Judge’s Seltzer Review: 79 Rating – NÜTRL Cranberry Orange Vodka Seltzer by Anheuser-Busch

Fruited Seltzer | Year-Round | Canada

By Alex Sheftel

Judges Rating: 79
Aroma: 17
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 33
Mouthfeel: 9
Overall Impression: 14

NÜTRL Cranberry Orange Vodka Seltzer by Anheuser-Busch is being evaluated as per The Beer Connoisseur Hard Seltzer Definitions & Judging Guidelines (2022) as a Fruit Seltzer. This is a refreshing, artificial, sour orange candy soda-flavored seltzer with a clean finish. Note that this is listed as a “vodka seltzer,” in contrast to seltzers from breweries that ferment their seltzers and do not include a distilling process.
The aroma is of artificial orange-flavored SweeTARTS candy, clean, and with no cranberry character.
Clear orange-ish salmon appearance with no head and quickly disappearing “soda” bubbles.
Orange candy flavor that is faintly sour and does develop a cranberry note, ending with an unnatural, sweet accent. Reminiscent of sour gummy candies. Clean finish.
Light body and dry, but not thin, with moderate-to-medium carbonation and no carbonic bite.
Overall, this is a quaffable, not unpleasant drink, for those who enjoy sour, orange candies (note: this seltzer has the characteristics of candies, but is not sweet like candy). Clean and drier than some of the other seltzers in this series.