This Clovis brewery is gaining a reputation for one thing – and it’s not beer
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Crow & Wolf Brewing Co. in Clovis is known for popular hard seltzers.
- The brewery swept gold, silver and bronze in the hard seltzer category at CA Brewers Cup.
- Dark Wolf, a boysenberry and vanilla seltzer, is Crow & Wolf’s top-selling drink.
When head brewer Brad Gaines looks out over a packed taproom at Crow & Wolf Brewing Co. in Clovis, every table has a hard seltzer on it.
Seltzers have been popular with customers for years at Crow & Wolf, which opened a taproom in an industrial park northwest of Highway 168 and Clovis Avenue in 2021. And the awards for the seltzers keep pouring in.
Sure, the brewery makes beer and wins awards for that, too.
But the seltzers are really making a name for themselves.
Crow & Wolf swept the hard seltzer category at the recent 2026 Brewers Cup of California competition, meaning it won gold, silver and bronze. It’s the second time in three years the brewery has done that.
It also ranked No. 3 in the nation in 2024 and 2025 for its hard seltzers in the U.S. Open Hard Seltzer Championships.
In fact, the brewery’s No. 1 selling drink is a seltzer called Dark Wolf. It’s a boysenberry and vanilla seltzer designed to taste like a sorbet.
“We see everybody in here drinking them,” Gaines said. “The people you might not expect to drink seltzer, they’re coming in here and they’re ordering it by the pitcher.”
Sure enough, check out Crow & Wolf’s Yelp.com page and the first few reviews are all about the seltzers.
“Was never a big fan of any seltzer drinks until now,” said Ruben Z. of Salinas.
Said a user from Merced: “I mean, it’s all about the seltzers. Parking can be tricky just be patient. But really, it’s all about the seltzers.”
What is hard seltzer anyway?
Technically, a seltzer is anything made with fermented sugar, brewer Gaines said.
Crow & Wolf’s seltzers are nothing like the clear White Claw that controls 60% of the seltzer market nationally, owned by the same company that produces Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
Crow & Wolf’s seltzers are a different beast, Gaines said. That led to their popularity, he thinks.
“It’s maybe a breath of fresh air,” he said. “I think people got so used to your clear, kinda artificially flavored seltzers that it breathed in some excitement — real fruit, actual color, real flavor.”
The seltzers are made with fresh fruit. They catch the eye in shades of yellow, pink and red.
And they’re not always a sweet drink you’d expect a new drinker to prefer, Gaines said.
“They’re very balanced,” he said. “They’re not overly sweet, not overly sour.”
That top-selling Dark Wolf won gold at the state competition.
The Maui Sunset, with passion fruit, orange and guava flavors, won silver. Bronze-winning Hello Sunshine has watermelon and lime flavors. And some seltzers mimic cocktails, such as the Cosmonaut, which mimics a Moscow Mule and has 8% alcohol by volume.
Most seltzers have about 5% ABV and cost $8.75 for a pint. You can find them for sale in cans around town at places like Save Mart or Peacock Market .
Gaines is proud of the beer he makes, but he doesn’t mind being known for seltzers.
“I’m just happy to make things that people enjoy,” he said. “The seltzers are just very authentically us.”
Details: Crow & Wolf Brewing Co. is at 526 Spruce Ave. It’s open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m Mondays through Thursdays, noon to 10 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.
This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 11:22 AM.
