat smoking process. Read: 6-10 hours. Fire up the smoker!
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Photo Credit: Roger Ho
WHERE TO GET IT:
Grab a twelve-pack of the Basic Hard Seltzer at your local H-E-B or your neighborhood convenience store. It currently comes in a variety pack with Lemon, Cucumber, Pamplemousse, and Cranberry! Once it's safe to return to bars, we'll see you at some of the local haunts around town to enjoy one in person.
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Photo credit: Roger Ho
What's your favorite beer to enjoy during Beer:30?
We're open to suggestions.
