What Is Twisted Tea? Does It Have Alcohol in It?
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A viral video in 2020 of a man shouting racial slurs and getting smacked on the head with a can of Twisted Tea brought a new rise to the already-popular alcoholic beverage. With new memes popping up on TikTok after the incident painting Twisted Tea as this “knight in shining armor” and its enticing bright yellow packaging, we may be curious as to what it is and why it's so popular.
A quick Google search of the ingredients doesn’t really tell us much. Like most suggestions from TikTok, we may be wanting to learn a bit more before hopping on the bandwagon. To better understand what we might be putting into our body, let’s fully untangle what kind of alcohol is in Twisted Tea and get to the bottom of the drink that everyone seems to be talking about.
Twisted Tea has blown up in popularity in recent years but was created back in 2001 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The brand is owned by the Boston Beer Company, which also produces other popular brands of alcoholic beverages such as Truly, Angry Orchard, Samuel Adams, and more.
The hard iced tea is inspired by Southern sweet tea — a popular beverage perfect for hot summer months. The original Twisted Tea was released in 2000 as BoDean’s Twisted Tea, referencing the rock band The BoDeans. However, the music group cited copyright infringement, and, after a year-long legal battle, Boston Beer agreed to drop the name, and Twisted Tea as we know it was born.
The original Twisted Tea is a hard sweet tea with a hint of lemon flavor. As the brand grew in popularity, nine other flavors were added to the range. Some of these include flavors such as peach, raspberry, and “half & half” (lemonade and iced tea). Recently, Twisted Tea has partnered with Beam Suntory to release a Twisted Tea Whiskey — taking the malt beverage company into the spirits territory. While varying slightly in taste, all Twisted Tea beverages can be found in bottles or cans plastered with the brand's iconic bright yellow packaging.
Twisted Tea has grown steadily since its release but saw even more growth with a greater demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails in recent years. Recent viral videos on social media sites like TikTok have also drawn more attention to the beverage. So, we know Twisted Tea is popular, but what’s in it?
Twisted Tea ingredients include a malt base made from brewed black tea, sugar, and lemon flavoring. Unlike other malt beverages, Twisted Tea is not carbonated and is meant to stay true to a traditional Southern sweet tea.
A look at the ingredients and description doesn’t really tell us much. Since alcohol is regulated by the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) rather than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as other food and beverage products are, it doesn’t require direct ingredient labeling. While keeping their Twisted Tea recipe a secret is great for preventing competitors from recreating the drink, it’s confusing for those of us trying to figure out what exactly is in the alcoholic beverage.
Contrary to what we might think, Twisted Tea is not spiked or mixed with any alcohol. The alcoholic content is derived from the fermentation of the malt base, which is the primary component of the drink.
Malt is cereal grain that has been sprouted and dried. This process brings out the full sweetness of the grain. Malt powder has a variety of uses including sweetening milkshakes and helping baked goods rise.
Twisted Tea is made using malted barley grain. The sweetened grain is mixed with the drink's other main ingredients, including tea leaves and flavoring, and turned into alcohol through fermentation. Fermentation is the process by which yeast converts sugar into ethanol — the intoxicating component of alcohol. Beer is made through a very similar process.
So, does that mean Twisted Tea has the same alcohol content as beer?
The alcohol content in the Twisted Tea product ranges depending on the variety. The original Twisted Tea hard iced tea and similar flavors is 5% alcohol by volume (ABV). This is comparable to the average ABV of most beers.
The brand also released an “Extreme” line that contains a higher ABV at 8%. This is in line with higher-alcohol craft beers. Their most recent addition, Twisted Tea Sweet Tea Whiskey, is a bottled spirit that is comparable to other distilled spirits at an ABV of 32.5%.
We’ve determined the type and the amount of alcohol that’s in Twisted Tea, but what type of drink is it?
Twisted Tea is marketed as a hard iced tea, which only means that it’s an alcoholic version of an iced tea. It also claims to be a malt beverage — which some people may confuse with beer. So, is Twisted Tea beer? Well, Twisted Tea is not exactly a beer either.
It’s categorized as an RTD beverage, more specifically a flavored malt beverage, which falls under the more general category of malt beverages. It’s also sometimes called a “malternative” or “alcopop” (alcoholic pop). It doesn’t always contain carbonation or hops that are distinctive qualities of beer. Beer also falls under the large umbrella term of malt beverages but is not always considered a flavored malt beverage. It’s similar to how a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not a square with beer acting as the more general category of a rectangle.
Getting to the bottom of what Twisted Tea is can be a brain twister. However, understanding what it is helps us acknowledge its potential dangers.
Malternative or alcopop beverages like Twisted Tea are typically lower in alcohol content, but they’re just as dangerous as other alcoholic drinks. The lower alcohol content can make it seem like it’s okay to consume more — increasing the risk of binge drinking.
While lower in alcohol, Twisted Tea contains more sugar. This helps to mask the unpleasant taste of alcohol, again adding to the potential for overconsumption. Alcopops have also been identified as harmful, especially for women and adolescents, whom the sweeter profiles target.
Similar to how the availability of flavored nicotine vapes led to a rise in teenage smokers, malternatives can encourage underage drinking — one of the greatest problems in public health.
At the end of the day, Twisted Tea is no different from any other alcohol and carries the same risks. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests limiting the consumption of sugary drinks and alcohol for a healthy lifestyle. Twisted Tea is a combination of both — adding to its negative effects. Some of the potential consequences of consuming Twisted Tea include the following:
Having a sip of Twisted Tea may not cause immediate, noticeable consequences, but over time it has the capability to wreak havoc on our health. Mindful consumption can help us limit the negative effects and keep us healthy and safe.
Mindful drinking practices help us approach the dangerous effects of alcoholic beverages such as Twisted Tea in a safe manner. Some ways we can practice safe alcohol consumption include the following actions:
These strategies help us practice mindful consumption, not only with Twisted Tea but also with alcohol in general, to help us make more mindful choices.
Viral memes and social media posts about Twisted Tea can make us feel like we’re missing out on something special. However, the only thing we’re missing out on by avoiding Twisted Tea is a whole host of health issues; the alcohol in Twisted Tea gives a twist to iced tea that isn’t beneficial to our overall health. Drinking is commonly associated with “having a good time,” but regular alcohol consumption is tied to a wide range of health issues. So, stick with good old-fashioned non-alcoholic iced tea. If you do decide to drink, keep it light! Mindful consumption can ensure you’re here for a good time and a long time!
1. Does Twisted Tea have alcohol in it?
Yes, Twisted Tea is an alcoholic beverage. The alcohol content ranges depending on the specific Twisted Tea product.
2. What kind of alcohol is in Twisted Tea?
Twisted Tea is a malt beverage, brewed in a similar manner to beer.
3. What are the other main ingredients in Twisted Tea?
Aside from the alcohol component, Twisted Tea is made with black tea leaves, sugar, and other flavorings depending on the variety.
4. Is Twisted Tea beer?
Not exactly. Twisted Tea is not beer or liquor. It’s categorized under flavored malt beverages (FMB) also known as “malternatives.” Beer also falls under the category of malt beverages but does not contain other additives like Twisted Tea does.
5. When was Twisted Tea made?
The original Twisted Tea was first introduced in 2001.
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