Every now and again, I’ll opt to drink something that isn’t beer. Usually, that decision comes down to a single factor: availability. Somewhat recently, the lion’s share of a case of Oskar Blues’ latest take at the hard seltzer water trend wound up in my fridge. Despite my thorough and deep brand loyalty to a competitor, namely the two or three single hour bursts of devotion to White Claw, I decided to give it a go.

Upfront, I was hesitant. Those who know me know that I find honeydew to be the second worst fruit in existence; however, I was still hopeful. Oskar Blues had caught my attention a while ago with one of their most flamboyant beers: Death by King Cake. I figured that if I could trust them with the single greatest flavor to leave that state of Louisiana, I could trust them to not fuck up the taste of melon anymore than nature already had.

Thankfully, I was right. The taste of melon is reined in enough to be palatable. Sadly, the flavor of basil is almost non-existent. Most hard seltzers are pretty tame on flavor. This one doubly so. It is like a weakened La Croix, oddly reminiscent of the strangely floral tastes of the peach-pear variety. That being said, the flavors I could taste were generally pleasant.

It’s a more than suitable entry in the oversaturated hard seltzer market. Am I disappointed or mad? No. Am I going to drink it again? Only if it’s immediately available. It’s biggest crime is blending in too much, which surprised me, given its origins. If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it’s that a bold flavor will be loved my some and hated by more. A mild flavor will be liked by all but preferred by none.