9 Topo Chico Hard Seltzer Flavors Ranked

The Topo Chico brand began in 1895 in Monterrey, the capital of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León. The name is derived from a myth about the daughter of the last Aztec emperor, Moctezuma. According to the legend, she paused to quench her thirst at the spring on the Cerro del Topo Chico, a mountain located in Monterrey. The clear mineral spring fortified her, enabling her to continue her long journey.

Topo Chico Hard Seltzer grew from the brand's original line of sparkling mineral waters. The seltzer seeks to refresh and reinvigorate with exotic flavors that capture the same crisp taste. We had the opportunity to sample several of these spiked seltzer flavors, including the Ranch Water and Margarita varieties. Each 12-ounce can has 100 calories and an alcohol content of 4.5 to 4.7% ABV, just enough to relax and whet your whistle.

While we find that most hard seltzers tend to lack flavor, we were pleasantly surprised by these Topo Chico Hard Seltzer varieties. We assessed each on aroma and taste and ranked them from least to most favorite. Read on to see how they fared.

Before explaining why we ranked this flavor last, we wanted to note that we enjoyed each of these spiked seltzer flavors, so this was a tough decision. The Tangy Lemon Lime flavor has 2 grams of sugar, 40 milligrams of sodium, and 4.7% ABV, which is on the higher spectrum in alcohol content. It is also gluten-free.

The aroma of this variety was more lemon than lime-forward. While it only has 2 grams of sugar, we found it somewhat sweeter than many other varieties. This sweetness is tempered by the healthy acidity and minerality in this beverage.

The overall flavor profile resembles something akin to lemon drop candy, which we enjoy but is not our favorite. Given the uniqueness of some of the other flavors we sampled, we found this one to be the most unremarkable. For this reason, we placed it at the bottom of our list, but we would most definitely drink it again.

Next to last on our list of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer flavors was the Signature Margarita. This variety contains 2 grams of sugar and 50 milligrams of sodium. It is at the lower spectrum in alcohol content at 4.5% ABV. This flavor is also gluten-free.

At first sniff, the brightness of lime juice comes forward. The flavor is redolent of other Skinny Margaritas we have sampled, not overly sweet, and with a somewhat less aggressive acidity. We quite appreciated this, as we prefer beverages on the drier side. The tequila is present but not overpowering.

What we enjoyed the most about this beverage was the complexity of flavor conferred by the agave. Agave can have a sweet taste, but it also has notes of minerality, vanilla, and caramel, which ideally complement tequila but are frequently masked by it. In this drink, the alcohol is low enough that it does not mute the flavor, making it quite elegant. Again, we didn't rank this beverage higher because some other varieties were more unusual.

While the precise origins of Ranch Water are somewhat contested, what is not up for debate is that the beverage is quintessentially West Texan. Bartenders throughout the state have developed proprietary recipes for this concoction, typically consisting of only three ingredients: tequila, lime juice, and carbonated mineral water, most frequently Topo Chico.

According to some sources, a variation of this beverage was popular among hard-working ranchers needing a refreshing libation as a respite from the punishing heat of summer. The fizziness of the water, with just a hint of tequila, helped to give them the lift they needed to keep working.

This iteration of the classic has a few more ingredients in it, including agave. It perfectly encapsulates everything that these ranchers loved about this recipe. With zero sugar, no gluten, a minimal 20 milligrams of sugar, and 4.7% ABV, the Topo Chico Ranch Water has a balanced acidity, mild tequila flavor, and complex earthy agave to create something highly satiating. It is distinct from the Signature Margarita by lacking any sweetness, making it a beverage you can feel good about drinking anytime.

The Exotic Pineapple-flavored Topo Chico Hard Seltzer is a lovely, tropical-inspired libation with the quintessential minerality and effervescence of sparkling water and a hint of taste permeating the mix. This beverage has just 2 grams of sugar, 40 milligrams of sodium, and 4.7% ABV. It is also gluten-free.

The aroma of this drink is pineapple-kissed, but just barely. Its flavor is almost as subtle as its scent, with a hint of sweetness and faint pineapple notes. Oddly, the aftertaste almost has a piña colada element, as if there were coconut in this drink, even though none is indicated on the ingredients list.

As pineapple lovers, we might have placed this beverage a bit higher on our rankings if that flavor was slightly more pervasive. That said, there is nothing wrong with this beverage. We would gladly drink another one anytime. We could also see using it in a fizzy play on a piña colada resembling something akin to a spiked coconut and pineapple cream soda.

Among the fruity hard-seltzer beverages, the Strawberry Guava flavor ranked in the middle of the list, even though if we were to assign a grade to this drink, we'd give it a solid A-. This variety has 2 grams of sugar, 40 milligrams of sodium, and 4.7% ABV. It is also gluten-free.

When we cracked this can open, the distinct aroma of guava was instantly detectable. Guava tends to be described as having a flavor and scent similar to a cross between a pear and strawberries, which makes it a natural combination with the latter in this drink. The strawberry creeps in somewhat, but the guava is the star.

The flavor of this drink is not overly sweet, with a delightful tropical tangy exoticism that makes it unusual and complex. We could easily see using this beverage in a play on a classic minty mojito. It would be refreshing and unique.

We are suckers for mango-flavored anything, so we expected the Tropical Mango flavor to rank toward the top. While it did not crack the top three, it was pretty close. This drink has 2 grams of sugar, 40 milligrams of sodium, and 4.7% ABV. It is also gluten-free.

The aroma of this seltzer is mango-forward. While the fruit does carry over into the flavor, it is less prominent than we would have enjoyed. In this case, the lime juice somewhat overpowered the mango, making it more acidic than we generally like.

We also found that the added minerals in this variety made the beverage taste a bit salty. For that reason, we did not rank it higher. This beverage would be delightfully paired with a nice sweet Riesling and freshly sliced mango in a tropical play on a white sangria. The juxtaposition of the minerality in the water with the fruit would be the showstopper for any summer barbecue.

The Strawberry Hibiscus Topo Chico Margarita Hard Seltzer tapped into our inner sloths. Sloths love snacking on the sweet yet tart, earthy, bright red flowers often said to have cranberry elements. In this beverage, these nuanced flavor notes beautifully complement the sweetness of the strawberry.

With 2 grams of sugar, 50 milligrams of sodium, and 4.5% ABV, this beverage is mildly sweet with a hint of floral notes in the background. It is also gluten-free. Our only minor complaint is the amount of minerality, which gives this a salty bite. It also has too much acidity from the lime juice, which, for our palates, perhaps masks the hibiscus a bit.

Otherwise, we would give this Topo Chico variety a solid A grade. Like the sloth, we will slowly be sipping this beverage while chomping down on some chips and homemade tomatillo salsa at our next afternoon of lazy lounging poolside.

Of the Topo Chico Hard Seltzer varieties we sampled, the Prickly Pear Margarita flavor was the sweetest. This surprised us since the sugar content was the same as the other drinks at 2 grams per serving. This also has 50 milligrams of sodium, 4.5% ABV, and is gluten-free.

While we generally dislike overly sugary things, the sweetness of this flavor was seemingly more a product of the prickly pear than of added sugars. Prickly pears are typically a moist fruit loaded with tiny seeds. They are naturally sweet, often having a taste that is between a cantaloupe, a kiwi, and a piece of bubblegum. It is not an ingredient that is often used, so we appreciated the complexity of this beverage.

The sweetness of the prickly pear is tempered somewhat by the tequila and lime juice, which amps up the acidity and gives it a distinct flavor far more interesting than some of the other Topo Chico hard seltzers. We gave this an enthusiastic A grade and look forward to enjoying another one soon.

At the top of our list of Topo Chico Hard Seltzers was the Tropical Pineapple Margarita variety. As we noted earlier, we love pineapple. It brings back positive memories of our time spent in Hawaii, where the moment you deboard your plane, the aromas of pineapple waft throughout the air thickly like a tropical air freshener.

This beverage has 2 grams of sugar, 50 milligrams of sodium, and 4.5% ABV. It is also gluten-free. The aroma of this drink is quite a bit more pineapple-forward than the Exotic Pineapple was. While the flavor is notably sweeter, it is tempered by the lime juice, giving it the perfect balance of acidity. Also, unlike the other pineapple seltzer, there is no underlying coconut flavor, which makes this more purely pineapple.

This beverage is incredibly refreshing. We wouldn't recommend diluting it in any way. Just crack the can open and enjoy it chilled alongside some classic Luau fare, like Kalua pork or Huli Huli chicken. We give this seltzer a solid A+ grade.