'The Beginning of the End of Our Republic': Mountain Dew Sends People Reeling After Announcing Its Foray Into the Alcohol Market The alcoholic beverage is set to hit the shelves next year.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The hard seltzer market may be seemingly oversaturated, but brands who have never before dabbled in the world of alcohol are taking advantage of an already loyal customer base and legacy base product (aka soda) to enter and hopefully disrupt the market.
This is the case for Mountain Dew, which sent people into a frenzy after announcing that it would be teaming up with the Boston Beer Company to release "HARD MTN DEW', a flavored malt beverage that weighs in at 5% alcohol per serving.
Mountain Dew is owned by PepsiCo, which hopes to see the new product hit stores and shelves by 2022.
"For 80 years MTN DEW has challenged the status quo, bringing bold flavors and unmatched beverage innovation to millions of fans," PepsiCo Beverages North America CEO Kirk Tanner said in a company statement. "The Boston Beer Company partnership combines two recognized leaders in our respective industries to address the changing tastes of drinkers and we are thrilled at the opportunity to create HARD MTN DEW that maintains the bold, citrus flavor fans know and expect."
Related: 11 Ways Drinking Alcohol Can Make You Smarter, Healthier and More Creative
Naturally, the masses began dubbing the new drink "the next Four Loko," the infamous canned and caffeinated alcoholic beverage that was infamously taken off the market in 2010 for safety concerns before re-entering the scene with a new and improved recipe.
What the fuck, Mountain Dew is coming out with a hard seltzer?!
— Kody Lane (@VeryKodyLane) August 10, 2021
I refuse to be held complicit in this abomination. Mountain Dew is already the perfect flavor, so it should not be adulterated with black cherries or watermelon, and turning it into a hard seltzer is monstrous. I'll be sticking to soft drinks.
— Jared Walczak (@JaredWalczak) August 10, 2021
Mountain Dew made a seltzer this feels illegal
— two penny whore (@whore_two) August 10, 2021
They turning soda to seltzer, just like Jesus turned water to wine. Cheers
— kai (@Kaindest1) August 10, 2021
5%?
— Kareem (@kareem305king) August 10, 2021
okay so mountain dew seltzer?
Do we need this?
the alcoholic Mountain Dew will be the beginning of the end of our republic and could possibly bring about the destruction of all humanity as we know it
— Eric Reynolds (@ereynolds161) August 10, 2021
Hard Mountain Dew about to hit
— BLACK JOE DIRT (@BIGBABYSCUMBAG) August 10, 2021
the streets like 2010 Four Loko did
There's gonna be a hard Mountain Dew?! LET'S FUCKING GOOO
— Cumquila (@SaltyGyoza) August 10, 2021
The new Hard Mountain Dew is the fabled Fifth Loco
— Drew (@Dravved) August 10, 2021
Omg who ??? asked ?? for HARD Mountain Dew ??
— Gabrielle Alexa Noel (@gabalexa) August 10, 2021
all of human history has lead to this moment. the creation of Hard Mountain Dew
— Beebs (@BrothersBrendan) August 10, 2021
Four Loko walked so Hard Mountain Dew can run
— Henny Hardaway (@_AssassinCreed) August 10, 2021
Some questioned "Do we need this?" while others said that the new product "feels illegal" with the more dramatic responses insisting that the release of the beverage "could possibly bring about the destruction of all humanity."
Per both companies, it hasn't been made clear whether or not the new beverage will have caffeine in it, leaving some to call the new drink the "the fabled fifth loco," claiming that "Four Loko walked so Hard Mountain Dew can run."
The beverage will come in three flavors — black cherry, watermelon and original Mountain Dew flavor, all with zero sugar.
PepsiCo stock was up over 14% year over year as of late Tuesday afternoon.
Related: Don't Worry About Boston Beer's (NYSE: SAM) Post-Pandemic Prospects
