Judge’s Review: 90 Rating – Stone Buenavida Hard Seltzer – Watermelon Lime​​​​​​​ by Stone Brewing

Fruited Seltzer | Year-Round | United States

By David Sapsis

Judges Rating: 90
Aroma: 21
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 36
Mouthfeel: 9
Overall Impression: 18

Stone Buenavida Hard Seltzer – Watermelon Lime by Stone Brewing is being judged as a fruited seltzer with watermelon and lime flavoring against the 2022 Beer Connoisseur Seltzer Guidelines for fruit seltzers.  The beverage is presented in a tall pilsner glass at 44oF, exhibiting no color influence, almost brilliant clarity, and a pronounced steady column of bubbles rising to the surface.
The aroma reached me while doing the initial appearance review from a foot and half away as broadly “fruity,” but when the glass was directed at my nose a much more unique and less perfumy aroma came to the fore: almost cantaloupe-like in some strange sort of synergy of citrus and watermelon where neither the lime of the melon were discrete, but rather merged into something new and whole. With a little warming and swirling the classic red watermelon nose becomes evident above a limey-tart backdrop but still wants to merge into something interacting and unique.
The flavor profile diverges a bit from the aroma described above — bright and sharp lime start out prominent with a light non-discrete watermelon note into the middle, taking a largely backseat to the acid and dry-minerally character. The finish is quite dry and faintly tart, with some modest body and residual structure from unfermentable carbohydrates. Conditioning is high but the acidity sharpness seems more from the lime flavoring than from carbonic. There is a slightly chemical and salty element noticed in the aftertaste, but overall the flavor is quite pleasant and the fruiting is not overdone.
This is an interesting seltzer with an enticing aroma and a limey-melony flavor profile that finishes quite dry, tart and sparklingly crisp. It is decidedly alcoholic and non soda-pop-ish, with bright flavors that don’t hang around long and overall contribute to the light and dry balance in the finish. Tasters that like fruit and dry-lime accentuated seltzers should seek this one out but don’t go in expecting a sweet finish. Refreshing and crisp, it is a thirst-slaker of high order.