7 Things You Should Know About Sun Cruiser, Boston Beer Company’s Other Hard Tea

When Boston Beer Company (BBC) debuted Sun Cruiser in 2024, it wasn’t the first canned hard tea to join the craft beer juggernaut’s portfolio. The company was actually one of the earliest in the game, launching Twisted Tea in 2001 — a trailblazer in the category that’s still beloved by its loyal fans today. So, what does this new hard tea add to BBC’s portfolio?

Whereas Twisted Tea aimed to mimic Southern sweet tea, Sun Cruiser played into low-sugar marketing off the bat, looking to appeal to sporty and outdoorsy types. And rather than the malt-based liquor used in Twisted Tea, Sun Cruiser cans are spiked with vodka.

Sun Cruisers are quite of the moment, especially as RTDs — particularly spiked teas and lemonades — continue to fly off of shelves. They also come in at just 4.5 percent ABV, a mark that has established itself as the norm in recent years. Plus, they are still a trendsetting feature as the industry moves to offer non-carbonated alternatives in the RTD space. From appealing flavors to strategic partnerships, here are seven things to know about Sun Cruiser, BBC’s “other” hard tea brand.

Sun Cruiser has just four flavors, but more may be on the horizon.

Beyond Classic Iced Tea, the brand offers a Half and Half (a mix of lemonade and iced tea), as well as peach and raspberry flavors — all of which were part of the product’s initial launch. Earlier this year, Sun Cruiser released an additional line of hard teas called White Tea + Vodka to select markets. The White Tea variety pack has its own suite of four flavors: berry hibiscus, blackberry, passionfruit, and peach.

The brand expanded to include lemonade in 2025.

Roughly a year after Sun Cruiser reached markets nationwide, the brand added a suite of lemonades to its portfolio. Its canned vodka and lemonade came at a time when several major companies launched similar products. Sun Cruiser debuted the secondary lineup with classic, 50/50, pink, and strawberry lemonade flavors. Now, the line also includes blueberry lemonade, which joined the Sun Cruiser portfolio earlier this year.

Each can contains 100 calories and one gram of sugar.

The first phrase to pop up on Sun Cruiser’s website and Instagram bio are, “Real Iced Tea. Real Vodka.” Its wellness ethos is one that feeds into much of its marketing materials. Across its site, Sun Cruiser advertises that each can contains only 100 calories and only 1 gram of sugar. (The bottom of each can does say “Made with tea, natural flavors, and artificial sweeteners, however).

The company partners with golfwear and beachwear brands.

Sun Cruiser announced collaborations with lifestyle brand Jetty and golf apparel brand G/Force in 2025 and 2026, respectively. The partnership with Jetty consists of beachware, including sun-protective hoodies, tank tops, and bucket hats. The line with G/Force is a suite of golf equipment branded with the hard tea company’s logo on pieces like polos and gloves.

The brand was the official RTD of the 2026 U.S. Open golf tournament.

Sun Cruiser dialed into its affiliation with sports with a partnership with the United States Golf Association, landing the spot as the official RTD of both the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open in 2026. The partnership included a number of on-site stunts, including staged caddies dressed in branded bibs and golf carts exclusively selling Sun Cruiser products.

Sun Cruiser loves interacting with fans online.

Many posts on Sun Cruiser’s Instagram account are carousels featuring photos from fans candidly enjoying cans of the hard tea. The brand compiles them and attaches a caption to each one, such as “gone cruisin’” and “where you’ll find me this weekend.” Fans have submitted photos of themselves drinking cans of Sun Cruiser at Boston’s Fenway Park, at the beach, on a pontoon boat, and other adventurous locations.

From keychains to ball markers, Sun Cruiser has its own line of merchandise.

Beyond the partnered lines of merchandise, Sun Cruiser boasts its own lineup of branded lifestyle items. There’s golf equipment like a ball marker and a club towel, home-bartending products like a mat and a bottle opener, and apparel like a bandana. There’s also a 32-ounce bucket sporting the brand’s logo designed for “sunny days, tailgates, beach hangs, and backyard lounging,” according to the website.

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