CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A one-of-a-kind hard seltzer experience brought out a thirsty crowd in Charlotte: Summit Seltzer hosted the Seltzer World Festival in Wesley Heights Saturday afternoon.
There were two tasting sessions at the festival, allowing guests to sample over 75 different hard seltzers, along with craft beer and seltzer cocktail options.
According to the Summit Seltzer website, the family-owned "Seltzery" is the first of its kind both in Charlotte and across the East Coast in general. Its taproom opened officially in September 2020 and carries 12 hard seltzers as well as non-alcoholic options.
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While the event was hosted by Summit Seltzer, it featured seltzers from a variety of vendors, most based in Charlotte: Summit Seltzer, D8 Seltzer, Bubs Seltzer from Sycamore Brewing, Thirst Mutilator Seltzer from Town Brewing Company, Brizo Seltzer from NoDa Brewing Company, Él Colmado: Tepache De Piña from Salud Cerveceria, Twisp Southern Hard Seltzer from Catawba Brewing, Hi-Current Craft Hard Seltzer from Southern Tier Beer via Brewers at 4001 Yancey, and Protagonist Beer.
"It's appealing as well because I think people are drawn to the different flavors," Rhonda Thomas, the founder of Project HALO, said. "If you like fruity drinks, you're going to certainly like seltzer. Some people are drawn to guava, and then they have pineapple brands. I think anything you can think of these days, they have it in a seltzer."
Project HALO (Helping Animals Live On) shared on its social media that the event's proceeds were benefiting its no-kill animal shelter and senior sanctuary.
Those who attended also received a commemorative tasting glass, though the individual samples were provided in disposable cups as a preventative health measure.
