14 hours Ago By [email protected] (Michael Palan)
When alcohol impresario Mark Anthony introduced Mike's Hard Lemonade to the Canadian market in 1996, the government wasn't so fond of the "Hard" name, thinking people wouldn't realize it was actually an alcoholic beverage. In the end, the name stuck, and the U.S.
got its first sip three years later. It is now one of the most renowned names in ready-to-drink malt beverages. In 2009, Mike's was certainly content with how "Hard" its drinks were, but for those who needed a bit more, it introduced a line of drinks that went a bit "HARDER.
" In 2025, Mike's is branching out beyond its fruity , and introducing two new tea-infused ones: Mike's HARDER Tea Original and Mike's HARDER Tea Half & Half. In a statement provided to The Takeout, Stately Jukes, Director – Brand Marketing & Commercialization, Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. noted: "We're thrilled to introduce Mike's HARDER Tea! As masters of flavor, we wanted to use our expertise to create a bold option for hard tea fans — a drink that tastes amazing but hits a little harder.
Mike's HARDER Tea is perfect for anyone who loves hard tea, hard lemonade, or a delicious blend of both." So, do these new Mike's HARDER beverages live up to their promise, or will they have us seeking out softer drinks? The Takeout popped open a can of each to see where the truth lies. How to buy Mike's HARDER Tea Mike's HARDER Tea Original and HARDER Tea Half & Half will be available to purchase, nationwide, starting in February 2025.
They are non-carbonated malt beverages made with real brewed tea, and lemons from family-owned fans, which are also used to create the brand's signature lemonade. They are 8% alcohol by volume, and can only be purchased by those aged 21 years or older. It is always worth noting, for those who can, please drink responsibly.
The two HARDER drinks are available for sale where other Mike's beverages are sold, such as liquor, beer, and wine stores, as well as grocery and convenience stores. Mike's HARDER's website has a to help assist in getting them into your hands. Depending on where you live, delivery may be available through services such as Instacart or DoorDash.
Price will vary by retailer, but through DoorDash, cans of Mike's HARDER products sell in the range of $3.79 to $5.99.
Taste test: Mike's HARDER Tea Original With a Shazam yellow lightning bolt, and text that looks like a cross between a ransom note and an album cover from punk band, the Sex Pistols, the can for Mike's HARDER Tea Original looks like quite the dangerous rager. I cracked open the can, and was almost scared for what would come next. I took a whiff, and the smell bordered on being a lemon hand sanitizer flavor straight out of Bath & Body Works.
Instead of taking a first sip directly out of the aluminum can, and this having a tiny influence on the taste, I poured it into a clear glass. The color of this tea was a beautiful transparent topaz, which could shimmer in the light, but also appear dark brown if something tops behind the glass. After a cautious approach, my first sip eased my fears, thanks to the pleasantly surprising mild flavor it had.
The lemon, while not exactly mimicking the real fruit, had a nice sweetness to it, and there's no notes of bitterness or sourness. While the lemon flavoring is at the forefront of each sip, the tea is certainly present, but doing solid work in more of a behind the scenes type of way. Altogether, it is a smooth drink that doesn't taste overly alcoholic, nor heavy, making it easy to keep coming back for more.
After trying it in a glass, I gave it a go directly out of the can. Even with a touch of the aluminum joining the party, it didn't ruin the fun whatsoever. Taste test: Mike's HARDER Tea Half & Half Like its sibling, Mike's HARDER Tea Half & Half has a heavy metal-rocking design on its can, this time in an orange color scheme.
After being shocked at how un-HARD the original tea was, I had more positive vibes when approaching this drink. The Half & Half tea had less of a lemony aroma to it, and it's amber body was more opaque than the Original Tea. It almost looked like a darker version of the citrusy beer, Blue Moon.
I jumped right in, and yet again, taste-tested it from a glass, and not directly from its aluminum can. Right off the bat, I could tell that the lemon flavor was much more subtle. The tea is more prevalent here, as it takes up its promised "half" of the space.
The equal portioning of tea and lemonade made for a well balanced drink that would even make Arnold Palmer blush. Because of the lack of a strong lemon taste, this drink is even more palatable. It's another smooth sipper that knocks back perhaps a little too easy.
Overall, it's a delicious and refreshing drink. How much HARDER do these Mike's drinks go? Prior to this review, I had never had the pleasure of trying Mike's Hard Lemonade before — even though it shares my name — but I was always curious to know what it tasted like. To determine if these new drinks really went HARDER than promised, I wanted to know what Mike's Hard Lemonade also tasted like so I tried this after completing my HARDER taste test.
Out of a glass bottle, Mike's Hard Lemonade is simply a great citrusy alcoholic beverage to drink, and it makes a great alternative to when you've got the craving for something more alcoholic. When I returned to the two HARDER drinks, the tea proved its worth even more. These new drinks are so smooth that SOFTER may be a more apt adjective .
.. but that doesn't work as a helpful tool to sell them! As mentioned, I decanted the cans into a proper glass and I really enjoyed drinking them in this waay.
It's actually a shame they only come in cans, as these welcome additions to the ready-to-party beverage category deserve the glass bottle treatment. From one Mike to another, cheers! Methodology The fine folks at Mike's sent over a single can of both the HARDER Tea Original, and the HARDER Tea Half & Half. They also sent over a six pack of its Hard Lemonade for comparison.
Upon arrival, the drinks were stored in a refrigerator overnight to keep cold. The drinks were tasted solely by me, in no particular order. After tasting the two new tea flavors, I tried the Hard Lemonade for comparison, and then went back to the teas again.
The final criteria for this taste test was the flavor, palatability, uniqueness, how "HARD" it truly is, buzziness, lovability, and likelihood of drinking them again. Recommended.
