Sure, hard seltzer has exploded on the drinking scene in the past few years. But classic flavored seltzer and sparkling water has been booming too. It’s the perfect, effervescent drink if you’re looking for something with the bubbles of soda, light flavor, and none of the sugar (and often very little if any calories) of soda.
But what if you’re in the mood for sparkling water that tastes like beer? That’s where hop water comes in.
The aforementioned hard seltzer is for flavored sparkling water fans who still want booze involved. Non-alcoholic beer is for folks who want to drink something that has no (or very little) alcohol by volume that (at least) resembles a stout, IPA, pale ale, lager, or another beer style. Hop water is for drinkers who simply want a refreshing, effervescent non-alcoholic beverage that tastes like crisp hops.
Just like the NA beer and hard seltzer, hop water has gained in popularity in the past few years. This has led to many brands launching their own hop waters. To help you find the best of the bunch we sample and ranked eight of the best, most refreshing hop waters that are actually worth drinking. Keep scrolling to see them all.
8. Daypack Mango
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Hop Water:
This alcohol-free, gluten-free sparkling water gets its flavor from sweet mango, and other tropical fruit flavors. It also gets floral, pine, fruity aromas and flavors from the addition of Chinook hops. The result is a crisp, refreshing, hoppy sparkling water.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is very floral and has a hint of tropical fruits and pine. The palate is very refreshing and crushable with a nice backbone of juicy, fruity mango, guava, and other tropical fruit flavors that pair perfectly with floral, piney hops.
Bottom Line:
While you can’t go wrong with a classic hop water, if you’re a fan of tropical fruits (mangoes in particular) this is the hop water for you.
7. H2OPS Grapefruit
Average Price: $8 for a four-pack
The Hop Water:
Founded in 2014, this award-winning brand is known for its zero alcohol, gluten-free, calorie-free, organic hop waters. One of its best is its Grapefruit Hop Water, made simply with carbonated water, premium hops, and juicy, tart grapefruit flavor.
Tasting Notes:
The nose isn’t overly fragrant and that’s not such a bad thing. There are notes of floral, piney hops, and ripe pink grapefruit. That’s all you need. The palate continues this trend. It’s very crisp and refreshing with a ton of ripe grapefruit as well as dank, floral, piney hops. The finish is dry, and hoppy, and leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
Hops and grapefruit, what’s not to love? This is a hop water for the citrus fans looking for a new summer crusher.
6. Bravus Focus
Average Price: $15 for a six-pack
The Hop Water:
Previously referred to as Bravus Whirl, Bravus Focus is a 100% organic sparkling hop water that’s flavored with nootropics and adaptogens as well as Amarillo, and Citra hops. Additionally, this refresher is flavored with organic lemon extract, ginger extract, organic Siberian ginseng extract, and organic green tea extract. The result is an effervescent, herbal hop water featuring notes of citrus and spices.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this hop water’s nose. There’s a ton of lemon zest, but also some spicy ginger, herbal tea, and floral notes. Sipping it reveals more of the same in the best way possible. It’s very crisp and refreshing with a nice backbone of lemon and a nice kick of ginger as well as green tea, and piney hops.
Bottom Line:
This is the hop water for drinkers looking for as much flavor as possible. Citrus, ginger, herbal tea, hops, this water has it all.
5. HOP WTR Classic
Average Price: $12 for a four-pack
The Hop Water:
While HOP WTR has a variety of flavors, why not stick with the classic, right? This hop water was crafted to be refreshing, highly crushable, and taste like your favorite IPA. This is thanks to the addition of Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Azacca hops.
Tasting Notes:
Nosing, you’ll feel like you’re smelling your favorite IPA. This sparkling water is exploding with citrus, tropical fruit, floral, and piney hop aromas. The palate continues this trend with a refreshing, crushable body and a ton of citrus, floral, and piney hops.
Bottom Line:
This is called “Classic” and that’s just what it is. If you’re looking for traditional West Coast IPA aromas and flavors, this is your hop water.
4. Short’s Thirst Mutilator
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Hop Water:
With a name like Thirst Mutilator, you should have a decent idea of what this hop water is all about. This collaboration between Short’s Brewing and bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings is always crushable and always available. Also, it’s loaded with floral, piney hops, and citrus flavors.
Tasting Notes:
You’ll find notes of lime peels, lemon zest, wet grass, and floral, piney, herbal hops on the nose. Drinking it brings forth more refreshing, thirst-quenching lemon and lime flavors that pair perfectly with the floral, pine needle-centric hops.
Bottom Line:
This is a very aptly named hop water. It’s gently flavored with lemon, lime, and hops, and extremely crushable.
3. Sierra Nevada Hop Splash
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Hop Water:
Sierra Nevada is well-known for its beer, specifically Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. But when you want something flavorful, hoppy, and thirst-quenching with no calories or alcohol, look no further than Sierra Nevada Hop Splash. This banger is infused with Citra and Amarillo hops.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a reason this is a popular hop water. It begins with scents of orange peels, grapefruit, pineapple, ripe peach, and pine needles. The palate continues this trend with notes of ripe peach, mango, grapefruit, tangerine, and floral pine. The finish is crisp, refreshing, and hoppy.
Bottom Line:
As hop waters go, Sierra Nevada has a ton going for it. Not only is it extremely refreshing, but it’s loaded with tropical fruit, citrus, and pine flavors.
2. Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Hop Water:
Crisp, zingy, and hoppily refreshing. This sparkling beverage is made using everything Lagunitas knows about hops. Chock-full of Citra, Equinox, and Centennial hops for a big splash of surprisingly fruity flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of lime zest, lemon peels, ripe orange, pineapple, and pine needles greet you before your first sip. The citrus party continues on the palate with more lemon, lime, tangerine, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, and dank pine flavors.
Bottom Line:
Hoppy, refreshing, and loaded with citrus and dank pine. What’s not to love in a hop water?
1. Hoplark Tropical Hops
Average Price: $40 for an 18-pack
The Hop Water:
Hoplark Tropical Hops is a Sabro-hopped water. The result is a highly refreshing, crushable hop water featuring a ton of tropical fruit and citrus flavors. It’s a perfectly piney, dank break from high-ABV IPAs. This is a very thirst-quenching, warm-weather hop water you’ll want to drink all spring and summer long.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of tangerine, lime zest, orange peel, lemongrass, coconut, and a sublimely dank pine greets you before your first sip. Sipping it reveals flavors like tangerine, pineapple, coconut, lemon peel, peach, and a ton of dank, resinous, pine. This is a memorable hop water you’ll go back to again and again.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a fan of tropical fruit flavors and dank pine you’ll love this hop water. It’s as close to an IPA as you can get in the hop water world.