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What Alcohol Is in Mike’s Hard Lemonade? Answered (2024)

What Alcohol Is in Mike's Hard Lemonade

If you are not a fan of strong cocktails, wine, or beer, you can enjoy Mike’s Hard Lemonade. The strong citrus flavors and sweetness stand out in the selection of watery spiked lemonade. 

But what alcohol is in Mike’s Hard Lemonade? Let’s find out.  

What Alcohol Is in Mike’s Hard Lemonade?

Mike's Hard Lemonade bottles

Mike’s Hard Lemonade is made of fermented malt grains with their proprietary, bespoke yeast. Based on Forbes, Mike’s Hard Lemonade is technically a malt beverage like beer with lemonade as its flavoring. 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade can be a good alternative for beer because of its fruity, refreshing taste and alcohol content. A Mike’s Hard Lemonade can feature 5% ABV and contains natural lemon flavoring.

What Alcohol Does It Contain? 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade contains ethanol from fermenting malt grains [1]. It contains flavored malt, which you can closely compare to a beer. It may not get you drunk as fast as other liquors, but you will get buzzed in increased and fast-paced consumption. 

When it was previously released in Canada, it contained vodka, but today, every can of Mike’s Hard Lemonade is made from fermented malt grain and proprietary yeast.  

What’s A Flavored Malt Beverage?

hand full of malt grains

Flavored Malt Beverage (FMB) is an alcoholic beverage made from a malt base, but it strips off the malt character and adds flavor to it. It is often referred to as flavored alcoholic beverages, and in the US, it is regulated by the federal government. 

Flavored Malt Beverage must contain at least 25% malt and 7.5 lb of hops per hundred barrels of the finished product.

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Does Mike’s Hard Lemonade Have Vodka? 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade does not contain vodka. However, it was previously released to contain vodka in 1996. 

Based on Forbes, Mike’s Hard Lemonade contained vodka when it was released in Canada. However, when the brand entered the US market in 1999, Mike’s replaced its vodka with a proprietary malt base. 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade As An Alternative For Beer

guy holding mike's hard lemonade bottle

Mike’s Hard Lemonade can be a great alternative for beer because of its sweet and refreshing flavor profile. Based on an Origlio article, Mike’s Hard Lemonade was crafted as an alternative to beer. 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade has been successful in the Ready-to-Drink category because of its unique flavor options and alcohol content.

Many widely enjoy it because it is easy to drink and does not contain high alcohol content, unlike other alcoholic beverages. But how long will Mike’s Hard Lemonade last?

Does It Taste Like Alcohol? 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade tastes like alcohol but is not strong because it is low-proof alcohol. You will get used to it after the first couple of sips, but overall, it tastes delicious.

Some people find it slightly sour, but it tastes like a regular lemonade with a slight kick. 

How Much Alcohol Is In Mike’s Hard Lemonade? 

Based on the official website of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, all flavors contain 5% alcohol by volume or ten alcohol proof.

The alcohol content of Mike’s is common because most hard seltzer contains 5% ABV only. It is easy to drink and widely enjoyed because it is refreshing with a slight punch from the ethanol. 

How It’s Made

Mike’s Hard Lemonade follows a four-step brewing process to produce a spiked lemonade.

The production process starts with fermented malt grains and proprietary yeast. It is filtered using the proprietary filtration technology for a clean and neutral alcohol base. 

The neutral alcohol base is mixed with lemon juice and zest to produce a natural lemon flavor. The manufacturer will then combine the natural sugars and lemon flavor in the alcohol.

FAQs 

Is Mike’s Hard Lemonade a wine cooler?

No, Mike’s Hard Lemonade is not a wine cooler. Mike’s Hard Lemonade is a flavored malt beverage. A wine cooler is an alcoholic beverage made from wine and fruit juice.  

Will a can of Mike’s Hard Lemonade get you drunk?

No, a can of Mike’s Hard Lemonade will not get you drunk. Mike’s Hard Lemonade contains 5% ABV, and it will not get you drunk by just drinking one. If you want to get drunk on Mike’s Hard Lemonade, drink at least four to five cans in an hour. 

What is Mike’s Hard Lemonade?

Mike’s Hard Lemonade is a popular alcoholic beverage known for its refreshing lemon flavor and smooth taste, resembling traditional lemonade but with alcohol.

What kind of alcohol is in Mike’s Hard Lemonade? 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade contains alcohol derived from fermented sugars, typically in the form of malted barley, resulting in a beverage with a beer-like alcohol content.

Is Mike’s Hard Lemonade considered a beer or a malt beverage? 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade is classified as a flavored malt beverage (FMB), as it is made with malted barley but has a flavor profile distinct from traditional beers.

How much alcohol does Mike’s Hard Lemonade contain? 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade typically has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of around 5%, similar to many beers, making it a moderately alcoholic beverage.

Can I find different flavors of Mike’s Hard Lemonade?

Yes! Mike’s Hard Lemonade is available in a variety of flavors beyond the classic lemon, including berry, peach, mango, and more, providing options to suit different tastes.

On A Final Note

Ethanol is the alcohol in Mike’s Hard Lemonade, made using fermented malt and proprietary yeast. It previously contained vodka as the alcohol base, but when it entered the US Market, they changed it to malt base. 

The spiked lemonade is one of the first ready-to-drink categories that grew leaps and bounds.

Mike’s has managed to stay relevant and innovative until today. The brand offers different flavors and pushes firmly to maintain its iconic hard lemonade in the seltzer market. 

Reference:

  1. https://www.britannica.com/science/ethanol 
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