It will certainly stir up a debate if you bring it up around your beer friends, but no matter who they are they’ll have a hard time arguing that hard seltzers are a real thing and that they are certainly here to stay. White Claw dominates the market. They’re cranking out more seltzer than you can even imagine – and have to massive production spaces set to go online this year to make even more of it. Where does Braxton’s Vive fit into that?

How do you compete with that?

Locally, we’ve got plenty of folks cranking out seltzers. You can find local offerings in a lot of taprooms, as well as a few of them available on shelves around town. None of them, though have matched the force that is behind Braxton’s Vive, which the brewery is hoping will replace the big guys for drinkers here in town – but how do you achieve that? How does the little, local brewery unseat the massive juggernaut in the hearts of drinkers? It’s a process.

What Makes Vive Special?

There is a delicate balance when you talk seltzer. You want a drink that is clean and refreshing – but that at the same time can showcase the flavor that is the star of the drink.

Braxton has carefully chosen the flavors that they offer in their seltzers – from Lime to Dragon Fruit, to Mango and Grapefruit – they’ve got a handful of stuff that they have put a lot of time and money into understanding and perfecting. It’s fruit-forward… but still clean, crisp, and refreshing. A balance that is really, really tough to nail down. They pull back on the sweetness that the biggest brand leans into, making a drink that is defined by the fruit. It’s distinct and has its own personality. Each can tastes like Vive while maintaining its own character.

On The Shelf

Once you master creating a product that tastes good (which is a feat in itself) you have to tackle the second part of it all… standing out on a shelf, communicating the product and then convincing people to give it a try.

Each piece of it is difficult in its own ways, but Braxton keeps learning and evolving their process to get better, and better at it. Vive recently underwent a packaging change that showcases the natural fruit flavors that they use in their seltzer. The product carriers look refreshing now. Clean. the artwork screams about the fruity, delicious character.

But how do you convince drinkers (especially the ones who don’t like to think too hard about what they’re picking up) to try Vive over what they’ve already been drinking and enjoying? Easy… it’s a buck cheaper than the big guns. The goal is to get people to try it, to realize they like it better, and then to make the switch.

The Future For Seltzer

I’ll most definitely be diving a little deeper into this in the coming months as I explore seltzer more – but it’s safe to say that this isn’t going away. People love seltzer, and places like Braxton are looking to meet those needs. The growth that Vive has shown for the company is undeniable, and the category as a whole is blowing away everyones expectations.

Braxton is going hard on their seltzer, and you should too. Drinking local should always be a priority, and Vive certainly makes that a lot easier for you to do if you’re wanting to grab something a little different than the beer that fills coolers in the summertime.

You can read more about Braxton’s Vive packaging refresh over on Brewbound – or if you just want to know more about Braxton I have plenty here on the site, or of course over on Braxton’s website you can always get the latest!