Is Hard Seltzer Better Than Beer for Hangovers?

Have you ever had a hangover so bad you’d vowed to never drink again (fingers crossed behind your back) just so the pounding headache, gut-wrenching nausea, and relentless spins would go away in an instant? Many of us have been here before. And that’s why many of us are also looking for better options to avoid the dreaded aftermath of drinking. 

A popular newcomer on the market promising fewer calories and lower alcohol content, hard seltzer may seem like it’s a better choice for preventing hangovers. But is it? Let’s probe the different components of hard seltzer and beer to see how they stack up against each other. Join us as we uncover the truth so we can make more mindful drinking decisions.

Understanding Hangovers

Hangovers refer to those unpleasant symptoms that occur after drinking excessively. Common symptoms include fatigue, dehydration, headaches, GI disturbances, dizziness, and light and sound sensitivity. Hangovers occur when there’s a buildup of acetaldehyde (the toxic compound in alcohol) in our body. 

Our liver is tasked with breaking down most of the alcohol we consume, but it can only do so at a certain rate. When it can’t keep up with the amount we’re drinking or how quickly we’re drinking it, acetaldehyde sits in our body for longer, giving it more of a chance to cause harm. 

Since hangovers are impacted by the process of breaking down alcohol (metabolization), some factors that affect hangovers include the amount of alcohol we drink, the timing, our individual tolerance, genetics, and even our perception. Research shows that what we think about our drink can influence how we feel — explaining why some of us may describe wine headaches differently than beer headaches. To see which drinks may be better options for preventing hangovers, let’s look at our two contenders side by side — beer and hard seltzer.

Comparing Beer and Hard Seltzer 

Hard seltzers are slowly taking over the beer market. Both are bubbly alcoholic beverages, so what’s the difference?

What Are They?

Beer is one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages and remains one of the most widely consumed. It’s made from fermented cereal grains, which include barley, wheat, corn, and rice. 

Hard seltzer is a much newer alcoholic beverage. It’s alcohol mixed with carbonated water. The alcohol in hard seltzer can differ, but it’s typically fermented cane sugar or barley. White Claw, one of the most popular hard seltzer brands, is made from gluten-free grains.

While beer’s base ingredients are relatively similar to hard seltzer, beer contains hops (flowers of the hop plant), which gives beer its distinct taste and preserves its natural foam from the fermentation process. Hard seltzer, on the other hand, is flavored with additives (usually fruit flavors), giving it a more refreshing profile. Beer and hard seltzers are similar and different in many ways, but how do their alcohol contents compare?

Alcohol Content

Because there are many different types of beers and producers, beer typically ranges more widely in alcohol by volume (ABV) than hard seltzer does. Think anything from Coors Light to custom-brewed local craft beers. Light beers are slightly under the average 5% ABV of regular beers; craft beers usually range from 6% to 10% but can exceed even 15% ABV.

Hard seltzers commonly range from 4% to 6% ABV. However, more recently, companies have been producing higher ABV options ranging from 7% to 8% (on-brand with higher ABV beers). For example, like most standard beers, regular White Claw hard seltzer has an ABV of 5%, but White Claw Surge has an ABV of 8%, similar to most craft beers or IPAs.

Often advertised as a better alternative with less alcohol and fewer calories, some people may be wondering, “Can you get drunk off White Claw?” or “How many White Claws to get drunk?” While the answer to how much hard seltzer it takes to get drunk can differ based on individual and situational factors, hard seltzer can definitely cause intoxication, and, for that matter, hangovers as well. Let’s break down the components in each to see how this “better alternative” stacks up against beer.

Hangover Potential: A Deep Dive Into the Components 

Now that we have a better understanding of the basics of beer and hard seltzer, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of how their components make one better or worse for hangovers.

1. Alcohol

While the type of alcohol matters, alcohol content — alcohol by volume — also matters: more alcohol means more acetaldehyde for our liver to break down.

As we’ve mentioned before, beer and hard seltzer are similar in alcohol content. Hard seltzers can be lower in ABV than some craft beers. and, at the same time, higher ABV seltzers can contain more alcohol than lighter beers. 

When it comes to the alcohol content, it’s not so much whether beer or hard seltzer is worse, but more the specific alcohol content of the drink we’re choosing. But there’s even more to consider: carbonation, congeners, and additives!

2. Carbonation

The sparkling, fizzy quality of beer and hard seltzer comes from carbon dioxide. Carbonation in beer is produced naturally, as carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fermentation. Certain brewers may choose to add carbon dioxide after fermentation to increase the bubbly qualities of the drink. 

Carbonation in hard seltzer is added at the end, before packaging. Although the alcoholic base of hard seltzers also may have some natural carbonation like beer, hard seltzers go through additional filtration processes that remove this fizz. Once purified and flavored, high carbonation (typically higher than beer) is added to enhance the taste and overall refreshing quality of hard seltzers. 

The fizz may be refreshing, but not so much the day after. This is because carbon dioxide increases pressure inside our stomach and small intestine, forcing alcohol to be absorbed more quickly into our bloodstream. Faster absorption means our liver may not be able to keep up — setting the stage for a hangover.

3. Congeners

These chemical byproducts play a significant role in the severity of hangovers. During the fermentation process when yeast turns sugars into ethanol (creating alcohol), byproducts such as water, carbon dioxide, and congeners are also produced. 

These chemicals contribute to the taste of alcohol but can also affect how we feel after drinking. Research shows that drinking alcohol high in congeners is linked to worse hangovers.

Higher levels of congeners are found in darker alcohols like red wine and bourbon in comparison to lighter alcohols like vodka and tequila. When we’re looking at beer versus hard seltzer, beer is likely to have more congeners than hard seltzer, especially darker beers such as porters and stouts. 

4. Additives 

Last but not least, additives that are combined with the alcohol for taste, such as sweeteners and flavorings, can impact how we feel in the aftermath. 

While sugar, used in sweeteners and flavorings, doesn't directly cause hangovers, it can make them worse. This is because sugar can increase dehydration, making hangover symptoms even more severe. Sweetened drinks that hide the taste of alcohol can also be easier to drink more of, potentially influencing the amount of alcohol we drink. 

When comparing additives in beer and hard seltzer, beer is better on this front. Since beer gets its distinct taste through its fermentation process and the hops that are added, beer usually doesn’t contain any added sweeteners or flavorings.

So, now that we’ve taken a look at each of the components separately, which one is the better option when it comes to preventing hangovers? 

The Final Verdict: Beer or Hard Seltzer?

After looking at all the variables for beer and hard seltzer, only one thing is clear: neither beverage is clearly worse than the other for hangovers. One might be better in some areas and worse in others, but beer and hard seltzer end up pretty much on equal footing when it comes to hangovers. That said, there still may be subtle differences in how the two drinks can make us feel. 

Anecdotal reports document that White Claw hangovers are associated with greater GI symptoms, possibly due to additives and high carbonation that can aggravate our stomach. Beer hangovers, on the other hand, are associated with more general hangover symptoms. At the end of the day, individual reactions to alcohol may have a greater impact on the effects we feel than whether we’re drinking beer or hard seltzer.

Both beer and hard seltzer can cause hangovers and negatively impact our health. Regardless of what we’re drinking, a hangover is a sign that we’ve had too much. So, instead of scouring the internet for reasons to choose one or the other, we can focus on limiting both to reduce the risk of getting a hangover in the first place!

Tips for Reducing Hangovers

At the end of the day, quitting alcohol is the only surefire way to prevent hangovers. However, we can implement mindful drinking strategies to limit the risks:

• Set and stick to your limits. Follow moderation drinking guidelines or set goals to cut back based on your current consumption habits. And, find an accountability partner to help make reaching your goals more fun and to ensure you’re staying on track. 
• Slow down. Take sips of water between drinks and get up and move around to prevent sipping mindlessly. 
• Choose wisely. Choose lower alcohol options to reduce overall alcohol intake, or better yet, opt for non-alcoholic options.
• Stay hydrated. Dehydration contributes to worse hangovers. Keep a water bottle handy or supplement with electrolyte-rich drinks.
• Reach out for help. If you’re consistently suffering from hangovers or you’re concerned about your relationship with alcohol, you can reach out to family and friends for support, join communities like Reframe, or seek professional treatment options. 

By practicing these mindful drinking strategies, you can limit the risks of an unpleasant aftermath no matter what beverage you’re choosing.

Choosing Your Cheers

While hard seltzer is often marketed as a “better alternative,” at the end of the day, alcohol is still alcohol. Both beer and hard seltzer are harmful to our health and can cause nasty hangovers. We can exercise mindful consumption by limiting our drinks (beer or hard seltzer) or by opting for zero-alcohol alternatives. Just like there are still laws when drinking Claws, we’re not immune to hangovers with High Noon!