Truly

Truly is an American alcoholic beverage brand produced by The Boston Beer Company. It was introduced in 2016 as a hard seltzer, a category built around carbonated water, alcohol, and flavoring, and became one of the most visible brands in the rapid expansion of the United States hard-seltzer market. The brand's core product uses cane-sugar-based fermented alcohol rather than distilled alcohol, placing it within the malt- or fermented-alcohol segment of the category. Its positioning has generally emphasized flavor variety, portability, relatively light refreshment, and lower-calorie social drinking occasions compared with many traditional beer and mixed-drink alternatives, although specific nutritional and alcohol claims vary by product. Truly's growth accelerated as hard seltzer became a major U.S. beverage trend in the late 2010s. By 2019, Truly and White Claw together accounted for approximately 85 percent of the hard-seltzer market according to the referenced account. In response to intensifying competition, Truly reformulated its flavors that year. The brand also expanded beyond conventional retail distribution: in 2019, JetBlue became the first airline reported to offer Truly, giving the product an additional consumption setting and reinforcing its visibility as a mainstream ready-to-drink beverage. The brand became an important contributor to The Boston Beer Company's sales growth during this period. Its portfolio broadened through product-format and alcohol-base experimentation. Truly introduced an on-tap hard-seltzer offering in 2019, reported a portfolio of 30 hard-seltzer flavors in 2021, and launched Truly Extra that year with an 8 percent alcohol-by-volume formulation. In 2022, Truly entered vodka through a product made with Beam Suntory and initially offered in three flavors. In 2023, the brand added spirits-based hard seltzer alongside its established fermented-alcohol products, giving it a broader technical and category platform. Truly's trajectory also illustrates the volatility of the hard-seltzer market. In 2021, The Boston Beer Company said that the hard-seltzer boom was ending sooner than expected. At that point, Truly and White Claw were reported to hold roughly 75 percent of the market, still representing a dominant combined position but a lower share than in 2019. Truly attempted to maintain cultural relevance through marketing such as the 2021 “Try January” initiative, which playfully reframed Dry January and encouraged consumers to try the brand. The company refreshed the Truly brand in 2023 to adapt to a post-boom market characterized by slower category growth and greater competition. Despite the refresh and continued product expansion, Truly's contribution as a percentage of The Boston Beer Company's earnings continued to decline through 2024. The brand remains active, with hard seltzer as its central identity and vodka and spirits-based extensions as supporting offerings.

Truly was introduced in 2016 by The Boston Beer Company as a hard-seltzer brand. Its launch occurred during the early expansion of the U.S. hard-seltzer category, which attracted consumers seeking carbonated alcoholic drinks positioned as convenient and refreshing alternatives to traditional beer and mixed drinks. Truly's core alcohol is produced through fermentation of cane sugar rather than distillation. This production approach is comparable in broad terms to the fermented base used in some hard kombucha products. The brand gained substantial scale during the late-2010s seltzer boom. In 2019, Truly and White Claw together were reported to control about 85 percent of the hard-seltzer market. That same year, Truly revised its flavors in response to increased competition and introduced an on-tap format. Distribution also expanded beyond ordinary retail and hospitality channels when JetBlue became the first airline reported to offer Truly. Truly was among the principal contributors to The Boston Beer Company's sales growth during the period. The company continued to increase the breadth of the portfolio: by 2021, the brand had 30 hard-seltzer flavors, and it launched Truly Extra with an 8 percent ABV. Marketing in 2021 included “Try January,” a campaign that humorously played on Dry January and sought to encourage millennial consumers to try the brand. The category's growth then slowed. In 2021, The Boston Beer Company stated that the hard-seltzer craze was ending sooner than expected. Truly and White Claw still represented about 75 percent of the market according to the referenced account, but the lower combined share reflected the development of a more competitive market. Truly subsequently pursued category extensions. In 2022 it released vodka made with Beam Suntory, initially in three flavors. In 2023 it introduced spirits-based hard seltzer in addition to its traditional fermented-alcohol offerings and refreshed the brand to fit a post-boom market. The brand remained active through 2024, but its contribution to The Boston Beer Company's earnings declined as a percentage of company results. Truly's history therefore combines rapid category-led growth, flavor and format expansion, distribution experimentation, and a strategic shift toward broader ready-to-drink and spirits-based offerings after the initial hard-seltzer surge.

• 2023

  Brand refresh and spirits-based seltzer

  [1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Truly refreshes its brand and adds spirits-based hard seltzer to its existing fermented-alcohol portfolio.

• 2022

  Vodka extension

  [1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Truly-branded vodka produced with Beam Suntory enters the market in three initial flavors.

• 2021

  Truly Extra launches

  [1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  The brand adds Truly Extra, an 8 percent ABV hard seltzer, and reports a portfolio of 30 hard-seltzer flavors.

• 2019

  Flavor reformulation and market expansion

  [1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Truly reformulates its flavors, introduces an on-tap product, and begins distribution through JetBlue.

• 2016

  Truly is introduced

  [1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  The Boston Beer Company launches Truly as a hard-seltzer brand.

A mainstream, flavor-led alcoholic seltzer and ready-to-drink beverage brand associated with light, carbonated refreshment, broad flavor choice, and casual social occasions.

• Hard seltzer · 2016

  Truly Hard Seltzer

  Truly's core line is a carbonated alcoholic beverage made with a cane-sugar-based fermented alcohol rather than a distilled spirit. The portfolio is built around multiple fruit and flavor variations and became the principal vehicle for the brand's expansion during the U.S. hard-seltzer boom. The line has also been offered in formats such as cans and on-tap service.

• Higher-alcohol hard seltzer · 2021

  Truly Extra

  Truly Extra is a higher-alcohol extension of the hard-seltzer portfolio. Launched in 2021, it was described as having an alcohol-by-volume level of 8 percent, giving the brand a stronger product option alongside its standard hard-seltzer offerings.

• Flavored vodka · 2022

  Truly Vodka

  Truly Vodka marked the brand's move beyond fermented hard seltzer into distilled spirits. The product was produced with Beam Suntory and released in 2022, initially with three flavors. It extended Truly's association with fruit-forward, ready-to-drink and mixed-drink occasions into the vodka category.

• Spirits-based hard seltzer · 2023

  Truly Spirits-Based Hard Seltzer

  This line uses a spirits-based alcohol platform rather than the traditional fermented base associated with Truly's original hard seltzers. Introduced in 2023, it broadened the brand's technical and category range while preserving the flavored, carbonated format associated with hard seltzer.

• 2021Try January

  United States

  Truly satirized the Dry January concept by promoting “Try January,” a marketing effort intended to encourage consumers, particularly millennials, to try Truly during the month.

  Outcome. The campaign is documented as a notable brand-marketing initiative, but no independently verified campaign performance figures are provided in the reference material.

  Source

• 2023

  Brand refresh and spirits-based expansionStrategy

  Background

  The hard-seltzer boom had cooled, and The Boston Beer Company was adapting Truly to a slower-growth, more competitive market.

  Action taken

  The company refreshed the Truly brand and introduced spirits-based hard seltzer alongside traditional fermented-alcohol products.

  Aftermath

  Truly remained active, although its contribution as a percentage of The Boston Beer Company's earnings continued to decline through 2024.

  Source

• 2022

  Expansion into vodkaStrategy

  Background

  Truly sought to extend its brand beyond fermented hard seltzer and participate in the broader flavored alcoholic beverage market.

  Action taken

  The brand released vodka produced with Beam Suntory, initially in three flavors.

  Aftermath

  The move established vodka as an additional Truly product platform.

  Source

• 2021

  Launch of Truly ExtraProduct launch

  Background

  The brand was broadening its portfolio while the hard-seltzer category was still commercially significant.

  Action taken

  Truly launched Truly Extra with an 8 percent ABV.

  Aftermath

  The product gave the brand a higher-alcohol option, while the broader category subsequently experienced slower growth.

  Source

• 2019

  Reformulation of Truly flavorsOther

  Background

  Truly faced increasing competition as the hard-seltzer category expanded and White Claw strengthened its position.

  Action taken

  The brand reformulated its flavors and also added an on-tap hard-seltzer format.

  Aftermath

  Truly remained one of the two leading brands in the category, although the market became more competitive.

  Source

• 2023

  Truly adds spirits-based hard seltzer[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The brand introduced spirits-based hard seltzer alongside its traditional fermented-alcohol products.

• 2023

  Truly refreshes its brand for a slower-growth market[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  The Boston Beer Company refreshed Truly to respond to conditions after the peak of the hard-seltzer boom.

• 2022

  Truly enters vodka[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Truly-branded vodka produced with Beam Suntory was released, initially in three flavors.

• 2021

  Truly launches Truly Extra[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Truly introduced Truly Extra, a higher-alcohol hard-seltzer product with an 8 percent ABV.

• 2021

  The Boston Beer Company reports a slowdown in the hard-seltzer boom[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Boston Beer Company said the hard-seltzer craze was ending earlier than expected, placing pressure on category growth and Truly's performance.

• 2019

  Truly reformulates flavors amid rising competition[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Product generation · Other

  Truly changed its flavor formulations as competition intensified in the expanding hard-seltzer category.

• 2019

  Truly becomes available on JetBlue[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Other

  A partnership with JetBlue made Truly the first hard seltzer reported to be offered by the airline.

• 2019

  Truly expands to on-tap hard seltzer[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The brand introduced an on-tap version of its hard seltzer, extending the product into draft-service occasions.

• 2016

  Truly launches as a hard seltzer brand[1]Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The Boston Beer Company introduced Truly as a hard-seltzer brand in the United States.

1. 1Truly (brand)en.wikipedia.org