As Labor Day approaches, it’s peak time to spend the day by the pool or on a boat, anywhere near the water. That means no glass, people! A walk through your local package store or grocery will demonstrate that stacks of canned beverages are gaining retail real estate, and not just in the beer category.
I’ve had the opportunity to try out several new canned cocktail, hard seltzer and mocktail options over the past month, and here are some of your best new bets.
The first cans to land on my front porch came from Funny Water, a company that sells what they honestly call “alcoholic water.” Unlike other hard seltzers, Funny Water is not carbonated and has a relatively low ABV of 3.75 percent. I personally found it more refreshing than bubbly drinks when it’s hot outside, and the interesting flavor combinations like blueberry and açai or cucumber and mint — along with single-flavor varieties such as watermelon and citrus — actually make for fine mixers in a quick cocktail.
The thoughtful choice of flavors make Funny Water pretty flexible when it comes to what sort of cocktail you’d like to create. Basically any of them would be great with vodka, white rum or tequila, so have at it! You can find Funny Water at several restaurants, bars and retail shops around town.
Devil’s Foot is another canned offering that can be used as a mixer or enjoyed as presented. Described as a “farm-to-can craft soda,” Devil’s Foot is distributed locally by BountyBev, always a market leader when it comes to introducing new craft beverages. The company offers a wide variety of tasty flavors, including classic ginger beer, sparkling lemonade, sparkling limeade and tart berry soda.
The Asheville, N.C.-based company sources ingredients from regional farmers who they know practice sustainable farming techniques so that you can feel better about their products.
I was already a fan of the first collaboration between George Dickel and Brooklyn-based Social Hour when they came out with a premade Harvest Whiskey Sour, so I was excited to find out they’ve released a new canned version of one of my favorite summer sippers, the bourbon smash.
This is a true cocktail in a can, a 20 percent ABV drink made using tart Meyer lemon, muddled mint and 8-year-old George Dickel Bourbon. Uncarbonated, this can is best enjoyed in a glass over ice, preferably crushed ice if you can source it.
The 250-milliliter cans should provide three servings per can, but I’ll leave it up to you how big a drink you choose to pour.
Finally, quite a few local stores and bars have started stocking products from Spritz Society, a company that produces canned cocktails made using sparkling wine from California as the alcohol base to its products. Using only real fruit juices and other natural ingredients, Spritz Society offers 8.4-ounce cans in several flavors ranging from tart grapefruit, lemon and blood orange to sweet peach and pineapple.
I really enjoyed each of the flavors of the Spritz Society 6 percent ABV cocktails I tried until I opened the final four-pack they sent me. It was … pickle-flavored. Listen, I love a pickleback as much as the next guy, but that drink usually more of a late-night challenge in a dim bar.
Created in partnership with Claussen, it genuinely tasted as you would expect, and my girlfriend who is a big fan of the refrigerated Claussen pickles was on board. It was just a bit of a bridge too far for me. But hey, you might love it as much as I did the other flavors for Spritz Society. I won’t judge.
Cheers!
