Drink of the Week: Half Past Pineapple with Clove Hard Seltzer

After a big holiday spread, a palate cleanser feels appropriate. Hold the Gamay and the Pinot—I’m talking about a hard seltzer. Yes, the hard seltzer that has ballooned to unbelievable growth then grown some more. Okay, maybe not that far, but the point still stands: It’s nearly impossible to escape the category these days, and thankfully, that expansion has brought a truly delicious product to the market. Chicago-based Half Past bills itself as the “premium hard seltzer” and it offers an experience that’s fresh, delightful, and dare I say, nuanced? 

Built with a cane sugar base, the anchoring spirit in Half Past is filtered via centrifuge, which does away with hints of flavor, leaving the added ingredients to shine. Half Past currently comes in fruity, fun flavors including Spicy Lime, Ginger with Turmeric, and Grapefruit with Rosemary, but my favorite is Pineapple with Clove. A blend of pineapple, passion fruit, and lime juices, it’s flavored with molasses, lemongrass, clove, and allspice, then sweetened with agave. The result is a bubbly, easy-drinking seltzer that verges on cocktail territory while delivering waves of tropical sun. $15/6 cans, drinkhalfpast.com