9 Twisted Tea Flavors, Ranked

There's a plethora of ready-to-drink canned cocktails out there. Many have funky aftertastes that leave you puckering your mouth or reaching for a gulp of water. Twisted Tea might be a cure for this problem by offering flavored tea malt beverages. The drinks are made with real brewed tea, a beer base (malt), and natural flavors — if you're not a beer fan, fret not, as it tastes nothing like beer. 

I tried the Extreme variety pack, the Party Pack (each provides four flavors), and then the Lemon Light to get a good sense of the brand's product range. The nine flavors I tested ranged from 4% to 8% ABV, but there are more options (like Blueberry, Mangonada, and additional Light and Extreme offerings). So, keep an eye out for what you can find locally. To determine my favorites, I ultimately ranked these libations based on flavor and sipability: that is, higher-ranking ones had the best, most easily enjoyable flavors, a noticeable tea taste, and kept me coming back for more, while more potent flavors landed at the bottom. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

If you want an alcoholic beverage that tastes like Fruit Punch Gatorade, then get Twisted Tea's Extreme Fruit Punch flavor. All the Extreme flavors are 8% ABV, so they are considerably stronger than the rest. That also comes with a stronger base flavor. That potency, paired with the highly flavored and sweetened fruit punch flavoring, creates a combination that I only wanted to have a few sips of. If you handed it to me alone, I might drink it, but when paired and sipped side by side with some of these other flavors, this is my last choice.

It's highly fragrant, too, so you get a big whiff every time you sit in the can. Extreme Fruit Punch is a little too strong all around. Somehow, the flavoring and the higher alcohol content make it taste like a strong mixed drink, whereas most of these others taste like flavored tea with a mild twinge of alcohol.

Extreme Blue Razz is similar to Fruit Punch in terms of alcohol strength and the potency of the base flavoring and aroma. However, it's just a smidge lighter and less intense, which gives it a higher ranking. Here we play on that fun, sugary blue raspberry flavor you've likely had in candies. The origin of the blue raspberry flavor is pretty interesting and became especially popular in the 1970s, and has been incorporated into the flavoring repertoire ever since. 

The flavor is supposed to imitate a real fruit – blackcap raspberries (also known as whitebark raspberries) — but it just comes across like a nondescript fruit-ish flavor to me. Regardless of that minor history lesson, this is still a bit too potent and highly flavored. Rather than sink into my chair and mindlessly enjoy a few sips, I'm highly aware that I'm drinking such a powerfully flavored concoction. Of course, this has to do with the Extreme's 8% nature, but the flavor also plays a part.

The regular raspberry flavor took seventh place before I did a deep dive into what blue raspberry even was. Now that I'm more aware that they're essentially the same thing — both broadly raspberry-flavored — it makes sense that they're close in ranking. However, the raspberry fares slightly better simply because it's considerably more palatable, as it's a 5% beverage. 

I can taste the sweetened raspberry better, even though it seems milder and less concentrated than the Blue Razz. The raspberry flavoring itself doesn't seem as intense (not just the alcohol content). I can capture a pleasant fruitiness in each sip, and it pairs nicely with the tea flavors. That said, this is the first time I can actually grasp some of the tea flavor, which is a big bonus. It's not strong, but it's palpable, which helps give it a higher ranking than the previous flavors. Huzzah, we're making some progress here!

I typically love peach tea and thought this would rank in my top three, but it wasn't exactly as scrumptious as I anticipated. The peach is a little pungent and more overwhelming than I would like. Ideally, I'd be able to taste the tea more, not just the peach essence. I know Twisted Tea uses natural flavor, but it leans toward artificial-tasting. However, it's still the best out of the four that I've talked about so far. It is fruity, flavorful, and captivating. 

This would be the perfect drink for a hot summer day when you're hanging out with friends in the backyard. It practically tastes like juice with a bit of tea. This is the part of the ranking where I really start to savor the flavors. The previous ones are okay, but the peach and upcoming ones get progressively better, more balanced, with a more prominent tea flavor.

A Long Island iced tea is usually quite a strong cocktail, crafted with a buffet of liquors, along with triple sec, lemon juice, and cola. Therefore, it makes sense that the inspired Twisted Tea spin on the cocktail would come in the Extreme format with 8% ABV to emulate that strength in can format. The flavors are considerably more well-rounded than anything thus far, which makes it enticing and sippable. And yet, it has the strength you'd associate with the cocktail. But as a bonus, we have actual tea included in the mix, adding the "tea" to Long Island iced tea.

The Twisted Tea website mentions that it has "spirit notes," which I can only assume are part of the natural flavors that it uses. This, alongside the tea and malt, creates a strong but delectable beverage. There's a touch of alcoholic strength, but the "spirit" flavors help round it out. Out of all the flavors, this is the most cocktail-like. If you put it into a fancy glass, no one would know it's Twisted Tea and not a homemade cocktail.

From here on out, the flavors are mellow, which makes them easy to slurp down. The Extreme Lemon is the best-tasting of the four Extreme flavors I tested. That is because lemon and iced tea go hand in hand; this tastes like a sweet tea with lemon and a noticeable alcoholic kick. It goes down easy and tastes like something you'd whip up at home. And remember, these don't taste like beer, so it's not like beer, tea, and lemon had a baby. It just tastes like an alcohol-added sweet lemon iced tea. 

It goes down smooth and is extremely easy to drink. The tea flavor is evident in every sip, but not only that, you can smell the tea in the can. This is the first time in the ranking where the tea aroma is clear. If you want a Twisted Tea with a higher alcohol content, this should be your go-to; the alcohol strength does not compromise the flavor.

You guessed it. Half & Half is the ultra-classic combination of tea and lemonade (but of course, we have the malted beverage to provide alcohol content). You might be wondering what makes it different than the Extreme Lemon flavor, and the answer is that it is noticeably more lemonade-flavored rather than just lemon. The sweetness is slightly more infused and better balanced.

The previous one had strength from the potency of the alcohol, with a twinge of lemon and a harder hit of tea, whereas Half & Half is equal in the lemonade-to-tea ratio. This is extremely refreshing and easy to enjoy. Obviously, it's like an alcoholic Arnold Palmer. Spiked Arnold Palmers are a fan-favorite, so this would be terrific to bring to a cookout or gathering with close friends when you want an alcoholic beverage that isn't too out-of-the-box. Freshen it up even more with a sprig of fresh mint.

The Light Lemon has similar qualities to the Extreme Lemon version, but it goes down way smoother. That's because this is the lightest alcohol out of everything, tapping in at a mere 4% ABV. Not only that, but it's "light" in other ways; it has 110 calories and 6 grams of sugar in a 12-ounce can, as noted on the can itself. The others don't disclose calorie or sugar details. 

Here, though, we see an artificial sweetener in play, which is likely used as a way to lower the sugar content, since all the flavors are sweet. The Light Lemon flavor balances tea and lemon notes with sweetness. The artificial sweetener is mildly noticeable toward the end of the sip after swallowing, but it is not unpleasant. I'm not 100% sure if I would catch it if I didn't know it was there, but a sensitive palate might. Thankfully, the tea and lemon help round it out. I like the flavor and think it's a tad bit more balanced than Half & Half's lemonade notes.

Sometimes, original is the OG for a reason, and that's the case with this Twisted Tea flavor. It actually ranked as the best hard tea in a ranking against 12 other brands. After trying everything side by side, it's abundantly clear that the Original is the most delightful to drink. It doesn't need any additions or fun flavors; it's good enough — no, superior — on its own. This merely tastes like sweetened tea. I wouldn't even know there was alcohol if it weren't advertised on the can. 

For those seeking an alcoholic drink that doesn't make you cringe with every swallow, Twisted Tea's Original hard iced tea is the clear winner. It's the flavor I kept returning to and the one that felt the most balanced. It's sweet but not cloying, like the Fruit Punch was. It's the 5% middle ground as far as alcohol content, so you won't feel super buzzed and dizzy after finishing one can. The Extremes offer a heavier, faster buzz, but the Original is better for those lazy days outside when you're slowly sipping your can and savoring the moment. It won't creep up on you as the Extremes might. The overall flavor and sippability make this my top contender.

For my ranking, I opened all my flavors and took sips of each back-to-back, clearing my palate with water in between. No, I did not drink nine 12-ounce cans at once. I took my sips to gather my thoughts, stored leftovers in the fridge, and tried them again the next day. The only factor in this ranking is the flavor.

I was looking for the best, most palatable option. While some are fun, interesting flavors, I wouldn't necessarily want to consume more than one can. The top flavors are well-balanced enough that you'd enjoy sipping one, then cracking open another; not just that, but higher-ranking ones allow you to taste the tea. Lower-ranked flavors were harder to consume and not as enjoyable after a few sips. And while I only tried the 12-ounce cans, Twisted Tea also has larger sizes available.