photos by Alexander Rubin
In late July, The Tasting Panel rounded up seven top palates from around the U.S. to taste through two rounds of hard lemonades. The brands were poured into numbered and labeled cups, and the judges rated each brand on a scale from 0–5, with 5 being best. After tasting all of the entries, the panel agreed that Lucky One Vodka Lemonade was the number-one best-tasting hard lemonade; here are the full results.
ROUND ONE: ORIGINAL FLAVORS
Best-Tasting Original Hard Lemonade: Lucky One Vodka Lemonade
Second Place: Simply Spiked Hard Lemonade
Third Place: Mike’s Hard Lemonade
ROUND TWO: FLAVORED HARD LEMONADE
Best-Tasting Flavored Hard Lemonade: Lucky One Vodka Peach Lemonade
Second Place: Mike’s Strawberry Hard Lemonade
Third Place: A tie between Lucky One Vodka Blueberry Lemonade and Simply Spiked Blueberry Hard Lemonade
The Judging Panel:
Shannon Saulsbury, wine program manager, Flagship Restaurant Group
Jonas De Maere, sourcing wine manager, Ahold Delhaize USA, Charlotte, NC
Stefania Lopez, GM and sommelier, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa, FL
Arthur Pescan, sommelier, Maxwell Park, Washington, D.C.
Zac Manning, corporate wine director, Two for Seven Restaurant Group, Boston, MA, and New York
Nicole Haarklau, senior corporate director, F&B, Remington Hospitality, Dallas, TX
Jeff Degner, corporate wine buyer, Spec’s, Texas
