Henry’s Hard Soda is a new line of alcoholic beverages made from real cane sugar instead of the normal high fructose corn syrup that other alcoholic beer alternatives use. I was able to try both the Hard Orange and Hard Ginger Ale versions of their new line and they are both surprisingly crisp, refreshing, and clean. Usually, the multitude of other alcoholic sugary drinks are overwhelmingly sticky-sweet and give you the feeling of stomach rot moments after you drink them, but Henry’s bucks this trend. I was very surprised when both the Orange and Ginger Ale selections finished clean and had a pleasantly subtle taste that was neither too tame nor too over the top alcoholic.
The Ginger Ale is subtle with a hint of ginger spice that is opened up by the light carbonation of the drink. I paired it with a fresh lime wedge that worked rather well with the natural soda flavor. The other variety, Hard Orange, was my favorite. The Valencia orange base was augmented well with a kick of citrus that was not too sweet or overpowering. Henry’s Hard Soda is essentially high a quality natural soda with a light alcoholic kick, flavors are simple, unpretentious and pleasantly refreshing
I could easily see myself enjoying either the Hard Ginger Ale or Orange Soda during a warm afternoon; they are accessible, balanced, and not too sweet; making them perfect to enjoy midday while still staying productive and active. Give Henry’s Hard Soda a try if you are looking for an alcoholic natural soda alternative to the traditional beer; it just may surprise you.