Spiked Seltzer Trend Catching On Across The Country

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Alcoholic beverages have moved far beyond beer and wine.

You can now find root beer, cider and ginger ale with added alcohol.

For people who are counting calories there's now a new option - spiked seltzer.

"I can feel a little bit of the alcohol, but it feels very good," Scott Dornblaser said.

That's what Casey O'Neill was aiming for when she created Truly Spiked and Sparkling for the same company that owns Sam Adams beer.

The flavored seltzer water with 5 percent alcohol launched this year and is now being sold in stores and at select bars and restaurants.

"People want to go out with friends, but they still want to live a healthy lifestyle," O'Neill said.

A new survey finds about half of all Americans who consume alcohol say there aren't enough low calorie options available.

Beverage makers are taking note and hard seltzer is growing in popularity.

Spiked Seltzer started the trend in 2013 and caught the attention of Anheuser-Busch, who bought the company this year.

Other brands like White Claw and Nauti have also seen sales spike.

So how does it stack up to other drinks?:

Twelve ounces of Truly contains 100 calories and 2 carbs, which is similar in calories, but fewer in carbs than the average light beer.

It easily beats mixed drinks like a vodka tonic.

"I like that there's not a strong aftertaste, so it feels like I just had a sip of seltzer, it doesn't really taste like alcohol - so it's easy to drink, which might come back to haunt you," Brooke Dienncag joked.

Americans are buying more water than ever before and some bartenders believe that attracts customers to hard seltzer, saying they don't think this is merely a passing fad.

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